Raleigh changes its mind about backyard cottages — again
The Raleigh City Council officially undid the work of its predecessor, voting Tuesday night to let backyard cottages be built without going through a rezoning process.
The decision was among a handful of changes to the city’s development rules that a majority of the current council campaigned on in 2019.
“I am glad we were able to deliver on some campaign promises (Tuesday) evening to make Raleigh more walkable, more affordable, (and have) more housing options for more people,” said Council member Jonathan Melton, one of the newer council members. “It feels good to move in the right direction on those issues.”
Granny flats and backyard cottages — technically called accessory dwelling units or ADUs — will now be allowed throughout the city without going through a rezoning process.
While some backyard cottages exist in Raleigh, they were outlawed in the city’s development rules in the 1970s.
The debate has gone on for years. In early 2019, the last council created a special zoning district that required a property owner to petition their neighbors in order to build a cottage and then go through a rezoning process.
Supporters say smaller dwellings contribute to housing affordability and neighborhood diversity. Opponents worry they can change a neighborhood’s character, causing traffic, parking, lighting and privacy concerns.
Cottages as short-term rentals
Council member David Cox voted against the backyard cottage measure because of a change made right before the vote, suggested by Council member Nicole Stewart.
“I thought the proposal that was coming forward was actually pretty good,” Cox said. “But I do not support Councilor Stewart’s recommendation to allow these units to be used as short-term rentals.”
Stewart asked that a handful of items be taken out of the backyard-cottage rules including the provision that would have prevented people from renting their cottages on websites like Airbnb.
“I think it is regrettable that really what Ms. Stewart wants to do is introduce commercial (activity) into our residential areas,” Cox said, adding it hurts the council’s ability to preserve affordable housing.
Short-term rentals like Airbnbs are a separate issue, Melton said, that will be addressed in a separate rule the city is crafting now.
Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin asked that city staff look at new ways to encourage people to build the cottages.
A vote for cottage courts
The council also voted Tuesday to allow cottage courts — usually smaller homes grouped together that share a common driveway or courtyard — throughout most of the city and removed minimum parking requirements for downtown and along transit corridors.
“One of the top campaign issues in 2019 was housing, and through all the challenges 2020 has brought us, the issue of affordable housing hasn’t gone away,” Stewart said. “So, it feels like a relief to be able to provide more affordability and housing choices by allowing ADUs by right, cottage courts, and making progress on our affordable housing, amidst it all.”
Two of the next big items on Raleigh’s redevelopment front are the short-term rental ordinance still being crafted and a change in the city’s rules to allow more duplexes, triplexes and townhouses throughout the city.
This story was originally published July 8, 2020 at 4:55 PM.
