Mariel Williams
editor@mitchellnews.com
The Spruce Pine Town Council voted recently to amend its zoning codes to allow for temporary housing construction, in order to help disaster victims live on their own properties while rebuilding.
In Mitchell County, nearly 70 single family homes were destroyed by Hurricane Helene. This ordinance, which only applies within the Spruce Pine city limits, still requires temporary housing to meet building codes.
“[This will] allow temporary residential dwellings in our R1, R2, R3 and T1 zoning,” Mayor Phillip Hise said.
Hise said that he was not aware of any Spruce Pine residents who have requested this change, however, he believes it is needed for some.
“We do have some homes in our city limits that’s not livable — people have had to move out of them,” he said.
Town Manager Darlene Butler read the ordinance to the council.
“As a result of impacts from hurricane Helene, some residential homes were destroyed or substantially damaged, displacing town residents,” Butler read. “The town’s current zoning ordinance does not address temporary residential dwellings.”
Town Attorney Chad Donnahoo explained some of the details of the changes.
“The biggest thing is a temporary residential dwelling … it’s a new definition under the zoning ordinance, and a temporary residential dwelling is defined as a temporary set up and occupancy of recreational vehicle or other temporary dwelling, including a mobile home,” Donnahoo said.
The ordinance requires that the person using the temporary housing should have had their primary residence destroyed or “made uninhabitable … by wind, fire, flood, movement of earth or other man-made or natural disaster.”
The disaster has to be officially declared by a governmental entity.
The ordinance requires that anyone using a temporary dwelling should be actively repairing or rebuilding a permanent home. The temporary dwelling cannot be occupied more than 18 months, although some limited extensions of this time may be permitted.
Council member Beth Holmes said the ordinance appears to be a reasonable accommodation.
“I think 18 up to 24 months is a reasonable amount of time … we definitely don’t want to lose our workforce,” Holmes said.
Once the occupant’s primary residences is restored, the temporary dwelling must be removed within 30 days.
“The temporary residential dwelling shall be required to be located on the lot where active repair and reconstruction of the primary structure is occurring,” Donnahoo read. “The temporary residential dwelling must be connected to the town’s water and wastewater systems where such services are provided.”
Donnahoo noted that the ordinance makes some changes that are not related to temporary homes.
“There were some other minor definitional changes that were made, for instance … ‘educational facilities’ was a new-defined term,” he said. “There were a few other minor definitional changes.”
The definition of “educational facilities” is as follows: “A facility for the education of children and adults including public and private elementary schools, community colleges, colleges and universities, but excluding specialized trade schools and nursery school.”