Mayfield planning commission narrows ADU rules; directs edits before council review

The Mayfield Town Planning Commission spent much of its Oct. 27 meeting refining a draft ordinance to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in single-family neighborhoods, directing staff to incorporate edits and return the ordinance for final review before sending it to the town council.

Amanda, the commission staffer who prepared the draft, told the commission she had re‑listened to prior recordings and corrected the July minutes and the ordinance language; "I relistened to the recording and fixed our verbiage," she said. Commissioner Ross moved to approve the corrected July 17 minutes; the commission approved the minutes by a voice vote.

Commissioners focused on definitions and standards for two ADU types — internal ADUs (IADUs) and detached ADUs (DADUs) — and agreed on several policy points to add or clarify in the ordinance. They settled on keeping a 12‑foot separation between an accessory structure and the primary dwelling, reinforced that only one ADU is allowed per single‑family lot (either internal or detached), and proposed that ADUs be long‑term rentals only unless an exception is created. Commissioners also directed that detached ADUs occupy no more than 50% of the primary dwelling's gross floor area or 1,000 square feet, whichever is less, and discussed capping accessory building coverage at 25% of the remaining rear-yard area to preserve open space.

On health and safety, the commission agreed ADUs must meet building, fire and health codes and that septic systems must be reviewed and approved by the county health authority before an ADU permit is finalized. One commissioner summarized the enforcement point this way: final occupancy would require a town zoning approval plus the county building department's certificate of occupancy.

Parking and utility connections were another focus. Commissioners directed that applicants show two off‑street parking spaces for an ADU (with specifics to be shown on the site plan); they discussed whether one of those could be configured for a trailer but defaulted to a simple "two off‑street spaces" standard for internal ADUs and separate parking language for detached ADUs. Commissioners also agreed that utility connections may be shared with the primary dwelling unless separate service is approved by the town.

The group discussed permit process and fees: a zoning permit from the town and a building permit (and certificate of occupancy) from the county are required before an ADU may be occupied. Commissioners asked staff to add language that applicants pay applicable fees established by town resolution to cover review and inspections.

Commissioners discussed implementation constraints — water pressure, available lot size and septic capacity — and acknowledged the health department and building department will control some technical thresholds (meter sizing, septic upgrades), not the town ordinance itself. They also debated whether ADUs should be a permitted use under the zoning code (the commission favored making ADUs a permitted use in the applicable single‑family zones rather than a conditional use) and agreed to clarify enforcement options for noncompliance.

The commission did not adopt the ordinance at the meeting. Members asked staff to incorporate the agreed edits and return the revised draft for a short review before the planning commission forwards the ordinance to the town council. The commission targets a follow‑up planning commission review the week of Nov. 6 and to place the ordinance before the town council prior to its Nov. 12 meeting. A motion to adjourn carried by voice vote at the end of the meeting.

What happens next: staff will rewrite the ordinance to reflect the commission's edits (setbacks, parking, one‑ADU limit per lot, health‑department septic approval, permit language and fee reference) and circulate the redline for commissioners to confirm before referral to the town council.