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Council expands accessory-dwelling-unit rules to allow internal ADUs in attached homes
Summary
Springville City amended its ADU ordinance to permit internal accessory dwelling units in single-family attached dwellings (twin homes and townhomes), keeping owner-occupancy and parking requirements unchanged.
Springville City Council approved an amendment to the municipal code to allow internal accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in single-family attached dwellings such as twin homes and townhouses.
City planning staff presented the change as part of the city's moderate-income housing strategy and said it extends ADU allowances that the council approved for detached single-family homes in 2020. "We went the city went, took a huge step back in 2020 when we allowed ADUs for all single family detached in all residential zones," a city staff member (Carla) said, noting the proposed amendment would include single-family attached units but limit ADUs there to internal units rather than detached structures.
Staff told the council the owner-occupancy requirement and the requirement for an additional parking space for an ADU would remain in place. City staff also said building-code requirements for separate cooking facilities, ingress/egress, windows and smoke detectors still apply for a space to be considered a separate dwelling unit.
Carla said the planning commission held a public hearing Aug. 12 and recommended the change by a vote recorded in the staff summary (4 in favor, 0 opposed, 3 excused). No members of the public spoke at that hearing, according to staff.
Council members moved and seconded the ordinance amendment and approved it by roll-call vote; members recorded as voting yes were Jake, Mindy, Mike, Craig and Logan.
Why it matters: The amendment allows owners of newly built or existing attached single-family homes to convert interior basements or other internal spaces into legally permitted ADUs, potentially increasing rental housing options while keeping owner-occupancy and parking safeguards in place.
What’s next: Staff said additional work may be needed to address detached ADUs and related design standards (setbacks, opaque windows, runoff and neighborhood compatibility) before allowing external accessory units in attached-home contexts.
