7.112.010 Purpose. Accessory dwelling units are allowed in certain situations to:

A. Allow more efficient use of existing housing stock and infrastructure;

B. Provide a mix of housing that responds to changing family needs and smaller households;

C. Provide a means for residents, particularly seniors, single parents, and families with grown children, to remain in their homes and neighborhoods, and obtain extra income, security, companionship and services; and

D. Provide a broader range of accessible and more affordable housing.

7.112.020 Applicability and Administration.

A. An accessory dwelling unit may be added to any single family detached dwelling or manufactured home in the R-2 Moderate Density Residential zoning district.

B. Approvals for accessory dwellings shall be approved administratively pursuant to 7.164, Limited Land Use Decision Making.

A. All applications for accessory dwelling units shall be made on forms provided by the city and shall be accompanied by:

1. A site plan drawn to standard engineering scale showing the location of the accessory dwelling unit, the entrance and exits from the site, and areas to be designated for parking;

2. A completed building permit application, if applicable.

7.112.040 Approval standards

A. Standards for creating accessory dwelling units address the following purposes:

1. Ensure that accessory dwelling units are compatible with the desired character and livability of Columbia City's residential zones;

2. Respect the general building scale and placement of structures to allow sharing of common space on the lot, such as driveways and yards;

3. Ensure that accessory dwelling units are smaller in size than principal dwelling units; and

4. Provide adequate flexibility to site buildings so that they fit the topography of sites.

B. The design standards for accessory dwelling units are stated in this section. If not addressed in this section, the base zone development standards apply.

C. An accessory dwelling unit may only be created through Converting existing living area, attic, basement or garage or adding floor area to an existing dwelling unit.

D. Only one entrance to a residence may be located on the front facade of the single family dwelling or manufactured home facing the street, unless the single family dwelling or manufactured home contained additional front doors entrances before the conversion accessory dwelling unit was created. An exception to this regulation is entrances that do not have access from the ground such as entrances from balconies or decks.

E. The size of the accessory dwelling unit may be no more than 50% of the living area of the single family detached dwelling or manufactured home or the maximum allowed for an accessory dwelling unit in the applicable zone or overlay, whichever is less.

F. Accessory dwelling units created through the addition of floor area must meet the following:

1. The exterior finish material must be the same or visually match in type, size and placement, the exterior finish material of the existing single family detached dwelling or manufactured home.

2. The roof pitch must be the same as the predominant roof pitch of the existing single family detached dwelling or manufactured home.

3. Trim on edges of elements on the addition must be the same in type size and location as the trim used on the rest of the existing single family detached dwelling or manufactured home.

4. Windows must match those in the existing single family detached dwelling or manufactured home in proportion (relationship of width to height) and orientation (horizontal or vertical).

H. All parking must meet the requirements of Chapter 7.100, Off Street Parking and Loading, for single-family residences, except as follows:

1. No additional parking space is required for the accessory dwelling unit if it is created on a site with an existing single-family dwelling or manufactured home and, the paved surface of the street providing vehicular access to the site is at least 18 feet wide.

2.  One additional parking space is required for the accessory dwelling unit when:

a. The paved surface of the street providing vehicular access to the site is less than 18 feet wide; or 

b. The accessory dwelling unit is created at the same time as the single family detached dwelling is constructed or the manufactured home is sited. 

[As amended by Ordinance No. 06-619-O 7/2/06]

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