Washoe’s Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday approved changes to county ordinance to allow some property owners to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on their property. The changes affect property owners in unincorporated Washoe County, excluding the Lake Tahoe basin.
“I know we’re all very excited that this is moving forward from the direction we gave to staff to work on these phases of workforce and affordable housing opportunities in the county,” Commission Chair Alexis Hill said.
Direction was originally given to county staff in January 2023 to explore options for increasing housing affordability in the region. County Planner Kat Oakley described the proposed code changes in depth at the commission’s March 5 meeting.
Changes include allowing some homeowners with larger properties to build ADUs “by right,” and others to build following an administrative review. Special use permits will no longer be required. The allowed sizes for ADUs were also updated, with a category for minor ADUs less than 500 square feet and a maximum size for any ADU of 1,200 square feet.
Board appointments
Retired teacher and school librarian Tami Ruf was selected from among 87 qualified applicants to fill a vacancy on Washoe County’s Library Board of Trustees. Ruf has lived in Washoe County for 51 years, teaching middle and high school social studies for 20 years, and finishing her career with six years as a high school teacher librarian.
Ruf said she was interested in serving on the board of trustees to continue the work she’d done while serving for the school district.
“I created a safe, inclusive environment that served all staff and students at my school,” she wrote in her application. “I advocated for the inclusion of titles that reflected the students and staff present in my school and welcomed inquiry and curiosity into the library.”
The number of applicants considered Tuesday reflected a 74% increase from the last appointment process in September 2023 when commissioners were tasked with filling two vacancies on the library system’s board.
Applications to serve on the Library Board of Trustees have increased dramatically over the past year as culture wars regarding books depicting characters and themes from the LGBTQ+ and Black communities and drag queen story hours have increased nationwide.
Those who applied for the seat comprise a diverse group of residents, including retirees, educators, business owners, community advocates, writers, engineers and public employees. Applicants were represented by multiple generations and included those who’d recently relocated to Washoe County as well as others who’d spent five decades or more in the community.
In their applications, many said they had applied because they were passionate about libraries and had concerns about recent efforts in the community alleging to censor books. Several others said they wanted to lend another conservative voice to the board.
Commissioners also approved Sean Hill, chief executive officer of Sierra Nevada Journeys, to serve on the Washoe County Open Space and Regional Parks Commission. His term will continue through Dec. 31, 2025.
