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Planning Board debates ADU size, basement rules and garage exclusions for 2025 zoning article
Summary
Board members discussed a proposed 2025 zoning amendment on additional dwelling units (ADUs), including whether to set the ADU cap at 900 or 1,000 sq ft, how basements count toward gross floor area, and exclusion of garages from square‑footage limits; staff will return with data on existing ADU sizes.
The Planning Board continued its review of a proposed 2025 zoning amendment that would update rules for additional dwelling units (ADUs). Key topics on Sept. 17 included whether to retain the statutory 900 square‑foot cap or allow up to 1,000 square feet by right, and clarifications on how gross floor area is measured.
Basement and garage rules: Staff and board members clarified that, under the current gross‑floor‑area definition, only basement space with ceiling height greater than 6 feet 8 inches counts toward the ADU square‑footage limit. Board members discussed explicitly excluding garages from the counted gross floor area for ADUs to avoid counting separate garage structures against the ADU cap.
Policy tradeoffs: Several members noted that increasing the maximum ADU size could make ADUs more attractive to build (e.g., enabling two-bedroom units) but also could change affordability outcomes. The board asked staff to provide data on ADUs built to date (sizes and counts) so members can weigh whether raising the cap to 1,000 square feet would materially increase ADU production.
Definitions and short‑term rentals: Members also discussed adding clarifications in definitions about whether 'tourist homes' or other short‑term rental forms should be treated as equivalent to short‑term rentals in the ADU context; staff will check definition placement in bylaw appendices and coordinate wording.
Next steps: Staff will return with ADU-build statistics and proposed language tweaks (basement/garage wording) for a subsequent meeting and for discussion with town counsel as needed.
