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Planning commission recommends ADU ordinance; narrows gravel parking near street
Summary
The Harrisville Planning Commission voted May 13 to recommend adopting Ordinance 569, which allows detached accessory dwelling units and updates parking rules; commissioners limited gravel use to areas behind the front setback and kept front-approach hard-surface requirements to address stormwater and street damage concerns.
The Harrisville Planning Commission on May 13 voted to recommend that the City Council adopt Ordinance 569, a package of land-use amendments that adds a detached accessory dwelling unit (ADU) option and revises parking-surface rules.
City planner Sarah told commissioners the ordinance implements new state ADU requirements and is intended to expand housing options while protecting neighboring properties and city infrastructure. "We're allowing accessory dwelling structures to be habitable spaces as long as they meet the standards of the city and the infrastructure will allow for these structures to connect to the existing infrastructure," she said.
Commissioners focused much of the discussion on parking surfaces and placement. Under current city code, required parking must be hard-surfaced (concrete or asphalt) and located behind the front setback; access drives may use roadbase or gravel. Several commissioners and members of the public raised concerns that allowing gravel up to the street can cause stormwater and roadway-damage problems. Roger Schuman, a resident who testified during public comment, said decorative or structural gravel can be attractive and reduce runoff in some yards but warned about oil and debris from vehicles.
To balance those concerns, the commission's motion recommends that front-approach parking — the area between the sidewalk/street and the front setback — remain a nonpervious hard surface, while allowing gravel or structurally engineered gravel in side and rear yards behind the front setback. The motion references existing municipal code (11.09.04.2) and directs staff to tie any gravel allowance to engineering standards that prevent dust, erosion and gravel migration to the street.
Commissioners also directed staff to ensure ADU parking requirements explicitly reference the city’s off-street parking standards so ADU spaces meet access and surface standards consistent with state requirements. Staff said the council can further refine language and the commission can revisit the ordinance at its June meeting if additional edits are needed.
The commission made the recommendation with a majority vote and will forward the ordinance and the commission’s parking language to the City Council for final action. The record of the commission's recommendation is subject to any council changes and the commission noted that final code text should include explicit engineering specifications for any allowed gravel.
