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New ADU law forces city to allow accessory units; council debates duplex process and neighborhood input
Summary
Staff told the council that a recently signed state ADU bill requires local governments to allow accessory dwelling units on lots zoned for detached single‑family housing, removes owner‑occupancy and parking requirements and imposes a minimum ADU size; councilors debated whether duplexes should continue to require rezoning and public hearings.
City planning staff told the City Council that a state bill requiring cities to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on lots zoned for detached single‑family homes has been signed, and outlined key limits the law places on local regulation. Council members then debated whether the city should continue to require public hearings for duplex rezonings or treat ADUs and duplexes similarly.
"The ADU bill did get signed," a planning staff member told the council. Staff explained the law requires allowance of an ADU wherever a detached house is allowed, eliminates owner‑occupancy requirements, and restricts certain local regulations: off‑street parking requirements may not be enforced for ADUs and some local design and setback controls are limited. The law also sets size limits: an ADU must be at least 1,000 square feet or up to half the size of the principal dwelling in certain permutations, staff said.
Why it matters: Councilors and staff said the state changes effectively allow what can function as duplexes in single‑family neighborhoods without rezoning or neighborhood hearings, and that could reduce neighbors’ opportunity to comment. Council members noted the city has approved 16 rezoning requests to allow duplexes since 2020, a process that included neighborhood meetings and Planning & Zoning review.
Staff posed a policy question: should the city amend its code to allow duplexes by right (mirroring ADU availability) or retain the current rezoning/neighborhood input process? Several councilors said they prefer keeping a public process for duplex rezonings. One council member said continuing the rezoning requirement gives neighbors meaningful input, while others warned that removing the process could push construction toward smaller ADU units rather than larger duplex units.
Staff described practical consequences: an owner could build an ADU that functions like a second dwelling but with a minimum size constraint of 1,000 square feet; larger, symmetrical duplex units (for example two 2,000‑square‑foot units) still require rezoning and the public process. "If someone wanted to build a 2,000 square foot duplex, they'd have to go through the rezoning process," a planning staff member explained. Council members expressed concerns about potential impacts to neighborhoods and historic districts and asked staff to return with options that preserve neighborhood input where appropriate.
What's next: Staff will include ADU‑related code adjustments in the package of zoning updates and present options for how to handle duplex rezonings versus ADUs in the coming Planning & Zoning and council agenda items.
Ending: Councilors asked staff for more analysis of where ADUs may produce unwanted density changes, and for draft language that preserves opportunities for neighborhood review of larger multifamily conversions while complying with the state ADU law.
