By Paula Pyzik Scott

At the November 19 special meeting of the Village of Bluffton Ordinance Committee, council members and residents discussed best case and worst case scenarios for the expansion of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in the Village.

Seven residents attended the meeting led by council and committee members Mitch Kingsley and Joe Sehlhorst. 

The committee has taken a year to draft legislation that would spell out how residential property owners in Bluffton may build attached and detached ADUS for rental and non-rental purposes. 

The expressed goal of the legislation is to ease housing shortages and allow for a wider range of housing options. ADUs exist in and can be built in Bluffton, but specific guidelines are not provided for the Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals.

The residents in attendance expressed concerns about changing the character of neighborhoods and creating more rentals with absentee owners. ▶︎

A worst case scenario was described as a badly managed rental property adding another rental. 

Best case scenarios included providing housing options for homeowners needing multi-generational housing and creating starter housing for individuals who work in Bluffton but are forced to look elsewhere for a place to live.

The residents present at the meeting favored required residency of the property owner with ADU rentals.

Committee member Mitch Kingsley said that his assumption is that the Village won’t be flooded with ADUs. He noted that areas zoned R-2 already allow for ADUs but that it is rarely done.

Committee member Joe Sehlhorst commented that this is a way to create alternative living options before building apartment complexes, quads and duplexes. He described ADUs as a way to help Blufftonites live here for as long as possible.

The Bluffton Icon will post dates for all future committee and council meetings related to this draft legislation.