The Planning Board spent an extended portion of its meeting debating the town’s draft accessory-dwelling-unit ordinance and ultimately opted to revise the public‑hearing draft to make the maximum ADU living area explicit and consistent with state law.

Speaker 1 opened discussion by saying the board wanted ordinances that encourage the spirit of the regulation rather than loopholes. Board members raised concerns about detached ADUs and conversions—especially structures that include large, unfinished “storage” areas alongside living space—which could result in structures that visually read as a second full house on a lot rather than an accessory unit.

Several members referenced the state ADU law (referred to in the meeting as House Bill 577) and emphasized the limits and constraints it places on local drafting. Speaker 6 summarized the local options and existing language and noted that under state law an ADU may be up to 950 square feet in living area; board members debated whether to keep a larger local cap (1,300 sq ft), to use a percentage of the primary dwelling, or to default to the state figure.

Speaker 2 proposed and the board discussed changing the draft to state that the maximum living area of an accessory dwelling unit "shall not exceed 950 square feet." Members expressed mixed views—some said 950 sq ft is a reasonable starting point that aligns with state law and reduces risk of legal challenge; others said a larger cap would better serve families needing two‑bedroom units. The board agreed to forward the 950‑sq‑ft draft to the public‑hearing process while scheduling an additional work session to refine text and outreach materials.

The board directed staff to produce a clarified draft (including strikeout/redline text for public review), circulate the ordinance language on the website, and schedule public outreach sessions ahead of the hearings. Members also asked staff to consult with the town council or legal counsel to confirm statutory limits and to clarify the 750/950 language questions raised in the meeting.

Next steps: the planning board will release the 950‑sq‑ft draft for public review, hold work sessions (noted for early December), and schedule public hearings including a December 18 hearing on related zoning changes.