ADU rules in Gainesville

Sec. 30-5.36.B.1: one attached ADU and one detached ADU may be permitted per lot or parcel, and ADUs are exempt from residential density calculations. Use tables list 'Accessory dwelling unit' as an allowed accessory use (A) in all residential districts (SF, RC, MH, RMF-5, RMF-6 to 8, Table V-4), in all transect zones U1 through U9 and DT (Sec. 30-4.12), in most mixed-use and nonresidential districts (Sec. 30-4.19), and in the AGR and MD special districts (Sec. 30-4.23).

The definition in Sec. 30-2.1 states an ADU 'may be within, attached to, or detached from a primary structure', and Sec. 30-5.36.B.1 allows one attached ADU per lot in addition to one detached ADU.

Sec. 30-5.36.B.4: each allowed ADU, either attached or detached, may not exceed 850 square feet; structures exceeding 850 square feet that existed on February 27, 2020 may be converted into ADUs. The general accessory structure standard (Sec. 30-5.34.D) also caps accessory structures at 50 percent of the building square footage of the principal structure, and new detached ADUs may not comprise more than 50 percent of the total visible facade area parallel to the front property line (Sec. 30-5.36.B.6).

Sec. 30-5.36 (the complete current ADU section, read in full) contains no owner-occupancy requirement, and a code-wide search for owner-occupancy provisions found none that applies to ADUs.

Gainesville's parking article sets only maximums, not minimums: Sec. 30-7.5.A reads 'The maximum number of parking spaces allowed for each use is as provided in this section.' The residential table entry caps single-family dwellings at 2 spaces per dwelling unit as a maximum; ADUs have no listed minimum parking requirement and Sec. 30-5.36 imposes none.

In every use table where ADUs appear they carry the 'A' designation, defined in the table legends as 'Accessory' alongside 'P = Permitted by right; S = Special use permit'. No special use permit or conditional approval is required; ADUs are allowed as an accessory use subject to the Sec. 30-5.36 standards.

Sec. 30-5.36.B.8 restricts separate sale, not rental: 'An ADU may not be sold separately or as a condominium unless properly subdivided in accordance with this chapter.' The purpose clause (Sec. 30-5.36.A.1) expressly lists 'obtaining rental income' as an intended use. Code-wide searches found no minimum lease term, short-term rental limit, or deed restriction applicable to ADUs; the exact phrase 'short-term rental' returns zero hits in the code.