The City Council on Tuesday was given a first look at a proposal that would allow homeowners throughout the city to place a small dwelling unit in their backyards.
Karen Rennick of the Regional Planning Agency said the ADUs (accessory dwelling units) could be used for a place for relatives to stay or for rental for additional income.
Mayor Tim Kelly is pushing the idea as a way to boost local housing stock.
Ms. Rennick said ADUs are already allowed in areas that are under Form Based Code. The new ordinance would extend that citywide.
She said the small dwellings could be attached by a wall on at least one side or could be stand-alone.
The maximum size would be 700 square feet, though Vice Chairman Raquetta Dotley mentioned the possibility of raising that to 1,000 square feet.
There could be only one ADU per single family dwelling.
They would not be allowed coupled with condos, townhomes or duplexes.
There would be a 40-foot setback.
The ADUs would need their own permanent foundation and not be RVs or shipping containers.
Ms. Rennick said the original plan was to include design standards such as paint color, roof size and pitch. She said the mayor's office felt those would be subjective and hard to enforce. However, Council Chair Darrin Ledford said he believes some sort of design guidelines are needed to insure the quality of the ADUs.
Chris Anderson of the mayor's staff said Mayor Kelly was "very concerned that we not run up the costs of the buildings."
The idea goes to the council's planning and zoning committee next Tuesday.