West Jordan City is considering changes to its zoning code to facilitate the construction of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). These secondary housing units, also called granny flats, or mother-in-law suites or casitas, offer affordable living options and efficient land use.
SLCo Neighbors for More Neighbors supports the proposed changes, recognizing their potential to address housing shortages and promote affordable living. However, the city should make changes to the policy to encourage the construction of more ADUs and meet the goals of its Moderate-Income Housing Plan.
Our recommended changes include
- Eliminate minimum lot size requirements for detached ADUs and remove owner-occupancy requirements.
- Increase the height limits to 24 ft. for pitched roofs and 20 ft. for flat roofs, and eliminate size limits for ADUs.
- Eliminate off-street parking requirements for ADUs if the property is within a ¼-mile radius of public transit or a ½-mile from a bike path.
- Allow ADUs in all residential zones.
- Create a pre-approved design program to streamline permitting and reduce costs to homeowners building an ADU.
These suggestions aim to make it easier for homeowners to add ADUs and increase the availability of affordable housing in West Jordan City. They are based on the success of Salt Lake City’s ADU code, passed in 2023, as well as successful codes from cities across the country.
Take action today to support this necessary policy change in the following ways:
- Sign our petition below to support the changes.
- Attend upcoming public meetings. Note: A meeting has not been scheduled yet. It will be posted here when it is.
- Email the West Jordan City Council with our sample email.
