Chelsea planning board recommends local ADU ordinance to city council, including 31-day short-term rental ban
February 25, 2026 | Chelsea City, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
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The Chelsea Planning Board voted Feb. 25 to recommend adoption of a local ADU ordinance that aligns Chelsea zoning with the state's 2024 Affordable Homes Act and includes several Chelsea-specific adjustments. Staff said the ordinance would allow accessory dwelling units by right in single-family residential zoning districts and set a 900-square-foot cap (or half the size of the primary structure, whichever is smaller) consistent with state rules.
Adam Roy of the Permitting & Land Use Planning Department briefed the board on the state's requirements — ADUs must have a separate entrance, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom, meet building codes, and not be subject to owner-occupancy or local affordability requirements the state prohibits. Chelsea's draft ordinance proposes three local modifications within the state’s permissive framework: (1) redefine usable open-space dimensions from 10x10 feet to 5x5 feet to make meeting the open-space test more feasible on tight lots; (2) exclude ADU square footage from lot coverage and FAR calculations to reduce regulatory barriers; and (3) ban short-term rentals in ADUs for terms under 31 days (the language will be clarified to state a minimum lease term of 31 consecutive days).
Board members asked about accessibility and safety (clearances for wheelchair access and fire-safety inspections), neighbor privacy (impacts of 5-foot setbacks), and parking eligibility. Staff noted the state exempts ADUs within half a mile of transit from local parking requirements — that covers most of Chelsea — and that ADU units would still be eligible for on-street parking permits. The board recommended clearer drafting on the short-term-rental prohibition to ensure it reads as a minimum 31-day lease requirement rather than an ambiguous phrase.
Chair Regina Taylor moved to recommend the ordinance to the City Council; the motion was seconded and approved by the board. Staff will prepare the final language, clarifying the short-term rental minimum-leases text, before submission to the council.
The board’s recommendation now proceeds to the City Council; the local ordinance would take effect only if the council adopts it and if any required state notifications or filings are completed.
Adam Roy of the Permitting & Land Use Planning Department briefed the board on the state's requirements — ADUs must have a separate entrance, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom, meet building codes, and not be subject to owner-occupancy or local affordability requirements the state prohibits. Chelsea's draft ordinance proposes three local modifications within the state’s permissive framework: (1) redefine usable open-space dimensions from 10x10 feet to 5x5 feet to make meeting the open-space test more feasible on tight lots; (2) exclude ADU square footage from lot coverage and FAR calculations to reduce regulatory barriers; and (3) ban short-term rentals in ADUs for terms under 31 days (the language will be clarified to state a minimum lease term of 31 consecutive days).
Board members asked about accessibility and safety (clearances for wheelchair access and fire-safety inspections), neighbor privacy (impacts of 5-foot setbacks), and parking eligibility. Staff noted the state exempts ADUs within half a mile of transit from local parking requirements — that covers most of Chelsea — and that ADU units would still be eligible for on-street parking permits. The board recommended clearer drafting on the short-term-rental prohibition to ensure it reads as a minimum 31-day lease requirement rather than an ambiguous phrase.
Chair Regina Taylor moved to recommend the ordinance to the City Council; the motion was seconded and approved by the board. Staff will prepare the final language, clarifying the short-term rental minimum-leases text, before submission to the council.
The board’s recommendation now proceeds to the City Council; the local ordinance would take effect only if the council adopts it and if any required state notifications or filings are completed.
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