Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo (District 9) discussed parking requirements for accessory dwelling units during an Aug. 17 Planning and Neighborhoods Committee meeting.[/caption]
A potential policy change in parking requirements could open the door to more accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, in Austin.
During the Aug. 17 City Council Planning and Neighborhoods Committee meeting, Austin city staffers said they recently reevaluated how they interpret parking laws when ADUs are added to existing properties.
Before, any property owner building an ADU was required to bring their existing single-family home into compliance—a minimum of two parking spaces—should they not already meet city standards. City staff now believes any non-compliant property would be grandfathered into law from having to add parking for a primary unit.
City law still requires property owners to add two parking spaces for newly built ADUs. A city staff proposal—
reported by Community Impact Newspaper in May—calls on reducing that requirement to one space.
Greg Casar, District 4 council member and committee chairperson, said he would like to see council take formal action to make this new interpretation into official city policy. However, Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo, who represents District 9 in Central Austin, said she is not willing to support staff ADU parking recommendations in light of this new parking interpretation.
"That's a pretty different scenario than I thought we were considering," Tovo said. "I’ve got to give that more thought. I’m not prepared to support that today."
City Council
supported new ADU regulations on first reading only during its June 18 meeting. The item was sent back to the Planning and Neighborhoods Committee for further discussion, with the committee ultimately siding with staff recommendations for ADUs. Tovo casted the lone vote against revised ADUs parking requirements based on her hesitancy to the new parking law interpretation.
The committee will take up proposed ADU regulations one last time in September. The committee will further discuss other perceived regulatory barriers to ADUs, including a debate over whether to allow a neighborhood opt-in and out program, which is supported by some Austin residents and neighborhood organizations.
The full City Council must approve any new regulations before taking effect.
Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo (District 9) discussed parking requirements for accessory dwelling units during an Aug. 17 Planning and Neighborhoods Committee meeting.[/caption]
A potential policy change in parking requirements could open the door to more accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, in Austin.
During the Aug. 17 City Council Planning and Neighborhoods Committee meeting, Austin city staffers said they recently reevaluated how they interpret parking laws when ADUs are added to existing properties.
Before, any property owner building an ADU was required to bring their existing single-family home into compliance—a minimum of two parking spaces—should they not already meet city standards. City staff now believes any non-compliant property would be grandfathered into law from having to add parking for a primary unit.
City law still requires property owners to add two parking spaces for newly built ADUs. A city staff proposal—reported by Community Impact Newspaper in May—calls on reducing that requirement to one space.
Greg Casar, District 4 council member and committee chairperson, said he would like to see council take formal action to make this new interpretation into official city policy. However, Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo, who represents District 9 in Central Austin, said she is not willing to support staff ADU parking recommendations in light of this new parking interpretation.
"That's a pretty different scenario than I thought we were considering," Tovo said. "I’ve got to give that more thought. I’m not prepared to support that today."
City Council supported new ADU regulations on first reading only during its June 18 meeting. The item was sent back to the Planning and Neighborhoods Committee for further discussion, with the committee ultimately siding with staff recommendations for ADUs. Tovo casted the lone vote against revised ADUs parking requirements based on her hesitancy to the new parking law interpretation.
The committee will take up proposed ADU regulations one last time in September. The committee will further discuss other perceived regulatory barriers to ADUs, including a debate over whether to allow a neighborhood opt-in and out program, which is supported by some Austin residents and neighborhood organizations.
The full City Council must approve any new regulations before taking effect.
