Town looks to nail down regulations, work session planned on Monday night

By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

(Sept. 24, 2026) Berlin officials continued discussing guidelines for accessory dwelling units during a planning commission meeting last week, focusing on design standards and how the town can review proposed units without creating burdensome barriers to construction.

The discussion came as the town works to finalize its ADU regulations ahead of a state-mandated Oct. 1 deadline. The proposed guidelines would allow accessory dwelling units between 350 and 600 square feet, with a planning commission review process intended to ensure new structures comply with local design standards.

During the planning commission meeting, Town of Berlin legal consultant Emily Morris presented a proposed list of criteria for the commission to consider when reviewing ADU site plans.

Under the draft process, commissioners would examine whether an ADU’s design and building materials fit the character of Berlin and appear visually similar to the primary residence.

Morris said the planning commission’s role would be to confirm that proposed units meet the requirements outlined in the town’s ordinance, rather than formally approve or deny otherwise compliant ADUs.

“You’re confirming, not approving,” Morris said.

She added that the distinction would help prevent the review process from being perceived as an additional burden on property owners.

Commission member Logan Hall asked how far the town could go in enforcing design standards under the state legislation.

Morris said the town could establish parameters for ADUs but could not prohibit them outright, citing interpretations of the state law from the Maryland Department of Planning.

Commission members also discussed requiring ADUs to be built on permanent foundations.

Engineering consultant Sharon Cruz said units intended for residential use should be supported by a permanent block or slab foundation, rather than structures that could be moved like sheds.

“It has to be on a permanent foundation,” she said. “…It can’t be something that can just be picked up and moved. Like a shed, a lot of sheds come in and are just placed on cinder blocks. That is not acceptable here. It needs to be a permanent foundation as a dwelling if someone is going to be living there. It’s a safety concern.”

Last week’s debate also addressed whether design requirements could make converting existing structures into ADUs prohibitively expensive.

Matt Stoehr, the planning commission chair, asked how the proposed review process would apply to property owners converting garages or other existing structures that do not meet the town’s design standards.

“If someone has a garage and they are going to convert and/or apply for an ADU license and it does not meet the character … are they coming in front of the planning commission and we’re saying you need to re-side your house?” Stoehr asked.

Some argued that the requirements should not cause the cost of a project to increase substantially.

Morris added that the town’s guidelines encourage the use of existing structures. She also noted that each property would be limited to one ADU, in addition to a shed.

Hall said the cost of new construction could lead more property owners to consider converting existing garages or other structures.

“I would think there’s going to be more conversations than new builds based on the cost of the new build,” Hall said.

The commission raised concerns about emergency response and whether ADUs would receive separate 911 addresses.

Stoehr said ADUs should have a 911 address, while Hall described potential difficulties emergency responders could face when attempting to locate a specific unit on a property.

Hall said he previously worked for 911 and noted that the way addresses are assigned could affect emergency response times, particularly if a caller is reporting a medical emergency at an ADU.

The municipality will continue discussing the proposed ADU regulations in a work session between the mayor and Town Council and planning commission on Monday, Sept. 28 at 5 p.m.