Proposed Zoning Amendment Would Ease Rules for Accessory Structures and Deck Replacements
- Steve Jurrens
- 2 hours ago
- 1 min read
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council held a first reading Monday night on a zoning text amendment aimed at simplifying rules for accessory structures and deck replacements.
Community Development Manager Brandi Hanten said the proposal is part of ongoing cleanup following the city’s major Title 21 overhaul in 2025.
“It’s been just about that much time to understand what problems the amendments have made or caused,” Hanten said.
The changes include updates to:
· Maximum accessory structure size
· The number of garage stalls allowed facing one side
· Rules for replacing existing decks
Hanten said the city has seen a surge in deck‑replacement requests.
“We’re seeing a lot of decks needing replacement,” she said. “If they are replacing them in the same footprint as they were previously, that would not require a variance.”
She noted that the Board of Adjustment has heard three such cases in the past eight months, with many more inquiries that never advanced to a formal request.
“We thought it was reasonable to make that change and be proactive,” Hanten said.
The ordinance will return for a second reading.
