The North Virginia Beach Civic League (NVBCL) opposes any state legislation that: - Compels localities to allow Short-Term Rentals (STRs) or Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), - Limits the ability of localities to regulate STRs or ADUs, or - Overrides local authority for land use or planning as pertains to STRs or ADUs. NVBCL supports state legislation that gives incentives, authority, and/or funding to localities to increase housing inventory, including with ADUs and other affordable or attainable housing, without pre-empting local authority for land use or planning.

Comments Document

The North Virginia Beach Civic League (NVBCL) requests amendments to this bill. We support expanded availability of ADUs, including in our neighborhood, within a reasonable framework that preserves authority of localities to regulate zoning and land use and that does not needlessly pre-empt local authority. We would support this bill with the following amendments: 1. Modify paragraph B to encourage (rather than require) localities to allow ADUs in more single family districts as one of multiple strategies to increase housing inventory and affordability, as would be accomplished by HB804 and SB488 (which we support), without requiring localities to make ADUs a permitted use in all single-family districts - some of which are already densely developed and/or do not have sufficient infrastructure (e.g. water/sewer/stormwater management) for increased density. 2. Modify paragraph E.5 to strike “only at the time that an application is submitted to construct or convert an accessory dwelling unit.” 3. Strike paragraph F.1, or at least modify it, so that localities can require dedicated parking in districts where on-street parking is already limited, such as in districts with smaller lot sizes that are already densely developed. 4. Strike paragraph F.2 which conflicts with the allowable rear or side setback requirement in F.3. This is a fire safety issue, particularly in already densely developed neighborhoods. 5. Modify paragraph F.3 to allow localities to restrict ADU height to 75% of what would be allowed for the primary dwelling.