The City Council of Boulder, Colorado is currently considering loosening restrictive policies regarding the construction of accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
ADUs increase the density of a city without increasing its sprawl. They can be built to accommodate extra family members or to rent out for extra income, but their effect on neighborhood populations can make them controversial.
Under the current policy, no more than 10 percent of properties within a 300-foot radius can have an ADU. This means that a homeowner can’t build an ADU on their property if a neighbor already has one. In addition, no more than two people can live in an ADU, and building plans must be run by everyone in a neighborhood during the permitting process.
Proposed changes currently being considered include increasing the 10 percent threshold, increasing the allowed size of ADUs, and eliminating a rule that every ADU must have an associated off-street parking spot.
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