Hancock Planning Commission Sends New Zoning Designations to the City Council for Consideration

Hancock’s Planning Commission will move a zoning amendment ordinance to the city council for consideration. Hancock’s planning commission last night approved Ordinance 315 for zoning amendments to add definitions to personal care and beauty services and where those businesses can operate, as well as changed the zoning in three areas of the city. The planning commission also approved a change to the setback requirement of garage/secondary structures in the zoning amendments.

Hancock will rezone the area of city-owned former Finlandia properties from R-2 residential to a b-2 business district. Another area that will change includes past Hancock Beach on m-203 from open space to R-1 residential. The third section changes from residential multifamily R-2 zoning to single-family r-1 residential zoning on Cliff Street.

The updated definition included in the amendment for personal care and beauty services will add public saunas to the business opportunities. As well as allow those businesses to develop in the Hancock Shoreline Mixed-Use District along the waterfront.

The change to secondary structure/garage setbacks in the city has been reduced to 5 feet. Previously the city had setbacks at 15 feet. However the 15 foot requirement is a suspected typo from when Hancock passed its zoning update in 2022. The change was discussed as a separate item in the commission’s agenda, then added to Ordinance 315.

An additional item considered by the commission will look into the city’s zoning ordinance regarding trailers parked on residents’ properties. The city will continue to not allow mobile homes, trailers, or recreational travel vehicles on empty lots. However, the planning commission will form a subcommittee of three commissioners to review the city’s current language to create a better solution for enforcing trailers parked on lots with existing structures. The city would like to keep the language very close to what exists but will seek to make the ordinance fit better for city residents currently impacted.