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Item No: 513 Meeting Date: July 6, 2016 Type of Business: Planning Case SP -202-16 MOUN-DS VIEW MEM® To: Mounds View Planning Commission From: Jon Sevald, Planner Re: Consider Resolution 1054-16, a Resolution recommending approval of a Text Amendment to the Mounds View Municipal Code, Chapters 1102, 1103, and 1106 relating to Accessory Dwelling Units. Date: July 6, 2016 Introduction Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) are similar to an apartment on the same lot as a single-family home. An ADU may be attached to, or detached from the home. Examples include a basement apartment, an apartment above a garage, or a standalone building in the backyard. This topic was discussed by the City Council on May 9, 2016, and by the Planning Commission on June 1, 2016. Discussion Currently, Accessory Dwelling Units are prohibited in all districts. Staff has occasionally received inquiries if ADU's are permitted, specifically above garages and as temporary structures. It is not uncommon for a bedroom of a single-family home to be rented, as long as all occupants have open -access to all areas of the home. In this example, it is still a single-family dwelling. There is little difference between an ADU and a duplex or twin -home, except by name. As drafted, ADU's would be a permitted use in the R-1 District as an accessory use, whereas a two-family dwelling is not permitted in the R-1 District. If permitted, the intention is that ADU's would be subordinate in appearance to the single-family home. A means to accomplish this is by limiting the ADU's size (e.g. maximum of 800 sq ft). However, if the ADU is located in a basement or a 2n floor, then limiting the size of the ADU does not serve a purpose. The ADU could be the same size as the floor area above or below it (i.e. 1/2 the size of the house). A number of cities allow ADU's as a permitted use, or as a CUP. There are differences in the minimum lot size, and in the minimum and maximum ADU size. Some cities limit the number of occupants of an ADU, although this can be difficult to enforce. Many cities prohibit detached ADU's.