If downsizing—or expanding— your current living space is on the agenda, but the housing market has you feeling stuck, you need to know about ADUs.
ADUs, or Accessory Dwelling Units, are detached, secondary housing structures built on single-family, residential lots. Think: pool houses, guest houses, studio spaces, garages (with a room upstairs for grandma), etc. To be considered an ADU, the structure must have a kitchen and a full bathroom. Until two years ago this type of housing was illegal in Westport, to prevent homeowners from building separate living spaces on their lots. Then, along came Danielle Dobin, the former chair of the Planning & Zoning Commission, who realized the laws should be modernized.
“Westport homeowners deserve the flexibility to use their property to create a backyard guest cottage,” explains Danielle. “Whether it’s for visitors, for their college-aged children, their parents, or to lease as a long-term rental that preserves their ability to stay in their home after a major life change.”
Best of all, the land is “free,” because you already own it! You can even move into your ADU and rent out your primary home. However, ADUs in Westport, specifically, are not meant to become weekend party houses (or Airbnbs). Regulations state that a tenant needs to be in place for a minimum of six months.
All existing setback regulations must be respected. Accessory Apartments, which are separate spaces within your primary dwelling, are permitted as well.
Construction of these types of units have soared in popularity in the US, and in Westport where over 50 permits have been approved in the past two years. ADU designs run the gamut and often turn out looking like a chic accessory to the actual home – like the perfect bag paired with an outfit, for those who speak fashion. You can match the style of your existing home, or contrast it – picture a modern glassy structure behind a classic colonial: a fun twist that allows you to have a little “party in the back.” Furthermore, ADUs don’t create the appearance of density, because they’re often hidden from street view.
Local architect John Rountree recently constructed an ADU for a family. Another picture-perfect ADU we featured on Designport belongs to Michele Cosentino and Ari Greenman, who built a companion structure around a garage on their property in Old Hill, a neighborhood charmed with many smaller, historic homes. According to Michele, “I knew we needed more space, but I didn’t know how we’d use it exactly. We created a kitchenette, so we could entertain outside. I also thought I might use the sink for gardening.”
Michele designed the space herself, and worked with Architect Mark Homburg and contractor Rose Adams to build it. She has since launched her own sportswear label, a boutique line of tennis dresses called Top Banana, and the space morphed into her studio. “Maybe I knew all along what I’d been working towards,” she reflects.
Danielle proudly remembers that one of the first applications approved was a cottage for the daughter of long-term residents in Westport. “She was divorced and would not be able to stay in town without the change in this law. Now, the family shares 2.5 acres comfortably—and it’s all in the family.”
“It’s really great for the town,” adds Danielle. “It raises the value of your property so it adds to the value of all existing homes in Westport.”
Jen Berniker edits the local design resource www.myDesignport.com, @my_designport