Planning Commission proposes changes to rules

The Pike County Commissioner met in regular session and one item on the agenda was a meeting with Ally Motz with the Pike County Planning Commission.

Motz brought a list of possible changes that the Planning Commission Board would like to implement, following the board’s most recent meeting.

Commissioner Jeff Chattin the question was posed to Prosecutor Mike Davis, “If we make amendments to the rules, are they enforceable?” Chattin said that Davis said they were.

“I can sit down and make each one of these (proposed amendments) more definitive, but I think these are just general rules,” Chattin said.

One proposed change is that the Planning Commision be able to charge taxes on a tiny home or Amish Barn. It could be taxed as a permanent dwelling or a mobile home.

“It’s actually no different than a mobile home,” Commissioner Tony Montgomery said. “That’s all we’re asking really; these tiny homes that are not on a foundation or anything are treated as mobile homes. I agree with that 100%.”

Another proposed change the Planning Commission Board requested was that people purchasing tiny homes get a building/placement permit. The cost for a permit is $50.

The next proposed change was that during the permit process, the Planning Commission would require a copy of the Bill of Sale or some form of receipt for the building.

The next proposed change was that “homes” that were occupied for longer than two weeks should be considered permanent.

Another change the Planning Commission requested was all sales, even sales on land contracts, will be recorded.

The only proposed change that met some resistance was to change the application for a new address. The Health Department, according to the board’s proposal, wants to verify that room for a septic system and backup septic exists before the Planning Commission assigns an address.

“They could still get an address, even if there’s not room for a septic system, but you can tag that address as not being suitable for a septic system,” Montgomery said. “If they built a barn, garage, or whatever, but they need electricity (to get electricity they need an address.), they should still be to get an address and get electricity to this barn. It’s just you cannot put a septic system on this address. It’s a non-dwelling address.”

All the proposed changes are pending review by the Prosecutor. If the changes are approved by the Prosecutor, the amendments can be made to the Planning Commission’s rules.