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Planning commission deadlocks on rezoning for 600 Harms Court after neighbor opposition
Summary
The Planning Commission split 3-3 on a proposal to rezone 600 Harms Court from MH to RN2 on June 25, 2026, after a neighbor raised concerns about neighborhood character and the potential loss of an informal trail; the tie means the item will move to city council for decision.
Steamboat Springs — The Planning Commission was unable to reach a recommendation on a rezoning request for 600 Harms Court on June 25, finishing the hearing with a 3-3 tie and leaving the final decision to the City Council.
Applicant Adam Wright of Craft Architecture Studio asked the commission to reclassify the property from MH (manufactured home) to RN2 (residential neighborhood 2). He said the lot is unusually large for the immediate area (roughly 25,000 square feet gross, about 17,600 square feet of developable area after excluding a no-build zone), and that RN2 better aligns with its size and with goals for additional dwelling options, including an accessory dwelling unit.
"The intent is for a single-family home and the option for an ADU," Wright said, describing RN2 as a way to provide a more attainable housing type and infill consistent with the community plan.
Toby Stafer, senior planner, recommended approval, saying RN2 permits a mix of housing types and would further the Community Canvas compact-residential goals. He noted RN2 allows taller and larger buildings than MH but applies a 35% maximum lot coverage and other standards intended to keep new construction compatible with surrounding areas.
A nearby property owner, Aubram Fineberg of 435 Dabney Lane, opposed the rezoning and urged the commission to deny or seek less impactful alternatives. Fineberg said the parcel is geographically separated by topography and private open space from the High School Hill neighborhood and argued lot size alone does not define neighborhood character. He also warned that a frequently used informal cut-through called Ruby’s Way could be affected.
"This zoning change is not bringing this large piece of property into character with the other neighbors," Fineberg told the commission, requesting that commissioners protect the existing neighborhood scale and oppose future variances or subdivision.
Commissioners debated whether RN2 would in practice allow building forms dramatically out of scale with adjacent smaller homes in the former mobile-home subdivision. Some members said the zone change promotes infill and matches the community plan’s goals for adding units; others argued the larger lot could allow a single large house or a house with an ADU that would be out of character with the immediate Harms Court neighborhood.
A motion to approve the rezoning was seconded but failed on a 3-3 split. Commissioners characterized the result as a tied recommendation; the planning commission will forward the application to the City Council, where the final zoning decision will be made.
Next steps: the item will be scheduled for a City Council hearing; staff and the applicant may present additional materials there. Any future subdivision or development proposal for the lot would require separate review and approvals.
