Granny Flat Zoning Temporary Use Permit

Someone I know thought she was going to have to sell their small home and move, so they would have enough space to care for her mother-in-law. Momma was no longer able to care for herself, but their house was too small to move her in.

Then she found out that she could put a temporary small home in their back yard. People call these in-law houses, granny flats, ADUs or Granny Pods.

It was the ideal solution; her mother-in-law has some independence, while she is still close enough for them to care for her.

The family really love their home and were not looking forward to trying to find another one.

This took less time. They ordered the small manufactured home and it was delivered pretty quickly.

It was a lot less work. They were really not looking forward to packing and moving. Now they don’t have to move any of their own stuff. Momma can just bring what she wants with her.

The cost was lower than assisted living was going to be, too. A 530 square foot manufactured home from Clayton Homes starts at around $40,000. The payments are much lower than paying someone to help at Momma’s house or having Momma in a shared room at an assisted living center.

Their neighborhood wasn’t zoned for a second house on their land, but they were able to get a permit because the house was not going to be permanent.

Their yard is small, but they were able to get a variance to squeeze the house in, even though it is close to the lot line.

City of Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance

Section 8-3 Temporary Use Permits for Manufactured/Mobile Homes. No more than one manufactured/mobile home may be permitted in the rear yard of a residential dwelling on a platted lot as an accessory structure, provided, the manufactured/mobile home shall meet the principal structure setback requirements for the district in which it is located. Such use shall be temporary and shall be based on a finding by Board of Adjustment that a personal hardship situation exists (such as the need to care for elderly parents or other dependents) which justifies a special exception of this nature. Temporary Use Permit shall be issued in such cases for one year, and may be renewed by the Zoning Administrator so long as the hardship continues to exist.

All such manufactured/mobile homes situated in rear yards must have access to city water and sewer service or individual systems approved in writing by the County Health Officer and such manufactured/ mobile homes must be maintained in such a way as to create no nuisance conditions. Furthermore, if any such manufactured/mobile home must be situated closer to the side or rear yard line than the required setback for the district involved, a variance must be obtained from the Zoning Board of Adjustment.

PDF: City of Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance