Springfield, OH Accessory Structures: ADU Owner Occupancy (2026)

Section 1107.05(a)(5) of the Springfield Zoning Code adds an owner-occupancy condition to every Accessory Dwelling Unit approval: the property owner must occupy the principal dwelling or Accessory Dwelling Unit as the owner's permanent residence. The rule gives the owner a choice of which unit to live in, the main house or the ADU itself, but it does not allow an owner to rent out both units while living off-site. This sits alongside the lot's other ADU standards: only one ADU is allowed per lot under § 1107.05(a)(1), and Table 1104.03.1: Use Table classifies the Accessory Dwelling Unit as a Limited Use in Springfield's residential districts, meaning the use is permitted by right once § 1107.05(a)'s full set of standards, including this owner-occupancy condition, is satisfied; there is no separate Board of Zoning Appeals hearing where an owner could obtain a waiver of the residency requirement.

Because Community Development administers building permits and occupancy for ADUs under this same Use Table entry, an owner-occupancy affidavit or equivalent verification is the practical mechanism for confirming compliance at permitting and afterward through code enforcement. The requirement applies regardless of whether the ADU is newly constructed, converted from an existing accessory building under § 1107.05(a)(6)'s ADU Types figure, or added above a detached garage, since the owner-occupancy condition in subsection (5) is not tied to any particular ADU form in Table 1107.05.1: ADU Specifications.