San Juan County Council weighs four paths to ease housing crunch

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, July 15, 2026

San Juan County Council members spent part of their June 9 meeting on the county’s housing shortage, narrowing a list of possible code changes to four priorities: pre-approved building plans, updated accessory dwelling unit standards, legalization of temporary and mobile housing, and rural cluster development changes.

Department of Community Development Director Sev Jones presented the update as a follow-up to an earlier housing discussion, walking the Council through roughly eight tools the department could use to encourage housing construction. One tool, a waiver of all planning and land use fees for developments serving very low-, low- and moderate-income households, exists in County code and was considered largely addressed, though Jones said staff might revisit the language. Council Chair Justin Paulsen noted the waiver applies only to projects with deed restrictions tied to income limits, meaning an individual building a personal home would not qualify.

Beyond that waiver, Paulsen said two items on Jones’ list, pre-approved building plans and updated ADU standards, are closely linked and should be pursued together. Pre-approved plans, he said, could be used by any property owner in the county, not just organizations building income-restricted units. Pairing that with modernized ADU rules would extend housing opportunities broadly without the steep costs associated with what Paulsen called “capital A” affordable housing projects, which typically require government subsidy and prevailing-wage labor that can double construction costs.

The ADU update ties to House Bill 1345, effective June 11, which increases the required setback for detached ADUs from 100 to 150 feet from a primary residence, raises the maximum size from 1,000 to roughly 1,296 square feet and adds new reporting and enforcement standards that the County does not currently track. Jones said the department awaits further guidance from the state Department of Commerce, expected within a month, before finalizing how the changes are incorporated locally.

Council members also directed staff to look at temporary housing options, including allowing recreational vehicles under certain parameters, an idea Jones raised, given seasonal housing pressures. Paulsen went further, arguing residents already live in RVs or mobile dwelling units regardless of regulation, and that the County should find a “low-threshold way” to legitimize such housing rather than pursue punitive enforcement, which he warned could displace a significant share of the workforce. He said code changes should focus on verifying septic systems, water access and propane tank installations meet basic health and safety standards, rather than banning the practice outright.

Council member Kari McVeigh pushed for rural cluster development to be added to the priority list. Jones confirmed the standard allows up to 12 units per acre; McVeigh added duplexes, triplexes and multi-family configurations are already permitted within that cap, though Paulsen cautioned building code requirements grow more complex beyond duplexes. Paulsen suggested rural cluster development could eventually pair with the temporary housing work, allowing clusters built around tiny homes or mobile dwelling units instead of conventional stick-built houses, lowering infrastructure costs. He noted the Housing Advisory Committee has prepared a proposal addressing tiny homes that could inform that effort.

Council member Jane Fuller asked whether the priorities were measured against the County’s comprehensive plan housing element and Housing Coordinator Ryan Page’s work, saying she wanted department efforts aligned with adopted policy rather than proceeding independently. Paulsen agreed that a comp plan cross-reference should be added to each item.

The prioritization discussion also touched on expedited permit review, an idea Jones called easier to implement after McVeigh asked which tools would take the least time. Paulsen questioned whether fast-tracking affordable housing permits, citing a recent 10-unit townhome development, could delay permits for working and middle-income families building conventional homes. Jones suggested a consultant review prioritized applications separately so other permits are not pushed back, an idea Paulsen said he could support if contracts allow it. McVeigh disagreed with Paulsen’s view that the outcome would be similar either way, warning that inaction would push more people out of the community.

Fuller separately raised worker housing needed by local employers, fire districts and the school district, saying the topic gets lost within broader affordable housing talk and deserves its own discussion through the Housing Advisory Committee. McVeigh, who also serves on that committee, said it already focuses broadly on housing needs across income levels, though less so for upper-middle-income residents.

No formal vote was required. Jones said staff would begin building on background research for pre-approved plans while coordinating with the Housing Advisory Committee and awaiting state guidance on ADU rule changes. Council members set no timeline for formal ordinance consideration. Jones noted the department operates with one vacant code enforcement position, a gap County Manager Jessica Hudson also cited when identifying DCD vacancy savings as funding for a fee study.

The housing discussion followed an earlier, separate presentation in which Jones outlined a proposed fee and fine study, funded through staff vacancy savings, that council members directed him to pursue alongside the housing code work.