Residents in parts of Raleigh would be allowed to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on their property, if a majority of their neighbors approve the idea.
"Backyard cottages have cleared a critical hurdle to being approved within Raleigh city limits, but some worry that the proposed rules will be too taxing for most people," reports Anna Johnson.
"The regulations, which were recommended by a Raleigh City Council committee Wednesday afternoon, would require your neighbors to vote on whether you should be allowed to build a backyard cottage," according to Johnson.
The city's new regulations would create a special district where ADUs would be allowed to seek approval from neighbors. The regulations also lay out other zoning and development considerations. The regulations are still several months away from final approval, however.
While there's still time to refine the rules, Philip G. Freelon and Michael Stevenson, architects at Perkins+Will, penned an opinion piece calling a less restrictive approach to ADUs. By severely restricting the ability of homeowners to permit and build ADUs, "[the] zoning policy harkens back to the era when discriminatory planning and zoning was purposefully and effectively used as a means to segregate neighborhoods by race, class and income," according to Freelon and Stevenson.
FULL STORY: After months of scrutiny, backyard cottages take a big step toward approval in Raleigh
An Online Portal for Designing Accessory Dwelling Units
The ADUniverse website offers pre-approved designs for homeowners who want to add Accessory Dwelling Units on properties in Seattle.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).
DARTSpace Platform Streamlines Dallas TOD Application Process
The Dallas transit agency hopes a shorter permitting timeline will boost transit-oriented development around rail stations.
Parks: Essential Community Infrastructure — and a Smart Investment
Even during times of budget constraint, continued investment in parks is critical, as they provide proven benefits to public health, safety, climate resilience, and community well-being — particularly for under-resourced communities.
Porches, Pets, and the People We Grow Old With
Neighborhood connections and animal companions matter to aging with dignity, and how we build can support them. Here’s a human-scale proposal for aging in place.
Single-Stair Design Contest Envisions Human-Scale Buildings
Single-stair building construction is having a resurgence in the United States, where, for the last several decades, zoning codes have required more than one staircase in multi-story housing developments.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Charlotte
Municipality of Princeton
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)