Daniel council schedules June hearings for WUI map, zone changes and RA-5 code amendments

The Daniel Town Council on May 4 set a series of public hearings for June 1 to take public comment and consider adopting several land-use items recommended by the planning commission.

Items scheduled include: (1) adoption of the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) boundary and code (planning commission recommended the irrigated fields on Daniel's south border as the WUI boundary); (2) a zone-change request for a one-acre parcel at approximately 3350 South US-40 (parcel 20-4491) from RA-5 to commercial; and (3) several code amendments to Daniel municipal code sections in the RA-5 residential and agricultural zone (80705/80706/80707) that update accessory residential-unit language and align local code with recent state law changes.

Council members discussed the practical effects of state changes that make accessory residential units a permitted use where utilities are available and lift certain local parking/landscaping requirements when the unit has utilities. Commissioners and a planning commissioner urged caution about frontage and "front-edge" rules and asked staff to clarify the implications for existing lot and subdivision configurations.

The mayor (chair) noted the state's timing on implementation and fee changes and that setting a local hearing allows the town to collect comment and, if appropriate, tailor local conditions where state law still permits restrictions for areas lacking utilities. The council and staff repeatedly emphasized that local restrictions tied to septic and service availability remain possible under state criteria.

Next steps: public hearings on June 1 on the WUI map, the zone-change petition for parcel 20-4491, and the proposed RA-5 code revisions.