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Resident asks council to allow separate electrical metering for accessory dwelling units; council says planning staff will revise ordinance
Summary
A Sandy homeowner told the county council on Feb. 11 that Rocky Mountain Power guidance left her facing an estimated $80,000 bill to correct ADU electrical metering; council members and planning staff said homeowners can apply for a variance while staff will prepare ordinance language to permit two meters per parcel where appropriate.
A Salt Lake County resident, Elizabeth Fulmer of 1477 East Winterwood Circle in Sandy, told the council on Feb. 11 that she recently built an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) for an elderly family member and faced a potential $80,000 electrical bill after following guidance from Rocky Mountain Power. Fulmer said the county ordinance (19.15.140, section B) currently prohibits two meters on a single parcel and that other Utah jurisdictions allow two meters per parcel for ADUs.
"It was an honest misunderstanding ... [Rocky Mountain Power] suggested we put a second meter on our property, that that was the least expensive route to go," Fulmer said. She asked the council to revise section B to allow two meters per parcel that contain an ADU so homeowners can manage utilities and keep ADU development affordable for family care arrangements.
Council members responded that the issue had highlighted a gap in ordinance text. Planning staff said they will prepare updated language for the ordinance and that, in the interim, homeowners may apply for a variance through the hearing officer process; if ordinance changes are adopted later they could be applied retroactively when appropriate.
Fulmer said she had not yet applied for a variance; council staff and planning staff encouraged her to file the variance application while staff work on the ordinance amendment. Council members noted ADUs are increasingly used to support housing for seniors and to add affordable housing stock, and said they will work with planning to draft changes that preserve safety and building requirements while allowing separate metering where appropriate.
No council vote was taken; staff said they will begin drafting the ordinance amendment and follow the regular planning commission and council process.
