The City of McCleary is looking at a potential ordinance to govern manufactured homes in McCleary. The city also discussed adding a policy for solar power users.

The city council has been discussing what options are available to control where and what type of manufactured homes can be put within city limits.

According to state law (RCW 35.21.684), there isn’t much a city can do that restricts manufactured homes, but there are a few areas where the city can better govern those residences as they’re being installed within city limits.

Currently, city code allows for any manufactured homes built after 1976 to be installed on a city lot. State law, however, allows for a city to restrict the age of manufactured homes that are being installed.

“The goal would be — with what lots we have left in this city — to require them to be new manufactured homes,” said Paul Morrison, public works assistant.

Changing the city code would not affect any of the current manufactured homes in McCleary, Councilwoman Brenda Orffer noted.

“You can’t retroactively put a law in,” she said. “However it’s done is done. You can’t make them go redo it. It would be for any future homes that came in.”

The council also discussed creating a policy that would track solar power customers by how much energy they produce so their utility bills can be offset.

“It’s something that all utilities provide in the state of Washington, and it’s something that we are looking to go down, too,” public works director Todd Baun said.

While it may not currently be an issue in McCleary, city attorney Dan Glenn says requests for alternative energy offsets will be common moving forward.

“It will come,” Glenn said.

Mayor Brent Schiller agreed that it is likely that demand will increase when the city drafts a policy.

“Once this starts, it’ll open the door for many others who want to seek solar panels or any type of alternate energy,” Schiller said.