[MissoulaGov] Committee Update 6-24-09

[John Torma]

Well said, Ed.

I understand that excluding ADU's from R-1 & A as a permitted use by right was probably the politically expediant thing to do  --  the concession that was made for the greater good of getting Chapter 20 adopted, and I sure hope it works out that way.  But how ironic is it that they will be excluded in the University neighborhood, the neighborhood that most successfully demonstrates how this historic form of affordable housing can be integrated into a single family neighborhood, the neighborhood that has so many big houses that were designed for large families and could accommodate a small ADU apartment with little to no obvious change to the property, the neighborhood that needs this tool of affordability if it is not to become the exclusive playground of doctors, lawyers, and trust-fund kids.  The other social, economic, and political reality is that, as people's lives require it, ADU's will continue to be added to the neighborhood (as they always
 have been) but without the benefit of design standards that we could have applied to them as a permitted use.

John T




________________________________
From: Ed Childers <echilders at ci.missoula.mt.us>
To: Bob Jaffe <BJaffe at ci.missoula.mt.us>
Cc: missoulagov at cmslists.com
Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 8:15:55 AM
Subject: Re: [MissoulaGov] Committee Update 6-24-09

Thanks once again, Bob.
    The conflict between liberal and libertarian, etc., is part of the challenge of making decisions. Very few of us are all one of anything, and we reflect the 68,000 people we serve. Government shouldn't really have to make much in the way of rules, but somebody always takes advantage of their neighbors and bam! there's a rule banning alley houses.
    Speaking of alley houses, they're the smallest part of ADUs. It's "Common Knowledge" that there are many illegal apartments/ADUs in the single-family residential zones such as the University district (apologies to Phil Persyk, who won't believe such things exist until they're officially listed). I had to dredge up my memories of living in basement apartments in the U district from 40 years ago; at the time I didn't give much thought to "egress windows." My thinking was to make those legal ADUs, so we could get some safety measures. And so there'd be a requirement for owner-occupancy, which the University Homeowners desperately desire. Jon's thinking was, as I understood it, to ferret out all such illegal places and close 'em down. It's worked so well up to now.
    So, no ADUs where they'd seem to make the most sense. Still, there'll be a definition of ADU in the zoning regs. I'll think of that as a good thing.

Ed Childers
echilders at ci.missoula.mt.us


      
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