Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Caretaker Dwelling topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners approve conditional use permit allowing existing caretaker mobile home to remain on Palone property
Summary
Adams County commissioners approved RCU 2025-21, allowing an existing 980-square-foot mobile-home caretaker dwelling to remain on a 40‑acre A‑3 zoned property under conditions including caretaker-only occupancy and standard well/septic compliance.
The Adams County Board of County Commissioners approved a conditional use permit (RCU 2025-21) Dec. 2 allowing an existing caretaker mobile home on the Palone property to remain under set conditions.
Greg Barnes of the Community and Economic Development Department explained the application by Wayne and Gail Palone for a conditional use permit to retain a 980‑square‑foot mobile home on a 40‑acre parcel in the Agricultural‑3 zone. Staff described the regulatory history: caretaker dwellings were allowed through conditional use permits before the county adopted accessory dwelling unit (ADU) standards in 2019; the 2019 rules restrict ADUs by size and prohibit mobile homes, so older caretaker permits require an application to remain. The property was the site of a previously granted conditional use permit in 2015; staff told the board 80 notices were sent to nearby owners and three supportive comments were returned. Planning Commission recommended approval 6–0.
Staff recommended approval with findings, conditions and one note, and commissioners asked clarifying questions about an historical condition that restricted caretaker dwellings from being rented. Commissioners amended the condition language in discussion to clarify the occupancy as related to caretakers (rather than an open family‑member definition), discussed that ADU conversion would require substantial structural changes and, after an applicant statement about family caregiving history, voted to approve RCU 2025‑21 with the recommended findings and conditions. The motion passed unanimously.
Why it matters: The decision preserved an existing on‑site caretaker dwelling used historically to support family caregiving and clarified how long‑standing caretaker permits interact with current ADU standards.
What happens next: The conditional use permit includes conditions on occupancy, septic and well compliance and a 10‑year review provision consistent with the historical approval; staff will monitor compliance and follow up as required.
