Staff to seek Oct. 7 public hearing on four land-development code amendments, including ADU changes to match House Bill 1337

Jeremy Johnston, unit development services long-range planner, told the Board of County Commissioners at a study session that staff will request a public hearing on Oct. 7 to consider four proposed land development code amendments.

Johnston said the amendments are informational at this stage and staff is not asking for action during the study session. "Our plan is to request a public hearing this month for October 7," he said.

Johnston outlined the four items: allow schools in the Rural-5 zone so the Cleveland-Rosslyn School District can use three parcels currently outside the city growth area and expand school services subject to a conditional use process; add a definition and permitting approach for nonaccessory storage structures (commonly shops without a primary residence) across residential use tables and within the urban growth area where separate regulations apply; update accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rules to comply with House Bill 1337, which the presenter said was approved in July 2023; and include a set of road-section changes submitted by Public Works that were omitted from a prior roads update.

On the ADU changes, Johnston said the county would remove the previous "accessory living quarters" distinction and fold all such units under a single ADU definition; allow up to two ADUs on qualifying lots in urban growth-area and landward designations provided development standards are met; maintain an off-street parking requirement of one space per ADU; and eliminate the current 6,000-square-foot minimum lot size for ADUs in urban growth areas and landward designations as long as dimensional standards such as setbacks and buffers are met.

A commissioner asked for clarification on whether the changes would allow three dwelling units on a single-family lot in the urban growth area; Johnston confirmed that a single-family primary dwelling and up to two ADUs would be permitted if the lot meets development standards.

Johnston said Public Works staff will attend the public hearing to address the road-section items because planning staff are not the primary experts on those revisions. Because staff only presented the proposed changes for review, the board did not take formal action at the study session and the amendments will be considered at the scheduled public hearing.