Around Town
Planning Board Approves Accessory Unit in Carriage House Under ADU Ordinance
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Types of accessory dwelling units, also called ADUs. (Graphic from the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities)
The Watertown Planning Board has decided to conditionally approve a Site Plan Review for a new accessory dwelling unit (ADU) within the carriage house on a property on Hovey Street after a brief meeting on July 9. An ADU, as per the City of Watertown Ordinance Guidelines, is a “self-contained housing unit that includes sleeping, cooking, and sanitary facilities on the same lot as the principal house or apartment building.”
A recent ruling at the state level, part of the Affordable Homes Act of 2024, has allowed the construction of ADUs – which must be under 900 sq. ft. – to be built “by-right” in any single-family zoning districts, though this generally means any district where single-family homes are allowed either by-right or by special permit.