Planning Board to hold public hearing on accessory dwelling units

The Planning Board will hold a public hearing on Monday, Feb. 24 to present the revised version of the accessory dwelling units bylaw proposed at the Jan. 13 Special Town Meeting.

An accessory dwelling unit is a second, smaller residence that can be built on properties zoned single family. The Affordable Homes Act amended zoning laws state wide to allow the units construction and gave municipalities the opportunity to impose additional regulations on the properties.

At the Special Town Meeting earlier this month, voters voiced concerns over some of the additional regulations Wareham officials proposed including in the bylaws regarding accessory dwelling units.

Voters had a particular problem with the review process for the properties, known as a site plan review, in which builders of the units would have to go before town officials with the plans for the project.

Land Use Coordinator Josh Faherty will give the presentation on Feb. 24 explaining two changes that have been made from the previous bylaw.

He said the previous bylaw required a site plan review for houses zoned single family to build an accessory dwelling unit. Under the new revisions, the site plan review is no longer required.

The new version of the bylaw also does not include the state's definition of a short term rental. Faherty said he and the Planning Board will be looking for input from residents on this to include in the bylaw.