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Committee weighs owner‑occupancy, design limits for accessory dwelling units
Summary
Committee members reviewed the draft ADU rules (800 sq. ft. cap) and debated owner‑occupancy requirements, whether detached units should be allowed, and whether all ADU types should require Planning Commission review.
Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) were a central topic in the Oct. 28 meeting as members reviewed the draft ordinance language and sought clearer standards.
The draft circulated to the committee sets a maximum ADU size of 800 square feet and defines several types (internal, attached, detached, and above‑garage). Members discussed whether ADUs should be permitted across the city as an accessory use or limited to certain areas, and whether ADU approvals should be handled by administrative permit or require Planning Commission review. Several members asked that review standards be consistent across ADU types, not limited to above‑garage units, and recommended that the code prevent multiple accessory structures on a single lot.
A recurring suggestion from the committee was to require owner occupancy of the primary dwelling when an ADU is created so the property is not used as a wholly separate rental asset; members also discussed stronger lot‑coverage and impervious‑surface controls so ADUs do not lead to backyard paving or other negative neighborhood impacts.
Committee direction: members asked ZoneCo to clarify ADU review routes, to reconcile the treatment of detached vs. attached/above‑garage ADUs, and to consider owner‑occupancy language and lot‑coverage protections in the next draft. The administration will return with revised ADU language for further committee review and public discussion.
