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Committee reviews Live Local Act, accessory dwelling rules and possible zoning changes to expand affordable units
Summary
County planning staff said they are tracking Live Local Act projects and potential accountability measures; members discussed code text amendments, ADUs, duplex conversions and concerns about a state bill that could preempt local parking requirements.
Walton County planning staff and committee members discussed implementation of the Live Local Act, ways to monitor affordability outcomes and possible local zoning changes to allow more small or multi-unit housing for affordable units.
"We are absolutely looking at that," Matt Carpenter, Planning Department, said when asked whether the county is tracking unit counts, bedroom mixes and affordability levels created under Live Local Act projects. Carpenter said he would bring an update on the composition of units and compliance reporting to the next meeting.
Committee members proposed several possible local changes to increase supply: allowing the voluntary conversion of a large single-family house into a duplex where one unit would be offered as affordable, adopting text amendments to permit duplexes on individual platted lots in limited circumstances, and clarifying procedures for voluntarily reducing mobility fees by setting a portion of units at 80 percent of area median income.
A committee member raised concern about a bill in the state legislature, described in the meeting as Sen. Gates's accessory dwelling unit (ADU) bill, which the group said could prevent local governments from requiring parking for ADUs. "My concern is this new state law may preempt us from doing that," Carpenter said, noting that the county already allows ADUs on legal lots and that local conditions make parking requirements relevant outside walkable urban areas.
Staff said they will research code language to enable voluntary conversions and report back to the committee. Members also asked planning staff to coordinate with the property appraiser's office and county tax staff about communicating Live Local Act tax benefits and to provide an accountability update on how many affordable units are actually coming online under current projects.
The committee also discussed whether the county should pilot parking waivers in designated walkable areas and noted that accessory dwelling units have been allowed locally for decades.
The discussion closed with staff agreeing to return with draft text-amendment ideas and an update on Live Local Act projects and unit accounting at a future meeting.
