General Information

Government Type

Municipality

Entity

Blanding

Public Body

Planning Commission

Notice Information

Add Notice to Calendar

Notice Title

January 2026 Planning Commission Minutes

Notice Type(s)

Meeting

Event Start Date & Time

January 8, 2026 07:00 PM

Description/Agenda

January Planning Commission Minutes January 8th, 2026-7:00 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 1. Roll Call 2. Approval: Consent Agenda and Minutes from December 18th, 2025 Regular Session Regan made a motion to approve the agenda and minutes from the December meeting. Tyler seconded the motion. It passed unanimously. Public Input Carrie Hughes was present and she stated that she would like to buy a 680 square foot home and place it on a lot they already own, which would require rezoning from R1 to R2 because the existing house on the lot is rented, not owner-occupied, and the small size of the proposed new lot does not meet R1 zoning. Carrie confirmed that the proposed small home, built by Cody and Quinn Palmer, is a unique, well-finished quanza hut type house. To proceed, Carrie would need to submit a rezoning application, which would involve staff review, a public hearing, and then a decision by the city council. The commission members said they would be in favor of a zone change as they are trying to make it easier for more housing options. Reports 1. Council Representative Nothing to report 2. Commissioner Nothing to report 3. Development Director Training requirements for 2026 - Ben stated that the commission is required to do four hours of training a year. He asked if the commission is ok with him scheduling a training session at the February or March meeting. The commission is willing to do that during the regular work meeting. He stated that if anyone does any training on their own to let him know. Discussion Items 1. Water Wise Ordinance The commission reviewed the draft water wise ordinance, which had been previously discussed, to ensure no changes were missed. The primary change recalled was the need for language specifying that landscaping cannot consist solely of weeds. Ben agreed to include a diagram to clarify which areas of a lot are considered 'street facing' for compliance, noting that the ordinance will mainly affect new constructions. They discussed what constitutes the front yard and side yard and what percentage of that needs to be 'water wise' to qualify for the rebate. 2. Mobile Home Updates The commission discussed updates to the city's code regarding manufactured homes, with Regan recommending the deletion of the existing mobile home section due to incorrect definitions and outdated requirements. The preferred approach is to update existing definitions and allow manufactured homes in any residential district, provided they meet the same size, safety codes, and permanent foundation requirements as other residential homes. The penalty for incorrect placement under the old code was noted to be a $499 fine or three months in jail. The proposed ordinance changes include repealing mobile home zoning and creating a 'manufactured home community' (formerly 'trailer park') as a conditional development type, only permitted in R2 zones. Existing mobile home zones will transition to legal non-conforming status under their current use if they are in R1. The Planning Commission would serve as the approval authority for new manufactured home community developments. The commission debated the minimum parcel size for a new manufactured home community, with the suggestion that the initial two-acre minimum might be too large based on current zone sizes. The commission tentatively agreed on an acre and a half for new developments. They also discussed completion requirements for the development plan, preferring a provision that encourages development rather than discourages it. The commission proposed requiring at least 50% completion of planned spaces before occupancy, rather than 80%, to help owners recoup costs. They outlined the elements required for a manufactured home community development plan, including a topographic map, layout of spaces and internal streets, utility and parking plans, storm drainage, and tabulations. They noted that an approval letter from the Utah Department of Health Human Services is mentioned in the draft, but they were unsure of its exact requirement or necessity. They discussed the line that stated the maximum density limit but agreed that all the other requirements would take care of that on its own. It was stated that the land requirements for manufactured home units, noting that the proposed standard of 4,000 square feet per unit is technically a little less dense than what is possible in R2 zoning. Ben suggested decreasing the amount of land required if units can meet other requirements like 15% open space, setbacks, etc. The commission discussed parking requirements, off street parking, having two access points in a 'community' if all homes aren't accessible by a city street. They discussed the access ability for fire trucks and emergency services, as well as standards for gravel roads and parking spots. They talked about fencing, skirting, the tongue used to haul the manufacture home and drainage. The meeting addressed the requirement for a local park manager and single or joint ownership with a valid business license. Regan expressed confusion about the purpose of limiting ownership to a single entity. He stated that oftentimes, things like this are owned by several people. He doesn't see a problem if all other requirements, such as having a contact person and a business license, are met. The group reviewed provisions for non-conforming use, which essentially restates existing ordinances regarding limitations on expansion and repairs. They talked about cleaning up and making definitions clear and concise. Business Items 1. Approval of draft Mobile Home Updates for City Council Review Regan made a motion to have Ben clean up the notes that they've made and send it to city council for review. Tyler seconded the motion. It passed unanimously. 2. Approval of Water Wise Ordinance for City Council Review Tyler made a motion to send the water wise ordinance to city council for approval. Regan seconded the motion. It passed unanimously. Adjournment Paul made a motion to adjourn the meeting. 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
Show in Apple Maps Show in Google Maps

Contact Name

Ben Muhlestein

Contact Email

bmuhlestein@blanding-ut.gov

Notice Posting Details

Notice Posted On

February 18, 2026 02:29 PM

Notice Last Edited On

February 18, 2026 02:29 PM

Subscribe by Email

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