The Tallahassee City Commission unanimously voted Monday to make it easier to build Accessory Dwelling units on existing properties. The move comes after some residents voiced concerns that the units could be turned into vacation rentals.
ADU’s, also known as granny flats or mother-in-law suites, are small, single-person dwelling units constructed adjacent to a building on the same property. The ordinance change will allow those units to have separate addresses, utilities and be built in any zoning district type city-wide.
During public comment on the issue, Jeremy Floyd, a former Tallahassee Urban Design administrator and current city resident, spoke in favor of the item.
“You need more affordable housing, more attainable housing for buyers, renters. You want to reduce sprawl, have less of this clear-cutting mass grating you wanna take pressure off of canopy road, you want to reduce pressure on infrastructure. All these types of things, this ordinance helps achieve that,” he said.
At previous stops in the process, some residents voiced concerns that the buildings would be turned into short term vacation rentals. The legislature passed measures this session giving the state the power to regulate those rentals, but limiting what local municipalities can do.
Tallahassee City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow said the city’s change should be given time to see its impact.
“I do think it’s worth in one year coming back and reviewing and seeing how they are being implemented, where they are being implemented, seeing if it is successful and who’s using it and taking advantage of it to see if we can improve the program,” he said.
The commission also passed a motion to bring back an item at their next meeting exploring whether they can implement a program tracking vacation rentals in their community after the recent legislation.