Apr 11, 2017 3 min read

Say a family member reaches an age at which living alone becomes a precarious arrangement. And say your property is large enough to accommodate a small standalone structure to serve as a safer home.

So-called “granny flats” may seem like a reasonable solution, as it does for Peters Township residents Mark and Brenda Falcione of Peters Township, who are seeking a variance to build one on their nearly three acres of land off Springdale Road.

The variance is necessary because accessory family dwelling units, as they’re officially known, are not permitted in R-1A or any other Peters zoning districts. The Falciones’ request is on the April 18 agenda for the zoning hearing board, but the subject sparked a discussion among township council members at their most recent meeting.

“It’s a very important issue, as our society is pushing people out of nursing homes into homes,” Councilman David Ball said. “I think it’s something we really want to take a look at, rather than rejecting it out of hand.”

He explained ECHO housing – which stands for elder cottage housing opportunity – has gained some prevalence, particularly on the West Coast. The term “granny flats” actually comes from Australia, where the concept first caught on in the 1970s, and AARP promotes the practice as an inexpensive residential solution for older adults.

“Many of them are semi-permanent,” Ball said. “They can be put on something less than a complete foundation, and so when their useful time is up, they can be moved out and, basically, it’s like they were never there.”

Ed Zuk, township planning director, said the Falciones’ request is far from unique.

“It’s a vital issue that comes to us often,” he told council. “We’re seeing it more and more.”

The viability of such arrangements would depend on the relative sizes of properties, according to council member Monica Merrell.

“In a situation where you have three acres, it might not be a problem for anybody,” she said. “In a situation on a half-acre piece of property, it’s going to be a problem for the neighbors, potentially.”

Springdale Road neighbors have been informed of the Falciones’ intentions.

“We’ve not gotten one inquiry, no negative feedback, from any of the surrounding property owners,” Zuk said.

Some council members pointed out the potential negative of a structure being used for something other than its stated intention and asked if provisions could be made to avoid such a situation.

“In other places, it’s a contract,” Ball explained. “It says that when the primary occupant ceases to use it, then it has to be removed within a certain period of time.”

An auxiliary structure would require a separate sewer lateral from the main residence, which in turn would require a tap-in from Peters Creek Sanitary Authority. That circumstance drew concern from Frank Arcuri, council chairman.

“You’re giving a tap for this one, and maybe you’re taking that limited amount of taps away from a developer who’s going to build on a lot that is going to raise tax revenue for us,” he said. “You’re cutting yourself off at the knees, tax-wise.”