A handful of residents, mostly rental property owners, turned out to a meeting of the Lewes Planning Commission.
The Planning Commission is reviewing an ordinance passed last year regulating accessory dwelling units, or ADUs - second living spaces on the same property as a larger house. Planning commissioners are specifically looking at a requirement that requires property owners with ADUs to live on the property.
Lee Ann Wilkinson is a local realtor. She opposed the owner occupancy requirement, and suggested existing properties with ADUs should be exempt from that restriction.
“A lot of people don't want to live here full-time. [They] go to Florida for half the year. Why would that preclude them from doing an ADU on their property?” she asked.
Martha Good said she recently bought a house and ADU, intending to rent both units.
“I'm a Floridian resident," she said. "I'm there for my job six months out of the year, and so it's impossible for me to be here the entire year.”
Diane Haas owns property with an ADU in Lewes, but lives in Maryland. She said she rents both her house and ADU.
"When I'm told that I have to be a resident in my house, I now have to decide what am I going to do?”
Last week’s meeting was a public hearing on the proposal. The Planning Commission could discuss and vote on a recommendation next month.
