Rockport tiny house zoning: planners say state's lots are too big

The state wants Rockport to allow tiny houses on small lots. Rockport's Planning Board says the state's small lot is just a normal Rockport lot.

At its Thursday, Oct. 15, meeting on Zoom, the board went through the state's sample rules line by line. Members talked about allowing lots as small as 3,000 to 5,000 square feet, far smaller than the state model's 10,000. No votes were taken.

The Planning Board writes the town's zoning rules, which say what can be built where. Any change it proposes goes to voters at Town Meeting. These rules could decide where new, cheaper homes can go in Rockport.

Why Rockport is doing this

Rockport is in the state's seasonal communities program, for towns where many homes sit empty part of the year. One member said the program lets the town bar short term rentals of accessory apartments, which it has done. The trade is that the town must write rules for tiny houses and for building on "undersized lots," lots smaller than the zoning minimum.

"I don't think the state thinks of tiny houses as the panacea for the lack of housing," the board's consulting planner said. She called them one more tool.

What members said

Lot size. A member said the state's 10,000 square feet "is not a tiny lot, it's our typical lot." Member Peter Kuttner said a sketch he made showed a lot of about 1,600 square feet could still meet the rules for setbacks, the space a house must keep from the lot lines. He said 3,000 to 5,000 square feet seemed more acceptable.

Where it applies. Members read the state model as covering every area where a single family home is allowed. That likely means every part of town. One member called it "a real tough sell."

Tiny houses on wheels. The town can leave them out. Most members wanted to, at least for now.

The town's affordable housing count. The state wants 10% of a town's homes on its list of affordable homes. Members worried most tiny houses would not count toward that goal unless the town takes extra steps.

Also at the meeting

• Christine Downing, chair of the Rockport Cultural Council, asked that any housing preference for artists include writers, musicians and other artists, not just painters and sculptors. She said a council survey found space is what artists in Rockport want most.
• A resident said both ideas are a mistake and the town would be better off out of the seasonal communities program.
• The board approved its Aug. 6 and Sept. 17 minutes with corrections.

How you can take part: The Oct. 22 subcommittee session is a posted public meeting, and Vice Chair Tom Mikus, who ran Thursday's meeting, invited residents to come. Planning Board meetings open and close with public comment, and agendas with Zoom links are posted on the town website. Recordings are on the town's recorded Zoom meetings page.

Earlier coverage: Rockport planners start drafting rules for tiny houses (Oct. 1), where the bylaw work began, and Rockport boards this week (Oct. 12), which previewed this meeting.

How we did this: Cape Ann Current watched the meeting online and checked names against the agenda and the board's roster. This story was produced with the help of AI tools and checked against the documents listed below. If you see an error, tell us at [email protected].