Greenport proposes ADUs in existing buildings without zoning board review

Greenport homeowners could soon convert garages and barns into ADUs for rental apartments without village zoning board approval under a proposal to address the North Fork’s affordable housing shortage.

The proposed changes were presented by Dinni Gordon, chair of the village’s affordable and workforce housing committee, at the Board of Trustees’ Dec. 18 work session.

Newly appointed planning consultant Mark Terry was asked to begin drafting the proposed code changes.

“In the last five years, there have only been a total of six affordable units built in the entirety of the North Fork,” Mayor Kevin Stuessi said.

Ms. Gordon recommended that the ADUs would be a minimum of 275 square feet, and a maximum of half the footprint of the principal building. That means if the primary house has a footprint of 1,000 square feet, the ADU could be no more than 500 square feet.

Deputy Mayor Patrick Brennan made it a point to clearly distinguish the difference between gross floor area and a building’s footprint. A building’s footprint is the ground area it covers, while gross floor area is the total enclosed square footage of all floors.

“Under this proposal, it would be created as-of-right, with no [zoning board of appeals] or planning board review needed, but it would have to be in compliance with all federal laws,” said Ms. Gordon.

It was also recommended that the ADUs be exempt from parking requirements, and that they must only be used as long-term rentals. Ms. Gordon said she hopes the village could expand the updated code to new buildings.

The village has two residential districts: R-1 and R-2. The first district only allows single-family homes, while the second allows two-family homes. Ms. Gordon’s committee recommended eliminating the R-1 designation and making a “general residential district.”

Joseph Owens, a 24-year-old resident, said his family has never owned a house despite roots that date back to the early 1900s. Many of his relatives have been forced to move because of high prices and low inventory, he added.

“This is a necessary step. But let’s be honest, it’s a drop in the bucket compared to the crisis we face,” he said. “We need a village that prioritizes long-term rentals and affordable options for its own people.

“Please pass common-sense ADU laws, and please maintain the protections of our housing stock. Let’s make sure Greenport remains a community, not just a resort.”

Mr. Owens also panned the village’s recently adopted short-term rental code, saying it prioritizes “tourists over neighbors.”

“You’re choosing short-term profits over the long survival of families like mine,” Mr. Owens said.

Having no minimums for rentals shrinks the housing supply for people who live and work in the village, he added.

Dana Locatell, an owner of a four-family house on Main Street, also backed Ms. Gordon’s proposal. He said his property has a detached two-car garage with a loft up top, and that it “fits into the aesthetic of the remaining house.”

The hour-and-a-half discussion did not see board members settle on a concrete way to ensure the ADUs created would be affordable. A survey done by the planning board was also referenced, which showed expanding opportunities for ADUs within the business district were discussed as a way to strengthen year-round activity in the village.

“I think we’ve got a good consensus to turn this over to draft some language for us,” said Mr. Stuessi. “The goal was to get these conversations going together with Mark (Terry), with the code committee, to advance some things.”