Commission advances ADU draft to meet state moderate-income housing requirement; asks staff for redlines and alignment

The Ivins Planning Commission on June 3 reviewed a lengthy draft ordinance governing accessory dwelling units (ADUs) aimed at meeting a state moderate-income housing requirement and directed staff to provide clarified redlines quickly so the city’s August report deadline can be met.

Planning staff explained the ADU draft compiles previous commission discussion, state guidance and examples from about a dozen other communities; it separates accessory dwellings from garages and carports, addresses "tiny homes" and modular units, and proposes limits on lot coverage and detached accessory structures. Staff said the state now requires cities to allow ADUs as part of the moderate-income housing plan and that the city’s goal is to have a final ordinance before the City Council prior to an August 1 report deadline.

Commissioners focused on several areas that need clearer drafting and internal consistency. A building-official speaker noted most municipalities use a single percentage for backyard coverage (commonly about 30 percent) and cautioned that allowing large ADUs on large lots could be at odds with other code sections limiting structures by square footage. Commissioner questions highlighted mismatches between the red table (percentage of buildable area) and a later section listing allowed detached structures by square footage, and inconsistent wording on tiny homes and modular units.

Commissioners and staff also addressed deed restrictions: staff noted state changes mean the city should remove a current requirement that ADUs be subject to a deed restriction; instead, permitting and subdivision rules will protect the city from separate sale of the unit. Mr. Pack clarified that building permits remain required; only the casita/deed-restriction condition will be removed.

The commission asked staff to prepare a redlined version resolving the coverage/size inconsistencies, to separate agricultural accessory units into a different section, and to add a short modular/tiny-home standard clarifying foundations and utility connections. Staff said they would rework the draft and circulate it to commissioners and requested redline comments by the next week so the ordinance can move through public hearings and council in time for the state reporting deadline.

Next steps: staff will prepare and circulate corrected redlines (staff said by Monday), commissioners will submit comments, and the ordinance will be refined, publicly noticed and scheduled for hearings with the aim of final council action before August 1 to support the city’s moderate-income housing report to the state.