New Date Announced For Darien P&Z Hearing On Accessory Dwelling Units

DARIEN, CT — The Darien Planning & Zoning Commission has announced a new date for a public hearing to receive feedback on proposed amendments to regulations regarding Accessory Dwelling Units, or ADUs.

The hearing, which was originally scheduled for Feb. 13 but postponed due to snow, is now scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., on March 12. It will be recorded and posted on the Darien TV79 site.

The State of Connecticut in House Bill no. 6107, Public Act No. 21-29, requires Connecticut municipalities to allow single-family homeowners to build or convert structures on their property into ADUs, which are also known as accessory apartments or even "granny flats" or "in-law apartments."

An ADU is classified as a separate dwelling unit that is located on the same lot of a principal dwelling unit of greater square footage, and also has cooking facilities. They can be detached or attached to another building, in the basement, above an existing garage, or even the garage itself.

The bill provided local municipalities the ability to opt out of the state regulations and create their own regulations regarding the development, or not, of ADUs.

Over the past year, Darien Planning & Zoning officials have been working on a zoning regulation proposal tailored to the specific needs of the town.

The proposed amendments can be found here.

Public comments on the proposal will be heard during the Public Hearing and may also be submitted via email to darienpzc@darienct.gov.