"We don't easily allow yurts," acknowledged Blaine County Commissioner Tom Bowman in a public discussion about the structures Tuesday.
County commissioners outlined a new policy direction to correct that, which could make it easier for landowners to construct and use yurts on private property.
Yurts are round tents erected on a deck-like platform with a wall-based support structure. They are typically used by recreationists in the backcountry for camping, much like a platform tent, but some landowners also keep them up year-round to use as an extra bedroom or a place to escape.
"They are unique structures," said Tom Drougas, a yurt owner who lives west of Ketchum. "They work well, but they don't fit the mold."
The mold, in this case, is Blaine County's building code. Yurts are not specifically prohibited by the code, but do not meet the code's energy, wind and snow-load requirements for permanent residential structures, defined as those in existence for 180 days or more.
But the county commissioners have stated that yurts should be classified as accessory buildings, similar to a garage or a tool shed, and that they should be allowed to skirt some code requirements.
An exemption for snow-load requirements is proposed because yurts shed snow from their roofs, thanks to heat lost through the fabric membrane. Drougas said the heat, which generally comes from wood, propane or pellet stoves used for comfort heating, melts the snow and causes it to slide off.
"If you're using the yurt, it's not going to collect snow," he said. "Nobody uses these things and keeps them freezing."
If the yurts are not in constant use, snow buildup could potentially cause the structure to collapse. Both Bowman and yurt owners present said this is a landowner issue.
"There's something to be said for personal responsibility," said Stuart Nibley, architect and yurt owner.
The commissioners drew the line at exempting yurts designed for public use from being able to handle a 115-pound snow load.
Despite the heat loss, Drougas said, yurts are highly efficient, thanks to reflective insulation that reflects 97 percent of the heat.
Bowman said yurts, in general, are not huge energy users when compared with many of the county's larger homes, and Commissioner Angenie McCleary said she didn't see the need for yurts to meet that code.
All yurts would still be required to meet county wind-load regulations.
"This is a tent and it does need to be anchored," County Engineer Bill Dyer said. "It's important this structure stay in one place."
Nibley said that if yurts are built to manufacturers' specifications, there shouldn't be a problem, and Drougas said his yurt exceeds the county's minimum wind-load requirement.
The county could conduct inspections to ensure that yurts are constructed according to included plans, said Nibley. Then again, he added, the county "may have better things to do than chase tents around the county."
Commissioners proposed limiting exempted yurts to 20 feet in diameter or 314 square feet. While the policy direction of the county has been clearly stated, Bowman said it is now up to county staff to revise the building code to achieve the goals of the policy.
Any revised code would need to be approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission and be approved by the commission before it would go into effect.
Teepees, sheep wagons and other temporary structures were not discussed at the meeting, though Bowman said they might merit future consideration.
"They're so much harder to define," he said. "Those are temporary structures, and it's just too hard to try to corral in for now."
Katherine Wutz: kwutz@mtexpress.com
