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From YouTube: County Board Wrap-Up: Accessory Dwellings
Description
The Board voted to allow residents to build new detached accessory dwellings – and made it easier to convert existing buildings into accessory dwellings through several amendments to the County’s Zoning Ordinance.
A
B
The
latest
is
a
pretty
big
deal.
We
have
now
the
ability
for
people
to
construct
new
detached
buildings,
so
buildings,
not
a
part
of
their
existing
residence
and
to
make
them
available
for
use
as
a
dwelling
for
up
to
three
people.
So,
prior
to
this
action,
people
had
the
ability
to
utilize
space
within
their
own
existing
homes.
So
we
liberalized
it
so
that
you
can.
B
Entire
basement,
for
example,
for
accessory
use,
and
then
we
allowed
for
the
ability
for
existing
detached
buildings
to
be
converted
to
accessory
use.
Now,
we've
made
that
process
easier
and
then
also
allowed
for
the
very
first
time
you
can
construct
a
new
building
for
an
accessory
use,
provided
that
it
meets
some
key
requirements.
C
C
And
one
of
the
issues
last
year
when
we
were
looking
at
it
is
that
it's
you
can
use
existing
buildings
and
that
made
sense
there's
something
there.
You
should
be
able
to
use
it,
but
existing
building
include
garages
which
can
be
like
one
foot,
basically
right
on
the
property
line
and
we
realized.
If
we
use
that
same
standard
for
people
to
construct
new.
You
know
people
could
have
their
yard
and
suddenly
find
their
neighbors
putting
something
like
right
there
and
we
didn't
feel
really
comfortable
with
that.
C
B
C
C
That
was
actually
one
of
the
things
that
came
into
this
and
which
I
think
years
ago,
when
we
started
talking
about
it,
people
weren't
thinking
about
trees
a
whole
lot,
but
there's
concern
that
something
we
like
you
know
to
in
order
to
build
a
thing,
will
cut
down
trees
and
Plus
with
that
five
feet,
and
then
you
can
go
to
those.
The
the
the
zoning
zoning
board
and
asked
for
you
know
is
that.
C
The
right
correct
word
of
variance
to
do
less
than
the
eight
feet.
We
want
to
make
sure
people
understand
that,
and
particularly
for
a
good
reason,
like
there's
a
beautiful
tree
here,
we
want
to
keep
that
tree.
If
we
move
a
little
closer
to
the
house,
we
can
keep
the
tree
and
that's
how
we're
hoping
that
people
will
use
this
just
to
be
a
little
more
sensible
about
what
they're
doing
able
to
preserve
what's
kind
of
there,
that
we
want
to
keep
like
trees
and.
B
B
Since
the
50s,
so
this
is
really
just
one
step
in
providing
a
different
range
of
options
which
can
really
serve
a
variety
of
public
policy
goals.
This
can
allow
options
for
people
who
are
older
mobility.
Impaired.
Maybe
you
know
this
is
a
form
of
supplemental
income.
Maybe
they
in
fact
inhabit
the
accessory
dwelling,
but
while
renting
out
the
main
house,
perhaps
this
becomes
a
way
for
people
to
you
know
get
in
on
the
Arlington
rental
market
in
a
way
that's
a
little
less
expensive
than
it
is,
for
example,
living
in
a
high-rise
apartment.
B
That
was
certainly
a
concern
that
we
heard
from
people
and
I
think
this
solution,
if
you
will,
what
we
did
was
really
responsive
to
a
lot
of
those
concerns
is,
as
Libby
mentioned,
five
feet
away
from
the
property
line
is
significantly
different
than
one
and
that's
something
that
we
think
is
is
important
for
a
neighbor's
house,
but
it's
also
important
really
to
maintain
the
integrity
of
that
accessory
dwelling.
If
you're,
only
one
foot
away
from
someone
else's
fence,
you
really
can't
maintain
that
building
right.
B
So
this
really
kind
of
makes
sense
from
a
public
policy
standpoint
and
in
terms
of
character.
You
know
the
funny
thing
is
we
have
this:
we
have
this
dynamic
in
many
Arlington
neighborhood
people
have
accessory
buildings
up
to
one
foot
away
from
the
property
line,
so
for
people
who
are
going
to
be
building
new,
in
fact,
it's
not
going
to
be
functionally
any
different.
B
In
fact,
we
think
it's
going
to
be
improved
because
it's
gonna
be
better
placed
on
Lots
and,
as
Ms
Gardner
said,
it's
hopefully
gonna
allow
for
the
preservation
of
trees
either
on
your
property
or
on
your
neighbor's
property.
So
we
think
that
this
is
a
good
way
to
move
forward.
That
said,
we'll
study
it.
C
Absolutely-
and
you
know
a
lot
coverage
still
silk.
You
know
that
all
of
the
rules
we've
got
there,
that's
still
and
will
obtain
it's.
It's
possible
people
will
build
slightly
smaller
houses
this.
What
a
big
huge
one
yeah
mine
too,
and
then
a
small
you
know
unit
behind
and
instead
of
one
big
huge
monster
house,
so
you
know
we'll
see
how
it
works,
but
it
would
seem
really
important
to
get
some
flexibility
and
allow
just
a
lot
of
different
ways
of
doing
things
and
is.
B
Now
that
said,
we're
not
gonna
see
thousands
of
these
overnight,
since
we've
had
accessory
dwellings
as
as
an
allowed
use
of
your
home.
We've
only
had
somewhere
around
30.
So
we're
not
talking
about
significant
numbers
to
scale,
but
anything
that
we
can
do
to
create.
More
options
is
better
than
we
would
have
been
and.
C
A
younger
couple,
they're
they're
having
it's
tight
to
do
the
mortgage
they'll
buy
and
then
they
can
rent
out.
You
know
either
the
dwelling
inside
the
unit
or
the
one
in
back,
which
helps
cover
their
their
mortgage,
which
is
two
things
that
helps
them
live
here
and
have
have
housing
and
it
helps
the
people
here
have
a
reasonable
rent
to
stay.
Someplace,
yeah,
so
I
think
it's
good
we're
gonna,
we'll
continue
to
study
it
and
I
think
Christians
right.
It's
not
gonna
be
like
this
massive
I.