[Massplanners] How to convince voters to allow accessory apartments?

Wed Oct 13 11:35:29 EDT 2021

Hi Paige,

I was with the City of Newton during the adoption of the Accessory Dwelling
Unit changes. Part of the discussion we had with the community then was
that each aspect of an accessory dwelling unit was already allowed in
another form.

   - The ADU didn't allow for more square footage than was already allowed
   on a property
   - By-right ADUs in accessory structures had to fit into existing
   by-right accessory structure sizes
   - Renting rooms to unrelated individuals was already allowed, and the
   same limit would apply whether or not those individuals were in an ADU or
   not
   - Having a second kitchen in a home was already possible, and not
   unprecedented

The focus then was on the flexibility this allowed families to layout their
interiors as works for them, since the true distinguisher of an ADU would
then be the key-locked door between the spaces. Without the locking door,
everything else about the ADU would be compliant with zoning.

The other thing we discussed, was that the rights allowed to the accessory
unit were limited compared to the second unit on a 2-family home. In the
accessory unit, there was no possibility of condo-ization, whereas 2-family
homes could have two separate owners with each unit having all the related
property rights. Under the pre-existing rules on renting rooms, in a
2-family condo, each unit could rent rooms to unrelated individuals, and
that wouldn't be possible in an ADU.

Hopefully this is useful to Foxborough's discussion. We were able to build
off of the existing renting of rooms allowance, and that may not be the
case in some communities.

Best wishes,
Rachel

Rachel Nadkarni
Senior Planner - Urban Revitalization Specialist
City of Somerville, Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development

On Wed, Oct 13, 2021 at 10:33 AM Anthony Flint via MassPlanners <
massplanners at masscptc.org> wrote:

> The experience of Durango, Colorado might be instructive:
> https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-17/how-one-colorado-city-instantly-created-more-affordable-housing-by-relaxing-rules-on-accessory-dwelling-units
>
>
>
> Newton has also had some success in an environment of occasional
> skepticism:
> https://steveworks.com/2019/05/everything-you-need-to-know-about-newton-accessory-apartments/
>
>
>
> Anthony Flint <http://anthonyflint.net/>
> Senior Fellow
> Lincoln Institute of Land Policy <https://www.lincolninst.edu/>
> 617-930-1044
> @landpolicy <https://twitter.com/landpolicy>
> *Finding answers in land*
>
>
>
> *From:* MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org> *On Behalf Of *Kristina
> Johnson via MassPlanners
> *Sent:* Wednesday, October 13, 2021 10:05 AM
> *To:* Paige <paigeplanner at gmail.com>
> *Cc:* massplanners at masscptc.org
> *Subject:* Re: [Massplanners] How to convince voters to allow accessory
> apartments?
>
>
>
> Hi Paige,
>
>
>
> As Planning Board Chair for Framingham, I have been helping advance an ADU
> ordinance, and it’s not easy!   Here’s what I have learned being on the
> other side of the table:
>
>
>
> You have to engage the folks who would be positively affected by this
> by-law and have them tell the story for you whether it’s at the hearing or
> through the local newspaper.  All this chatter about “who’s living next
> door,” and “stranger danger” gets quelled when you have brave folks make a
> public plea about how an ADU By-law would help a family member age in
> place, or take care of a permanently disabled child.  During a Zoom
> workshop hosted by the Planning Board early this summer, we  had community
> members talk about how an ADU ordinance would allow them to take care of  a
> disabled child without resorting to institutionalization, or keep “Nana and
> Fluffy” in the household with their grandchildren, saving on nursing
> home/assisted living  and child care costs. Some of the testimony got me
> misty eyed and definitely quieted the relentless voices who kept insisting
> that an ADU ordinance will do nothing but create illegal apartments, etc.
> We are still in the ordinance drafting stage and have not started the
> official amendment process.
>
>
>
> Does Foxborough have a local newspaper? Get an article posted!  There must
> be elected officials, including the Planning Board, who are champions of
> this effort, and if there are, let them do the “selling.”  Here’s a link to
> the story the Framingham local paper ran, and it was blasted all over local
> social media.
> https://framinghamsource.com/index.php/2021/06/26/framingham-planning-board-takes-temperature-of-residents-on-in-law-apartment-ordinance/
>
>
>
> Good luck Paige!
>
>
>
> Kristina
>
>
>
> Ps. Planning Staff in Framingham has done an amazing job with this effort,
>
>
>
> *Kristina Johnson, AICP*
>
> Director of Planning & Community Development
>
> Town of Hudson,  MA
>
> President, Mass. Association of Planning Directors
>
> Tel: 978-562-2989
>
> Cell:  857-939-3427
>
> Email: kjohnson at townofhudson.org
>
> “Like” Hudson Planning and Community Development on Facebook [image:
> http://blogs-images.forbes.com/peterhimler/files/2014/02/high-res-logo_facebook1.png]
> <https://www.facebook.com/HudsonRecreation>
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org> *On Behalf Of *Paige
> via MassPlanners
> *Sent:* Wednesday, October 13, 2021 8:48 AM
> *To:* massplanners at masscptc.org
> *Subject:* [Massplanners] How to convince voters to allow accessory
> apartments?
>
>
>
> Good morning all,
>
>
>
> Here in Foxborough we are going to be voting on whether to expand the
> current inlaw apartment bylaw to allow non-relatives to rent an ADU.
> Sounds simple, right?  NOT!  Folks insist this is creating multi-family
> housing in a single family district.
>
>
>
> We have been engaged in a conversation on housing for 2+ years now and I
> know we will get push back on this effort.  I'm not sure we will get the
> required 2/3 vote (since we allow over 900 SF for our ADUs we don't qualify
> for the majority vote).
>
>
>
> Does anyone have any outreach, PR or data that I could use at the public
> hearing tomorrow night to inform residents on why allowing attached ADUs to
> be rented to non-relatives would be wise for Foxborough?
>
>
>
> Any case studies on how many ADUs were created once a similar provision
> was adopted in another town?
>
>
>
> I think the "selling" of housing solutions is the hardest part of all of
> this.  Folks are so resistant, at least out here in the suburbs.  Any
> information or handouts or anything to make residents less afraid of this
> change would be greatly appreciated.
>
>
>
> Thank you.
>
>
>
> Paige Duncan, AICP
>
> Planning Director for the Town of Foxborough, MA
>
>
>
> --
>
>
>
> *****************************
> Paige E. Duncan, AICP, Planning Director
> Foxborough Town Hall, 40 South Street
> Foxborough, Massachusetts 02035
> Ph: 508-543-1250
>
> pduncan at foxboroughma.gov
> --
> MassPlanners mailing list
> MassPlanners at masscptc.org
> http://masscptc.org/mailman/listinfo/massplanners_masscptc.org
>
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