HolladayDigest

Background on the ordinance.

Holladay adopted a detached ADU ordinance in 2024 as part of its state-required moderate income housing plan. The 2026 Legislature then required all cities to allow detached ADUs under Utah Code 10-21-304, with amendments due by October 1. Staff said Holladay's existing ordinance already closely matched the state law.

Amendment 1: More zones.

• Detached ADUs would now be allowed in the R2 (residential duplex) and RM (residential multifamily) zones, but only on lots with a detached single-family home.
• These lots would follow the existing R1 zone standards.
• Staff acknowledged that pointing to another zone's standards is not ideal, but it avoids rewriting the code.

Amendment 2: Parking.

• Requirements would be based on unit size instead of bedroom count.
• Units under 650 sq. ft. may be required to have no more than one off-street space.
• Units of 650 sq. ft. or more may be required to have no more than two.
• Staff said this changes little in practice.
• Compacted gravel remains an acceptable parking surface, which helps owners stay within lot-coverage limits.

Amendment 3: Design.

• The city can no longer regulate window placement, door placement, or exterior color for ADUs. This applies to converted buildings near property lines, such as garages with new upper-level windows that overlook neighbors.
• Other buffering tools, such as landscaping, walls, and soundproofing, can still be used.
• Staff called the state restriction "short-sighted" because it takes away a simple tool for protecting neighbors.
• Commissioners questioned the purpose of design standards that cannot be enforced. They also asked whether ADUs could be required to match the main home. Staff said the city can only ask.

Clarifying the wording.

• Commissioner Gong asked whether "with one primary single-family dwelling" required a home to already exist, and whether it meant exactly one.
• Staff confirmed it means exactly one existing home. Lots with duplexes or multifamily buildings cannot add an ADU.
• The language will be revised to say "with one existing primary single-family dwelling."

Existing approvals.

• ADUs previously approved with design restrictions could benefit from the new rules.
• Conditional use permits run with the land, so changing them requires returning to the commission.
• Accessory buildings larger than staff can approve still require a conditional use permit.
• Some buffering conditions remain available if the building is identified as an ADU. The intended use of a building determines which standards apply.

Motion to forward a positive recommendation to the City Council on the ADU text amendment, as amended

• Seconded by Commissioner Cunningham. The mover was not clearly identified.
• Outcome: Passed 4–0
• Commissioner Baron – Aye; Commissioner Gong – Aye; Commissioner Cunningham – Aye; Chair – Aye

Motion to adjourn

Passed unanimously by voice vote

Staff

Revise the draft so it reads "with one existing primary single-family dwelling" for the R2 and RM provisions.

Staff / City Council

Bring the recommended amendment to the City Council for adoption. The state deadline is October 1.

Public hearing

Opened and held open until 6:00 PM, the noticed time. No members of the public attended and no comments were received.

How ADUs are being used

• Staff estimated that 6 to 8 ADUs have been approved since the 2024 ordinance.
• All but about two involve family situations, such as aging parents staying on the property or adult children with special needs living independently nearby.
• Staff said these arrangements have brought families "astonishment and relief," because otherwise they would have had to rent elsewhere.

Holladay was ahead of the curve

Staff said the city's 2024 ordinance was forward-thinking and that the state's new requirements overlap with it substantially.