Anchorage recently passed a package of laws that will allow accessory dwelling units in commercial and residential zones, and, in a rare move, on residential lots with existing multi-family housing.
The Anchorage Assembly recently approved a reform package that will allow more accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in Alaska’s largest city.
According to an article by Jeanette Lee for the Sightline Institute, the city will ease ADU permitting and construction by “allowing bonus homes on more kinds of properties and removing owner-occupancy requirements and onerous design rules.”
Anchorage’s ADU reforms allow a bonus home in all commercial and residential zones and on all kinds of housing, including large, multifamily buildings. Owners can build a bonus home, or buy a home that comes with one, but no longer have to live on the property. Design-based barriers, including square footage, height, and architectural requirements, were eased or eliminated. The ordinance requires the city planning department to help people navigate the permitting process and start tracking the number of ADUs. Anchorage already did away with parking mandates, another design-related impediment to ADUs, in a separate ordinance last year.
Lee also describes Anchorage’s amended ADU codes as significant compared to other zoning reform efforts around the country. “Most cities limit ADUs to lots with single houses in residential zones,” for example, “But Anchorage now allows them with multifamily homes, too.”
Anchorage also made zoning reform news in November, when it eliminated parking requirements citywide.
FULL STORY: ANCHORAGE ADOPTS MODEL ADU REFORMS
NYC Likely to Legalize ADUs as Part of ‘City of Yes’ Reforms
Homeowners in some neighborhoods could soon be able to build accessory dwelling units in their backyards, garages, or basements.
Pittsburgh Mayor Proposes Zoning Changes to Curb Housing Shortage
The mayor’s plan includes legalizing ADUs in single-family neighborhoods, eliminating parking requirements, and adding new affordability requirements to buildings with over 20 units.
‘City of Yes’ Zoning Reform Gains Planning Commission Approval
The proposal to overhaul New York City’s zoning code, popular with voters, to make housing development easier faces opposition in the City Council.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research