Councillors, residents cite overbuilding, voice opposition to state-mandated ADU’s

By The Advocate

Several city councillors and residents were distressed to learn this week that the city’s ordinance on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU), better known as in-law apartments, needs to be amended to make way for a state mandate to allow all ADUs to be built by right; any place where single family homes are allowed.

City Director of Planning and Community Development Tom Skwierawski said during this week’s public hearing that he was still waiting for a model ordinance from the state which will include design and dimensional standards but for now he reported that ADU’s could be 900 square feet or half the size of the single-family home it is built with.

One woman opposed to the idea said Revere was overbuilt and overpopulated.

“We want to help people but not everyone can live in Revere…There’s a whole big country out there, not everyone can come to Revere,” she said.

Longtime resident Ed Terrell said the council needs to confront the issue of overdevelopment. “The quality of life in the city is going downhill,” he said.

Ward 1 Councillor Joanne McKenna agreed overbuilding is affecting the quality of life in Revere.

“I’m so against this,” said McKenna. “We fought against this. All the work we’ve done for the past 10 years is going out the window. I worked to get permit parking and it’s all going to be taken away. It’s ridiculous.”

Ward 3 Councillor Anthony Cogliandro said the new rule worried him. He acknowledged it’s a state mandate that applies to all cities and towns but added that’s the problem.

“Revere is not the same as Ipswich; not the same as Worcester.”

Councillor At-Large Michelle Kelley agreed and said, “I could not be more opposed to this.”

Kelley described the new state rule as heavy handed and said it’s being shoved down the city’s throat.

“I would strongly be in favor of finding some way to challenge this,” said Kelley who added unlike the mandate for a housing production plan which came with the risk of losing state aid for municipalities that didn’t comply, there are no sanctions for ADUs.

Council President Marc Silvestri asked if there would be penalties for denying applications to build an ADU. Skwierawski said the city would be libel for civil action.

“We would spend a lot of time in land court,” he said. “It’s costly to fight against applicants who are legally entitled to something.”

Silvestri asked if Revere’s statehouse delegation could do something to help.

Skwierawski said that would be complicated but it is the best bet.