Readers respond to last week’s Feedback Friday topic, which was:
Accessory Dwelling Units
Posted Feb. 24, 2023
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are being debated, once again, in the chambers of the Anne Arundel County Council. ADUs are secondary structures on a single-family home property, in which other people may live. Some homeowners seek to build such units to accommodate extended family members or friends—especially senior or special-needs citizens—or rent them out to other individuals/families for the short- or long-term. But other property owners oppose them because ADUs potentially attract additional traffic and create parking issues within their communities.
The County Council has been considering a bill that relaxes ADU requirements by removing the 14,000-square-foot limit on the size of properties allowed to house an ADU. The same bill would, however, set a limit on the size of detached ADUs to the lesser of 800 square feet or 50 percent of the single-family home’s interior square footage.
Three Republican council members supported an amendment to the bill that would also require each ADU to have a corresponding parking space on the lot. But three Democratic council members defeated that amendment at Tuesday’s hearing. Additionally, a second amendment was passed that removes the previous requirement that the main single-family home or the accessory dwelling unit be occupied by the owner; and that for short-term rentals, the whole property must be rented.
Question
What do you think about relaxing ADU requirements, and the potential increase of these units being built/established? A sound affordable housing initiative or a neighborhood nuisance?
Here’s what you said:
Agree with requirement to removing 14,000 sq ft limit on size. Agree with parking space requirement. Agree with main house by occupied by owner.
Ann Rose, Annapolis
Fantastic idea!!!
Susan P, Arnold
I am generally in favor of ADUs. I think the floor area criteria (lesser of 800 SF or half the house size) is reasonable, and I am in favor or requiring one off-street parking space for the ADU. I am generally in favor of the concept that the owner live in one of the two structures, but this seems like an enforcement nightmare. Either it is not enforced except in rare circumstances (meaning the requirement is essentially meaningless), or it creates extra work for county staff to track ownership and residence for properties with ADUs. This is not worth the effort and expense in my opinion. So I am glad to see that provision is likely to be removed, based on the new amendment.
Steve Layden, Annapolis
I think it's a great option to offer ADUs in Anne Arundel County for single mothers especially with a child that wants to go to a good school system.
Shelly Mcfadyen , Annapolis
I agree with permitting ADUs to be built in AA County. They would be especially beneficial for allowing families to care for elderly family members who need some care, but also value their independence. They would also help with providing affordable housing, which is hard to find here.
Paula McDermott, Severna Park
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