Homeowners' seminar on building second units Homeowners' seminar on building second units (March 17, 2004)

An educational seminar for homeowners on the process of creating accessory units to meet a variety of housing needs will be held from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, March 20, at the Redwood City Community Center, 1400 Roosevelt Ave. in Redwood City. The sponsor is the League of Women Voters of South San Mateo County. Panelists are Craig Ewing, director of community development for the city of Belmont; Iris Harrell of Harrell Construction; and Sharon Niederhaus, a housing advocate, who will be moderator.

The seminar will deal with the advantages of accessory units, including stories of people who have done them; zoning ordinance and how cities use them to regulate second units; obstacles that remodelers face when trying to build accessory units; and suggestions for working with municipalities.

The recent passage of state legislation (AB 1866) requiring municipalities to streamline their accessory unit ordinances has enabled homeowners to apply for use permits without the delaying process of public hearings, the league said.

Many homeowners add space for elderly parents, adult children, tenants, or caregivers of children or disabled family members.

Using case studies from local communities, the panelists will discuss how to overcome building obstacles.

A light brunch will be served. For more information, call the league office at 325-5780.

The League of Women Voters of South San Mateo County is a nonpartisan political organization that serves Atherton, East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Portola Valley, Redwood City and Woodside.

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