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Civic Affairs

St. Michaels Agenda Puts ADU Zoning Rewrite and Fee Schedule on Wednesday

Ordinance No. 578 would cap accessory dwellings at 75% of the primary home’s living area or 800 square feet, whichever is less, under state HB 1466; staff asks the Commissioners to send the draft to the Planning Commission. Resolution 2026-06 would amend the town fee schedule.

St. Michaels Community Center on Railroad Avenue
AI-generated illustration; not a photograph of St. Michaels Community Center on Railroad Avenue.

ST. MICHAELS, MARYLAND — The Commissioners of St. Michaels meet Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, at 5 p.m. at the St. Michaels Community Center, 103 Railroad Avenue, for a legislative session.

The posted agenda lists two land-use items after announcements and the consent agenda:

A staff memo in the Sept. 23 packet says Maryland House Bill 1466, approved April 22, 2025, requires local governments to allow accessory dwelling units on single-family lots and to loosen related limits. Under the bill summary, counties and municipalities must adopt local ADU authorization laws on or before Oct. 1, 2026. The draft ordinance would raise the town’s ADU size limit from 50% of the primary unit’s living area to 75% of that living area or 800 square feet, whichever is less; exclude ADUs from density and lot-coverage standards; and make the one required parking space contingent on a staff parking study.

Ordinance No. 578 would amend Chapter 340 of the town code, including the residential use definitions, the table of permitted uses, §340-58 accessory dwelling unit standards, coverage limits, and minimum parking requirements. Staff asks the Commissioners to refer the draft to the Planning Commission for a Comprehensive Plan consistency review before final consideration. The ordinance sheet leaves introduction, public hearing, adoption, and enactment dates blank.

Resolution No. 2026-06 would amend the Commissioners’ fee schedule under Chapter 42. The attached draft schedule includes an accessory dwelling unit application fee of $200 per unit among other permit and board fees. The resolution’s yea-and-nay blanks are not yet filled.

Town Manager and staff announcements on the same agenda include a note on St. Michaels Historic District boundaries and the amendment process. The consent agenda lists approval of the Sept. 9, 2026, meeting minutes.

The agenda does not record a Commissioner vote on either measure.

ItemAgenda / packet text
Ordinance for considerationOrdinance No. 578 – Accessory Dwelling Unit, Zoning Text Amendment
Resolution for introductionResolution No. 2026-06 – Fee Schedule
Staff recommendation on Ord. 578Refer the draft ordinance to the Planning Commission
Meeting place / startSt. Michaels Community Center, 103 Railroad Avenue; 5 p.m.

Source: Town of St. Michaels

Drawn from public records; drafted with AI and edited by Peter Gorman before publication.

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