Council approves special-use permit for single‑wide manufactured home after split vote

The Snowflake Town Council approved a special‑use permit and variance on Sept. 5 to allow placement of a single‑wide manufactured home at 398 S. 11th Street East, with the applicant agreeing to site improvements intended to make the unit resemble a site‑built house.

The motion to grant the permit, moved by Councilmember JoAnne Guderian and seconded by Kerry Ballard, passed 4–2. Councilmembers Greg Brimhall, Joe Bjornn, Guderian and Ballard voted in favor; Councilmember Cory Johnson and Mayor Byron Lewis voted against; Councilmember Lora Jones was excused.

The Olsons told the council they first brought the request in 2021 and that the item was tabled while they dealt with medical issues and attempted to sell the manufactured home. "Medical issues like chemo kept us from taking care of this issue sooner," Olson said, explaining why the family returned to seek the permit now. They said they would pour a concrete pad, use blocks to make the unit appear permanent, and add front and back porches and eaves.

Planning and Zoning recommended approval, and the applicants noted they had been unable to sell the unit. During council discussion, Johnson pointed to the recent town code change and opposition from nearby neighbors, saying the new code does not allow such placements and that "at some point you have to start following the town code." Brimhall said the request was similar to a previously approved case on Old Woodruff Road and noted that prior approvals had been finalized after code changes.

The council’s approval includes the variance and the special‑use permit as presented. No additional conditions beyond the site improvements were specified in the meeting record. The permit takes effect per town procedure; no appeal or implementation timeline was recorded in the minutes.

The council moved on to other agenda items after the vote.