Jerome's Planning and Zoning Commission takes up a code change Tuesday night that would, for the first time, spell out how homeowners in town can add an accessory dwelling unit. The hearing is set for 6 p.m. Nov. 10 in the Council Chambers at 100 East Avenue A, according to the city's public hearing notice (via City of Jerome).
The proposal amends Title 17 of the Jerome Municipal Code. It adds an ADU definition, slots ADUs into the city's schedule of district regulations and writes a new set of standards into the supplemental provisions section. It's the city's response to Idaho Code 67-6541, the ADU law the Legislature passed this spring.
That law came out of Senate Bill 1354, which the governor signed March 31 and which took effect July 1, according to the Legislature's bill page. It applies to cities with more than 10,000 people and gives them until Feb. 1, 2027, to rewrite their codes so ADUs are allowed on single-family lots. The city's staff memo points to that same deadline.
The draft in the commission's meeting packet allows one ADU per lot: either an internal unit inside a single-family home or one detached unit. A detached ADU can't go in a front or street-side yard, and on corner lots neither type can push into the side setback along the second street. No ADU can sit in an easement, and the structure has to meet the zone's setbacks.
Size is capped at 1,000 square feet or 75% of the main house's gross floor area, whichever is greater. Height can't exceed the existing primary dwelling. The unit has to match the main house in style, have its own entrance and be functionally separate. If it's built inside the house, only one new entrance can face the front unless the home already has more than one.
Two items stand out for anyone pricing these jobs. First, the draft says an ADU can't be built before construction on the primary dwelling starts, and it has to meet building code, foundation requirements included. Second, the ADU shares the main house's water meter and its water and sewer connections. The shared water line must meet city utility standards and be at least an inch in diameter, and the city can require a bigger service or meter.
Off-street parking generally isn't required. The exceptions mirror the state law: if the main house has no off-street parking, if the street is unpaved and not built for on-street parking, or if the property is within a quarter mile of transit, an employment area or commercial services. The draft doesn't include an owner-occupancy rule, which lines up with the state statute's ban on requiring owners to live in either unit.
The packet also includes a table showing which zoning districts would treat ADUs as permitted uses and which would require a special use permit. Builders working in a specific zone should check that table in the packet before assuming a by-right approval.
The same meeting carries a second state-driven change: a hearing and vote on a starter-home subdivision ordinance amending Title 16, tied to Idaho Code 67-6542. The commission will also discuss draft code for data centers and consider a preliminary plat extension for the 23-lot Hay Boomer light industrial subdivision, per the agenda.
The commission's vote on the ADU ordinance is a recommendation. Under the staff memo, the proposal then goes to the City Council, which has to hold its own public hearing before anything is adopted. No council date has been set in the draft.
Anyone can speak at Tuesday's hearing or send written comments. Questions go to City Planner Ida Clark at 208-324-8189 ext. 140 or iclark@cityofjerome.org. The full meeting packet is posted in the city's Agenda Center.
Why it matters for Contractors
If you build or remodel in Jerome, this is the rulebook you'll be working under for backyard cottages and garage or basement conversions starting next year. The state law requires compliant ADUs to be approved administratively and as a matter of right, which should mean fewer hearings and a more predictable permit path. The numbers to plan around now are the 1,000-square-foot-or-75% size cap, the height limit tied to the main house, and the shared water and sewer requirement with a minimum one-inch line. That last one can change a bid, so check the existing service before you quote. Small shops that want to weigh in on setbacks, entrances or the zoning table should do it Tuesday, while the draft can still change.