Newport adopts accessory‑dwelling ordinance; council adds one‑space‑per‑unit parking requirement

The Newport City Council adopted a new local ordinance establishing rules for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) as Chapter 17.79 of the zoning code. The ordinance implements the state law baseline while allowing local controls such as lot‑size thresholds and conversion rules for existing accessory structures.

Staff and the zoning officer explained state law guarantees certain ADU paths (including conversion of an existing accessory structure) and that, without a local ordinance, ADUs can be approved under state law with no local parking requirement. Planning staff recommended a local ordinance to set clear standards and avoid uncontrolled variations.

During discussion several residents in the Third Ward and other dense neighborhoods cautioned that permitting ADU conversions without a parking requirement could exacerbate parking shortages. Planning staff warned that imposing strict parking requirements can have unintended consequences — it may increase the number of parking‑variance requests to the zoning board and effectively bar ADUs on many smaller lots — but recommended a conservative local rule to balance housing creation and neighborhood impacts.

The council adopted an amendment requiring one parking space per ADU unit (one space per unit rather than per bedroom) and then approved Chapter 17.79 as amended. The ordinance prohibits ADUs from being used for short‑term rentals and retains existing accommodations for ADUs created for disabled family members on owner‑occupied properties.

What happens next: staff will implement administrative procedures for building permits and zoning review and will track whether the parking requirement creates an uptick in variance requests; the council may revisit fine‑tuning of the ordinance after observing its effects.