Breckenridge planning commission recommends modest expansion of manufactured-home zoning

The Breckenridge Planning and Zoning Commission voted on Feb. 2 to recommend that the City Commission adopt a revised Chapter 22 zoning ordinance and a new zoning map that modestly expands where manufactured homes may be placed, choosing the staff/consultant-recommended Option 1.

Cynthia, a city staff member who led the presentation, told commissioners the city currently has 236 parcels with manufactured homes and that Option 1 would increase the number of potential lots to 296 — an increase of 60 parcels. Cynthia summarized the process leading to the vote, noting the commission had reviewed the proposal for three months and that staff and a consultant had worked on the update for about a year, including open houses and public meetings.

"Currently, there's 236 lots where manufactured homes are," Cynthia said, and described the three options presented: the draft Option 1 corresponding to roughly 2.45% acreage, Option 2 to about 5.88%, and Option 3 to about 9.73% of eligible acreage.

The planning consultant who worked on the ordinance told the commission the consultant and staff leaned toward Option 1 as a balance between preserving neighborhood character and expanding workforce housing. The consultant said Option 1 corresponds to about 51 eligible acres, Option 2 to 122 acres and Option 3 to 202 acres, based on a 7,500-square-foot lot methodology.

"Our recommendation with 1 is kind of the consultant recommendation plus your city staff recommendation," the planning consultant said, arguing the approach keeps Breckenridge more measured than some faster-growing Metroplex communities while still allowing additional parcels for manufactured housing.

Commissioners raised practical questions about occupancy, minimum unit size and timing. The planning consultant clarified that the 236-parcel count came from a field study and that some units may be vacant or dilapidated, so the figure describes parcels with manufactured homes identified during the study rather than a count of currently occupied units. When asked about local size minimums, the consultant said federal law prevents the city from enforcing a 1,200-square-foot minimum and that the federal standard effectively preempts local numeric minimums.

Several commissioners debated the scale of the change. One commissioner said they had been inclined toward Option 2 but, after the consultant's explanation, planned to support Option 1. Another commissioner described Option 2 as "probably too much at this time," while a different member said they were inclined toward the largest Option 3.

After discussion the commission made a motion to recommend approval of the zoning ordinance using Option 1, and a second was given. The commission conducted a voice vote. The transcript records some confusion about seeing all members' votes and a later request to confirm one member's vote; a roll-call tally does not appear in the transcript. The commission chair/staff confirmed the item will proceed as a recommendation to the City Commission, which will consider the ordinance at its meeting the next day.

The commission also clarified that the new zoning map and ordinance would apply only inside city limits and would not affect the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). The planning consultant noted Breckenridge's city limits total about 2,043 acres.

The meeting adjourned at approximately 6:07 p.m. The commission's recommendation sends the proposed Chapter 22 and the Option 1 map to the city commission for final action the following day. The transcript does not record a formal roll-call vote or final vote tally.