LEWES, Del.- A creative solution to a lack of housing in Lewes is still in the works.
Lewes’s Planning Commission reviewed a proposed ordinance that would allow for Accessory Dwelling Units- or ADUs- in the city.
Essentially, an ADU is a small place to live that is built on an already established property.
Lewes’s Housing Subcommittee has been talking about ADUs for months now. The goal is to build affordable places to live for people looking to work in the city, or for any long-term renter.
There are quite a few rules in the ordinance that people would have to follow, including keeping the ADU under 900 sq, and making ADUs in the Historical District follow HPARC guidelines.
There are some incentives to build ADUs, including that lack of owners having to pay a rental tax, but some committee members felt there might need to be more motivations.
“What is the incentive for the homeowner to do what the intention of this bill will or actions are supposed to do, and that is provide affordable housing?” said commissioner Kevin Keane.
There were also discussions on recent legislation in Dover being sponsored by Sen. Russ Huxtable- with one of the bills focusing on the addition of ADUs in the state of Delaware. Commissioners discussed how this bill would impact their ordinance, and the differences between the two.
The ordinance was sent back the the Housing Subcommittee for more review.