Update Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Requirements in Royal Oak
Royal Oak Planning Commissioners and City Commissioners
What's going on? Under the current zoning ordinance, it's difficult for Royal Oak homeowners to build an ADU. ADUs provide affordable housing options and support aging in place.
Action item? Sign our petition in support of updating the zoning ordinance (§770-71) in accordance with Royal Oak's Master Plan 2050 to make it easier for a homeowner to build an ADU.
Accessory dwelling units, also known as in-law units, coach houses, or granny flats, are an important tool for addressing the housing and climate crises. These types of housing units were typically legal before the widespread adoption of single-family zoning in cities, and provided affordable housing options to residents and an additional income stream for homeowners. Now, with housing costs skyrocketing across the United States, many cities and states are re-legalizing ADUs.
By signing this petition, your first and last name, zip code, and any comments you enter may be provided to the City of Royal Oak (including, but not necessarily limited to, community development staff, the mayor, and city commissioners). The City of Royal Oak may subsequently enter this petition into the public record.
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To:
Royal Oak Planning Commissioners and City Commissioners
From:
[Your Name]
To support the goals of Royal Oak's Master Plan 2050, we support updating Royal Oak's accessory dwelling unit (ADU) requirements as follows:
Make ADUs a permitted use through-out the city’s residential districts. (Remove the requirement for an ADU to be a “special land use” which adds cost and makes the process slower for homeowners.)
Allow ADUs to be rented to anyone, not just elderly family members of the primary homeowner. (We want to allow folks including caregivers, adult children, and family friends to occupy these units!)
Remove requirements for the homeowner to live in the primary structure. (The homeowner should be able to live in the ADU. Also, the homeowner might be doing new construction / extensive primary structure renovations and construct an ADU at the same time, while not living in either - we need to make sure our ordinance accounts for this.)
Remove separate parking requirements for ADUs. (The primary structure already requires parking and Royal Oak’s parking requirements are too high / outdated: households today are smaller and many folks walk/bike.)
Remove deed restrictions for properties with an ADU. (This makes it more difficult to resell a home and to get financing.)
Allow multiple types of ADUs including detached, attached, and internal - see examples in Master Plan. (This lets folks decide what’s right for their property and choose the most effective way to add an ADU; for example, an existing detached garage conversion might be best for one homeowner, but today that’s not allowed.)
Update the maximum ADU square footage requirement to at least 800 square feet of space. (800 square feet is the current accessory structure limit and would make it easier for conversion of existing garages.)