Breaking news! A certain Councilor who ran on “fixing” ADUs, plans to propose major revisions to a year’s worth of work and expense, at tonight’s City Council meeting April 3, 2023.
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are becoming increasingly popular in many cities, including Portsmouth. These units are additional living spaces constructed on the same lot as a single-family dwelling. They can be attached or detached from the main dwelling, and they can offer a range of benefits, including affordable housing, flexible living arrangements, and increased property value.
The City of Portsmouth recognized the importance of ADUs in 2017 when the state of New Hampshire enacted a law requiring all cities and towns to allow ADUs. Since then, the city has received 37 applications for ADUs, but only 13 units have been built. This is due, in part, to barriers and limitations in the existing ordinance that make it difficult for homeowners to build ADUs without engaging lawyers and architects.
To address these challenges, the City Council has set three goals for updating the ADU ordinance: to remove barriers and provide more flexibility for ADU creation, to ensure that ADUs fit into established neighborhood patterns and minimize any adverse impacts on abutting properties, and to simplify the ordinance and make it easier for applicants to understand and navigate.
The newly formed Land Use Committee has been meeting since April 2022, using a hired consultant, to update the ADU Ordinance. The committee has conducted small group stakeholder meetings and an abutter survey to identify the key concerns and needs related to ADUs. They also intend to create a “pamphlet” as a guide to the process.
A main concern identified by stakeholders and abutters is the need for support to navigate the application process. Building or creating an ADU involves costs and risks that can be a deterrent for applicants. The committee has recognized this need and is working to make the regulations for ADUs clear and easy to implement.
Another key concern for abutters is the impact of ADUs on neighborhood character. This includes concerns about parking, short-term rentals, and buffering and separation of properties. The committee is working to address these concerns by strengthening provisions to ensure that ADUs fit into established neighborhood patterns and do not have adverse impacts on abutting properties.
The changes made by the Land Use Committee then went to the Planning Board on multiple Board meetings for input, changes, and ultimately approval. The Planning Board sent the new Ordinance to City Council for three public readings and approval. The updated ordinance is intended to encourage the building of more ADUs throughout the city by providing more flexibility and removing barriers to their creation. Some counselors seem to believe that ADUs will somehow lower the cost of housing. Studies how shown however, that you can’t “build your way out “of a housing crisis when demand continues to exceed supply.
