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Commissioners discuss housing action plan, ADUs and HOA resistance in Ridgeway
Summary
Commissioners reviewed how the housing action plan and accessory dwelling unit (ADU) work will intersect with code updates, and discussed notable HOA resistance — including an HOA hiring counsel — that staff plan to engage through targeted outreach and education.
Planning commissioners used part of the June work session to explore how the town's housing action plan and accessory dwelling unit (ADU) work will dovetail with the code update, and to flag outreach needs with homeowner associations.
Senior Planner Angie and consultant TJ Diller said the housing action plan follows the housing needs assessment adopted in December and is intended to be an actionable implementation plan that may use state funding. "The housing action plan is the next step — we know what our needs are from the housing needs assessment, now we need to create the action plan to address those needs," a staff speaker said.
On ADUs, the consultant and staff noted that Ridgeway is certified by DOLA as an "accessory dwelling unit supportive jurisdiction," a status the team said informs the code work and outreach. Commissioners reported mixed reactions from neighborhood homeowner associations: some HOA boards are exploring amending their documents to align with town ADU policies, while others have resisted; one HOA had engaged legal counsel to study whether the state law allows them to exclude ADUs.
Commissioners agreed that HOA representatives should be added to the stakeholder email list and suggested dedicated outreach or open-house conversations for HOA boards to explain how town code, planned developments (PDs) and HOA covenants interact. Staff cautioned that changes to existing PDs or HOA covenants typically require HOA-initiated amendments and cannot be done unilaterally by the town.
Why it matters: ADU policy and HOA responses could materially affect the pace and distribution of housing options in town. Commissioners emphasized education and early engagement to address misconceptions about parking, density and property rights.
Next steps: Staff will add HOA contacts to the stakeholder list and consider targeted outreach; ADU-related code edits and implementation steps will be included in the phased targeted code updates.
