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Council refers state-mandated ADU zoning amendment to Planning Board after vote
Summary
After extended debate about timing and amendments, Chelsea City Council voted down a motion to send the accessory-dwelling-unit (ADU) amendment to a council planning subcommittee and instead referred the ordinance to the Planning Board for review and a public hearing.
Chelsea City Council spent a lengthy portion of Monday’s meeting debating how best to review a proposed zoning amendment to implement the state’s Affordable Homes Act of 2024, which requires localities to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in single-family zoning districts.
Councilor Tesh moved that the council first send the proposed ADU language to the council’s planning subcommittee so members could discuss possible amendments. That motion failed on a roll-call vote: 2 in favor, 6 opposed, 3 absent. The clerk read the roll: Councilor Taylor — No; Councilor Coopro — absent; Councilor Jimenez Rivera — No; Councilor Hines — No; Councilor Tenorio Garcia — No; Councilor Ritesh — Yes; Councilor Kelly Garcia — absent; Councilor Sandecker — No; Councilor De Jesus — Yes; Councilor Brown — absent; Councilor Robinson — No.
After the failed subcommittee motion, the Council reverted to an earlier motion by Councilor Hines to refer the ordinance to the Planning Board and schedule a public hearing; that motion carried by unanimous consent. Councilors and the City Manager discussed process constraints: the clerk advised that amendments made after a scheduled public hearing would likely require re-advertising and a new hearing, so the council needed to decide whether to amend language before or after Planning Board review.
The City Manager characterized the draft as largely adopting state policy: "we are basically copying the policy of the state," and urged the council to use the Planning Board process as an opportunity to listen and learn. Several councilors said they want to research how other cities implemented ADU rules and to have subcommittee discussions if time permits, but the council majority preferred the Planning Board referral to keep the process on a faster track.
Next steps: Planning Board will review the proposed ordinance, schedule a public hearing and return a recommendation to the City Council; the council may amend language prior to a public hearing or, if amendments are made after advertising, may need to re-advertise.
Outcome: Motion to send to planning subcommittee failed (2-6-3). Council then referred the ADU zoning amendment to the Planning Board for review and a public hearing.
