City commission reviews zoning code adjustments for extreme weather centers, outdoor storage

At its July 23 meeting, Sturgis City Commission approved a first review of amendments to the zoning ordinance. 
One is an amendment to consider the establishment of extreme weather centers as a special land use. The other pertains to outdoor storage areas that are not accessory to a principal building. 
Will Prichard, community development director, told commissions those elements were omitted inadvertently from the zoning guidelines. Omissions were noted during a review of the zoning ordinance following the update approved in early 2025. 
The oversight had occurred during transfer of ordinance content, Prichard said. 
Although both amendments had gone through the proper approval process, including recommendation by the Planning Commission and the two readings by the city commission, they had not been codified at the time of the update, he said. 
“Codification” is a separate process that may be delayed due to the associated cost and time required by a third-party that helps to modify the city’s ordinance. 
City staff is correcting the situation issue by formally reinserting those approved amendments into the current ordinance, Prichard said. 
The extreme weather center amendment defines it as a building that provides a temporary location for residents during periods of extreme temperature. The use does not include housing and is intended to serve as a weather emergency shelter. 
EWCs are considered special land use in various zoning districts, requiring planning board review, a public notice and the ability to place site-specific conditions on an applicant, among other provisions. 
The facility must comply with all applicable building and fire codes. The use permit will require annual renewal by the Planning Commission. Applicants may propose specific conditions for when the EWC will operate.
The outdoor storage area amendment applies to manufacturing districts, allowing outdoor storage that is not accessory to the principal building use to be considered as a special land use. 
Previously, all exterior storage was required to be directly related to main use of the property, Prichard said.
The amendment was developed in response to property owners interested in using vacant or under-used areas, such as large parking lots, for outdoor storage in specific situations, Prichard said. 
Primarily, the amendment action formally incorporates both amendments into the current zoning ordinance. 
City commissioners will conduct a second reading at an upcoming meeting.