Carbondale planning panel votes to begin rewrite of ADU rules; public hearing set Aug. 28

The Carbondale Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously Thursday to initiate a text amendment to the town’s Unified Development Code to review rules governing accessory dwelling units, commonly known as ADUs, and directed staff to prepare an application and public notices ahead of a first public hearing on Aug. 28.

The amendment process, as staff described it at the meeting, will include public hearings before the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Historic Preservation Commission and a final ordinance by the Board of Trustees. “Ultimately, what we're asking the planning zoning commission to do is to initiate a code text amendment, direct staff to notice a public hearing, invite the community to provide feedback, and really start discussing regulations in a public forum,” said Jared Moore, town staff presenting the proposal.

The change is intended to address several matters commissioners and staff raised: whether detached ADUs should be permitted in Old Town and other zones, when ADU proposals should be handled administratively versus through a Planning and Zoning public hearing, how to treat ADUs inside or adjacent to PUDs, size and massing…