ordinance no. 859 - washington county, oregon · ordinance no. 859. accessory dwelling unit (adu)...

Ordinance No. 859

Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Standards

Board of Commissioners Work Session

Sept. 10, 2019

Ordinance summary

Proposes amending ADU development standards to:• Implement state

requirements• Reduce barriers to

ADU development

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What is an ADU?

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“An interior, attached or detached residential structure that is used in connection with, or that is accessory to, a single-family dwelling”

-DLCD Guidance on Implementing the ADU Requirement under SB 1051

Community benefits of ADUs

ADUs can:• Reduce housing costs for renters and owners• Increase housing variety in neighborhoods• Enable seniors and adult children to live

independently near family members• Optimize use of existing land and infrastructure

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2017 state requirements• Senate Bill (SB) 1051 in 2017 required:

– Clear and objective standards for housing and clarified that any siting and design regulations must be reasonable

– At least one ADU to be allowed wherever detached single-family dwellings are allowed

• Board addressed these requirements in 2018

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2018 DLCD recommendations

• Allow two ADUs - one internal and one detached

• Allow internal ADUs to occupy an entire floor

• Remove off-street parking requirements

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Internal Basement ADU (Photo: Motionspace Architecture, Seattle, WA)

2019 state requirements

House Bill (HB) 2001 in 2019:• Further defined what constitutes a “reasonable

local regulation relating to siting and design”• Determined owner-occupancy and off-street

parking requirements are NOT reasonable regulations for ADUs

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Proposed amendments

• Update references, clarify content, minor reorganization

• As required by State:– Allow ADUs in remainder of districts where

detached single-family dwellings are allowed– Remove parking and owner-occupancy

requirements for ADUs

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Proposed amendments

• Allow two ADUs - one attached/internal and one detached

• Allow attached/internal ADUs to occupy 800 square feet or an entire floor

• Allow occupancy of an ADU before occupancy of the primary dwelling

• Allow home occupations as allowed by the underlying district

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Proposed amendments

• Modify design standards for increased flexibility– Maximum height– Entrance location– Rear/side yard

requirements– Setbacks on corner lots

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Planning Commission

• Discussed: – Applicability of System Development Charges

(SDCs) for ADUs– Adequacy of urban services for increased ADU

construction• Voted 6-0 to recommend approval of

Ordinance No. 859 to the Board

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Staff recommendation

• Conduct the public hearing on Sept. 17 • At the conclusion of public testimony,

adopt Ordinance No. 859 and associated findings

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Questions or comments?

For more information, please contact:

Bryan Robb, Associate Plannerbryan_robb@co.washington.or.us

503-846-3717

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