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Request for Action <br />To <br />Item Number <br />Mayor and City Council <br />8.1 <br />Agenda Section <br />Meeting Date <br />Prepared by <br />General Business <br />February 17, 2015 <br />Chris Leeseber , Park Planner - Planner <br />Item Description <br />Reviewed by <br />Single Family Housing Definition <br />j remy Barnhart, Deputy Director, CODD <br />Reviewed by <br />Cal Portner, City Administrator <br />Action Requested <br />Receive information related to single family definition and application. <br />Background /Discussion <br />Staff receives several inquiries a year from homeowners and people considering purchasing a home in <br />Elk River asking if they can rent a portion of the house or accessory structure to others. Occasionally, <br />these inquiries are for "mother -in -law" apartments, intended for blood relatives. Additionally, there is <br />desire to supplement the household income by offering additional living space, whether they are in the <br />basement of a house or in an accessory structure (Accessory Dwellings). <br />Other questions we receive include: why are two families living in my single family neighborhood? If <br />these extra spaces are rentals, are they getting licenses and are they safe? Why can't I provide my family <br />member a space in the "shed" to live? <br />A single family house is considered a dwelling that provides habitable space for one independent <br />housekeeping unit having cooking, sleeping, and sanitary facilities. According to the city code, <br />famij means any number of individuals generally, but not necessarily, related by blood and marriage, living together at one <br />location as a single, nouprofit housekeeping unit, as distinguished from a group occupying a boardinghouse or roominghouse, <br />tourist home, hotel or motel. <br />By this definition, a group of people related or unrelated occupying a structure could be considered <br />"family." Therefore, staff does not evaluate a dwelling unit by who (related or not) occupies the unit, but <br />by how the structure functions. In application, the presence of a separate entrance, bathroom, kitchen <br />(stove, sink, and refrigerator), and bedroom have constituted a second dwelling unit. These are not <br />permitted in single family districts. <br />Other than licensing, the city does not regulate ownership. Rental of housing may occur in any district <br />housing is permitted. <br />If the City Council desires a change to the single family regulations, direct staff to explore one or both of <br />these items: <br />• A definition for Single Family Housing <br />• Allowing Accessory Dwellings in single family districts <br />A IR <br />