Brighton planning commission advances work session on ADU/caretaker rules, defers final vote

The Town of Brighton Planning Commission on Jan. 15 continued a public hearing and directed staff to prepare revised ordinance language and a staff report for a Feb. 19 workshop on rules for internal accessory dwelling units, so-called IADUs, and proposed “caretaker’s living quarters” that would allow one portion of a dwelling to be used for short-term rentals while the other is occupied by an owner, caretaker or property manager.

The issue matters because state law defines an internal accessory dwelling unit as one that is within the primary dwelling and available for long-term rental of 30 consecutive days or longer, and that definition carries limits the town cannot override. Planning staff and commissioners said Brighton needs a distinct local definition to permit the combination of short-term rental activity and an on-site caretaker without conflicting with the state IADU statute.

Curtis Woodward, planning staff with the MSD, told the commission the state definition is explicit: “internal accessory dwelling unit means an accessory dwelling unit created within a primary dwelling ... for the purpose of offering a long term rental of 30 consecutive days or longer.” He said the proposed approach is to create a separate term — the caretaker’s living quarters — so the town is not forced to apply the state IADU owner-occupancy requirement to every scenario the commission wants to allow.

The commission and staff…