City adopts ADU ordinance amendments to comply with state law

The City of Lincoln City Council unanimously adopted amendments to the city’s accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinance to bring municipal rules into alignment with state law, after an HCD review found parts of the 2024 ordinance out of compliance.

Efren Sanchez, senior planner with the community development department, said the council adopted Ordinance 1080b in 2024 but HCD’s April 24, 2025 review identified remaining conflicts between local standards and state ADU law. Sanchez said HCD asked the city to replace outdated statutory references, remove provisions that curtailed rights granted under state law and convert subjective design standards into objective criteria. He said the proposed amendments are ‘‘minor in nature’’ and are intended to secure HCD approval and make the city’s ADU regulations objective and consistent with state law.

Sanchez described an example: where the city previously required an ADU to ‘‘match’’ the primary residence in a subjective way, HCD recommended replacing that with clear material and construction criteria (for example, allowable exterior materials such as stucco or wood siding) so decisions are more objective and ministerial. The planning commission reviewed the changes and recommended adoption.

Members of the public and several developers spoke in favor of the amendments during the hearing, and one commenter said staff’s prompt response to HCD’s findings was helpful and that easing local barriers to ADU construction would increase housing options for seniors and homeowners.

The council voted to adopt the proposed text amendments; a roll-call vote recorded all members in favor. Staff said HCD confirmed approval of the amendments after the city transmittal in June 2025 and that the changes should reduce local review obstacles and align Lincoln’s code with current state requirements.