Cedar Falls council to review ADU rules in May after debate over windows, size and utilities

The Cedar Falls City Council voted Dec. 16 to refer a review of the city's accessory dwelling unit ordinance to a committee meeting in May, directing staff and councilors to return with proposed points for discussion after the city's budget work is complete.

Councilor Daryl Cruz introduced the referral, saying the council should examine "the requirement to have 2 windows and other egress requirements, square footage requirements, whether utility service can be provided separate from the main unit, and the main unit may be a rental as well as an ADU." Cruz said the downtown visioning work dating to November 2019 and revisions in mid-2021 informed the item and that no ADUs have been built downtown since that guidance was adopted.

The referral passed with council members amending the timeline to schedule the committee meeting in May after the budget process. The council's discussion and the amendment to set a May meeting passed 6-1.

Why it matters: ADU rules determine how homeowners can add small, accessory living units on existing residential properties. Changes to egress, size limits or utility rules could affect whether property owners can build ADUs and where in the city they are feasible, especially in older neighborhoods that Cruz and others identified as likely locations.

Council debate summarized

Cruz said the ADU language contains contradictions and obstacles that may explain the lack of uptake. "We're going on 4 years almost where there are no ADUs downtown," he said, and highlighted the two-window requirement as one of several provisions that could deter construction.

Multiple councilors urged caution and data collection before making changes. One councilor argued the ordinance has been in place only a short time and that staff did not advertise the ADU component, saying the council should allow the new rule to "breathe" before amending it. That same councilor favored delaying committee work until after budget season.

Planning staff and process details

A staff member from the Planning Department told the council that "there is a requirement that a basement bedroom have an egress window for safety reasons. A second 1 is part of the ordinance as, access to light and air and just, just in general livability of the unit." Planning staff also said they had not actively advertised the ADU component, a point cited by councilors who favored waiting to collect more data on uptake.

Councilors asked how amendments would be processed. Staff explained that text amendments to the zoning code would be handled as Planning and Zoning Commission text amendments, typically discussed at one meeting and sent through a second meeting for a public hearing and recommendation to council; changes then return to council for up to three readings as required by the zoning ordinance.

Timing and next steps

Finance staff provided the budget calendar during the meeting: the council's budget process is certified April 30, and councilors amended the referral so the committee discussion will take place in May after that process. The council recorded the referral as an internal direction (not subject to public comment at the time of referral) and asked staff to prepare material and any clarifications for the committee meeting.

What the vote does and does not do

The council's vote authorizes a committee discussion in May to examine specific ADU code provisions. It does not make any code changes; any amendments to the zoning ordinance would require Planning and Zoning Commission review and subsequent council readings.

Ending

The council will revisit the ADU package in May, when staff and councilors are expected to present clarifications and suggested topics for code changes. Any formal zoning text amendment following that discussion would follow Planning and Zoning and council review per the city's code change procedures.