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River Heights planning commission reviews possible ADU rules; commissioners debate owner-occupancy, foundation and parking
Summary
Commissioners reviewed a draft ADU spreadsheet Feb. 10 and discussed owner-occupancy, whether ADUs must be on permanent foundations, one-ADU-per-parcel limits, minimum lot sizes, 30-day minimum rentals and parking. No ordinance was adopted; commissioners will complete spreadsheet sections for further review.
The River Heights Planning Commission spent a portion of its Feb. 10 meeting reviewing a draft spreadsheet of possible requirements for an external accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinance.
Commissioner Keenan Ryan read through sections of the spreadsheet and asked commissioners to provide feedback on what requirements to include. Topics under consideration included whether ADU owners should obtain a city license in addition to a conditional-use permit, whether ADUs must sit on permanent foundations (not be mobile), an owner-occupancy requirement and how extended owner absences should be handled, a one-ADU-per-parcel limit, minimum lot-size thresholds, minimum rental terms, parking allocation, and utility-billing arrangements.
Commissioner Troy Wakefield questioned why the city would place extensive regulation on ADUs if there was no clear cost benefit to the city. Commissioner Noel Cooley noted that state code allows municipalities to set ADU conditions. Councilmember/Recorder Mark Malmstrom said minimum lot sizes in other jurisdictions ranged between about 6,000 and 10,000 square feet, while a cell in the commission’s draft spreadsheet included a 12,000-square-foot figure.
Other specific items discussed included a suggested maximum ADU size of about 1,200 square feet or 50% of the primary dwelling (whichever is smaller); possible parking rules tied to bedroom counts; requiring ADUs to match the primary dwelling’s aesthetics; and a suggested minimum rental term of 30 days. Commissioners said they wanted to limit ADUs to one per parcel.
Resident Brittany Cascio, during public comment, voiced support for allowing external ADUs and said she had spoken with neighbors who were interested in the option.
Commissioner Ryan asked those who had not yet completed their spreadsheet sections to do so; the commission did not vote on ADU regulations at the meeting and directed staff and commissioners to continue refining the draft.
