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Planning Board to allow accessory dwelling units in all residential zones under state guidance
Summary
The Lincoln Planning Board agreed to replace "accessory apartment" language with a defined "accessory dwelling unit," allow ADUs (attached or detached) in all residential zones as required by state changes, and add a 1,000-square-foot cap and parking considerations to the ordinance.
The Lincoln Planning Board moved to update local zoning language to reflect recent state guidance and to permit accessory dwelling units in all residential zones.
At the meeting Member 3 summarized the change, saying ADUs "may be either attached or detached, and municipalities will no longer require either a conditional use permit or special exception," and the board agreed to add a single line to the land-use schedule making ADUs allowed in residential districts and prohibited in the small-business district.
Members discussed practical limits and local controls. Member 1 said the board should add a floor-area cap and suggested a 1,000-square-foot maximum for ADUs. The board asked staff to include language that mirrors the state definition while retaining local dimensional limits: "a residential living unit that shall have a maximum of 1000 square feet of floor space," the wording members agreed to insert.
Parking and stormwater were raised as implementation issues. The board asked the town attorney and the municipal association advocate the staff had consulted to advise on parking formulas tied to bedroom counts and to propose language that meets state requirements without creating unintended local impacts. "If it's an issue to the town and policy, it might be worth investigating," Member 1 said when urging legal review.
The board directed staff to update the ordinance draft, add the ADU definition that includes attached and detached units, note the 1,000-square-foot cap, and prepare explanatory material for the public hearing. The changes will be posted for a public hearing and further refinement before adoption.
