A recent ruling by the City Hearing Examiner is a setback—but not necessarily a permanent one—for the city's efforts to loosen regulations on accessory dwelling units.
"City Hearing examiner Sue Tanner sided with the Queen Anne Community Council in a seemingly obscure, but potentially epic ruling issued Tuesday [pdf]," reports Josh Feit.
The ruling requires the city to conduct an environmental impact statement (EIS) on proposed legislation that would "loosen requirements that are currently limiting the production of mother-in-law apartments and backyard cottages, known as ADUs (accessory dwelling units) and DADUS (detached accessory dwelling units), respectively," explains Feit.
According to Feit, the ruling should come as a wakeup call for politicians, developers, and advocates who support new land use regulations that would enable additional density in parts of the city. In the Queen Anne neighborhood, the sense is that the city is being "too cavalier" with the push to add density, but advocates should expect that "[s]ingle-family neighborhoods are going to fight change every step of the way."
The article includes a lot more detail on the specifics of the Seattle and Queen Anne case study, as well as the role of accessory dwelling units in the agenda of many pro-development and affordable housing advocates.
FULL STORY: Ruling Puts Hold on Adding Density to Single-Family Neighborhoods

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

LA Falling Behind on Housing Goals
Last year, the city permitted just 30 percent of the number of housing units needed to meet a growing need.

Connecting Communities to Nature Close to Home
Los Angeles County’s Nature in Your Neighborhood program brings free, family-friendly wellness and nature activities to local parks, making it easier for residents to enjoy and connect with the outdoors.

Palmdale’s Beloved Water Park Gets $2 Million Upgrade
To mark its 20th anniversary, DryTown Water Park has undergone major renovations, ensuring that families across the Antelope Valley continue to enjoy safe, affordable, and much-needed water-based recreation in the high desert.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Clovis
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service