Board of Aldermen says existing mobile home ordinance prohibits
“Tiny houses” seem all the rage these days with television programs being dedicated to the small structures that are in essence storage sheds concerted into houses being touted as an affordable way of living.
But the Columbia Board of Aldermen says the structures are considered mobile homes and prohibited under city ordinances.
Alderman Mike Smith said he was concerned about the pre-fabricated buildings.
“We have people that are bringing these in and running electricity to them, putting air conditioning in them and living in them,” he said. “We had one come in this week, with what they call a ‘little house.’ Nik Ingram wanted to put one behind his place, and I told him I didn’t think it would fly.”
Smith asked City Attorney Lawrence Hahn if the current ordinances prohibited the placement of the small structures for living purposes.
“We will have these all over Columbia if we let this go,” Smith said.
“Are you talking about storage units?” Ward 3 Alderwoman Anna Evans asked.
Smith said they were, with modifications for living.
“We have one case where they just bought one of these pre-fab units and they’re living there,” he said.
“It’s a portable building that has been insulated and converted into a ‘tiny house,’ Alderman-at-Large Edward Hough said.
Mayor Justin McKenzie said Ingram had approached him about starting a tiny house village on a property in downtown Columbia.
“We have ordinances against trailers,” Smith said. “This is worse than a trailer. If we let this go on, all of these lots that we’ve torn down buildings on will have one of these. It concerns me. We can’t let them hook up to city sewer and water. We’ve got to come up with something.”
Hough said that there was nothing wrong with the buildings when setbacks were met and they are used for storage.
“What you’re talking about is taking one of those and turning it into something to live in,” he said.
Hahn said the matter gets the city into a variety of zoning issues.
“There are zoning ordinances against certain types of sheds and certain types of garages,” he said.
Ward 1 Alderman Wendell Hammond said in his mind it was the same as a mobile home, which is prohibited in Columbia. Hahn then read the city’s legal description of a mobile home.
“It’s a moveable residential dwelling unit designed for year-round occupancy with no foundation other than wheels, jacks or skirting and capable of being moved, towed or transported by another vehicle,” he said. “Removal of its wheels and placement on a permanent foundation shall not warrant reclassification of the mobile home as a residential unit. We had someone who wanted to put a FEMA-type cottage in a residential area. We can argue that kind of stuff is a mobile home and cannot be allowed except in a mobile home park. These little houses we can argue that they are mobile homes.”
The Board agreed that the “little houses” or “tiny houses” would be classified as mobile homes under the city’s current ordinance and would be prohibited.
Ingram said the ruling was disappointing and that the houses would have a market in Columbia.
“It’s disappointing that we can’t see the forest for the trees,” he said Thursday. “I think sometimes we think the only future we create was in the past. I see this as a trend that could benefit people.”
Ingram added that he isn’t opposed to certain regulations about the “tiny houses.”
“There is a certain opportunity for flexibility,” he said. “I think we could see an influx of housing being created if the rules were somewhat flexible in nature. We’re missing an opportunity. We haven’t explored it properly.”
Ingram said the small homes are popular because of cost.
“You can get in one for less than $20,000,” he said. “A lot of millennials don’t see older homes as viable options because they have to do too many renovations. I’ve had about 500 people ask me about these houses. I sell portable buildings all over the country, and I think it might be an option for both singles and couples.”
Pictured Above: The Columbia Board of Aldermen considers structures like this one to be mobile homes and thus not allowed inside the city limits.
