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Committee weighs bill to extend accessory dwelling unit rules to counties amid sanitation and water‑quality concerns
Summary
Senate Bill 532 would extend municipal ADU provisions to counties; proponents said ADUs expand housing choices, opponents — county sanitarians and DEQ contractors — said a 15‑day expedited sanitation review and wastewater/mixing‑zone issues risk public‑health impacts.
Senator Forrest Mandeville, sponsor of Senate Bill 532, told the Senate Local Government Committee he modeled the measure on municipal ADU legislation passed last session and inserted it into county (part 2) zoning statutes. The bill would require counties with zoning to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) — small, self‑contained living units on a parcel with a single‑family dwelling — and provide an expedited sanitation review process in limited circumstances.
Proponents including Jake Brown (Shelter Whitefish), Tanner Avery (Frontier Institute), Tim Summers (AARP Montana), Adrian Cotton (Montana Building Industry Association) and the Institute for Justice argued the change would broaden housing options, help aging Montanans, support multigenerational households and protect property‑use rights. Samuel Hooper of the…
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