CASTLEMAINE'S council could gauge the public's mood on tiny houses from as early as next week as staff warn of risks and rewards for housing reforms.
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Mount Alexander Shire councillors will next week decide whether to consult the community on tiny homes camping on private property.
It could ease regulations rules critics say are not fit for purpose in a shire riven by affordable housing problems.
Current local laws allow people to live in tiny homes for up to half of a year if they are on land without existing dwellings, and six weeks on land that does.
The council could ease restrictions for anyone wanting to live in a tiny house on wheels as long as they meet certain rules like those governing neighbourhood amenity and sanitation.
People could still need permits on vacant private land.
Changes would only cover tiny homes with wheels because of a legal quirk giving the state control of anything fixed to the ground.
Failed tiny home permit application hints at potential challenges
Any change would force a broader rethink of how the council handles "temporary" accommodation like tiny homes and caravans, shire staff have told councillors.
The council has witnessed a steady increase in permit applications for tiny homes on private land over the last three years.
It has fielded 10 applications this year, up from seven in 2021 and two the year before.
All but one of this year's have been successful.
The failed bid centred on a proposal to camp in a flood zone and council staff have noted those sorts of controls may not apply under proposed changes.
It is one potential issue council officers say. They have reservations about people setting up without permits in areas at risk of bushfires, floods and other natural disasters.
That is not the only risk the council and public need to consider.
Tiny home protections still to top out
Another is that there are currently no building codes governing things like tiny house insulation and shade, council staff have noted.
That may create health challenges in a shire known for its extreme temperatures, they have noted.
Still, tiny homes can be an environmentally friendly option for a council grappling with climate change, council officers have noted.
Lawyers have told the council that the homes could potentially compromise neighbourhood amenity, not just health and safety.
The shire would have more control over those risks with current local laws or extensions to the time permits could be issued for, their advice suggests.
The council has already had some experience handling complaints about tiny homes which its compliance unit has shared to give insights into potential risks.
"The most common complaint received by Council officers about camping, whether it be in a tiny house on wheels, caravan or tent, is when camping is occurring on vacant land and/or if the camping is causing issue to the amenity of an area," shire officers said.
Councillors will discuss the matter on Tuesday.
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Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
