Detached Accessory Dwelling Units

-- Homeowners in more neighborhoods to have new flexibility

“In these difficult times, now more than ever, people are asking for a range of good
housing choices,” said (former) Mayor Nickels. “Backyard cottages offer a small, but

important choice. Whether it’s for a family member, an option to downsize, or simply a

financial decisionthat allows you to stay in your home, the backyard cottage can be a

real-life solution.” Backyard cottages have been described as “mother-in-law units with

a little more breathing room.” Since 1994, Seattle has allowed attached accessory dwelling

units, which are attached to or inside principal residences. Since 2006, homeowners in

southeast Seattle have been allowed to build backyard cottages. A backyard cottage is a

small dwelling unit on the same lot as, but physically separate from, a single-family house.

“Backyard cottages are a perfect solution to most of the things we worry about in Seattle: 

affordable housing,and allowing people to stay in their homes in single-family neighborhoods,”

says Kate Martin, Greenwood neighborhood resident. “We need this option in my neighborhood.”

To ensure a cottage fits within the neighborhood, the lot must be at least 4,000 square
feet in area, with minimum width and depth requirements. The principal house and
backyard cottage combined must not exceed the current 35 percent lot coverage limit for
single-family zones. A cottage can be no more than 800 square feet in area, with a
height limit of 15 to 23 feet, depending on lot width, and off-street parking is required.

Other cities and jurisdictions allowing backyard cottages include Clyde Hill, Issaquah,
Kirkland, Mercer Island, Shoreline, Newcastle, Redmond, parts of unincorporated King
County, Woodinville, Yarrow Point, Portland, Ore., and Vancouver, B.C.

In addition, the mayor and the Seattle Planning Commission announced the release of
the commission’s new Guide to Building a Backyard Cottage in Southeast Seattle. The
guide was prepared to help a homeowner successfully design and build a backyard
cottage. Subjects in the guide include site planning, designing for privacy, green design
ideas, as well as sample designs and construction and permitting information. but can be

quickly adapted for use by homeowners in other neighborhoods. “The Seattle Planning

Commission is pleased to provide this guide for creating attractive backyard cottages

that are designed to fit well in their neighborhoods,” said the commission chair, Linda Amato.

*Exerpts from Department of Planning and Development News, March 19, 2009