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Planning Commission reviews ADU ordinance draft, considers smaller lot sizes and rental limits
Summary
Commissioners reviewed a draft ADU ordinance that would clarify internal vs external ADUs, consider lowering minimum lot size from 11,000 to 9,000 sq ft, set bedroom and setback limits, and align minimum rental periods with local Airbnb rules; commissioners assigned sections and set an April 9 deadline for revisions.
The River Heights Planning Commission reviewed a draft accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinance on March 24 and discussed several substantive edits aimed at clarifying placement, size and rental rules.
Commissioner Keenan Ryan presented a rough draft that incorporated commissioner input and a draft from Councilmember Mark Malmstrom. Ryan said a recent flag-lot example demonstrated the need to allow ADUs in certain front-yard situations if the ADU meets the same setback as the primary dwelling. "I wanted the code to be more in favor of those wanting an ADU, and include less barriers prohibiting them," Ryan said.
During discussion commissioners considered lowering the minimum lot size for ADU eligibility from 11,000 to 9,000 square feet, limiting the number of ADUs per lot (Commissioner Cooley cited parking concerns as a reason to limit to one), addressing both external and internal ADUs explicitly, and drafting setback language including a 10-foot maximum separation between the primary dwelling and an ADU. The commission discussed bedroom limits (up to two bedrooms for an external ADU and up to three for an internal ADU), allowing septic connections where appropriate, and incorporating the city's utility-billing policy into the code.
Members also debated minimum rental periods (30 days versus 90 days) and noted the city's Airbnb rules currently limit many short-term rentals to 28 days. Recorder Sheila Lind was asked to upload her drafting comments to SharePoint and to provide the draft in Word to facilitate edits. Commissioners were assigned sections to revise (Davidson: A-E; Cooley: F-H; Wakefield: I-K; Ryan: L-O) and asked to return submissions by April 9 so staff could combine them into a single document for posting.
