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Carbondale trustees unanimously approve new rules to expand accessory dwelling units
Summary
The Board adopted Ordinance No. 2, Series 2026, amending Chapter 17 to streamline accessory dwelling unit (ADU) approvals, allow modestly larger ADUs with reduced parking requirements, and leave short-term-rental regulation to the town’s existing STR rules.
The Carbondale Board of Trustees voted unanimously to adopt Ordinance No. 2, Series 2026, amending Chapter 17 of the municipal code to revise accessory dwelling unit (ADU) regulations.
Jared, town planning staff, said the ordinance reflects direction the board gave at earlier hearings and is intended to make ADU approvals more straightforward, allow somewhat larger ADUs in some circumstances, and relax some parking requirements. Jared told trustees the text also clarifies that short‑term rentals will continue to be regulated under the town’s existing short‑term‑rental regulations rather than by ADU rules.
Trustees spent substantial time discussing the ordinance’s interaction with planned unit development (PUD) processes. The draft adds the "board of trustees" as a body that may initiate a PUD amendment, staff said; that change is intended to allow the town to initiate amendments (for example, to enable ADU-related updates) while preserving the full PUD amendment process, required notifications to property owners and final determinations by the board. Town Attorney Mark cautioned that an older state statute could allow residents of a PUD to enforce prior provisions among themselves, meaning some PUDs may present unique legal or contractual issues that are best handled case by case.
Trustees also discussed short‑term rentals and counts: staff reported there are 23 ADUs currently and the town’s short‑term‑rental cap is 50; short‑term rentals that are ADUs were estimated informally at "between five and under 10." Trustees suggested the town track ADU conversions to short‑term rentals and reiterated the annual review of STR rules as a way to manage outcomes.
After the public hearing was opened for the continued ADU item, no members of the public spoke. Erica moved to approve the ordinance and Jess seconded; the motion passed unanimously.
What’s next: the ordinance will become part of the municipal code as adopted. Staff indicated they will prepare user-friendly guidance or a flowchart to help applicants navigate ADU permitting steps and suggested continuing to monitor how ADU permits interact with STR approvals.
(At the meeting trustees characterized counts and estimates as staff-provided and not exact; the ordinance and staff materials should be consulted for final numeric details.)
