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Small Cabin Forum / General Forum / Utah Newbie
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tfsimmons
Member
# Posted: 31 Dec 2014 17:18
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Hi folks - I have been lurking on this forum for about a month enjoying the posts and wealth of information, and would love to be a part of it all. We own 10.5 acres of forested land in northern Utah about a forty minute drive from our house. But at present, due to current zoning laws that do not allow permanent structures, my "cabin" is an old 20' trailer that I bought for a few hundred dollars and fixed up. I leave it up there year-round along with an old pop-up trailer for guests. My family loves to go up there where we have a nice campsite with fire pit, picnic tables, pit toilet, outdoor shower, shooting/archery range and we enjoy walking the trails and riding our tote-goats on the dirt roads. If the zoning laws ever change, I will be the first in line to build a small cabin with sleeping lofts.
Do any of you use a trailer for your "poor-man's" cabin?
Thanks for letting me join you!
Tim

neb
Member
# Posted: 1 Jan 2015 08:19
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Welcome to the site. I can't answer your question but at least you have a place to go and have fun. In time maybe the laws will change for you.

tfsimmons
Member
# Posted: 1 Jan 2015 13:21
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Thanks Neb,
There has been some talk at the county to look at the zoning laws for cabins, so I'm hopeful.

drb777
Member
# Posted: 1 Jan 2015 13:33
Reply 


I did what I think will be the most common answer to your question. After buying my 80 acres of forest, I used a 21' trailer for the first few years, until I recovered from the purchase cost of the land and got a much more considered opinion of what type/size and where I wanted to locate a cabin. After about 4 years using the small-ish trailer for week-ends and vacations, the confining nature of it made me much more anxious for a real permanent cabin. And since I was quickly approaching 60 years and wanted to do the construction by myself, I felt I was running against the clock somewhat.
Have you considered asking your "planning/zoning commission" for a variance? Or are you up against some big inflexible federal agency?
Good luck with your plans. In hindsight, my cabin build project is and will continue to be one of the highlights of my life. No regrets what so ever.

Malamute
Member
# Posted: 1 Jan 2015 14:39
Reply 


I wonder if a portable cabin, that is, built elsewhere, or at least not on a permanent foundation would work for the zoning there?

toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 1 Jan 2015 15:12 - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
Reply 


tfsimmons, simple solution. Get a "Park Model" RV.

http://parkmodels.com/
All legal, not permanent, classified the same as a trailer.
Can you put in septics for a trailer or drill a well? Do you have power?
Of course, all that isn't needed, you can continue to dry camp like you have been.

There is always a way around these things and one can do it legally.

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