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Scofield council tables proposed commercial-zone setback changes pending fire department review
Summary
At an April 13 public hearing, Scofield leaders reviewed proposed edits to Chapter V of the town Land Use Code that would change setback rules and accessory-building limits in the commercial zone; the council tabled the proposal to obtain additional information from the fire department.
Scofield Mayor Jim Levanger read proposed amendments to Chapter V of the Scofield Land Use Code at a public hearing on April 13, 2026, focusing on Table 4, which lists required lot features and dimensions for the town’s commercial zone. The council did not take final action and tabled the item to allow the fire department to review safety implications.
The minutes show several specific measurements and standards in Table 4 that would govern commercial lots and accessory buildings. Among the items read aloud were a 10-foot minimum setback from a dwelling or building to any lot line abutting a street and a 10-foot minimum setback from the furthest projecting point of an accessory building to any street-facing lot line. Other lines in the table indicate 0-foot side and rear setbacks for some commercial- and accessory-building situations; the transcript also references Ordinance 3-6.8 for line-of-sight triangles and Ordinance 5-8-2023 for accessory-building regulations. The town’s R2 residential zone was noted separately with a listed 60-foot frontage and an 8-foot side setback cited "for fire protection." The minutes further note that the township already maintains ordinances governing noise, outdoor lighting and nuisance.
Mayor Levanger emphasized a public-safety consideration during the reading, saying, "the heights of the building must be safe for the fire department." The council said it wanted more detail from the fire department about height and setback interactions before deciding whether to adopt the changes.
No members of the public spoke during the comment period. Committee member Kim Erikkila moved to adjourn; Committee member Ralph Brinkerhoff seconded. The motion carried unanimously and the meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m. The amendment to Chapter V was formally tabled until the next monthly meeting pending the fire department’s input.
The council’s minutes as read at the hearing include several transcribed shorthand items and at least one unclear line (the minutes list "Oft." for the minimum setback from dwelling or building to rear lot line). The council’s official record or a future staff report should clarify that figure and other transcription ambiguities before any final ordinance is adopted.
