Trustees direct administrative changes to ADU process; P&Z told short-term rentals will be allowed

Planning staff updated the commission on recent direction from the Board of Trustees regarding accessory dwelling units (ADUs), short-term rentals (STRs) and related code changes.

Staff said the Trustees generally accepted most of the Planning & Zoning Commission's recommendations on ADU regulation changes and specifically asked staff to reduce process by removing a required public hearing before P&Z for certain ADU applications. Staff explained the Trustees directed that ADU applications be allowed to proceed administratively or through a building permit process when there are no exterior building modifications, with the caveat that exterior changes could still trigger review. The Trustees also decided to allow short-term rentals and to retain revised parking standards that require no parking for studio/one-bedroom ADUs and one space for a two-bedroom unit.

Staff reported Trustees asked that complex topics such as impervious lot coverage be discussed further (not resolved in the current ordinance) and that the Trustees wanted the ability to initiate PUD amendments solely to allow ADUs in existing PUDs; staff said legal review is needed to craft that authority. The Trustees also expressed interest in better communication between boards and commissions and suggested a joint meeting to review the process from start to finish.

Town staff noted the policy changes are moving toward adoption — staff projected an adoption discussion on April 14 — and emphasized that implementation details (utility connections, building-code modifications and parking/impervious-coverage policies) will require additional work and probable future hearings or administrative rule updates.

Next steps: staff will continue to draft ordinance language, consult legal counsel about PUD- amendment authority for the Trustees and bring amendments back to P&Z and the Trustees in the coming weeks.