Plan commission backs UDO text amendments, including mobile‑home ban, chicken limits and shipping‑container rules

At its meeting, the Plan Commission reviewed a package of proposed text amendments to the city’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) and voted to forward the package to the city council with a favorable recommendation.

Staff outlined the main changes: a prohibition of mobile homes as a land use (language the staff said had been omitted in the original UDO), a correction returning exterior metal-panel façade standards to the districts in the old code, a new provision allowing the commission to reduce parking requirements when applicants provide comparable data, new fence standards for residential and nonresidential districts, and expanded or revised definitions for several items including shipping containers and backyard chickens.

The backyard‑chicken provision in the draft would allow up to six chickens on lots under one-half acre and up to 12 chickens on lots larger than one-half acre; roosters would be prohibited. Commissioners discussed those limits — one attendee interjected "No chickens." — and another commissioner suggested the higher number on larger lots might be too permissive. The shipping‑container language would disallow shipping containers except as accessory buildings in industrial districts, permit temporary use for up to 30 days twice a year, and grandfather existing containers if they meet new standards (painting, maintenance) and a cap of 10 units in certain districts.

A commissioner moved and another seconded to send the revisions to council with a favorable recommendation; the commission approved the motion on a voice vote. The transcript does not record individual roll-call tallies. The commission’s recommendation does not itself change the UDO; council action would be required to adopt any of the proposed amendments.