Planning commission discusses manufactured housing regs
Where should manufactured homes be allowed — and what exactly are they?
That was the topic of discussion last Thursday night at the Hillsboro Planning Commission's monthly meeting.
For the past few sessions, the planning board has been discussion the role of manufactured housing, more commonly known as "mobile homes" or "trailers." Engineering consultant John Riggs, of the Lindsborg firm Earles and Riggs, was on hand to offer his expertise.
Currently, Hillsboro zoning regulations allow "residential design" manufactured homes in any city lot. The residential design homes must have a pitched roof, siding, and roofing materials normally used on a basic house, according to city code.
The only place Hillsboro allows single-wide mobile homes is inside a mobile-home park zoned for that use.
Hillsboro now needs to consider if it wants to set aside more areas for this type of manufactured housing, Riggs said.
Riggs brought two examples of manufactured homes districts.
One possibility sets aside a division of land that will house only manufactured homes. It's platted as a neighborhood or subdivision, he said.
Another possibility is to set up a floating zone, which allows manufactured homes to be interspersed with normal houses over a certain section of town.
Each district has its own set of requirements and regulations that are determined by the city. For example, a typical manufactured home district would require permanent concrete foundations for each home.
"You can add your own requirements," Riggs said. "With proper safeguards, it can be as attractive as anything else."
Hillsboro currently has one district zoned for single-wide manufactured homes: Rollin Homes Court on Third Street.
Having inexpensive housing available is something a city needs in order to lure in new businesses, Riggs said. If a business that pays entry-level wages comes to town, its workers have to have somewhere to live.
"To an extent, they're economically discriminatory," Riggs said.
The planning commission did not make any decisions about the issue at the meeting. Instead, they'll wait until the results of a community-wide survey come in; that way, they can determine what the public wants, they said.
In moving toward developing the survey, Riggs brought a sample survey to the meeting. Questions ranged from rating community services such as utilities and schools to where manufactured housing should be located.
The planning commission discussed other questions they'd like to ask the public, including information about commuting to work, where people shop, and where people go to the doctor.
Once it's developed, the survey will be held until the fall, when college is back in session.
