Concerned about housing costs, Salt Lake City loosens rules on ‘mother-in-law’ apartments

The Salt Lake City Council on Tuesday enacted changes to allow new accessory dwellings to be built more widely in residential areas across the city. John Armstrong, who hopes to build one on his mother’s property, posed in December next to her home near the site of the proposed dwelling. Photo by Scott Sommerdorf / Salt Lake City Tribune

 

By Tony Semerad | Salt Lake City Tribune

In its push to address affordable housing, the Salt Lake City Council voted Tuesday to loosen zoning rules on so-called mother-in-law apartments with hopes of opening up new, smaller dwellings across the city’s residential neighborhoods.

A common feature of the city’s housing stock decades ago, so-called accessory dwelling units — basement apartments, ones inside or above garages and those in separate buildings in yards — have for years been limited in Utah’s capital to locales a half-mile or less from Salt Lake City’s TRAX stops.

But after years of debate and public input, the City Council voted 5-1 late Tuesday to approve zoning changes that essentially allow such dwellings citywide, although with some conditions on permitting in certain areas dominated by single-family homes. Only Councilman Charlie Luke was opposed, calling the new rules “unenforceable.”

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