Clarkston council asks planning commission to review 30-foot front-yard setback

The chair opened a discussion May 6 about Clarkston's 30-foot front-yard setback, saying the town should consider whether the requirement is excessive and asked Council member Goody to carry the issue to the planning commission for review.

Resident Leon Paskett said the code is unclear about where a setback is measured from and urged the council to rewrite the language to reference property lines rather than the ambiguous word "street." "If this was written so it was more specific... it comes off my property line," Paskett said, arguing that clearer wording would prevent confusion for homeowners and planners.

A council member noted the town has interpreted "street" to mean the entire right-of-way and that the town had run the interpretation by a lawyer, but agreed the wording could be clearer for lay readers. "We clarified that with a lawyer and everything too," one council member said, and added that, if there is enough public interest, the town would have to rewrite the ordinance and follow the formal posting and hearing process.

Council members discussed the practical impact: wide right-of-way widths in town (commonly 60 to 99 feet) and the effect on corner lots, where owners may effectively lose 30 feet on two sides. Speakers suggested potential alternatives such as a smaller setback (examples mentioned included 15 or 20 feet) or treating one frontage as a side yard rather than forcing two front-yard setbacks on corner lots.

The council directed that the planning commission review the code language and seek public input before any ordinance rewrite. No formal ordinance change was made at the May 6 meeting; the item was referred to the planning commission for study.

What happens next: The planning commission is expected to review the setback language and report back to the council after gathering public feedback.