City examines how accessory apartments could add to more housing

As part of an overhaul of its regulations on accessory apartments, Whitefish is exploring the possibility of requiring new such apartments to be designated for affordable workforce housing.

During a work session last week, City Council directed city staff to research the possibility of requiring accessory apartments to be deed-restricted for affordable housing. The discussion came as part of a review of proposed changes to the accessory dwelling unit standards with the major proposed change aimed at streamlining the approval process for those apartments.

Mayor John Muhlfeld said currently 54% of accessory apartments in the city aren’t being used by local renters noting that it is worth looking into how those apartments could be set aside for affordable housing.

“I think we need to discuss the opportunity to discuss deed-restrictions [ for accessory apartments],” he said. “We need to look at what other communities are doing to see if there are some example models.”

Muhlfeld noted that the idea might not be feasible, but it was worth exploring more.

Councilor Steve Qunell questioned whether it would actually be beneficial to require accessory apartments as for only certain renters.

“If we add layers of regulations for what people can do with these, that is not going to assist in what we’re trying to do,” he said. “I’m not for adding a bunch of regulations that make it more onerous about what we’re trying to do.”

Changes to the accessory apartment standards were suggested in the 2017 strategic housing plan as an opportunity to increase housing units dispersed throughout existing neighbourhoods.

However, some Councilors worried that without requirements designating accessory apartments as deed-restricted for affordable housing that adding more of them wouldn’t do enough to help create housing.

The city’s affordable housing committee is recommending a list of changes to the regulations that were presented to Council during the work session. The main change is to move accessory apartments from a standard conditional use permit that must gain approval by the Planning Board and City Council to an administrative CUP that only requires approval from the planning department. Both CUPs require notification of neighbors and a legal notice.

Senior Planner Wendy Compton-Ring said the change is designed to streamline the process of approval.

“Rarely do we get comments on an accessory apartment at the planning board and Council,” she said. “But if we do get concerns from neighbors we could always bump those up to the full process.”

Accessory apartments can take several forms including being in a detached building on the same property as the main home or as an above garage apartment, but have to be smaller than the primary residence.

Since 2005, the city has permitted 50 accessory apartments and 31 have been constructed. By comparison, the city has issued building permits totalling 1,574 units for that same time period.

Accessory apartments make up less than 2% of the total residential units being constructed in Whitefish.

Compton-Ring said the numbers show that accessory apartments won’t solve the city’s lack of affordable housing, but it can add to the number of apartments in the city.

However, she did note, that as pointed out by the city’s strategic housing plan most accessory apartments are permitted to non-locals and are generally not part of the much-needed rental pool.

In addition, the update also includes ensuring that the accessory apartments are no more than 600 square feet or 50% of the primary single-family structure, whichever is less. Also that certain design standards be met including that exterior materials, windows and roofline are of similar character to the primary structure.

Final changes to the accessory apartment regulations will have to go before the Planning Board and be voted on by City Council.