Revere — City planning staff briefed the City Council on changes the Affordable Homes Act imposes for accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, and recommended delaying a final local ordinance until the state’s model bylaw is released.

Tom Skorowski, Chief of Planning and Community Development, told the council that Governor Healey’s Affordable Homes Act (enacted in August 2024) requires municipalities to allow ADUs by right in single-family zones and prohibits "unreasonable" regulatory barriers. Skorowski said the state released final regulations Jan. 30 that clarified key elements — most importantly that a bus stop counts as a transit station, meaning municipalities generally cannot require parking for ADUs within a half-mile of a bus stop (a change that affects much of Revere).

Skorowski said the city’s draft amendment will need several tweaks to conform with the state rules: clarifying parking exemptions near transit, confirming whether multiple ADUs per lot are permitted (the city said it would likely opt to allow only one ADU per lot), and specifying where ADUs will be allowed relative to existing structures and nonconforming lots. He advised waiting for the state's model bylaw (expected within weeks) before finalizing the local ordinance.

Councilors and members of the public raised questions about parking, impacts on schools, heat-pump noise and whether ADUs could be used for short-term rentals; Skorowski said the state regulations permit the city to keep prohibitions on short-term rentals but otherwise limit zoning-based restrictions. He also said ADUs remain subject to building, fire and conservation rules (for example, structures in flood-prone areas still require appropriate approvals).

Why it matters: The state requirement overrides Revere’s prior local rules and could allow ADUs broadly across the city. Councilors expressed concern about parking, school capacity and neighborhood character; planning staff said many of those operational issues must be addressed in follow-up zoning language consistent with state law.

What’s next: The council referred the item to the zoning subcommittee. Planning staff recommended waiting for the state model bylaw to ensure local changes align with final rules.

Quotes

"Where it's our mission to do this as quickly as possible to get the lead out of the city and minimize the impact to the roads, the trenches that we have to do," (Note: quote belongs to MWRA item) — This article quotes Tom Skorowski on ADU rules.

"This law went into effect February 2… our local ordinance became obsolete, and it's superseded by this new state regulation," Skorowski said.

Ending: The council did not adopt the draft ordinance at this meeting; zoning subcommittee follow-up and alignment with the state's model bylaw is expected before a final municipal ordinance is voted.