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@JimT

Montgomery County already allows homeowners to build an apartment within their home by right if it's for a family member. They're called Registered Living Units, and there are about 500 of them in the county today. You can allow family members to live in them for as long as you want, but if you want to rent them out, you'll have to go through the approval process, including a public hearing.

As I wrote last month, the existing approval process for accessory apartments is so onerous that it forces many homeowners to build illegal units.

The proposed policy isn't much better, as the proximity requirement makes it harder to build accessory units in the places where they'd most be helpful: in downcounty neighborhoods that are already well-served by transit and have amenities within walking distance, meaning that tenants won't need a car (or need to drive as much). If you share the concerns Ben and I have raised, you should make yourself heard at the County Council's public hearing on the proposed regulations on September 11.

by dan reed! on Jul 31, 2012 10:25 pm • link • report

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