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Board advances ADU ordinance first reading after discussion over size, acreage and build order
Summary
The board approved first reading of a county ordinance to set standards for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) — size caps, septic and flood protections, and administrative approvals — while commissioners asked staff to refine exceptions for large-acreage parcels and the sequence of building ADUs relative to primary dwellings.
The Effingham County Board of Commissioners advanced first reading of a text amendment on April 7 to establish clear standards for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) countywide, a measure planning staff said aims to add housing flexibility while protecting rural character.
Planning Manager Akquila Wright described the amendment (Appendix C, Art. 3, Sec. 3.46) as an effort to create objective, administratively enforceable standards. Key provisions presented included limiting ADUs to one per lot, requiring common ownership (no separate sale), capping size at 1,200 square feet in AR districts and 1,000 square feet in residential districts (whichever is less), prohibiting ADUs in floodplains or wetlands, requiring septic approval from the state Department of Public Health, and allowing administrative approval without a public hearing when objective criteria are met.
Commissioners raised several topics they asked staff to refine before second reading: how rules should differ on very large parcels (several commissioners suggested acreage thresholds or exceptions for multi-acre estates), whether an ADU may be constructed before the primary dwelling in certain circumstances (builders sometimes want an accessory structure first), and how to treat attached in-law suites where interior connections complicate whether a unit qualifies as an ADU. Several commissioners emphasized avoiding unintended density increases while creating flexible options for families and caregivers.
Wright and county staff said they would rework language to clarify the ADU-vs-addition distinction, consider acreage-based exceptions, and examine temporary-occupancy provisions similar to trailer/cu camper allowances. First reading passed; staff will return with revised language and clarifications for a future second reading.
