Many Maine communities have amended their zoning ordinances to allow accessory dwelling units, recognizing the benefits of this housing option.
Accessory apartments, or "granny flats" provide many benefits to communities—offering affordable housing, bolstering neighborhood stability, and making efficient use of existing housing.
Lynne Seeley reviews accessory apartment ordinances in Maine, highlighting key elements for a community to consider in an accessory dwelling unit provision, such as:
- Occupancy
- Size limits
- Attached or detached units
- Parking spaces and location
- Design standards
In addition to a strong and well-thought out ordinance, community outreach and engagement is important for educating the public and facilitating the process of finding people who would benefit from adding an accessory unit to their home.
FULL STORY: Accessory Apartments: An Affordable Housing Strategy

Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.

National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.

Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.

Test News Post 1
This is a summary

Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.

Test News Headline 46
Test for the image on the front page.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service