Planners seek moratorium extension

By Meg Olson

Blaine planners are asking for more time to review the city’s rules about where, when and how a manufactured home can be installed in Blaine.

“We want to make sure things are done right,” said community economic development director Terry Galvin, who is overseeing a rewrite of the city’s codes governing manufactured housing. As it now stands, manufactured homes are prohibited on individual lots, but the city allowed exceptions in the past. When Galvin joined city staff last year, he put a stop to permits issued in violation of city code, and asked city council for a six-month moratorium on manufactured housing until workable rules could be written. That moratorium expires on March 24, but new regulations are not yet in place.

“We are set to have a public hearing with the planning commission on March 22 to hear staff proposals for new manufactured home provisions,” he said. “We would expect it to come before city council in April.” Galvin said the new moratorium was needed to give the process time to run its course.

Manufactured home builders and their customers are finding the city moratorium frustrating. “We have had some customers directly impacted,” said Nancy Vanderlinder of Midway Homes. Vanderlinder said new manufactured homes were not much different than site-built homes in terms of quality and appearance. “It’s a common sense thing and how you take care of your home,” she said. “The people that are most against manufactured homes haven’t been in one in 10 years.” While she encouraged cities to allow manufactured housing, Vanderlinder said there did need to be requirements for siting any home, whether manufactured or site-built. “There need to be some rules about where things go to protect everyone’s home values,” she said.

City council will hold a public hearing March 12 at 7 p.m. to decide whether the manufactured home moratorium needs to be extended.

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