Revised plan inches small, add-on living spaces closer to approval in Manatee County
A second look has the Manatee Board of County Commissioners feeling better about accessory dwelling units that might solve affordable housing issues.
Also known as mother-in-law suites, county officials have been debating accessory dwelling units (ADUs) since 2010. Residents and staff see ADUs as a viable option for the young and the elderly, as long as the guidelines don’t disrupt existing neighborhoods.
Commissioners debated ADUs last summer when county staff proposed a plan to allow the units to be as large as 1,000 square feet, but an outcry from concerned residents made officials reconsider, citing the size and parking as chief complaints.
This time, staff recommended capping ADUs at 500 square feet and requiring a single off-street parking space. In most cases, ADUs would be allowed to be built in backyards, above garages or attached to the side of a primary structure.
Manatee defines an ADU as a subordinate dwelling with cooking and bathroom facilities. A smaller place to live on a shared lot is sure to be a popular option, officials said, especially since it would provide cheaper rent.
“We’re trying to encourage naturally occurring affordable housing,” said Geri Lopez, Manatee County’s director of redevelopment and economic opportunity. “The more units there are, the cheaper they are. Given the size of these units, we feel they’d be naturally more affordable.”
When the ADU discussion popped up last year, neighbors said they feared large structures would begin clogging their neighborhoods and urged the county to reconsider the allowed size.
ADUs are meant to replace guest houses in the county’s land development code. Guest houses could be almost any size, according to the code, as long as the overall size was at least one square foot smaller than the main home on the property. If adopted, the draft ordinance that would adopt ADUs would prohibit new guest houses from being built.
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The draft ordinance also specifies that the owner of the property must reside in either the main home or the ADU. ADUs can also operate as long-term or short-term rentals.
Adding an ADU to your property won’t be an easy process, though, according to John Barnott, Manatee County’s director of building and development services. In general, a 500-square-foot ADU could cost more than $100,000, he said. The structure is also required to meet Florida’s building code.
“The average construction cost in Manatee County is about $200 to $250 per square foot,” Barnott explained. “An ADU is not something you’re going to slap up overnight. It takes a lot of thought as to what you’re doing.”
The Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee sent a letter of support of the ADU proposal to the board on Monday. Speaking at Tuesday’s meeting, Max Brandow, the organization’s government affairs director, said it isn’t common for ADUs to quickly populate neighborhoods.
“When we look at jurisdictions that have done this, they don’t sprout up like wildfire because there is a lot of startup cost,” Brandow said.
The city of Bradenton and Sarasota County have already adopted ADU guidelines. Bradenton limits the units to 1,000 square feet or 80 percent of the main home, whichever is smaller. Sarasota limits ADUs to 750 square feet.
After hearing a presentation from staff and listening to public comment, commissioners said they would prefer a higher cap than 500 square feet. Most officials agreed that 650 square feet would be a better maximum.
“I’m glad you went down on the square feet, because when it came here before it was just another apartment in someone’s backyard,” said Commissioner Carol Whitmore, who advocated for bumping the cap up to 750 square feet.
“Five hundred square feet is a little short. I’m more inclined to think of 750,” added Commissioner Stephen Jonsson, who noted that the setback requirements would also help limit the size of a unit that a person could fit on their property.
What fits on the property was another major source of Tuesday’s discussion. Certain areas in Manatee County have larger lots, which shouldn’t be limited to the same requirements as more compact neighborhoods, Commissioner Priscilla Whisenant Trace argued.
“I don’t think one size fits all,” said Trace, using Parrish’s 10-acre lots as an example. “Some people have a lot more property than other people.”
“I think 650 square feet might be too small,” she added.
In response to the board’s concerns, Barnott said he would direct staff to create a matrix that bases an ADU’s maximum square footage based on lot size and land zoning.
Officials did not vote at Tuesday’s work session but instructed county staff to finalize the ADU draft ordinance. Public hearings to adopt ADUs into the land development code will be held later this year.
This story was originally published August 4, 2020 at 5:25 PM.
