Another northeast Johnson County city is exploring new housing options to allow under its city code.
The Merriam City Council on Monday unanimously voted to direct the city’s planning commission to draft an ordinance that explicitly allows accessory dwelling units, sometimes referred to as granny flats or mother-in-law suites.
Over the past couple of years, accessory dwelling units proved a major sticking point in Prairie Village’s heated housing debate, with some residents expressing concerns that allowing for ADUs could lead to increased traffic, strained infrastructure and crowded schools.
Prairie Village’s code allows for what are called accessory living quarters, which require tenants to be related to the primary property owner.
Meanwhile, in Merriam, Billy Croan, the only resident who shared public comment on Monday, urged the city council to support accessory dwelling units in the name of property owner rights. Croan said he believes “government should not stand in the way” of people using their properties.
City staff is going to work with the Merriam Planning Commission to draft an ordinance, which will eventually return to the city council for final consideration.
What are accessory dwelling units?
- Accessory dwelling units are livable spaces that are either connected directly to or that are adjacent to a primary residence.
- Bryan Dyer, Merriam’s community development director, told the city council that a detached accessory dwelling unit is similar to a shed or detached garage in the sense that it is separate from the primary residence.
- Dyer said an attached accessory dwelling unit might be a newly built addition to the primary residence, or it can be an area above a garage.
- Dyer said other Johnson County cities like Overland Park, Westwood and Olathe already allow accessory dwelling units.
- Some Merriam residents have asked the city about building accessory dwelling units in the past, about one to two residents annually, Dyer said.
The city council supports ADU ordinance
- Generally, the city council supported exploring an ordinance that allows and regulates the use of accessory dwelling units in the city.
- Councilmember Bruce Kaldahl said he supports allowing accessory dwelling units in Merriam, but prefers that only one of the two dwelling units — either the primary or the accessory — be rented out.
- Councilmembers Jacob Laha and Whitney Yadrich said the city’s new short-term rental ordinance will likely cover any accessory dwelling unit operating as such a rental property.
- Laha and Yadrich also shared similar sentiments that accessory dwelling units may be an affordable housing option.
- “I know it isn’t a silver bullet to housing affordability in Kansas or in the metropolitan area, but it does provide relief for people, and it can be an option,” Yadrich said.
Next steps:
- Dyer told the city council that city staff will draft an ordinance and take it to the planning commission for feedback.
- A public hearing will take place at a planning commission meeting at a later date.
- If the planning commission recommends adoption of the ordinance, then the ordinance will come to the city council for final approval, he said.
Keep reading local government news: Olathe police partnering with FBI on new firing range training facility
