Bountiful council delays vote on accessory-structure height increase after hours of debate

The Bountiful City Council debated a proposed text amendment on July 8 that would raise allowable heights for single‑family residential accessory structures — a change aimed at making detached accessory dwelling units (ADUs) easier to design and live in. After more than two hours of public testimony and council discussion, a motion to adopt the ordinance as drafted failed for lack of a second. Councilmembers asked staff to return with a revised ordinance that narrows the change and clarifies how height will be measured.

Council members, planning staff and the applicant said the amendment responds to repeated applications that staff could not approve under the existing limits. Amber Corbridge, a city planner, told the council that the current code limits overall height for accessory structures to 20 feet and sidewall height to 15 feet, which she said has made two‑story ADU designs difficult on flat lots. "We believe that it is the best interest of the city to promote more moderate‑income housing options…