Pontiac, MI Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

Section 3.1304, Design Standards for Two-Family Dwelling in the RIOD, item 5, Deed Restriction, governs accessory dwelling units built under the Residential Infill Overlay District. It requires that 'a deed restriction enforceable by the City shall be recorded prior to the issuance of a building permit stipulating that the ADU will not be conveyed separately from the primary dwelling unit,' with the City Attorney authorized to approve an alternative security instrument if it meets the same intent. This sits alongside the occupancy condition in item 4, which requires one unit of the two-family structure to be owner-occupied and the leased unit registered under Chapter 26 of the Municipal Code.

The RIOD applies only within the mapped overlay area on base R-1 zoned lots, where two-family dwellings and ADUs are permitted as an infill housing option subject to a detailed design package in the same section: consistent height, bulk and scale with neighboring single-family homes, articulated facades and rooflines matching adjacent structures, at least 30 percent higher-quality exterior material, and a vinyl siding cap of 70 percent of any facade with a minimum thickness of 0.50 mm. Parking and access rules in item 8 require driveways and garages consistent with adjacent residential structures, rear-yard parking where rear access exists, and shared driveways only on lots 45 feet or wider, with shared-driveway widths set between 18 and 24 feet.