Auburn, MA Votes to Allow THOWs as Caretaker ADUs

Update 5/8/19: Tiny House Zoning Bylaw Passes in Annual Town Meeting

After a months-long and town-wide advocacy campaign, the town of Great Barrington approved an accessory dwelling unit zoning bylaw that includes movable tiny houses. Now it goes to the Massachusetts Attorney General, Maura Healey, to be signed.

The AG is anticipated to sign it, as she signed a similar Nantucket zoning bylaw. Additionally, she is on the record calling tiny houses a good affordable housing option.

Read all about the impressive story behind the new tiny house zoning amendment here.

4/26/19: The THOW as accessory dwelling unit zoning amendment will be voted on at the annual Great Barrington town meeting, 5/6.

Local advocates with the American Tiny House Association and B&B Micro Manufacturing are hosting a tiny house open house before the meeting. Details available here.

Of note, THOWs will need to be licensed with DMV and meet ANSI standards (RV building code).

 

3/11/19: The proposed tiny house zoning ordinance is moving forward.

Public comment is open until next week’s planning board meeting. It is expected to pass, and will be voted on at the Town Meeting, the last week in May. More details available here.

 

3/7/19: The Great Barrington, MA planning board is considering adding movable tiny houses (aka tiny houses on wheels) to their zoning code.

Jonathan Hankin is the chair of the GB planning board, a real estate agent, and an architect. He is also a fan of tiny houses. He writes: "As proposed, MTH's will only be allowed as an ADU which means there has to be a primary dwelling. It seems that defining it as an ADU is hopefully the path of least resistance. Still need a 2/3 majority at town meeting to allow them. Tiny houses that are put on a foundation are already permitted as an ADU under our current bylaw but would, of course, need to meet the stretch code adopted by GB. We are also seeking to increase the allowable number of ADU's to two."

Contact Katie Jackson, of B&B Micro Manufacturing and Northeast Regional Director of American Tiny House Association