Alexandria, Virginia Community ADU Process

Call To Action: Have Your Voice Heard

Alexandria, Virginia Inviting The Community For Input

Alexandra- The City is launching a community process to develop an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) policy to help expand housing options, affordability, and accessibility in neighborhoods throughout Alexandria. With stakeholder input, the study will inform the development of proposed amendments to the Zoning Ordinance that permit the construction of ADUs.

Alexandria Public Hearing

Final staff recommendations are scheduled to be considered by Planning Commission on January 2, 2021, public hearing, and City Council at January 23, 2021, public hearing.

Process and Goals

The process will include citywide community outreach and engagement, and an analysis of regional and national best practices to include regulatory tools, financial mechanisms, design guidelines, and other considerations. Urban Institute will provide research and outreach assistance to City staff on the project.

Project goals include:

Allowing for new dwelling units that are compatible with established neighborhood character;
Gradually increasing lower-cost housing stock;
Providing additional housing flexibility for residents.

Recommendations are anticipated to be presented to Planning Commission and City Council for consideration in December 2020.

What Are ADUs?

Accessory dwelling units (ADUs), commonly referred to as “in-law apartments” or “granny flats”, are secondary, independent living units that typically have a separate kitchen, sleeping area and bathroom. ADUs can assume different forms including basement apartments, converted garages or new structures detached from a primary residence. ADUs can:

Bring in rental income that helps cover housing costs for both first-time homebuyers and long-time Alexandrians at risk of being priced out of the city;
Provide on-site housing options for multi-generational families, caregivers for seniors and persons with disabilities, live-in childcare providers and other caretakers;
Enhance housing affordability for the City’s workforce, including recent graduates and young professionals.
Frequently Asked Questions (Updated August 12, 2020)

Oct 22nd, 2020 Virtual Community Meeting

Previous Outreach

October 22, 2020 – Virtual Community Meeting
- Meeting video
- Presentation
July 15, 2020 – Presentation summarizing initial community feedback received and addressing questions regarding how the City’s Zoning Ordinance currently regulates ADUs.
- Video
- Presentation
- Feedback was accepted from July 15 through August 19. Please note that the dates provided in this presentation regarding the release of draft recommendations and the virtual open house are incorrect. Staff is currently reevaluating the project timeline and will post information on this page as soon as these dates are finalized.
April 17, 2020 – Presentation providing an introduction to ADUs and why the City initiated this study. Community feedback was accepted from April 17 through May 10 and will inform staff’s policy recommendations considered by the Planning Commission and City Council.
- Video

Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Policy

Below are proposed Final Recommendations for ADU policy based on work and input to date.

These recommendations will be considered by the Planning Commission on Tuesday, January 2, and City Council on Saturday, January 23. Text changed or added since the draft policy was released on October 9 is bolded and underlined. Items with an asterisk are still under review by staff.

Recommendation #1: Permit ADUs City-wide

•Allow one ADU on any property developed with a house (single, two-family or townhouse)

•ADU may be either within an existing home, e.g., an “English basement” style apartment, or

•Within a detached structure, e.g., a “tiny house” or above a detached garage

Recommendations #2: General ADU Regulations

•Only one ADU shall be permitted on any lot developed with a single, two-family, or townhouse dwelling

•No more than three persons shall occupy the ADU. •Occupancy limit: only one family shall occupy the ADU•Owner occupancy: the property owner shall reside in either the ADU or the main house*

•Ownership: the ADU and main house shall be in common ownership*

Recommendation #3:

Require Administrative Permit for ADUs

•An applicant wishing to construct an ADU must submit an administrative permit to the Department of Planning & Zoning

Recommendation #4:

Follow Current City Policies Related to Short-term Rentals

•Short-term rentals of ADUs would be permitted, however•Concurrent short-term rental of both the main house and ADU shall be prohibited*

Recommendation #5:

Off-street Parking•Off-street parking shall not be required for ADU, but

•No required parking spaces shall be removed to accommodate ADU construction

Recommendations #6:

ADU Height and Size Limits•ADU height shall not exceed the height of the main house or 20 feet, whichever is less

•ADU size shall be limited by its first floor “footprint.” The ADU footprint shall not exceed the greater of:•One-third of the floor area of the main house or

•350 square feet on lots >2,500 square feet; 500 square feet on lots >2,500 square feet.

•ADU size shall not exceed one-third of the main house’s square footage or 750 square feet, whichever is greater

Recommendation #7: ADUs and Floor Area Ratio (FAR )

Floor area devoted to a detached ADU can be excluded as follows:

100 square feet for lots less than 2,500 square feet;
350 square feet for lots 2,500 square feet or greater or
600 square feet for lots 8,000 square feet or greater
Also, 65 square feet for all lots developed with townhouse dwellings or within the Alexandria Old and Historic and Parker-Gray Historic Districts

The total amount eligible for exclusion shall be subject to these limits and existing detached garages or sheds on a property. For example, a property that is 2,500 square feet which is already developed with a 100 square-foot shed could not exclude any portions of a new, detached ADU. If that same property had a 50 square foot shed, 50 square feet of a new, detached ADU would be eligible for the floor area exclusion.

Recommendation #8: ADU Setbacks

Consistent with building code and existing Zoning Ordinance regulations related to detached garages, ADUs shall be setback at least one foot from side and rear lot lines. If the ADU has windows that face the nearest lot lines, the ADU shall be setback at least three feet from these lot lines.

Dormers shall be required to meet standard zone setbacks.

Recommendation #9: Special Exception process for the conversion of an existing detached accessory structure.

A property with an existing detached accessory structure (garage, shed, other) that exceeds the height, size, or setback limits may be used as an accessory dwelling with special exception approval by the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA).

Alexandria ADU Policy