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6/13/2018 Member News

Lake Oswego City Council votes to stream line ADU development


On June 5th, the Lake Oswego City Council voted on code changes aimed at stream lining the process for approval of accessory dwelling units (ADUs). ADUs include a small unit on single family lot, aligning with HBA’s goal to increase affordable housing and minimize barriers to building such diverse types of housing. While most of the code change recommendations were ultimately passed, the public testimony and questions from councilors touched upon a greater underlying bias against ADUs and preserving neighborhood character.

The portion of the code changes that recommended changing the ADU owner-occupancy requirement to a principal occupancy requirement, allowing for more flexibility for homeowners with ADUs to not reside on the property, sparked vigorous debate. This change would allow for more manageable enforcement of the code. However, public testimony asserted that an owner-occupancy requirement encourages better upkeep of the properties, reduces traffic and prevents the undercutting of the multifamily market due to an influx of more rental properties in the city. Additionally, public testimony asserted that the state mandate requiring ADUs, which are already allowed in low density residential neighborhoods, had completely rezoned the entire city to multifamily without any input from the public.

Councilor O’Neill seemed to sympathize with these sentiments asserting that allowing internal ADU conversions was in fact tantamount to allowing for duplexes in all single family neighborhoods.

Councilor Joe Buck criticized the claim that owner occupancy would encourage up keep of the properties and that members of the public were stigmatizing renters and making home ownership a preclusion to living in their neighborhoods.

Councilor Teresa Kohlhoff also did not buy into the claim of a requirement for owner occupancy and Councilor O’Neill’s use of the term duplex, posing the unanswered question of “How does two families living on a single lot bring down the character of the neighborhood?”

The items voted on were as follows:

ADUs allowed only for owner occupied/primary residences, approved 4 to 3(No votes include Councilors Kohlhoff, Buck and LaMotte).

Variance allowed - not for bulk/base zoning but yes for privacy windows/fencing, approved 7 to 0.

Allow flexibility of extra 200 square feet for internal conversions only, approved 7 to 0.

Have a fire wall separating units for internal conversions or alternative means of separation... approved 7 to 0.

Allow all ADU's (internal/attached/over garage/free standing) to use existing driveway for parking space, approved 7 to 0.

Establish ADU's as Ministerial approval only... but also still have Pre-App meeting for attached or free-standing ADU's and requiring public notice, approved 5 to 2 (No votes include Councilors Kohlhoff and Buck).

The code changes were passed, and the council will hold a final vote on the updated codes at a future meeting.