TLHCA

TLHCA Board Takes Position on Accessory Dwellings

The Tara-Leeway Heights Civic Association Officers and Executive Board reviewed the current recommendations of County Staff on accessory dwellings and though the recent revisions have gone a long way in mitigating our neighborhood’s concerns regarding accessory dwellings, a lot of questions still remain.

Most of us believe that affordable housing is a worthy goal for our local government and would like to live in a community that puts a high priority on the care of its elderly citizens. The Tara Leeway Height Civic Association does not dispute these objectives; it’s the means in which the county intends to carry it out that is of most concern.

The perception among many of our residents is that the AD proposal seems to be on the fast track for approval with little consideration for other alternatives. Once this gets enacted, it will be impossible to rescind. This is permanent and therefore we need to get it right the first time. The stakes – the preservation of our neighborhoods – are too high for a rush to judgment. Does increasing density have to be the only answer to the affordable housing issue? Are there other ways of accomplishing this goal?

We believe a healthy debate on these issues must take place before any proposal is enacted. Subsequently, the Tara-Leeway Heights Civic Association would like to urge the county to defer their decision on Accessory Dwellings until the more options are considered and the impact to our neighborhoods better understood.