ELLIJAY, Ga. – Specifically stated for tiny homes on wheels, the Gilmer County Board of Commissioners have issued a moratorium on tiny homes on wheels, tree houses for habitation, or containers for habitation in Gilmer County.
With the commissioners referencing certifications and codes for buildings, it was said that tiny homes built on site were considered the same as any house as they would be built to code and inspected properly. However, Gilmer County Commission Chairman Charlie Paris said in their meeting that tiny homes on wheels can be built elsewhere and brought into the county similar to an RV, motor home, or mobile home.
The difference, however, is that those all have processes and associations to inspect and certify them as safe. The commissioners said the pre-fabricated tiny homes they have dealt with have no regulations for inspections or anything of that sort.
Due to the lack of certification, the commissioners are issuing this moratorium officially stating they want to take time to look at the issue and see how to properly handle the situation.
While this issue has been mentioned in their work session for the past three months, the commissioners had recently said they would allow tiny homes on wheels as long as they had been certified and inspected but no specific change or resolution was made. Now, Gilmer County Post Commissioner Travis Crouch indicated the impact and importance of dealing with the item stating, “It’s an up and coming movement with young people trying to get started in life. It’s economical. I understand the appeal. I do recognize the need to define it and adjust the ordinance.”
Part of the discussion for the moratorium came with Crouch specifying he was only okay with the moratorium if the long-term goal was to accommodate the tiny homes on wheels in the future.
Paris echoed the sentiment saying he wanted to accommodate them similar to mobile homes.
Part of their process is to define how the county views these tiny homes on wheels, be that as mobile homes, RVs, or something similar as well as specifying requirements for the buildings for safety and habitation.
The moratorium is set to last 180 days with the option to extend if necessary. Stay with FetchYourNews and continue attending the monthly commissioner meetings as they continue the process for an ordinance change to deal with the issue.
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There are several in the Coosawattee River Resort Campground. Built trailer frames with axels and wheels so they can be moved rapidly (it will never happen) in case of an emergency, like a forest fire, and meets CRRA specs. They are actually very nice, well built and meebuilding specs.
"With the option to extend" regarding the moratorium on "tiny homes". Hahaha only in Gilmer County. All the blah, blah, blah about safety for habitation is actually translated to, " we have to get a piece of the pie and collect money in some format". Mr. Crouch may want to re-state the "trend" he mentioned. This isn't some whimsical idea of young people. This lifestyle crosses all adult ages. Many, many people have chosen to downsize for more than just "economical" reasons as he stated. Economically speaking though when you close off, or put a moratorium on a particular trend such as tiny home communities you are limiting the appropriate economic growth. These are the least invasive forms of living in the entire country. Definitely not the large scale development of clearing land and forever changing the landscape of the mountains that has been approved for years.
It seems to me an inquiry could be made without establishing a moratorium. Given how this affects both buyers and sellers, this moratorium is very much unwarranted. IF problems are found and it is determined additional precautions should be made, so do at that time. In the article there was no mention of current safety or health related problems, are there? If not, leave it.