Housing

SB 659 prevents West Virginia municipalities from banning or overly restricting accessory dwelling units (ADUs) - secondary living spaces like converted garages or backyard cottages - on single-family residential properties. The bill bans local governments from requiring public hearings, imposing excessive fees ($250 max application fee), mandating matching exterior designs, or setting stricter size/height rules for ADUs than for primary homes. It also prohibits municipalities from requiring additional parking, restrictive covenants, or separate water/sewer systems for ADUs, though they may still regulate short-term rentals separately. This directly affects homeowners seeking to build or rent out ADUs without local bureaucratic hurdles.