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Stratford draft would liberalize accessory dwelling units and drop family‑member requirement
Summary
Draft regulations move ADU rules into the use chapter, remove the family‑member residency requirement, allow detached ADUs on large lots (draft threshold 20,000 sq ft) and simplify compliance rules; commissioners asked staff to refine ownership and removal provisions.
At the Aug. 14 work session, consultants presented a full rewrite of the accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rules and relocated the provisions into the town’s use regulations.
Key changes in the draft include removing the requirement that an ADU occupant be a family member of the principal owner and allowing detached ADUs on larger lots. The draft currently sets a threshold of 20,000 square feet for detached ADUs; commissioners asked staff to reconsider that number and suggested it might be lowered to make detached ADUs more attainable.
Consultant Robert Collins discussed general requirements for ADUs and proposed simplifying or removing many documentary compliance steps (for example, family affidavits) that had previously been required in the code. Commissioners asked that the draft keep a clear removal/termination pathway for ADUs—staff proposed adding language requiring mechanical systems to be cut and capped and notification to zoning and building enforcement if an owner removes an ADU.
The draft also includes owner‑occupancy and principal‑owner definitions tied to ownership percentage; staff noted the current 50% ownership rule may need clearer language. Commissioners requested that staff produce a revised, more easily interpreted ownership threshold and to return with recommended wording.
What’s next: staff will revise ADU thresholds (including the detached lot minimum and ownership language), retain removal procedures that document conversion back to single‑unit use, and present updated language after legal review.
