The Mount Vernon Planning and Zoning Commission with the help of East Central Iowa Council of Governments are collecting surveys on tiny homes and accessory dwelling units until late June.
The survey will run through Wednesday, June 26, and an online version of the input form can be accessed under Announcements, on the homepage at cityofmtvernon-ia.gov. Paper copies are also available at Mount Vernon City Hall.
The planning and zoning commission is looking at investigating changes to Mount Vernon’s accessory dwelling unit ordinance, as well as the possibility of establishing ordinances for tiny homes or shipping container homes for residential purposes. The accessory dwelling unit changes came from a request from the housing commission, while the tiny homes and shipping container homes ordinances came from requests from the public.
A public input session was held Wednesday, June 12, from 5:30 to roughly 7 p.m. at Mount Vernon City Hall, where citizens could talk with Tom Gruis of ECICOG and Leigh Bradbury city planner with the City of Mount Vernon. More than 15 citizens attended the session to discuss options with the city.
“I’m so glad the planning and zoning commission is talking about this,” said Trude Elliott.
“I remember seeing this up at The Plantiful Pantry where I work and thinking ‘this is something very important,’” said Rebecca Conrad.
“We need more housing opportunities of all sizes in Mount Vernon,” said Roch Player.
Discussion was also held on the cost of housing options available in the community at the moment, with tiny homes possibly allowing for a more costly alternative option for people who would enjoy those options.
Tiny homes
ECICOG provided posters of information on tiny and shipping container homes, as well as potential updates. Mount Vernon’s zoning code currently does not contain a minimum dwelling size or building width in any residential district. Zoning also requires structures to be attached to a permanent foundation, so trailer type tiny homes would not be permitted.
Because of restrictions in building codes, for items like stairs, it can be prohibitive for a tiny home to be built with loft access, as the stairs would not meet the appropriate size. The county is currently working on adapting zoning for those items in tiny homes.
The city could develop a tiny home community with a planned unit development, which would allow flexibility in sites, parcel and other regulations. In residential districts, that could allow for up to 12 homes per acre. In high-density residential districts, that could amount to 10 units per half acre or 20 units per acre.
The commission was looking for guidance on whether if regulation updates should be followed. Without changes, tiny homes would be allowed to exist in residential districts and a tiny home community could be constructed through a PUD. Novel zoning would create a zoning district specifically for tiny homes. More restrictive regulation would define tiny homes and restrict them to certain districts or require conditional use approved by the Board of Adjustment.
Shipping container homes are more of a nontraditional construction method than a potential affordable housing option. Since they are included in the International Building Code as a housing material, they cannot be prohibited by the City’s zoning ordinance following the enactment of Iowa House File 2388 this year, which prohibits restrictions on exterior building materials that are more restrictive than the state building code. Shipping containers require engineering to be suitable as a living space, so their use as a building material is not inexpensive. There are exceptions to the State rule for overlay or special purpose zoning districts and declared state and local historic districts.
The potential restriction is a need to amend zoning code to possibly regulate the building’s orientation so that the wider side faces the street.
Accessory dwelling units
Accessory dwelling units are separate dwelling units on a property with smaller square footage than the constructed home. They can be built in attics/basements of homes, attached to the home or detached from the home.
The owner must be one of the residents for an accessory dwelling unit. Rental permits may be required, and additional parking may be required for tenants of those spaces.
Mount Vernon’s zoning code currently allows ADUs in agricultural, suburban residential, new residential, traditional residential, high-density residential, town center and mixed-use urban corridors. The overlay districts in Mount Vernon including areas of Ash Park, Cornell College Historic District, the commercial historic district and the Business 30 district would have additional requirements for these homes.
Possible code updates would include that the residents need to be an owner of the property, additional off street parking is available for the vehicles of people residing in the units, and the entrance to the accessory home is located off the front façade of the building. One point was that the style must match the existing dwelling. Sue Astley with Mount Vernon Historic Preservation Commission said it would probably be better to carry over similar design features that fit with the aesthetic of homes in historic districts, but should not be required to match the existing dwelling.
Other code updates might include further limiting the districts that ADUs can be allowed in, what types are allowed and quantity, the size limit of the ADU and whether utilities should be shared or separate for the buildings.
Bradbury noted ADUs could be a way for families with older parents or relatives to build a unit on their property to house their parent or loved one at a lower cost than care centers or nursing homes while still providing independence for those residing in the ADU.
Next steps after surveys
After responses have been collected, ECICOG will present drafts of updated ordinances to the planning and zoning commission at the July 17 meeting. If the ordinances are approved by planning and zoning commission, they will then move to the Mount Vernon City Council to be addressed at meetings later this summer or early fall.