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Sedona Housing Commission discusses community concerns about ADUsSEDONA, AZ (November 17, 2009)- After more than 3 years of research, 20 public forums, and many rewrites for a proposed Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance, the Sedona Housing Commission last night discussed their final draft to be presented to the Planning & Zoning Commission on December 1, 2009. If approved by the P&Z, the draft ordinance will likely move on to the Sedona City Council sometime in January 2010 for a final decision. An Accessory Dwelling Unit, or ADU, is a rented second residential dwelling that is either attached or detached from the main residence. Unlike a guest house that cannot be rented and is not allowed to have a kitchen, an ADU provides complete rentable living quarters. Currently ADUs are not permitted in Sedona. The Housing Commission is proposing to make them legal subject to a host of conditions and regulations, including that they must be rented for at least 90 days (short-term rentals less than 30 days are illegal in Sedona). The Commission is hoping that ADUs will help fulfill its mandate to bring more affordable housing to Sedona for workers and seniors, create greater economic diversity, and provide extra income for homeowners. The new draft ordinance has changed in many ways from prior drafts based largely on comments the Commission has received from the public. One important new requirement is that only 88 new ADUs will be allowed to be constructed over the next five years, approximately a 1% increase over the current residential build out projections.
Said Audree Juhlin, Assistant to the Director Community Development, "The new draft ordinance balances the need for affordable housing with the concerns of the community." Yet, despite this, Commission members remain concerned that their message may not be getting through. Said Commission Chair Linda Martinez, "The community has been reasonably supportive but they want more assurances." Said Juhlin, "In other towns we've looked at, many of the [community's] perceived fears have not been realized. In Sedona, there have only been 8 complaints about illegal ADUs." Said Commissioner Helen Snyder, "We don't want to presume that the community at large supports this and appear naive." Said one Commissioner, "People are afraid their community is going to get trashed."
In addition to the perceived negative impacts ADUs might have on residential character such as increased density, noise, and traffic, "lack of trust" was raised. Said Martinez, "The community doesn't necessarily believe that the city will do what it says it's going to do." Many of the concerns appear tied to the enforcement of the ADU ordinance. If the City of Sedona is unable to enforce current ordinances against illegal ADUs and short-term rentals, some say, how will it be able to enforce a new ADU ordinance? Will ADUs be used illegally as short-term rentals? How will the city enforce on-street parking and noise problems that ADUs might create? Enforcement in cities is typically "complaint based," meaning that citizens must report possible law breakers to the city for it to act. Said Commissioner Gene Snyder, "We have to keep emphasizing that [the ADU ordinance requires that] there is an owner on the premises. That's the strongest enforcement there is." Readers' comments
#1 FYI Sedona residents, I received an
email notice today that my property value
has decreased yet another $5K. This in the
face of the City of Sedona believing it can
persuade its residents to accept the concept
of "Affordable Dwelling Units" aka
"Workforce Housing," etc. and thereby be
categorized with all of the urban
environments who have had no choice, BUT to
adopt such planning practices.
#2 I have attended quite a few of the
"Affordable Housing" meetings, and read the
documentation, with the exception of this
latest revision (in the picture it looks
like a rewrite). #3 LETTER TO THE EDITOR RE: "SEDONA HOUSING COMMISSION DISCUSSES COMMUNITY CONCERNS ABOUT ADUs"
Dear Editor:
The tortured logic, excesses, and lax
standards continue no matter "the lipstick"
the Housing Commission puts on ADUs.
Sedona's single-family residential zoning does not permit two dwellings per lot nor mixed residential and commercial use. Yet the proposed ordinance increases the density and use of residential plots by bringing second dwellings, ADUs that can be rented, to properties in neighborhoods sans strong CC&R. Unlike Sedona, there are real standards for single-family residential zones in unincorporated towns and areas nearby. Minimum residential parcel sizes for Detached Guest Homes (ADUs) are two acres in Coconino County and 35,000 square feet in Yavapai County -- rentals are prohibited.
In addition, Yavapai county allows no more
than two occupants per accessory dwelling
and requires a notice by mail of new
requests to surrounding property owners
within 300 feet. And deeds in Coconino
County state the accessory unit is for
family or guests and not for rental
purposes.
The City of Sedona is irresponsible and unconcerned about the consequences of lax standards and increased lot densities. Instead, its ADU proposal authorizes mixed-use, commercialization via rentals, garage conversions and the cramming of more people, cars and structures onto small residential parcels. There are no lot size restrictions, and the surrounding property owners will not be notified of new ADUs. The number of occupants allowed in these small ADUs/rentals designed for two people? No more than three unrelated adults, their children and relatives.
And, what about the requirement that
property owners submit an annual ADU
report? Overlooking that ADUs are intrusive
in and of themselves, the Housing Commission
recently deleted this language from the
proposed Ordinance due to
intrusiveness. Thus, City Hall will have no
way of knowing an ADU's status, rendering
impossible enforcement of whether it
is rented for at least 90 days or is an
illegal short-term rental that brings
transients and crime into a neighborhood.
This is a result of the City meeting with
such civic organizations as the Sedona/Verde
Valley Assoc. of Realtors, Luxury Real
Estate Professionals, the Sedona Community
Center Board, etc.
Of course, concerns about unenforceability, parking-lot conditions, increased traffic, decreased property values, environmental degradation, noise and poor quality of life abound. Be sure to attend the Public Hearing on Tuesday, December 1st, at 5:30 p.m., City Council Chambers, and tell P & Z you oppose ADUs in single-family residential neighborhoods. Sincerely,
Jean Jenks
#4 I know the Commission has giving much thought, hard work and taken lots of input and ADU's in a strong effort to address a need we have here.
Making ADU's offical, regulated and
registered, make sense to me.
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