Brunswick County, NC Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

2, Accessory Dwellings, sets six requirements once an ADU is permitted on a lot. 1 sets for accessory structures, including the 5-foot side/rear setback and district height cap. Second, 'only one accessory dwelling may be allowed' per lot. Third, the primary dwelling's lot must meet the zoning district's minimum lot-area requirement. Fourth, 'the property shall retain a single-family appearance from the street,' meaning the ADU cannot visibly turn the lot into a duplex-looking property. Fifth, the owner must provide 'one additional off-street parking space' beyond what the principal dwelling requires.

Sixth, a travel trailer or RV cannot serve as the accessory dwelling in a residential district or on residentially used property, and no RV or travel trailer may be permanently connected to utilities. 3, 'Accessory Dwelling Units' carry an 'L' (limited use, subject to these standards and administrative review) in the RR, R-7500, R-6000, SBR-6000, MR-3200, C-LD and N-C districts, and are not listed as a permitted use in the C-I, RU-I, I-G or CP districts, meaning garage apartments and granny flats are a residential and commercial-low-density option, not an industrial one.