Fishers leaders are pushing a proposal to allow accessory dwelling units, otherwise known as granny flats, in a portion of the city near the Nickel Plate Trail.
It’s Fishers’ latest attempt to address housing affordability in the city.
The ordinance, which will be discussed at the next Plan Commission meeting on Aug. 5, is expected to be voted on by city councilors at their Aug. 17 meeting. If the ordinance is approved, one additional living quarter on the same property as a primary single-family dwelling would be allowed the in the city’s Village Center Zoning District.
The change would primarily apply to an area between South Street and Fishers Point Boulevard, south of 116th street.
“We’re looking at different housing options and housing types throughout the community,” Megan Baumgartner, the city’s director of economic and community development, told IndyStar. “We’ve had quite a few inquiries over the years from residents about if they could build an accessory dwelling unit on their property.”
The accessory dwelling units would be limited to 800 square feet or less and the ordinance would require that the owner of the property live in the primary dwelling or in the accessory dwelling unit.
“We don’t want this to be an avenue to create more rental opportunities in the community, but we do want to add this diverse housing option for the members in the community,” Lucas Smith, assistant director of economic development for Fishers, told IndyStar.
Accessory dwelling units are typically detached, standalone homes in the rear of a property but could also be located above a detached garage or within the footprint of a home, like in a basement.
Fishers’ ordinance would require the accessory dwelling units have their own entries, addresses, kitchen and bathroom. It’s the first time, at least in recent memory, that Fishers has weighed an accessory dwelling units. But a 2022 housing study recommended the city institute building and zoning regulations for accessory dwelling units for households interested in intergenerational living arrangements.
“We’ve talked a lot about this missing middle component of housing opportunities in Fishers,” Baumgartner told IndyStar. “We’ve also talked a lot about our aging population that we have in Fishers. Accessory dwelling units are a great opportunity for people to be able to age in place.”
Fishers is targeting the area between South Street and Fishers Point Boulevard for accessory dwelling units as the neighborhood already has a lot of new homes and residential infill, she added.
“It felt like a really logical place to introduce this,” Baumgartner said. “It made the most sense to add this type of density in this area.”
On the other hand, the allowance of accessory dwelling units has faced opposition in a neighboring Hamilton County city. In 2021, Carmel city councilors voted down an ordinance that was intended to remove barriers for homeowners who wanted to add an addition to their homes or garages, or build a stand-alone structure, where relatives could live in a fully equipped apartment. The Carmel ordinance faced opposition from homeowners’ associations who feared that unsightly shed-like dwelling units would begin popping up in subdivisions if the permitting process was too lax.
Fishers’ ordinance would require that the accessory dwelling units not change the appearance or character of the property they are built on.
Andrea Davis, executive director of the housing nonprofit Hamilton County Area Neighborhood Development, Inc., said Fishers’ accessory dwelling units ordinance is a small step forward in addressing housing affordability issues in the city and throughout the county.
“All housing is good,” Davis said. “The more housing, the better. And once people are comfortable with accessory dwelling units in this part of the city, there’s a better chance of Fishers allowing them elsewhere.”
Contact Jake Allen at jake.allen@indystar.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @Jake_Allen19. Click here to get Hamilton County news sent straight to your inbox and subscribe to the IndyStar North newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Fishers eyes granny flats as an affordable housing solution. Here’s where
Reporting by Jake Allen, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
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By Jake Allen, Indianapolis Star | USA TODAY Network
