Commissioners review model ADU ordinances and consider $3,000 consultant to update Trenton code

At a planning meeting, Trenton commissioners discussed amending local ordinance language for internal accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and related application procedures to align municipal rules with state requirements and model templates.

Staff said state law requires internal ADUs be allowed in single-family zones and that Trenton's current ordinance contains language that needs updating. A staff member reported that state funding is no longer covering an update, and that a contact named Mike Hansen estimated a $3,000 fee to codify and review the city's ordinance against a Utah League of Cities & Towns checklist and sample municipal ordinances.

Commissioners and staff reviewed features they want to preserve or add: an owner-occupancy notarized statement accompanying a conditional-use application; a requirement that an ADU be attached and read as a single house; clear application and plan requirements (floor plan to scale, site plan, utilities, smoke/CO detectors, exhaust, GFI protection and plumbing fixtures); and a renewal trigger so that a conditional-use permit for an ADU does not automatically transfer to a subsequent buyer without reapplying.

Participants discussed enforcement and practical constraints: how to confirm whether an accessory unit is actually occupied, whether utilities must be separately metered (state guidance on shared utilities was referenced), and how to prevent short-term rentals inconsistent with the ordinance's stated purpose of long-term housing (speakers noted the state standard that rental provisions typically apply to tenancies longer than 30 days). Staff recommended pulling language from Kaysville and Lewiston templates and preparing a combined draft to circulate to the commission for review at the next meeting.

Why it matters: City ordinance language determines what kinds of ADUs are allowed, what plans applicants must submit, who is responsible for inspections and whether permits survive a sale. The commission's choices will affect homeowners considering ADUs and how the town enforces housing and safety standards.

Key specifics discussed - Consultant estimate: Mike Hansen told staff the cost to update and codify the ordinance would be roughly $3,000; staff presented that as one option. - Model sources: staff proposed using the Utah League of Cities & Towns checklist and sample ordinances from Kaysville and Lewiston as starting points. - Permit and enforcement items discussed: owner-occupancy notarized statement, conditional-use permit renewal on sale or nonuse for one year, floor plans and site plans to scale, evidence of building/health/fire-code compliance, and a requirement that ADUs comply with building permits and certificate-of-occupancy rules. - Rental rules: commissioners discussed discouraging short-term rentals (Airbnb-style) and aligning local permit language with the state standard that the ADU program targets long-term rentals (30 days or more).

Next steps - Staff will scan and circulate the Kaysville and Lewiston sample ordinances and the Utah League checklist; commission members will review and provide feedback at the next meeting. - Staff said they can draft a combined document for commission review and noted that if the commission determines the task is too large, they can consider contracting the full rewrite.

No formal ordinance change was voted at this meeting; commissioners directed staff to assemble model language and bring a draft back for consideration.