Morgan to allow certain apartments in residential areas

Morgan City will now allow a specific type of apartment in residential and agricultural zones in the city to comply with new state laws. 

These apartments, known as Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU), fall into three categories; internal, attached, and detached. All three types must include a kitchen, bath facilities, sleeping quarters, and an entryway to the outside and have a permanent foundation. They must be approved through the city’s process (including fees to be paid) and will only be allowed on lots of 6,000 square feet or greater.

Internal ADUs must be part of the existing footprint of the home; attached garages are considered part of that footprint. Attached ADUs must be constructed directly or added as a part of the existing home. They must be fully enclosed including any connection to the primary structure. They are not permitted in a mobile home. Detached ADUs may be standalone or over detached garages but are not allowed on flag lots.

Property owners must live on-site in the main or secondary dwelling and must obtain a business permit to rent out the apartment which can be rented by no more than one family. The units cannot be sold separately or subdivided from the main home or the lot. Utilities must be shared and separate utility meters are not allowed. The city will give the units a separate address (probably an A, B, or C designation on the primary address) but occupiers of the unit will need to have their mail delivered to a post office box. 

None of the provisions of the new ordinance allow for motorhomes, fifth-wheels, travel trailers, or other “housing units on wheels.”

“This will be a new ordinance for Morgan City,” City Planner Jake Young told the city council at their Dec. 12 meeting, “and it's something that we have had some residents come and ask us about. We've had requests for it – not a lot but quite a bit. This ordinance will provide further options for housing and something to think about is does it  assist with housing affordability?”

“An ADU probably would rent for cheaper than a townhome or an entire home,” he said later. “So it does help with affordability on renting. It also helps with affordability for those who need it to get into a home and get going with having their own home.”

This change is being mandated by the state legislature which is seeking to provide more affordable housing options for Utahns. The planning commission and city council have been working for about a year on this new ordinance which became effective Dec. 12. λ