You won’t have enough driveways to fit all the cars. But whatever, you do you.
Wake County is trying to make it easier to build ADUs in unincorporated parts of the county:
More information on their website: Accessory Dwelling Units | Wake County Government
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Another text change regarding missing middle housing and ADUs, titled Missing Middle 2.0. This one builds off the last missing middle text change in the following ways:
- Reduce the lot size requirements and increase the allowed building size for the Tiny House building type. Under the proposed text change, a Tiny House could have a maximum 800 square foot building footprint and 1,200 square foot floor area.
- Permit Tiny Houses to be used for either single-unit or two-unit living.
- Permit two-unit Townhouses in the R-4 zoning district.
- Synchronize lot dimensional standards across most building types.
- Reorganize the code to insert Accessory Dwelling Unit regulations and Cottage Court regulations in both the Residential chapter of the UDO as well as the Mixed-Use chapter of the UDO.
- Allow Accessory Dwelling units on townhouse lots.
- Allow denser residential development within proximity of planned high-frequency transit to encourage growth in these areas.
- Allow two Accessory Dwelling units on a lot when proximate to planned high-frequency transit.
Click the link above to provide feedback (or, at minimum, “agree” with comments that you like to give them more visibility).
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Nice!! My comment, FYI:
Strongly agree with these provisions. Having the flexibility to use residential property in more diverse ways is needed in all growing cities. Allowing townhomes in R4 is huge. An example of how the current rules are hurting us. My company owns a legacy double lot consisting of 2 40’ wide x 120’ deep lots that currently has 1 SFH on it from the 50’s. By right (nonconforming lots of record) I can build 2 shotgun houses on these 40’ wide lots, but because it’s R4 zoning I can’t join those two units together into a 2 unit townhouse which would provide more consistency with the neighborhood and take up less resources. Bring it on, please!
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Great stuff, thank you!
And thank you! Wanted to post it because it’s an interesting example that pops up in Raleigh from time to time. A surprising number of modest brick ranch and split level homes built mid-century are actually on double lots if you go back to the original subdivision plat. The city will recognize these ghost lots, but they won’t let you build the same number of units if you keep it as one lot. Hopefully this missing middle text change passes without being watered down.
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Add to this the ability to put up at least 3 tent ADU’s on each floor of all condo and apartment complexes in downtown Raleigh proper.
ADU-specific changes: two ADUs per lot allowed in “Frequent Transit Areas,” ADUs now allowed in townhouses. (Many DC rowhouses have “English basement” apartments - but note that in NC, such units would have to be built under the “commercial” building code.)
The “flag lot” provision is drawn from precedent in Durham and Atlanta (just a proposal there). The idea is that it’s tough for many homeowners (like our own @ADUsSomeday) to finance an ADU that’s entangled with their existing mortgaged house. By separating a backyard as its own lot, that ADU project has its own land equity.
The proposal is now that a backyard “Tiny House” could be sold separately - now not so tiny, at up to 1200 sq. ft. which can be a cozy 3BR. The 1200 sq ft “tiny house” is pretty generous, since Tiny Houses can be built on lots 1/2 or 2/3 as big as larger houses. It’s especially true for Cottage Courts. If you have 0.57 acre of R-4, you could do two big houses, or now five cottages.
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I searched around and could not find any information about where the “Frequent Transit Areas” are. Did a quick search on imaps, CoR sites, the Comprehensive 2030 Plan, and the UDO. Any idea?
Just posted about that over here:
https://community.dtraleigh.com/t/zoning-and-density/825/259
Per the website, it’s to be defined in a future Comp Plan update - “City is in the process of developing a map.”
Kind of surprised that TC-20-21 is already out to public comment, since I’ve been watching for it on the Planning Commission and Text Change Committee agendas but there’s been nothing. Even the 1/25/2022 “Pending Items” status update says that it’s still “drafting.”
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WRAL did a little story about this program. Includes a look at the new-build Camden Street house and an interview with a South Park homeowner who built his own modern “hangout, TV, chill, lounge space.” Good spot to sound-isolate a drum set, for instance.
“Built an ADU in backyard” is a pretty good claim to fame! 47 permits requested so far, 22 approved.
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This is so great I might need to change my screen name!
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Does anyone know architects or builders in Raleigh doing ADUs?
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From the looks of the stuff I have seen going up a Home Depot cart chaser could hook you up with some sweet plans, lol.
https://tinyhomesraleigh.com/ is the only local builder that I have seen who is dedicated to ADU scale residences.
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I thought you were messing with me but see Home Depot has tons of modular ADU’s for sale.
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Thanks for the link. $140k for a 1bd/1ba $160k for a 2bd/1ba.
160 for a 2/1 seems like a slam dunk to me.
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Re: Scott, Haven will deliver and install ADUs in Raleigh, as well. I have been trying to pitch them on Cary, too, where some Council candidates are talking about broader legalization.
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Nope, THD has everything you need.
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