Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Adus topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lincoln County schedules public hearing on accessory dwelling units after planner outlines draft rules
Summary
The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners voted to call a public hearing May 27 on proposed accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rules after Planner Tracy Perkins reviewed draft provisions including owner-occupancy covenants, site-built construction, and 600–1,500 square-foot size limits.
The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners voted April 15 to schedule a public hearing May 27 to consider adding accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to the county zoning resolution. The board’s planner, Tracy Perkins, presented draft language and answered commissioners’ questions about occupancy, utilities and enforcement.
Perkins said the planning commission recommended the draft provisions and that the ordinance packet contains definitions, covenants and an application process. “We trust that people will tell us the truth,” Perkins said, adding that owners would sign an affidavit and a covenant as part of approval.
Commissioners focused on how owner-occupancy would be enforced, whether ADUs would require separate utility meters and addresses, and whether septic systems could support an additional dwelling. Perkins said septic support would be verified by a letter or permit from David Cosby, the county’s septic reviewer, and that utility connections and separate addresses are subject to utility board rules. The draft would allow ADUs between about 600 and 1,500 square feet and require site-built construction rather than premanufactured/mobile homes: “It needs to be site built,” Perkins said.
Commissioners also pressed how the six-month occupancy minimum would be verified. Perkins said the county would rely on covenants and stated enforcement procedures, noting the proposal was still being finalized and that public comment would inform final language. Proponents on the planning commission framed ADUs as a way to help relatives or renters find lower-cost housing without creating a subdivision.
The board called for a public hearing prior to the May commission meeting at 5:30 p.m. to gather public input and consider final action.
The scheduled hearing will be the formal opportunity for written and spoken public comment; no final zoning change was adopted at the April 15 meeting.
