Accessory Dwelling Unit Decision Coming Up In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA — On Saturday, Alexandria City Council will consider allowing accessory dwelling units in the city.

Accessory dwelling units, defined as small apartment-style residences sharing a lot with a larger house, would be allowed citywide under the proposal from the Department of Planning and Zoning and Office of Housing. Units are considered accessory dwellings when they provide a separate kitchen, bathroom and bedroom from the main house. They could be located in an addition of an existing home or a within separate on a lot, such as a detached garage. The city's zoning ordinance does not specifically address accessory dwelling units but indirectly does not allow them since at least 1951, according to a city staff report.

Under the staff recommendation, a "low-impact, secondary dwelling unit" would be allowed to be developed on a lot with a single-family home, two-family home or townhouse. Occupancy would be limited to three or less people.

City staff began a study on recommendations for accessory dwelling units in January 2020. A staff report noted a significant decline in affordable rental housing options or non-subsidized units, as well as limited options for seniors or people with disabilities requiring care. City staff also see accessory dwelling units as an affordable option for the workforce, including recent graduates and young professionals. Neighboring localities like DC, Arlington County and Montgomery County, Maryland have adopted policies allowing the development of accessory dwelling units.

"Approximately 15,000 renter households in Alexandria have annual incomes below $75,000 and are spending more than 30% of their income on housing (often referred to as housing cost burdened)," reads the staff report. "These households, which include young professionals, graduate students, and recent graduates, as well as persons with disabilities and retirees, among others, could all benefit from the additional workforce rental options created by allowing ADUs. Adoption of this policy would make it possible to provide more rental units in neighborhoods of opportunity throughout the City that currently have few rental units."

The final recommendations from staff are based on a review of local and national accessory dwelling unit models and experiences, public feedback and staff analysis and recommendations from the Urban Institute. The policy provides a guide for regulating accessory dwelling units with use limitations, bulk, height, setback, compatibility and parking requirements.

A separate no-fee permit administered by the city's Planning and Zoning would be required to develop an accessory dwelling unit.

The staff recommendations received criticism from civic associations, with the exception of the Braddock Metro and Del Ray associations. At a planning commission meeting, a representative of the Alexandria Federation of Civic Associations questioned the need for the accessory dwelling unit policy and expressed concerns about the setback requirements, compliance with underlying zoning and owner occupancy. In a letter, the Del Ray Citizens Association expressed a mixed position on accessory dwelling unit policy and staff’s final recommendations.

The Planning Commission voted 7-0 to recommend the proposal to City Council.