Niewiadomski: ADUs a good option for cost effectiveness
Government
The Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) met on Monday, Nov. 18 to provide their recommendations to the Zoning Board of Adjustments (ZBA) on Tuesday, Nov. 19 for permit approvals or denials. Among the items discussed were accessory dwelling units and a front yard setback on Church Street.
PLANNING AND ZONING
After opening the meeting at 6 p.m., P&Z unanimously approved meeting minutes of Aug. 19. P&Z members then discussed a tattoo studio at 201 Houston St. (See related story, https://www.ssnewstelegram.com/news/tattoo-studio-special-permit-approved)
The board then moved on to a discussion of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), which is an urban planning term used to describe a self-contained apartment or home that is unattached to the owner-occupied primary dwelling, according to the American Planning Association.
“We need to start to diversify our housing stock a little bit, and accessory dwelling units could be a factor to create more opportunities,” Community Development Director Tory Niewiadomski said.
Niewiadomski noted that recent discussions on affordable housing shed light on the high cost to developers to put in new neighborhoods.
“It costs too much in infrastructure for them [developers] to make money in our demographic,” Niewiadomski said. “If they put $350,000 on a lot, that probably makes sense.”
“This is a huge issue,” City Manager Marc Maxwell said in reference to affordable housing. “We’ve just been realizing we’ve been doing the wrong thing for 60 years.”
Maxwell stated development efforts in the early 20th century moved homes away from the downtown area, and the rise of vehicle transportation contributed to what is known as urban sprawl.
Maxwell’s main concern is that today’s Sulphur Springs taxpayers are financially responsible for maintaining too much infrastructure, including street, water and sewer.
“If we don’t stop this now, we’re going bankrupt,” Maxwell said. “Not just us, but nearly every city in America. … We know we have a problem with streets and that we’re only funding streets at half the rate of decay. That can’t continue.”
A part of the answer to this problem could be installation of ADUs and “start incentivizing the developers to show up.”
Board member Craig English expressed a belief that ADUs be held to proper building codes.
“What happens if you get too loose, it creates homeowners associations,” English said. “We’ve done a pretty good job with our zoning, … but it is something we’re going to consider, because homeowners associations can create a bad thing.”
“The developers, they have a project for two years. We have it for the next hundred,” Maxwell agreed. “
English stated he does see the need for buildings like ADUs as economic times change and more young adults and elderly choose to live in the family home rather than independently.
After the presentation on ADUs, which was a discussion item only, Maxwell and the board agreed to “start talking it [ADUs] up out there and see what the ideas are. … Let’s come up with something doable.”
Board member Tommy Harrison noted he would like to explore other cities implementing ADUs and would “do some homework on that.”
The board concluded the meeting at 7:15 p.m.
ZONING BOARD
The following day, the ZBA convened at 5:30 p.m. to act upon the recommendations of P&Z. The board unanimously approved meeting minutes of Sept. 17.
The board then discussed a variance request for a covered porch at 804 Church St. The owners, John and Leslie Bobb, requested an 8-foot variance for the addition of a covered porch due to the fact the home was constructed in 1916, before city zoning requirements were implemented.
Niewiadomski noted that the proposition for a covered porch would not further encroach the setback than the property was already built. Of 18 notices sent to property owners within 200 feet of the building, seven had replied in support and none in opposition, Niewiadomski said.
Board member Jay Julian clarified that in fact, the setback the city set after 1916 actually runs through the middle of the home. The covered porch would be added to the side of the home, John Bobb stated.
The board voted unanimously to approve the variance.
The board then discussed a permit approval for a tattoo studio, discussed the previous night by P&Z. The board unanimously approved the special use permit. (See related story, https://www.ssnewstelegram.com/news/tattoo-studio-special-permit-approved)
The board adjourned at 6:01 p.m. with no further business.