Fairfield, Conn. -- The Town of Fairfield will hold a workshop on accessory dwelling units (ADUs), more commonly known as accessory or “in-law” apartments, beginning at 7:00 PM on Thursday, October 17, 2024 at the Fairfield Museum & History Center, located at 320 Beach Road. The workshop is free and open to the public, and is being hosted by the Town of Fairfield’s Affordable Housing Committee.
During this informative ninety-minute workshop, participants can learn more about accessory dwelling units and recent changes to the Town’s zoning regulations that make it easier to establish one. The program will include a moderated panel discussion of key design considerations and permitting requirements in the Town of Fairfield to establish an accessory dwelling unit (ADU), as well as information on benefits, potential costs and common pitfalls that homeowners should avoid. Panelists are expected to include Assistant Planning Director Emmeline Harrigan, realtor Denise Walsh and local builder Rob Daley, as well as Fairfield resident and homeowner Phyllis Fitzpatrick, who recently incorporated an accessory dwelling unit in her Fairfield home. Light refreshments will be provided.
An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is a residential unit that can be added to a single-family home. ADUs can be detached (a separate building) from the main home, an addition to the main home, a conversion of existing space within the home, or a conversion of a garage into an ADU. Accessory dwellings are independent housing units that have their own kitchens, bathrooms, living areas, and entrances. The property owner must reside either in the primary or accessory dwelling unit.
In advance of the upcoming workshop, the Affordable Housing Committee is asking the public’s help in completing a very short survey to better gauge awareness and interest in accessory apartments. The survey, posted at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FairfieldADU2024, should only take a few minutes, but will be extremely helpful in guiding the Committee’s work.
Accessory dwelling units have been on the rise in recent years, including in Fairfield. According to a study by Freddie Mac, first-time listings of ADUs on the Multiple Listing Service have increased on average by 8.6% year over year since 2009. Additionally, properties with an ADU are highly sought after. A home with an ADU is priced 35% higher, on average, than a home without one, according to Porch.com, a home improvement site. There are presently more than 225 legal accessory apartments in Fairfield alone.
While Fairfield has long permitted accessory apartments, the Town’s Affordable Housing Committee, in conjunction with Fairfield Senior Advocates and FairPlan, successfully sought changes to the Town’s zoning regulations to allow ADUs to be incorporated into new construction and as detached structures in certain parts of Town. Since the latest regulations were enacted in 2022, the Town has approved more than two dozen new accessory dwelling unit applications.
“It’s important that we provide options to allow elderly residents to stay in their own homes and continue to live independent and productive lives. Accessory apartments are but one way in which we can enable them to do so,” remarked Bob Ellwanger of Fairfield Senior Advocates.
Urb Leimkuhler, Chairman of the Town’s Affordable Housing Committee, added, “Accessory apartments are smart housing, in that they better leverage our existing housing stock and do so in a way that is sensitive to existing neighborhoods.” He noted that accessory apartments can provide much-needed housing options for not just seniors, but millennials and GenZers as well. “Our mission, as the Town’s Affordable Housing Committee, is to promote a wide range of housing choices for households of all incomes and ages in Fairfield, and accessory apartments are an important component of our overall housing strategy,” Mr. Leimkuhler concluded.
While the event is being held free of charge, participants are asked to pre-register using this link.