John Wetzel

For a couple decades, the City of Powell has allowed developers to squeeze two homes onto corner lots — but only in certain, older parts of the city.

The city council is now being asked to extend that opportunity to new subdivisions, too.

City lots generally have to be at least 6,000 square feet, but an “affordable small lot exception” allows corner lots to be split into parcels as small as 3,500 square feet. The exception only applies to areas that are general residential (R-G) and only to lots “within the original townsite of Powell.”

However, at a brief Monday meeting, the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously endorsed the idea of expanding the exception across the entire general residential zoning district.

The proposal came up because developer Erik Petersen is hoping to utilize the exception as he prepares to build a large new subdivision south of Monroe Street and outside the original townsite. He has said it would give developers an option for keeping costs down.

When Petersen drew up the plans for the first 25-lot phase of the Peak View Subdivision, he penciled in smaller corner lots (about 4,440 square feet).

“… What we’re looking at is more options for more houses,” City Building Official Ben Hubbard said of the intended message.

Planning commission members welcomed the idea of broadening the small lot exception back in April.

“I think it’s compatible with a lot of other things we’ve done in terms of trying to increase density close to town and also make more housing available,” commission member Ronn Smith said then.

The exception comes with a few caveats, including that the homes on the smaller lots must be single-family dwellings and that each lot must be at least twice as big as the total floor area of the residence.

The corner lot being split must also be vacant.

“That way you don’t take an end lot that has a house and jam something in there that makes something probably unsightly,” Hubbard explained in April.

General residential zoning makes up a significant chunk of Powell, including much of the north-central and southeastern portions of the city. (A zoning map is available online at cityofpowell.com/resources.)

The Powell City Council will need to approve the proposed ordinance on three separate readings before it would become law.

Accessory dwelling units

The city is already on the verge of approving another change aimed at boosting housing by allowing “accessory dwelling units.”

The proposed ordinance — which just needs to pass one final reading — would allow residents in general residential/general residential restricted, residential mixed use and limited industrial zones to add accessory dwellings of up to 800 square feet.

At the council’s Aug. 18 meeting, a member of the public asked whether the city’s water and wastewater infrastructure could handle the increased density. Mayor John Wetzel said the city’s systems are capable of handling a much larger population.