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Planning board readies administrative update to ADU bylaw ahead of fall warrant
Summary
Board members are finalizing language to align Southborough's accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rules with state statutory language and to remove an unenforced unit cap, with the goal of placing a clean administrative change on the November warrant.
Planning board members told staff Monday they will present an administrative update to the town's accessory dwelling unit (ADU) bylaw for placement on the fall special town meeting warrant.
Miss Houlihan reported she has reviewed the existing code, replaced dated references to "accessory apartments" with statutory ADU language from Massachusetts General Laws, and cleaned up cross-references throughout the zoning code so users can find ADU rules in one place. The board agreed the draft should be reviewed by the zoning board to ensure the two boards are aligned before a warrant article is filed.
Board members discussed two substantive edits Marnie proposed: removing an outdated cap on the percentage of ADUs in town (the bylaw had a clause limiting ADUs to a percentage of total housing that staff found to be unenforced and near 1% historically) and retaining the 25% floor-area limitation for ADUs established under the special-permit standard to avoid accessory units larger than the primary dwelling.
The board set an internal timeline for comments and said it would circulate a cleaned-up draft for the July meeting, with the intent to submit a placeholder for the Nov. 3 special town meeting warrant and to continue collaborative review with the zoning board.
Why it matters The update is written as administrative alignment with state ADU language rather than an expansion of ADU policy. Removing a legacy percentage cap and correcting cross-references should make the bylaw easier to apply for residents and building officials, the board said.
