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Chelsea planning board recommends local ADU ordinance to city council, including 31-day short-term rental ban
Summary
The board voted Feb. 25 to recommend a local accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinance to the City Council. The draft aligns Chelsea code with the state Affordable Homes Act (2024), allows ADUs up to 900 sq ft, removes ADU area from FAR/lot coverage calculations, reduces usable open-space block dimension to 5x5, and prohibits rentals under 31 days.
The Chelsea Planning Board voted Feb. 25 to recommend adoption of a local ADU ordinance that aligns Chelsea zoning with the state's 2024 Affordable Homes Act and includes several Chelsea-specific adjustments. Staff said the ordinance would allow accessory dwelling units by right in single-family residential zoning districts and set a 900-square-foot cap (or half the size of the primary structure, whichever is smaller) consistent with state rules.
Adam Roy of the Permitting & Land Use Planning Department briefed the board on the state's requirements — ADUs must have a separate entrance, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom, meet building codes, and not be subject to owner-occupancy or local affordability requirements the state prohibits. Chelsea's draft ordinance proposes three local modifications within the state’s permissive framework: (1) redefine usable open-space dimensions from 10x10 feet to 5x5 feet to make meeting the open-space test more feasible on tight lots; (2) exclude ADU square footage from lot coverage and FAR calculations to reduce regulatory barriers; and (3) ban short-term rentals in ADUs for terms under 31 days (the language will be clarified to state a minimum lease term of 31 consecutive days).
Board members asked about accessibility and safety (clearances for wheelchair access and fire-safety inspections), neighbor privacy (impacts of 5-foot setbacks), and parking eligibility. Staff noted the state exempts ADUs within half a mile of transit from local parking requirements — that covers most of Chelsea — and that ADU units would still be eligible for on-street parking permits. The board recommended clearer drafting on the short-term-rental prohibition to ensure it reads as a minimum 31-day lease requirement rather than an ambiguous phrase.
Chair Regina Taylor moved to recommend the ordinance to the City Council; the motion was seconded and approved by the board. Staff will prepare the final language, clarifying the short-term rental minimum-leases text, before submission to the council.
The board’s recommendation now proceeds to the City Council; the local ordinance would take effect only if the council adopts it and if any required state notifications or filings are completed.
