ADUs Grant Freedom to Westport Homeowners

How New Regulations are Changing the Town’s Housing Market

Anew regulation is beginning to take shape in the housing market of Westport, CT. Accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, are now permitted in the town, allowing more freedom for homeowners while creating a greater number of affordable housing options in the area. Danielle Dobin, chairwoman of the Westport Planning and Zoning Commission, calls ADUs “a new stewardship of homeowners and Westport as a whole, which we hope will inspire other towns in the state to move forward with their house markets and grant freedom for single-family homes.”

What is an ADU?

An ADU is any outbuilding that is separate from the primary dwelling on a property. These freestanding units are used specifically as rental units, benefiting those seeking affordable housing in Westport and homeowners looking to generate extra income from their property. The units can be new construction or the conversion of existing structures, such as garages, pool houses or studios. Westport regulations have made ADUs possible by removing some archaic limitations on accessory structures, such as not being more than 300 square feet in size, not being over one story in height, and not having more than two water fixtures.

The new rules for accessory buildings are a big win for homeowners, whether or not they want to rent out such a building. A big focus of encouraging the construction of ADUs, however, is to allow for more affordable housing in the area. “These new regulations address flexibility for the homeowners’ right to use their property for whatever they want,” says Danielle. “That includes having elderly parents or children live on the property in a separate dwelling, allowing for a guest home, or generating an extra stream of income through renting out the unit, which also provides more affordable housing for Westport.”

What are the limitations?

Homeowners will still have to follow some key rules when building or converting an ADU. Size still matters for the structure, though the new regulations allow for much more freedom. The size of the ADU is determined by the size of the primary dwelling and the size of the property. Properties of less than one-and-a-half acres are allowed an ADI of up to 850 square feet of floor area; properties larger than this are allowed up to 1,500 square feet. In addition, the unit cannot exceed 25% of the primary dwelling’s square footage. As for height, ADUs have a two-story allowance of 26 feet, with additional FEMA concessions based on proximity to the beach.

Peter Cadoux, president of Peter Cadoux Architects and fellow member of the Westport Planning and Zoning Commission, has already begun work with his team on a number of ADUs. His knowledge of the regulations and early experience have shown Peter the impact that ADUs can have on the community as a whole. “With new constructions going up, it’s important to keep in mind the roofline regulations and the appropriate scaling for the new unit,” he explains. “But ultimately, this is going to change the architectural landscape of Westport. For example, a new rule has allowed for the conversion of old barns into ADUs. With the history present in Westport’s architecture, this is going to allow for greater historical preservation in town.”

The Benefits of ADUs

Besides giving new freedom to property owners, ADUs help expand affordable housing in Westport while keeping property costs healthy. One key rule regarding the renting of ADUs states that the homeowner cannot rent out both structures on the property—at least one must be a dwelling structure for the homeowner. In addition, units must be rented out for at least six months at a time. This prevents an overabundance of Airbnbs in Westport, which could lower property costs, while encouraging long-term rental units that increase the value of the property.

Peter calls ADUs “an opportunity for varied build sizes for different families and more unique, varied architecture for Westport.” COVID created a greater desire in homeowners to live closer to family; the new regulations provide greater flexibility in building homes that fit the needs of families.

ADUs also offer new avenues of opportunity for people who work in Westport but can’t afford to live there. “Single dads, single moms and working-class individuals are great candidates for ADUs,” says Danielle. Since there are no restrictions on whom a property owner rents to, the door is open for anyone to take advantage of these units.

Explains Danielle: “An ADU allows the kinds of people who are needed in Westport to be able to work here and live in our beautiful rural communities.”

The introduction of ADUs was a four-year project in the making for the Westport zoning commission, which hopes to inspire other Connecticut localities to do the same. “Westport is acting as a one-of-a-kind blueprint for the rest of the state on ADUs,” says Danielle. As the fruits of these efforts are just beginning to show, Westport’s future indeed looks bright.

Resources:

Danielle Dobin Westport Planning and Zoning Commission ddobin@westportct.gov

Peter Cadoux, AIA

Peter Cadoux Architects 35 Post Road West Westport, CT 06880 203.227.4304 Cadouxaia.com

Wittus Phoenix/Firebird Grill Rises from The Ashes Danish Design with a Flare

Design + Decor: Your company focuses on bringing premier European-designed hearth products to the U.S. Please tell us why. And how do European and American products differ?

Alyce: When we started in 1978, Niels, born in Denmark, felt there was a market for European-style products outside the U.S. We wanted to bring “hygge”—the Danish art of comfortable living and happiness—to this country. Hygge (pronounced “HUE-gah”) is a word you grow up with when you live primarily in Denmark. You can have a hygge evening, playing cards and drinking tea by the fire. You can have that nice older man or woman gazing out over the ocean—they can also be hygge. So it means a lot of different things, but every Dane knows what hygge means. For us it usually means candles—fire like outdoor fire in a Phoenix/Firebird grill. But it can also be wintertime inside, and having a hygge time. It’s not just coziness; it’s warmth and fun.

In general, U.S. products look old-fashioned or traditional, and a lot of people like that. They’ll have a squirrel or a reindeer on the side, like the old Franklin stoves back in the 1800s. There’s nothing wrong with our American stoves, but that’s not the design our clients want. Our clients want something sleek, contemporary and modernlooking. Today, I’d say that 90% of manufacturers in Europe, not just Denmark, hire designers to develop new products for them because they have an eye for design, and that makes a difference.

Design + Decor: How does the Phoenix/Firebird grill function as both a grill and a fireplace, and how does the design play into this?

Alyce: The Phoenix/Firebird grill is easy to use, and the shape of the grill enables any smoke to be diverted away from the chef. The units are conical in shape, so the whole metal part gets hot, and as it does, smoke wants to go up there. It’s warm air convection, and it’s nice when you’re standing there. You’re not breathing in the barbe- cue smoke and flavor, so it’s convenient that way. Most people have problems barbecuing and have to move around because the smoke is always getting in their face. One of the many advantages of using the Phoenix/Firebird grill is that you get less smoke in your lungs when you’re cooking.

These grills are easy to move; you can put them anywhere. Two people can lay them down and carry them into the yard, garden, back deck or wherever. That makes them really functional. This wasn’t our design; this was a design from Bent Falk, a famous Danish architect whom we talk about on our website. He’s done quite a few products for us. We make them at Focal Metals in Bethel, CT.

Design + Decor: Your Foculus grill acts as both a garden sculpture and a grill. What are the benefits of this piece when utilizing it as a grill?

Alyce: It’s great for the whole family. Everyone can participate or watch as the Foculus is being used. This grill is an entirely handmade ceramic bowl where the fire is inside, and there is a stainlesssteel rim. It’s made by the Italian company La Castellamonte, which has been making ceramic stoves for us for many, many years. The company’s craftsmanship in ceramic is amazing, and each grill is unique. There’s a different pattern to each grill, so you have your own—no two are alike. They’re a bit pricey, but they’re handmade, beautiful and functional.

Design + Decor: Where are you planning your next trip for sourcing European products?

We’re probably heading to Verona, Italy, in 2024. Every two years, the city hosts the world’s largest fireplace and stove trade show. We go there to meet all our suppliers and look for new products. It’s a very innovative show; Americans are beginning to go to it because it has such a high design value. We’re seeing more and more contemporary products coming to the U.S., not only in furniture but also in stove design. People ask, “What do you guys do?” We sort of jokingly say, “We sell warm furniture,” which is true. People don’t come to us only for heat. They come because they like the style; they want something to fit their mid-century house or modern kitchen.

Design + Decor: What three elements do you look for when choosing products to carry in your showroom?

Alyce: First, we look for great design with quality craftsmanship. We spend time with the company and look at their products. Most companies are certified by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), a standard of quality in manufacturing, which gives them a certain prestige and know-how. We just found a new product in Norway, and we’re having it shipped over to take a look at it. We want to see how it’s built, how easily it comes together, how it functions and so on, so it usually takes about a year or more. Once we like a product and go through the whole process of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) testing, it’s a long process.

Second, we look for state-of-the-art technology and manufacturing. This means innovation. We’ve had good luck finding interesting stoves that have a double-burner firebox. We have stoves that create electricity through cold water, a hot firebox type of system. The technology is very important because the EPA emission smoke standards are so demanding today. You must have the latest technology and innovation to meet those standards, so that’s something we have to look at and meet.

Finally, we look for products that are environmentally sound. It depends on where you’re coming from, but we say that burning wood is a good thing. It’s renewable energy. It’s the heat from the sun that gets stored up as you burn it. Trees give off carbon dioxide as they rot in the ground; we know that just by the process of rotting away. Of course, there’s always a little bit of extra pollution when you’re burning something. Overall, compared to fossil fuels, wood burning is still a good choice. Twenty-five to 30 years ago, we had stoves that put out 50 grams of particulates. Now, with the EPA’s standards, we’re down under one gram; it’s amazing.

Resource:

Wittus: Fire by Design Niels and Alyce Wittus, Owners 40 Westchester Avenue, P.O. Box 120 Pound Ridge, NY 10576 914.764.5679 wittus.com