Guide to Princeton’s Housing By-laws
Accessible Dwelling Units (ADUs)
Boarding
- Boarding means providing a bedroom or a suite of rooms in a dwelling to a non-transient tenant with the dwelling owner present
- A roommate is a boarder
Maximum capacity
2 bedrooms or suites per dwelling.
Meal preparation
- Meals must be prepared in a central kitchen
- No meal preparation facilities may be located in a guest bedroom or suite
Special permit required
- You will need a special permit from the Planning Board: Special Permit Application
- If a dwelling changes ownership, the new owner must get a new permit
Fees
- There is a special permit fee and also a fee to cover the expense of the required public hearing. See the Planning Board fee schedule.
- Boarders, short-term rentals, and Bed-and-breakfasts all require a special permit. If you have any thoughts of doing more than one activity (for example bed-and-breakfast plus short-term rentals) you can request that the public hearing for the two permits be combined.
Short-term Rentals
- Short term rentals are leases of a dwelling for less than 31 days
- The dwelling owner may be present or not
Maximum duration
- 30 consecutive days
- 60 days per calendar year
Special permit required
- You will need a special permit from the Planning Board: Special Permit Application
- If a dwelling changes ownership, the new owner must get a new permit
Fees
- There is a special permit fee and also a fee to cover the expense of the required public hearing. See the Planning Board fee schedule.
- Boarders, short-term rentals, and Bed-and-breakfasts all require a special permit. If you have any thoughts of doing more than one activity (for example bed-and-breakfast plus short-term rentals) you can request that the public hearing for the two permits be combined.
Bed and Breakfast
Bed-and-breakfast means overnight lodging in a dwelling with the dwelling owner present.
Maximum capacity
- Not more than 3 bedrooms or suites
- Not more than 2 adults per bedroom
Maximum duration per stay
7 consecutive days.
Meal preparation
- Guest meals are limited to breakfast prepared in a central kitchen
- No meal preparation facilities may be located in a guest bedroom or suite
Special permit required
- You will need a special permit from the Planning Board: Special Permit Application
- If a dwelling changes ownership, the new owner must get a new permit.
Fees
- There is a special permit fee and also a fee to cover the expense of the required public hearing. See the Planning Board fee schedule.
- Boarders, short-term rentals, and Bed-and-breakfasts all require a special permit. If you have any thoughts of doing more than one activity (for example bed-and-breakfast plus short-term rentals) you can request that the public hearing for the two permits be combined.
Conversion from Single Family to Two or Three-Family
- Homes on large parcels built before 1980 can be remodeled into two-family or three-family homes
- Homes on 3 or more acres can remodel to become a two-family
- Homes on 5 or more acres can be remodeled into either a two or a three-family home
- The new units can be sold as condominiums.
Age requirement
The home must have been built before 1980.
Acreage requirement
- 3 acres are required to convert a single-family to a two-family home
- 5 acres are required to convert a single-family to a three-family home
Design restrictions
- You cannot substantially enlarge the exterior of the pre-existing dwelling
- You can re-purpose any space within the exterior
- You can add exterior features (wrap around porch) that exceed the original footprint
Entrances
- Only one entrance per façade unless each entrance is on its own ell or wing
- The units may also share an entrance from a common foyer/hallway
Driveways and Parking
- Only one driveway is permitted
- 2 spaces per unit
Setbacks
Setbacks are 50 feet from lot lines and from the street right-of-way.
Exterior staircases
Exterior staircases are not allowed above the first floor.
Permits
You will need to comply with the usual departments and boards:
- Board of Health – must verify your septic can support any additional bedrooms
- Building Department – you or your contractor need to complete applications and receive the applicable (building, wiring, plumbing) permits
- Planning Board – you will need to apply for a special permit (Special Permit Application)
- For dwellings converted to condominium units, you will need to provide draft condominium documents and a maintenance plan as part of the special permit application