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Planners debate parking minimums, height caps and size limits for ADUs
Summary
Commissioners proposed specific numeric standards — a proposed minimum of 2 parking spaces, a 400 sq ft minimum for detached ADUs, and a possible 35-foot height cap — while also debating whether owner‑responsibility language is preferable to rigid numeric limits.
At its July 7 meeting the Richmond Planning & Zoning Commission discussed several concrete numeric proposals intended to govern accessory dwelling units if Ordinance 2026‑10 moves forward.
Commission Member Cache Christensen proposed adding "a minimum of two (2) parking spaces" to Section 1b to ensure off‑street parking for occupants. Chairman Brent Wallis questioned whether a fixed numeric cap is desirable, instead proposing the draft language: "The owner of the residential property shall be responsible for providing adequate off‑street space to accommodate all vehicles associated with all occupants, in accordance with this Ordinance." Commissioners noted detached ADUs or households with teenage drivers may need more space than a fixed two‑space minimum.
On building size and height, Christensen suggested a detached ADU minimum of 400 square feet and a maximum that the proposed draft described as "the lesser of 60 or 75% of the main floor living area of the primary residence ... or 1,500 square feet." Commissioners raised concerns this formulation could unintentionally bar a larger new primary residence on a large lot; Chairman Wallis recommended simplifying the height standard to a 35‑foot maximum and referencing the City's building height definition.
No numeric standards were adopted at the meeting; the Commission directed staff to incorporate the discussion into a revised draft for further review and public hearing.
