General Information

Government Type

Municipality

Entity

Blanding

Public Body

Planning Commission

Notice Information

Add Notice to Calendar

Notice Title

Planning Commission Minutes 9.11.2025

Notice Type(s)

Meeting

Event Start Date & Time

September 11, 2025 07:00 PM

Description/Agenda

Planning Commission Minutes September 11, 2025 Planning Commission Present: Tyler Nielson Regan Richmond Will McFarland Paul Murdock Community Development: City Manager: City Council Representative: Ben Muhlestein Kellen Nielson Minutes: Nicole Holliday CALL TO ORDER & APPROVAL: Paul welcomed everyone to the meeting and took a roll call. He asked if anyone had questions or changes for the August minutes. Tyler made a motion to approve the minutes. Will seconded the motion, it passed unanimously. PUBLIC INPUT: None COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE REPORT: Kellen said we are still getting a lot of kick back for the mobile home zone change request. Council is appreciative of the commission's work. They have asked that they continue working on updating the mobile home zone. COMMISSIONER MEMBER REPORTS: None DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR: FALL TRAINING - Ben reminded the commission of the fall training in October. He encouraged them to attend. There is a lot of good information at that training. OCTOBER MEETING CHANGE - Our next meeting is scheduled for October 9, but Ben and possibly others will be gone. They decided that the best time for them is October 2nd. POSSIBLE WORK MEETING - Ben asked if the commission wanted to have a work meeting to work through some things, have additional discussions in an effort to make the monthly meetings not quite so long. He stated that the council has requested that mobile homes be on moratorium and has asked that the planning commission go over the mobile home ordinance. They decided to schedule a work session on Sept. 17th. B3 ZONE CHANGE REQUEST: Kendall presented a request to rezone a parcel on the west side of Main Street from commercial to R2 to develop 20 to 30 low-income housing apartments, a LIHTC project. This project would offer affordable rents and ensure the property remains low-income beyond the initial 15-year requirement. The proposed development, if approved, would not break ground until early the following year due to the state application and credit acquisition process. During the discussion of the B3 zone change, concerns were raised about current R2 parking requirements, with some commissioners suggesting they were too low and could lead to neighborhood complaints. Kendall affirmed that the parcel, approximately 3.8 acres, would accommodate the project's parking needs under current city ordinances and allow for flexibility if unit numbers needed adjustment. The commission ultimately approved the zone change request and moved it to the city council, acknowledging the city's need for affordable housing. Regan made a motion to approve and move it to the council. Tyler seconded the motion. DOWNTOWN PRESENTATION - BIKE UTAH: Cameron and Carson joined the meeting virtually. They are from Bike Utah, they presented an existing conditions analysis for Blanding's Downtown Improvement Plan, covering transportation, land use, street amenities, wayfinding, and branding. Key findings from community engagement included a desire for more places to eat and shop, better walking and bikeability, and improved street amenities like shade trees and crosswalks. Cameron Carter highlighted US 191 as a major challenge for downtown Blanding due to its wide width and perceived unsafe speeds, despite a 30 mph limit. The data showed nine reported car crashes between 2019 and 2023 occurred on US 191, mostly around the four-way stop. A road diet, converting the four-lane highway to three lanes with a center turn lane, was suggested as a solution to improve traffic flow and reduce crashes. They noted missing sidewalk segments on local streets and a lack of pedestrian crossings outside the four-way stop. The presentation also detailed the abundance of parking, the prevalence of office and service businesses over retail and dining, and the issue of abandoned buildings in the downtown area. Recommendations included developing more pedestrian-oriented wayfinding signs and reinforcing downtown identity with street light banners. WATER WISE ORDINANCE: Ben introduced the possibility of adopting a Waterwise ordinance, which would allow citizens to receive $2 per square foot for replacing lawns with water-efficient landscaping. He clarified that this ordinance would primarily affect new developments but could also benefit those retrofitting their existing yards. Ben Muhlestein emphasized the need for specific requirements within any adopted water-wise ordinance, advocating for clear stipulations to prevent bare ground and weeds, and instead encourage attractive, water-wise plants. They also confirmed that while the city would administer and enforce its own ordinances, the state's Water Wise Utah program would handle the rebates for citizens. MOBILE HOME UPDATES: Ben initiated a discussion on mobile home updates, revealing that Blanding currently has individual lots owned by mobile home residents, which was previously unknown to some participants. They explained that the city's definition of a mobile home is outdated and differs from the HUD definition, which considers homes built after June 15, 1976, as manufactured homes. Ben pointed out that Blanding is unique among surveyed cities for having a specific mobile home zoning district. Ben suggested eliminating the mobile home zoning district and instead requiring current mobile home districts to incorporate as mobile home parks, similar to practices in other cities. They noted that mobile home parks have more stringent requirements, including landscaping and foundation standards, which could address public concerns about unregulated trailer placements and improve the overall appearance and quality of these areas. The commission discussed the issue of deteriorating mobile homes, with a suggestion that homes beyond a certain age, even if grandfathered in, should be removed from the city within 15 years. They noted that while existing code prohibits replacing homes older than 1976, there is no enforcement mechanism to ensure abandoned non-conforming uses are brought up to code. There was a consensus that Blanding's code definitions, particularly for mobile homes, are outdated and need to be updated to align with modern, standardized definitions. They highlighted the lack of enforcement 'teeth' in current codes, suggesting that measures like fees for abandoned non-conforming properties and liens for city-incurred cleanup costs could incentivize property owners to maintain their land. They acknowledged the need for a balance between government regulation and property rights and emphasized that the city should not enable abuse of the system or allow properties to become eyesores or safety hazards. R1 ZONE UPDATES: Ben proposed that the commission continue updating the R1 zone. They talked specifically about allowing private drives, similar to what was implemented in R2 districts. This change would enable the creation of flag-style lots, increasing development opportunities by allowing access to previously inaccessible properties without requiring expensive city streets. Participants agreed on allowing private drives in R1 zones, with a proposed maximum of three homes serviced by each drive and a requirement for a recorded shared maintenance agreement. They also discussed adjusting the minimum lot size for R1 from 10,000 square feet to 8,500 square feet, aiming to balance density with comfortable lot sizes. They addressed ADUs and short-term rentals, noting that state code requires ADUs to be allowed, but the primary residence must be unoccupied for them to be rented. He also proposed requiring business licenses for short-term rentals, stating that operating without one would be a Class B misdemeanor. They emphasized the need for adequate parking, suggesting a minimum of two parking stalls per unit in multi-family R1 developments to prevent excessive on-street parking. Regan made a motion to adjourn. Will seconded it. The meeting adjourned.

Notice of Special Accommodations (ADA)

In compliance with the ADA, individuals needing special accommodations during this meeting may call the City Offices at (435) 678-2791 at least twenty-four hours in advance. Every effort will be made to provide the appropriate services.

Notice of Electronic or Telephone Participation

One or more commission members may participate electronically.

Meeting Information

Meeting Location

50 W 100 S
Blanding, UT 84511
Show in Apple Maps Show in Google Maps

Contact Name

Ben Muhlestein

Contact Email

bmuhlestein@blanding-ut.gov

Notice Posting Details

Notice Posted On

October 17, 2025 10:32 AM

Notice Last Edited On

October 17, 2025 10:32 AM

Subscribe by Email

Subscription options will send you alerts regarding future notices posted by this Body.