Op/Ed

Letter to the editor: Concern over S.100 unfounded

Regarding John Moyers’ editorial of March 23: He described an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) in Bristol that was 2,400 square feet and larger than the main house. He feared that Senate Bill 100 would allow such buildings with no more oversight than that which would be required for a single-family house. But the bill also defines an ADU as “a distinct unit that is clearly subordinate to a single-family dwelling … and does not exceed 30 percent of the total habitable floor area of the single-family dwelling or 900 square feet, whichever is greater.” The Bristol zoning code says that an ADU shall not exceed “the greater of 30 percent of the total habitable floor area of the single-family dwelling or 1,000 sq. ft.”

So even if S100 passes, an ADU that’s bigger than the main house would not get an automatic green light in Bristol or anywhere else. If Bristol approved this gigantic ADU, they were not complying with their own zoning.

Chris Robbins

Middlebury

Share this story:
More News
Op/Ed

Editorial: A barn-raising, mayhem, and land as community

“For much of this rainy June I’ve been out-of-state on family affairs … What I didn’t mi … (read more)

Op/Ed

Community Forum: Don’t wait till later to talk about school funding

“Vermont voters and taxpayers will have the final say, and they don’t have enough informat … (read more)

Op/Ed

Ways of Seeing: The Purple Gazebo

The Purple gazebo was built over one hundred years ago for an orphanage in Shelburne.

Share this story: