General Information

Government Type

Municipality

Entity

Blanding

Public Body

Planning Commission

Notice Information

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Notice Title

Planning Commission Minutes 11.13.2025

Notice Type(s)

Meeting

Event Start Date & Time

November 13, 2025 07:00 PM

Description/Agenda

November Planning Commission Minutes November 13, 2025-7:00 pm Commission Members Paul Murdock Tyler Nielson Regan Richmond Will McFarland City Council Rep: Kellen Nielson 50 West 100 South Street, Blanding Utah 84511 MAIN MEETING Call to Order Roll Call Approval: Consent Agenda and Minutes from October 2, 2025 Regular Session Regan made a motion to approve the agenda and minutes from October 2, 2025. Will seconded the motion. It passed. Public Hearing: B3 Zone Change Request: Will made a motion to enter a public hearing to discuss changes to the R1 zone. Regan seconded the motion. It passed. Ben explained that a second public hearing was necessary because the city had advertised the previous one nine days in advance instead of the required ten Kendall Laws was present at the meeting and made some statements concerning the B3 zone change request. He clarified that the zoning change was contingent upon their project being approved and would revert to commercial if the project fell through, addressing concerns that the change would be permanent. Kendall acknowledged feedback from neighbors and a letter at the city council expressing concern that the residential project was going into a commercial zone. Kendall agreed that they wished they could put commercial buildings in the commercial zone but noted that there was low demand for commercial construction and difficulty finding appropriately sized, residentially zoned property that people were willing to sell. The commission agreed that the suggested location, which borders an existing subdivision, was suitable for the project. Tyler made a motion to exit the public hearing. Will seconded the motion. The public hearing ended. Public Input - Kara Laws joined the meeting virtually. Kara provided general public input on short-term rentals (STRs), noting that they are negatively impacting affordable housing in Blanding, with approximately 36 short-term rentals within city limits. Kara Marie emphasized the need to regulate STRs, suggesting limits on the number of rentals within a radius to preserve neighborhood character. Nicole Holliday supported the idea of finding creative ways to curtail STRs, such as radius limitations or considering specific zones for Airbnbs. Kara asserted that regulating Airbnbs is possible through requirements like a business license, correcting a previous statement by a city manager that regulation was illegal. Kara raised concerns about an entire apartment building operating as a short-term rental in an R1 zone, questioning why this is allowed when a hotel cannot be built there. Kellen, who had been recommending city action on Airbnbs for ten of the twelve years they have been working with the city, suggested a mixed-use zone allowing Airbnbs above commercial spaces to pull extra traffic out of residential neighborhoods. Kendall Laws also made a public comment concerning short term rentals. Kendall highlighted the negative impact of STRs on neighborhoods, recalling that the corner near their previous home was treacherous during the summer due to vacationers looking at maps and not paying attention to traffic. Kendall expressed that while property rights are important, living in a city involves giving up certain rights, suggesting a need for a 'method to the madness' concerning STRs. Kendall also left some books on affordable housing development for the commission to review. Reports Council Representative Kellen informed the commission of the moratorium on mobile home zoning that has been started. Commissioners None Development Director The group discussed the best date to meet in December. Ben informed the commission that their December meeting, which had previously been cancelled, was now required due to a moratorium on mobile home zoning. The original date of December 11th conflicted with the city Christmas party, so the commission agreed to move the meeting to December 4th. Ben stated he would conduct social media outreach 24 hours before the planning meetings to possibly increase public input. The commission scheduled a work meeting on December 18th at noon. Ben stated that the City Council had passed an ordinance to slightly change the structure of the Planning Commission. The commission will now have five voting members, with Kellen Nielson remaining in a non-voting City Council representative role. Ben asked for suggestions for a new member, mentioning Jared Barrett and a few others as possible candidates. Discussion Items Water Wise Ordinance The commission reviewed proposed water wise ordinances, particularly the stipulation that no more than 50% of the front and side yard landscaped area may consist of lawn. Ben clarified that the interpretation of 'front and sideyard' is left to the commission's discretion and noted a concern that limiting lawn space might encourage unkempt dirt or weeds. The restrictions only apply to new construction, and people who redesign their yards can benefit from water wise incentives. Discussion arose regarding the definition of 'landscaped area,' with questions of non-vegetation areas, like driveways should be included in the 50% calculation. Ben noted that a form of advertising the water wise incentive would be enforcing the existing weed ordinances. Ben confirmed that the incentive pays $2 per square foot to remove lawn and replace it with water wise landscaping, but this is only for redos, not new construction. It was mentioned that the Water Wise program subsidizes the cost of replacing grass and requires a plan with the application to ensure the new landscaping is approved. Kara added that the approval process is difficult because they want to ensure the new landscaping is not just creating a 'hotter desert'. Ben proposed inviting the Water Wise representative to the next meeting to answer detailed questions about the program and its restrictions. R-1 Zone Updates The commission reviewed City Council's feedback on R1 zone updates regarding temporary RV living while building a home. City Council, specifically Councilmember Taylor, suggested a higher cost for, first year: $2,000 and the second year $15,000 -to discourage long-term use and 'have more teeth'. Members of the commission questioned the necessity of the ordinance, arguing that if it's rarely used, it may be unnecessary, and that the city should not undercut the business of local RV parks. The commission discussed whether to accept the changes proposed by City Council, with the commission expressing opposition to allowing temporary mobile homes on residential lots due to safety concerns and availability of commercial RV lots. Regan voted to send it back to city council with the temporary conditional use section completely taken out. Will seconded it. It passed unanimously. Mobile Home Updates From the get go, Regan wanted to make it clear that a 'mobile home' has not existed since 1976 at both the federal and state levels, making the term obsolete. He questioned why the city has building codes if not for the safety and welfare of the residents of Blanding. He questioned whether manufactured homes are currently prohibited in R1 and R2 zones. Ben suggested setting standard definitions for what a mobile home is, a manufactured home, a single wide, a double wide and some other terms that would help make the code clear. It was said that mobile homes that are built in 1976 or before and should not be replaced if removed or burned down. It was emphasized that any home brought into the city with the intent of permanent residence, including manufactured homes, should meet current building codes. All speakers agreed that the discussion should focus on manufactured homes rather than pre-1976 mobile homes, which may have significant safety issues like lead paint or aluminum wiring. Ben noted that mobile homes that have been abandoned should not be reoccupied. He suggested that properties documented as abandoned for a year, if they are mobile homes, should face removal, potentially with a process where the city removes them at the owner's cost. It was proposed to completely remove the existing mobile home code, and create a new ordinance for manufactured homes. This new ordinance would require standards that would allow for a desirable outcome and community. They also considered different ownership structures, such as a model where residents own their pad, similar to an HOA, or one where the developer owns the mobile homes and rents them out. Will mentioned problems with existing mobile homes regarding taxation and property records, noting that some mobile homes may still have vehicle titles and may not be properly recorded or taxed. The commission agreed that a crucial step is enforcing existing code, especially concerning replacements, to prevent older trailers from being swapped out for other non-conforming units. Adjournment Will made a motion to adjourn. Tyler seconded the motion. 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
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Contact Name

Ben Muhlestein

Contact Email

bmuhlestein@blanding-ut.gov

Notice Posting Details

Notice Posted On

January 21, 2026 12:13 PM

Notice Last Edited On

January 21, 2026 12:13 PM

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