City sets meetings on bigger buildings, more

People in Electric City interested in putting up larger shops and garages, or in preventing others from doing so, can attend a couple meetings in January on that subject.

Electric City has scheduled two meetings in January to discuss and make decisions on zoning changes on accessory buildings.

The first meeting, Jan. 6, will be a public workshop of the planning commission on various changes being considered.

The second meeting, Jan. 22, will be a public hearing on amendments to the city’s zoning code.

Changes to the zoning code as it relates to the size of accessory buildings has been a topic at both planning commission and city council meetings for about 18 months.

In addition to the accessory building issue, fences, their height and location, and home occupations will also be part of the discussions.

On the table will be a proposal that a limit on accessory buildings be changed from 850 square feet to 1,728 square feet. The number of accessory buildings you can build on your property would only be limited by the size of your lot. A large lot would permit more than one building as long as it doesn’t exceed 50 percent of the land space, including one’s primary dwelling in an “R-2” zone or 60 percent in an “R-3” zone.

The new proposal would allow the wall of an accessory building to be 18 feet tall, whereas currently the entire building can not exceed 18 feet, even to the peak of the roof.

Provisions are being considered that would allow buildings to be much higher, but with each foot over the standard, property owners would have to add six inches to the distance their building must be “set back” from the property line.

City officials explained that these changes are only being considered, and that the public will have opportunity to have input.

In a city survey sent out to residents this year, the public was narrowly against substantial changes to the zoning requirements of accessory buildings.

The city has hired Highland Associates as its new planning consultant. Kurt Danison, principal owner, helped the city with its current zoning code a few years ago.