
Accessory Dwelling Units
Accessory Dwelling Units
As part of the effort to ease the Monadnock Region’s housing challenges, SWRPC is working to bring Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) into the housing conversation.
From downsizing retirees, to post-grads moving back home, to workers struggling to afford rent, ADUs can provide independent living spaces that are low-maintenance, low-cost, and close in proximity to family and community services.
ADUs are small, secondary dwellings on the property of an existing single-family home. ADUs come in all shapes and sizes, from new, detached cottages to home additions or basement apartments to existing garage revamps. These structures are designed to blend into the surrounding neighborhood and increase the Region’s housing stock organically.
Some benefits of ADUs
- Increase housing stock and density by using land that is already developed without compromising the neighborhood “feel.”
- Promote social bonds by providing opportunities for intergenerational living.
- Decrease costs of living by providing secondary forms of income, smaller dwelling footprints, and easing the housing market.
Are there ADUs in the Monadnock Region?
Yes! New Hampshire passed a law in 2017 that mandates municipalities to permit ADUs in some capacity. While municipalities are not allowed to prohibit ADUs, they do have permission to regulate them by as-of-right, special exception, or conditional use permit. Each of these involves a different permitting process, with as-of-right being the smoothest route. Every municipality falls under one of these three categories and that information should be in your town’s most recent Zoning Ordinance. For municipalities in the Monadnock Region, town-specific ADU regulations and resources for homeowners and municipalities are in the tables below.
ADU Ordinances
Municipality | Regulates ADUs in Zoning | Detached ADUs Permitted | Primary Residence or ADU must be Owner-Occupied | Rental Restrictions | ADUs permitted by as-of-right, Conditional Use Permit, Special Exception | Link to Ordinance or Relevant Town Warrant Articles | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alstead | Yes | Yes, attached not mentioned | No | No | Special Exception | 4ec2c0_56cf50fc8c8f46d09a8f94b9348bde6c.pdf (alsteadnh.org) | Article 4, B |
Antrim | Yes | Yes | No | No | As-of-right | antrim_2024_zoning_ordinance.pdf (antrimnh.org) | Article 14, Y |
Bennington | Yes | No | Yes | Yes, family only, short-term rentals prohibited | As-of-right | TOWN OF BENNINGTON ZONING ORDINANCE | Article 7, P |
Chesterfield | Yes | No | Yes | No | CUP | 2024_zoning_ordinance_-_final.pdf (nh.gov) | Section 207 |
Dublin | Yes | Yes | No | No | As-of-right/Special Exception based on lot size | zoning_land_use_final_2022.pdf (townofdublin.org) | Article 4, N |
Fitzwilliam | Yes | Yes | Yes | Short-term rentals allowed by regulated | CUP | Microsoft Word - 24 158 warrant (fitzwilliam-nh.gov) | Articles 2, 3, 5, 6 |
Gilsum | Yes | No | Yes | No | As-of-right | Copy of Zoning Ordinance_2024 (gilsum-nh.gov) | Article 2, K |
Greenfield | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Special Exception | https://www.greenfield-nh.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif3176/f/uploads/zoning_ord_2016_2.pdf | Section 3 |
Greenville | Yes | No | Yes | No | As-of-right, Special Exception for non-conforming lots | zoning_regulations_and_ordinances_updated_6.13.24.pdf (greenvillenh.org) | Section 4.7 |
Hancock | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Special Exception | Zoning Ordinance .Updated 4.19.24 use this one.docx (live.com) | Article 15:6 |
Harrisville | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, designated as workforce housing | Attached: as-of-right, Detached: Special Exception | the TOWN of HARRISVILLE (harrisvillenh.org) | Article 24 |
Hinsdale | Yes | No | Yes | No | As-of-right | 2022_Zoning_Ordinance_(Updated_March_2024).pdf (hinsdale.nh.us) | Article 4, Accessory Buildings and Uses |
Jaffrey | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Special Exception | jaffrey_land_use_code_2024.pdf (townofjaffrey.com) | Section 5, 5.4 |
Keene | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | As-of-right | Ordinance O-2023-06 Submission Pkg.pdf (keenenh.gov) | Ordinance-2023-06 |
Langdon | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | As-of-right | 4_c-_accessory_dwelling_units.pdf (langdonnh.org) | 4 C |
Marlborough | Yes | No | Yes | No | As-of-right | Microsoft Word - 2022 ZONING ORDINANCE.doc (marlboroughnh.org) | Section 9.13 |
Marlow | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | CUP | www.marlownh.gov.docx (live.com) | ADU Ordinance, Section 5 |
Nelson | Yes | No | Yes | No | As-of-right | Microsoft Word - Nelson Zoning Ordinance 2022.doc (townofnelson.org) | Article 5:5 |
New Ipswich | Yes | Yes | No | No | Special Exception | zoning_ordinance_4-2-2018_final_corr_3_0.pdf (newipswichnh.gov) | Article 13, N |
Peterborough | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | As-of-right | Chapter 245 (revize.com) | Section 245-24.1 |
Richmond | Yes | No | Yes | No | As-of-right | TOWN OF RICHMOND (nh.gov) | Article 4, Section 404.3 |
Rindge | Yes | No | Yes | No | Special Exception | Purpose (rindgenh.gov) | ADU Ordinance, Section 3 |
Roxbury | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | As-of-right | ZONING-AND-BUILDING-ORDINANCE-2024.pdf (sharonnh.org) | Article 3, H |
Sharon | Yes | No | Yes | Yes, short term rentals must be preapproved | CUP | ZONING-AND-BUILDING-ORDINANCE-2024.pdf (sharonnh.org) | Article 24, C |
Stoddard | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Special Exception | adu_amendment_accepted_on_may_14_2024.docx (live.com) | Article 3, E |
Sullivan | Yes | Yes | No | No | As-of-right | 2023_CPO.pdf (townofsullivannh.com) | Article 4, H |
Surry | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | As-of-right/Special Exception, varies by zoning district | Town of Surry, NH | Article 5 |
Swanzey | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | As-of-right | 2003 ZONING ORDINANCE (revize.com) | Section 3, AA |
Temple | Yes | Yes, based on lot size | Yes | No | As-of-right | zoning_2022_combine_result_3-withacpro.pdf (templenh.gov) | Section 7 |
Troy | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | As-of-right | ARTICLE I.pdf (troy-nh.us) | Article 7, H |
Walpole | Yes | Yes, attached not mentionned | Yes | No | As-of-right | 2022-zoning_ordinance_2022-05-20.pdf (walpolenh.us) | Article 4, 0 |
Westmoreland | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Special Exception | ZONING ORDINANCE (wsimg.com) | Article 4, Section 407:2 |
Winchester | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | As-of-right | zoning_ordinance_2024_0.pdf (winchester-nh.gov) | Article 3, J 4 |
Windsor | Yes | Yes | No | undefined | Special Exception | No zoning ordinance posted | |
Municipality | Regulates ADUs in Zoning | Detached ADUs Permitted | Primary Residence or ADU must be Owner-Occupied | Rental Restrictions | ADUs permitted by as-of-right, Conditional Use Permit, Special Exception | Link to Ordinance or Relevant Town Warrant Articles | Notes |
A New Hampshire Homeowner’s Guide to Accessory Dwelling Units | NH Housing Finance Authority (NHHFA) | Comprehensive guide for NH homeowners to plan an ADU |
Building an ADU: your online resource for accessory dwelling units | buildanadu.com | Website with resource packets, videos, courses, and a book |
How-to-do an ADU: A Virtual Workshop on Creating an Accessory Dwelling Unit in Your Own Home | Southern NH Planning Commission | 1 hour, 45 minute video session |
An ADU for you | Portsmouth Smart Growth, PS21, NHHFA | 1 hour, 45 minute video session |
The ABCs of ADUs | American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) | General overview, focus on 65+ population |
Planning for Accessory Dwellings | NH Office of Energy and Planning | General guide to reading ADU regulations |
Accessory Dwellings | NH Office of Strategic Initiatives | Guide to the 2017 ADU law and what it means |
Policy and Program Models for Creating Accessory Dwelling Units in New Hampshire | Southern NH Planning Commission for NH Housing | Accompanying flyer here |
Accessory Dwelling Units in NH: A Guide for Municipalities | NH Housing | Introduction to ADUs and how they affect municipalities |
NH ADU Laws Explained | NH Housing | Appendix C to A New Hampshire Homeowner’s Guide to Accessory Dwelling Units |
ADU Resources | NH Housing | Appendix D to A New Hampshire Homeowner’s Guide to Accessory Dwelling Units |
The ABCs of ADUs | American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) | General overview, focus on 65+ population. |
Policy and Program Models for Creating Accessory Dwelling Units in New Hampshire | NH Office of Energy and Planning | General guide to reading ADU regulations |
Accessory Dwellings | NH Office of Strategic Initiatives | Guide to the 2017 ADU law and what it means |