Trenton officials revise ADU permit form, set fees and inspection process; approve two zoning clearances

Trenton planning officials at a recent meeting agreed to revise an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) application, set fees and renewal terms, add a building-and-safety checklist with sample diagrams, and remove a proposed deed restriction from the form. The council also approved two zoning items — a zoning clearance for Mike Parker and zoning plans for Parker Havas — by voice vote.

The change converts what the draft called an "ADU landlord license" into a permit application and clarifies required documentation. Officials said the permit will require proof of ownership, a site plan, street-facing elevations, an interior floor plan and either a certificate of occupancy or a copy of the building permit for the ADU. The form will include a new building-and-safety certification section that applicants must acknowledge; the board also agreed to include sample diagrams showing permitted driveway and front-door configurations so applications are clearer.

Why it matters: Accessory units can increase local housing supply but raise safety and enforcement questions. The revisions aim to create a clear administrative process for registering ADUs while leaving building-code enforcement and inspections to the appropriate inspection authority.

Key details and next steps - Permit language and scope: The board chose the term "permit application" over "license application" to match planning and building processes. The permit will be nontransferable and a new permit is required when ownership changes. - Required documents: Applicants must submit proof of ownership and owner-occupancy declaration, a site plan, street-facing elevations, interior floor plans and either a certification of occupancy or a building permit copy for the ADU where applicable. - Safety and inspection: The application will carry a building/health/fire-code affirmation; the form will state that applicable building, health and fire codes are "available upon request." Inspections will be scheduled when the building official or business license/permit office determines one is required or when a complaint is filed. The board discussed but did not adopt a hard rule automatically requiring inspections for older homes; members considered setting a threshold year for mandatory inspection. - Deed-restriction removed: The draft included recording a deed restriction with the county. The board agreed to remove that requirement from the current application text and may revisit it later. - Fees and renewal: The board discussed an initial application fee of $50. They agreed an annual renewal fee would help with oversight and settled on setting the renewal at $30. The initial/processing fee and renewal structure will be reflected in the revised form. - Enforcement and scope: Members discussed limits (for example, distinguishing residential rental licenses from agricultural leases and water-share rentals) and agreed the ADU permit should not sweep in unrelated agricultural rentals. The permit is intended for owner-occupied properties creating ADUs; enforcement would proceed if complaints or violations are reported.

Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes: Motion made by Speaker 1; outcome recorded by voice as approved. - Zoning clearance for Mike Parker: Motion made by Speaker 1 and seconded by Speaker 2; approved by voice vote. - Zoning plans for Parker Havas: Motion made on the record during the meeting; approved by voice vote.

What officials will do next Staff said they will incorporate the board's edits — change "license" to "permit," add the building-and-safety checklist and sample diagrams, remove the deed-restriction language for now, and update fee language — and return the revised application to the board for final review.

Ending note Board members emphasized enforcement only where practical and voiced support for keeping rules that can be enforced. The revised application and the checklist are to be drafted and brought back at a future meeting for formal adoption.