Tiny house, big question

The potential new owner of the Dog Pound Grill would like to build a detached residential unit behind the eatery.

Granting a variance to make this possible is a decision more difficult for the Sundance City Council than it might seem. It’s unclear at this time whether the building would qualify as a tiny house, for which there are currently no rules, or a trailer house, for which approval is needed from the property owner’s neighbors.

David Stone approached the council last week to share the details of his proposal and ask for the council to support a variance, which would be necessary because current regulations state that no housing is permitted on lots zoned as “general business”.

The residence, Stone said, would be either 533 square feet in size (length of 40 feet) or possibly 640 square feet (length of 48 feet). It would be located behind the café in a place he said would not have an effect on current traffic flow.

Stone said he also intends to install two charging stations for electric vehicles on the lot. Mayor Paul Brooks noted that this is an understandable addition it’s “fairly common” these days for people to charge their vehicles while they eat.

As all planning requests go through Land Use Planning (LUP) before being presented for approval, the council asked chairman Trevor Keyworth for a summary of the committee’s thoughts.

According to Keyworth, LUP likes having a business in that location and think the charging stations seem like a good idea, but is not sure about having a tiny house there. He expressed that the committee is not sure that the city has any guidelines in place about minimum square footage, which Brooks confirmed.

Stone noted that, while it would be a smaller prefab modular, the house would not qualify as a tiny home. He also told the council that it would have a permanent foundation and its own taps for city utilities.

Council Member Callie Hilty questioned whether, as a single-wide, it qualifies as a trailer home, for which the city has a policy that the neighbors need to sign off on the installation. After a brief discussion on what qualifies as a trailer – whether or not the building remains on a frame – he confirmed that the company from which he intends to purchase the prefab can make it in either style.

Council Member Joe Wilson questioned whether the home would have its own parking; Stone explained that there are several options for this. Wilson also shared concern that, because no setbacks are necessary in the business district, there’s a possibility that the home’s back door would open directly onto the Sundance State Bank parking lot; Stone stated that this would not be the intent.

After hearing the proposal, Council Member Randy Stevenson expressed an opinion with which his fellows agreed: the council really needs to see the exact plan in order to make an informed decision.

Wilson added that he would like to see where the entrances will sit and how the buildings will sit on the lot, while Hilty wondered whether the vehicle loop will still remain.

Wilson asked Stone to drive stakes into the property where he thinks the house will sit and said he will happily drive by to inspect it. He also asked for a traffic diagram.

The council will revisit this question once more details have been gathered. The variance was tabled in the meantime.

Later in the meeting, Keyworth asked if the council would like LUP to consider regulations on tiny homes. Brooks accepted the offer, asking for LUP to also take a look at some other issues: solar panels, mini wind towers and green space requirements; he also asked that LUP come up with a definitive description of what constitutes a trailer house.