The Holladay City Council holds a public hearing Thursday, Oct. 1, on new accessory dwelling unit rules the city must adopt to meet a state deadline.
Residents who want a say in how ADUs are regulated across Holladay have this final chance before the council votes. The hearing begins at 6 p.m. at Holladay Council Chambers, 3330 S. 1300 E. The council could vote on Ordinance 2026-15 the same night.
The measure updates Holladay's ADU standards to comply with Utah's SB284, a 2026 state law that requires cities to permit detached accessory dwelling units on qualifying residential lots. Compliant ordinances are due by Oct. 1.
What would change
Community and Economic Development Director Jonathan Teerlink wrote in a staff report that Holladay's existing ADU rules, adopted in 2024, already align with most of SB284's requirements. He described the updates as minor.
The proposed amendments would extend external ADU development standards to the R-2 and RM (multiple-family residential) zones, which allow single-family construction but currently lack those standards. Parking rules would also shift: two assigned spaces for an external ADU of 650 square feet or larger, one space for a smaller unit.
The ordinance would update building design standards to match Utah Code Section 10-20-618, as SB284 requires. External ADUs could not exceed 25 feet in height. Existing accessory buildings, including non-conforming structures, could be converted into external ADUs under the new standards.
Rental and occupancy rules
The draft ordinance keeps Holladay's owner-occupancy requirement. A property owner or immediate family member must live in either the main home or the ADU on the same lot. Any rented ADU must be leased for at least 30 consecutive days.
The ordinance's stated purpose frames ADUs as a response to changing family needs and rising housing costs, not as a vehicle for short-term rentals or supplemental income.
Planning Commission backed the changes
The Holladay Planning Commission held its own public hearing on the amendments Sept. 22 and forwarded a recommendation for approval. The commission found the changes consistent with the city's General Plan goals for affordable housing.
Teerlink's staff report lists no fiscal impact. The suggested motion is approval.
How to weigh in
Residents can comment in person at Thursday's meeting. Speakers generally get three minutes; a group spokesperson may get five. Written comments can be emailed to [email protected] by 5 p.m. Thursday with the subject line "Public Comment."
The meeting will be livestreamed on the city's agenda page.
If approved, the ordinance takes effect upon publication or posting, or 30 days after passage, whichever comes first. The next scheduled council meeting is Oct. 22.
