A recent zoning change in an area township will permit a type of housing that officials say will hopefully lead to a stronger sense of community.

Hamburg Township recently passed a Zoning Ordinance Amendment that will allow what is called “cottage housing” within the High Density Residential, Village Center and Village Residential zoning districts through the Planned Unit Development process. Township officials say cottage housing developments are a form of smaller single family residential units clustered around common areas and amenities. While this isn’t a new concept, this latest version includes shared parking areas to reduce infrastructure costs while providing an affordable alternative to large scale single-family residences that could potentially be popular with Baby Boomers looking to downsize and Millennials looking to affordably purchase their first homes.

The zoning changes will allow this alternative housing type in the area surrounding Old Downtown Hamburg, better known as the Village Center Area. Officials say it will blend nicely with the existing single family homes in the village area and could act as a buffer between the existing homes and future higher density developments in the area. The new regulations would allow cottage communities designed to have a density up to 6 to 10 units per acre, a housing size ranging between 400 and 1200 square feet and would require that 50 percent of the land within the neighborhood remain under common ownership. (JK)

Pictured: Danielson Grove - Kirkland, WA