Dunn County PR&D expects to take first look at ADU ordinance in November
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
MENOMONIE — Members of the Dunn County Planning, Resources and Development Committee hope to take their first look at a proposed accessory dwelling unit ordinance in November.
During public comments at the PR&D committee’s October 4 meeting, one woman said she and her family rent in Elk Mound but own 80 acres in northern Dunn County, and that she is interested in the details of the ADU ordinance.
Another woman from the Wheeler area said she has an autistic grandson who is 25 years old and wants to have his own home.
The family would like to build a small home for him with a living room and bedroom so the grandson could be somewhat independent but still have family members close by, she said.
An accessory dwelling unit would allow them to hook into the existing septic system and water well so they do not have the expense of installing another septic system and drilling another well and also would save the time and expense of subdividing the property, the woman said.
Anne Wodarczyk, Dunn County zoning administrator, said she plans to have accessory dwelling units on the PR&D agenda for every meeting so people will keep coming with public comments.
Right now, the zoning office is working on determining the common standards associated with ADUs, she said.
The ordinance will have a size limitation so that the ADU is smaller than the primary dwelling. Set-backs will be similar to the set-backs for a regular house, and the ADUs will have height restrictions, Wodarczyk said.
Another question will be the permit process — whether ADUs will be allowed “by right” or whether an ADU will always be a conditional use, or perhaps there will be different permitting processes that vary by zoning district, she said.
One area where there might be more concern is for privacy. If there are more houses in a neighborhood, then the ADU could end up close to a neighbor, so there should perhaps be a requirement for screening, Wodarczyk said.
Disadvantages
At the last PR&D meeting, committee members were trying to come up with some down-sides to ADUs, Wodarczyk noted.
Pierce County has had an ADU ordinance for more than 10 years, and Pierce County officials report that there are not many disadvantages to ADUs, she said, adding that people seem to appreciate the additional option.
So far, there have been no negative comments concerning ADUs, Wodarczyk noted.
Existing ADUs
Michael Kneer, county board supervisor from Menomonie and a member of the PR&D committee, said he knows there are already ADUs in Dunn County and wanted to know what would happen to the existing ADUs under the new ordinance.
There are some “illegal” or grandfathered in ADUs in Dunn County, so the standards will have to have something addressing the existing ADUs coming into compliance with the new ordinance, Wodarczyk said.
There may be a “self reporting” component and then options for property owners to come into compliance with the zoning ordinance, she said.
Family
Most ADUs would likely be for family members, but then the property is sold, and the new owner does not want the ADU because it is sharing the well and the septic, said Gary Bjork, county board supervisor from Colfax and a PR&D committee member.
The ADU will be close to the main house, but it will occupied by a stranger, he said.
Some cities and counties address that issue with owner occupancy as a standard requirement — that the owner occupies the primary residence or the ADU, Wodarczyk said.
In the City of Hudson, for example, an ADU is defined as a dwelling unit located above and as part of a detached accessory one-family or two-family residential garage that must be located in the rear or side yard. The owner must occupy either the primary residence or the accessory dwelling, and an affidavit must be recorded at the St. Croix County Register of Deeds office.
Tom Quinn, county board supervisor from Downing and chair of the PR&D committee, urged all county residents who are interested in ADUs to make public comments to the PR&D committee.
The PR&D committee will be discussing ADUs extensively, and public comments will be useful to consider during the discussions, he said.
People can either attend the meetings and speak in person, or they can e-mail their comments to awodarczyk@co.dunn.wi.us.
Meeting dates and times are listed on Dunn County’s website at www.dunncounty.wi.gov.
