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Hampton unveils ADU engagement plan; council weighs whether to fast-track local ordinance
Summary
Staff outlined a public engagement and steering-group plan to draft an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinance informed by community input, with meetings starting Jan. 30 and staff aiming for an ordinance adoption process by end of 2025; council questioned whether to attempt a local ordinance or wait for the General Assembly.
City staff presented a community engagement plan to solicit public input on accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and to craft a locally informed ordinance. Monica, the community engagement manager, described the purpose as increasing housing options and using ADUs to address out-migration and affordability while balancing neighborhood character, infrastructure and flood-zone concerns.
Monica said the city's research included reviews of nearby localities (Norfolk, Newport News, Suffolk, Portsmouth) that permit attached and detached ADUs and that staff intends to assemble a steering group drawn from neighborhood associations, boards and commission representatives, community-based organizations and likely ADU users (seniors, disabled residents, students, military personnel). She said the steering group would be finalized January 30 and meetings would begin in February, with a midpoint check-in around May and staff aiming to present a draft ordinance that could move to the planning commission and then council with a goal of adoption by the end of 2025.
On the specifics staff proposed for public discussion, Monica listed potential guiding principles: limits on number/size of ADUs per lot (staff suggested one ADU per lot as a default), attention to neighborhood character and elevation/floodplain constraints, and consideration of infrastructure impacts and affordability (cost-to-build vs. cost-to-rent). She said staff would use multiple outreach tools, including a dedicated web page (hampton.gov/aduwebpage), digital and paper materials, calls, boards and commission briefings and targeted engagement with senior and disability advisory groups.
Council members pressed staff on timing, noting the General Assembly planned action on ADU legislation could include grandfathering provisions. Councilwoman Mugler suggested the neighborhood commission should have a parallel review role; other members proposed a special-called meeting to meet public-hearing deadlines. Staff cautioned that Virginia public hearing advertising and statutory timelines make it difficult to complete the entire ordinance adoption process before an early January grandfathering cutoff, but said jurisdictions that show active progress may receive more lenient grandfathering dates.
Council did not take a formal vote on the ADU plan; councilmembers asked staff to proceed with public engagement, to keep the neighborhood commission involved, and to report back on progress and any recommended timing or ordinance text.
Plans for next steps include launching the ADU web page, finalizing steering-group membership on Jan. 30, beginning steering-group meetings in February and scheduling a May check-in to report public feedback to council.
