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Home My Public Portal AboutPlanning Board Packet 07/26/23 supplementalPUBLIC COMMENT RECEIVED ON ADU PROVISIONS 7/26/23 Lam= St. Cyr From: Elizabeth Hoffman <elizabethhoffman@hotmail.com> Sent: Friday, July 21, 2023 5:41 PM To: brewplan Subject: Fw: Brewster Planning Board is taking up the ADU (accessory dwelling unit) bylaw for potential amendment, and we need your input! Thank you so much for this email. I find bylaws like this that discriminate against part-time residents frustrating. Even as summer residents, we contribute to the community and care a great deal about the community. Why should part-time residents be restricted more so than full-time residents? My comments and thoughts are as follows: I think the idea of creating only full -year housing units ignores the need for summer housing for workers who support the many restaurants, shops, hotels, and other parts of the local community that struggle with finding labor capable of finding summer housing. I would ask: What are we really trying to avoid by these by-laws? On the bylaws, - only 12 -month owner -occupants can build an ADU ""' iIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME PARTICULARLY IF VERY COMMENTS BELOW) - an ADU cannot be leased for a period less than 12 months 'RINK RENTALS OF LESS THAN 3 MONTHS WOULD BE UM RESTRICTION. - lots smaller than 30,000 square feet have to seek a special permit from the ZBA (Zoning Board of Appeals) OF THE LOT. - lots in areas with water quality impacts (Zone II, DCPC) also must seek a special permit before the ZBA - the ADU cannot exceed 4o% of the habitable floor area of the main dwelling, or 900 square feet, whichever is smaller _&ICTIONS. SOME MAY PREFER TO HAVE 2 STRUCTURES OF EQUAL SIZE - DO WE REALLY CARE? AREN'T ADUs SUBJECT TO THE SAME SETBACKS, BUILDABLE ENVELOPE, HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS AS OTHER STRUCTURES? (MAYBE I'M MISSING SOMETHING). Thank you, Beth Hoffman From: president@bapr.org <president@bapr.org> Sent: Friday, July 21, 2023 2:25 PM To: Elizabethhoffman@hotmail.com <Elizabethhoffman@hotmail.com> Subject: Brewster Planning Board is taking up the ADU (accessory dwelling unit) bylaw for potential amendment, and we need your input! FROM: Amanda Bebrin Chair, Brewster Planning Board Requesting Part Time Resident input What's an ADU? An ADU is a residential dwelling unit that is 'accessory' to the main dwelling on a lot, and can be located within the main dwelling, in a detached building on the same lot, or in an addition to the main dwelling. Some examples would be "granny pods" in a backyard or a finished over -the -garage or basement apartment. The intent of our bylaw is to support the creation of year-round housing units. What's our current bylaw? The current ADU bylaw was passed in 2018 and requires a number of conditions be met, including: 1 - only 12 -month owner -occupants can build an ADU - an ADU cannot be leased for a period less than 12 months - lots smaller than 30,000 square feet have to seek a special permit from the ZBA (Zoning Board of Appeals) - lots in areas with water quality impacts (Zone II, DCPC) also must seek a special permit before the ZBA - the ADU cannot exceed 4o% of the habitable floor area of the main dwelling, or 900 square feet, whichever is smaller What are we asking from you a member of BAPR? Right now, only owner -occupants (people whose Brewster home is their primary residence) are eligible to create an ADU. In the 6 years since the bylaw passed, we have not seen the rampant development of these units that was initially a cause for concern -- and the reason for many of the "guardrails" in the bylaw. The Planning Board is considering changes to many of the criteria in the bylaw, and we'd like to have your input on any and all of them! Specifically, if it were allowed in the bylaw for part-time residents to build an ADU, would you be interested in doing so? What other barriers might prevent you from having an ADU? email brewplanObrewster-ma.gov with any comments -- or zoom into/attend one of our meetings, that info is available on the town calendar: https://www.brewster-ma.gov/calendar 2 Lynn St. Cyr From: Bill Kargman <bkarg@firstrealtymgt.com> Sent: Friday, July 21, 2023 3:11 PM To: brewplan Subject: ADU I am a part time resident and would like to have an ADU to provide more bedroom space for new grand children. My wife requires her own bedroom for medical reasons. Bill Kargman 1 Lynn St. Cyr From: Jack Chandler <jack_chandler@ymail.com> Sent: Friday, July 21, 2023 2:36 PM To: brewplan Subject: Fwd: Brewster Planning Board is taking up the ADU (accessory dwelling unit) bylaw for potential amendment, and we need your input! Dear Brewster Planning Board I am a half year resident in Brewster-i have owned a home since 2001 and first came to Brewster in 1981 to work at CCSC I am very supportive of the ADU program as a way to provide much needed housing and to enable citizens to have the flexibility they need to address their housing needs through the various stages of life. I would absolutely like to create an ADU at my property and feel it would be equitable to extend this privilege to all residents of Brewster whether year round or part time. Many thanks Jack Chandler 38 The Tides Court Brewster MA Sent from my iPad Begin forwarded message: From: president@bapr.org Date: July 21, 2023 at 14:25:26 EDT To: jack_chandler@ymail.com Subject: Brewster Planning Board is taking up the ADU (accessory dwelling unit) bylaw for potential amendment, and we need your input! Reply -To: president@bapr.org FROM: Amanda Bebrin Chair, Brewster Planning Board Requesting Part Time Resident input What's an ADU? An ADU is a residential dwelling unit that is 'accessory' to the main dwelling on a lot, and can be located within the main dwelling, in a detached building on the same lot, or in an addition to the main dwelling. Some examples would be "granny pods" in a backyard or a finished over -the - garage or basement apartment. The intent of our bylaw is to support the creation of year-round housing units. What's our current bylaw? The current ADU bylaw was passed in 2018 and requires a number of conditions be met, including: - only 12 -month owner -occupants can build an ADU 1 - an ADU cannot be leased for a period less than 12 months - lots smaller than 30,000 square feet have to seek a special permit from the ZBA (Zoning Board of Appeals) - lots in areas with water quality impacts (Zone II, DCPC) also must seek a special permit before the ZBA - the ADU cannot exceed 4o% of the habitable floor area of the main dwelling, or 900 square feet, whichever is smaller What are we asking from you a member of BAPR? Right now, only owner -occupants (people whose Brewster home is their primary residence) are eligible to create an ADU. In the 6 years since the bylaw passed, we have not seen the rampant development of these units that was initially a cause for concern -- and the reason for many of the "guardrails" in the bylaw. The Planning Board is considering changes to many of the criteria in the bylaw, and we'd like to have your input on any and all of them! Specifically, if it were allowed in the bylaw for part-time residents to build an ADU, would you be interested in doing so? What other barriers might prevent you from having an ADU? email brewplan@brewster-ma.gov ov with any comments -- or zoom into/attend one of our meetings, that info is available on the town calendar: https:,4/www.brewster-ma.gov/calendar 2