Housing committee outlines draft rules for external accessory dwelling units

A Farr West housing committee agreed on a set of recommended provisions for external accessory dwelling units and asked staff to draft ordinance language reflecting those bullets for future review by the planning commission and the city.

The committee framed the changes as a parallel set of rules to the cityaccessory-building provisions rather than as a standalone special privilege. Committee members said the intent is that an EADU should not be closer, taller, or otherwise more intrusive to neighbors than a conventional accessory building and that any final ordinance must be consistent with existing setbacks and accessory-structure rules.

Key recommendations the committee discussed and instructed staff to draft into ordinance language included:

- Location and setbacks: EADUs would not be allowed in front of the primary dwelling. The committee recommended that EADUs be located behind the house footprint or, in certain lot configurations such as cul-de-sacs, sited so they are no closer to the street than the nearest rear corner of the primary dwelling. The discussion referenced a 6-foot minimum distance from an existing primary structure in some cases and a 15-foot side setback; the committee directed…