Pontiac, MI Accessory Structures: ADU Owner Occupancy (2026)

Section 3.1304, Design Standards for Two-Family Dwelling in the RIOD, sets architectural and occupancy conditions for duplexes allowed as of right on individual lots within the base one-family (R-1) zoning district of the Residential Infill Overlay District. Item 4, titled Owner Occupancy, states plainly that one of the dwelling units in the two-family structure must be owner-occupied, while the unit that is leased out must be registered with the City as required in Chapter 26 of the Pontiac Municipal Code, and that all rentals must additionally comply with Article VI, Chapter 22 of the Municipal Code.

The surrounding subsections tie the occupancy rule to a broader design package: two-family homes must match the height, bulk and scale of neighboring single-family homes, use varied rooflines and articulated facades, and cap vinyl siding at 70 percent of any facade while requiring at least 30 percent higher-quality material such as brick, stone or hardy plank. Item 5, Deed Restriction, layers on a related recording requirement, though it addresses a companion ADU deed restriction rather than occupancy itself. Because the RIOD is a base R-1 overlay rather than a separate zoning district, the two-family use and its owner-occupancy condition apply only on lots within the mapped RIOD boundary; a duplex outside that overlay is not subject to Section 3.1304 and instead follows the standard R-1 or R-2 use table.