Changes for ordinance concerning minimum square footage discussed

Goodnight said she spoke with Attorney Jessica Blackburn about the possibility of combining the city’s tiny home restriction (no homes allowed under 900 square feet) with its ban on mobile home/RV residences, but Blackburn did not think the combination was a good fit. 

Instead, they’re looking at establishing a single ordinance for the 900 square foot limitation for homes. “The examples that I gave her from other cities are not just that you are not allowed to build a house under 900 square foot. There are other things to think about - like are you going to allow someone to build a 450 square foot home and put another level on it. This is what other cities are dealing with,” Goodnight said. In response to those situations, Goodnight said, the cities are drafting very detailed ordinances to avoid some of the creative ways people get around the ordinances. “There’s even one that limits ceiling height,” she said. “Well, that’s what we need,” Bushong said. “Something very detailed.” 

Goodnight agreed. “If you want a stand-alone [ordinance], I would think that you would want to list the regulations that you want to protect that follow the spirit of the ordinance,” Goodnight said. 

Goodnight said she will find some examples of similar ordinances other cities and municipalities are using and provide them to the city council for them to review and discuss.