ADUs are allowed in ExeterTypes:DetachedInternal
Types:DetachedInternal
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Rules for Exeter, RI
Is your property eligible for an ADU?
# of Properties
2,160
Owner-occupied
76%
Zoning districts
19
Avg Home Value
$440,731
Median Lot Size
1.98 acres
Avg Income
$114,469
Residential Types:
2,160 housing units
Single Family
100%
Zoning Districts:
3,127 parcels · 19 districts
RU-4
43%(1,357)
RU-3
19%(590)
RE-2
17%(523)
CR-5
12%(375)
Other
9%(282)
ADU Rules
What can you build in Exeter, RI?
Exeter, RI follows state and local rules for Accessory Dwelling Units. Here is a concise overview of the local rules.
Eligibility
- –Internal / Attached ADU: By Right
- –Detached ADU: By Right
Interior / Attached ADU Size Limits
- –Maximum size of 900 sq ft for an internal or attached accessory dwelling unit
- –Maximum size of 30% of the principal dwelling’s gross floor area for an internal or attached accessory dwelling unit
Detached ADU Size Limits
- –Maximum detached ADU size of 900 sq ft
- –Maximum detached ADU size of 30% of the principal dwelling’s gross floor area
Owner Occupancy
- –No general requirement; LB/R and B require owner/employee occupancy.
Parking
- –1 space/ADU in residential districts; no ADU-specific minimum for ADUs in LB/R or B (general dwelling standards apply); max 2 spaces per unit; parking plans for non-detached structures require planning board approval.
Rental Restrictions
- –Short-term rentals prohibited townwide for ADUs; no other rental limits stated
ADU State Law
What can you build in Rhode Island?
- –On an owner-occupied property as a reasonable accommodation for family members with disabilities;
- –On a lot with a total lot area of twenty thousand square feet (20,000 sq. ft.) or more for which the primary use is residential;
- –Where the proposed ADU is located within the existing footprint of the primary structure or existing accessory attached or detached structure and does not expand the footprint of the structure.
- –Subject to applicable dimensional requirements of the municipality
- –As per §45-24-38 of the RI Zoning Enabling Act, if an existing lot is smaller than the minimum lot size required by zoning, its setback requirements are reduced in proportion to the lot's size, and its maximum lot coverage is increased by the inverse proportion.
- –One ADU per lot
- –No short term rentals
- –Studio or 1 bedroom ADU may be up to 900 sq ft or 60% of the Gross Floor Area of the principal dwelling, whichever is less
- –2 bedroom ADU may be up to 1200 sq ft or 60% of the Gross Floor Area of the principal dwelling, whichever is less
What's allowed on your lot?
These are the municipality-wide rules. What's allowed on a specific property also depends on state laws, setbacks, floor area ratio, lot coverage, environmental constraints, topography, and other property-specific factors. Search your address on FutureLot to see what's allowed on your property.
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ADU rules in other Rhode Island municipalities
Rules change at the town line. Check the municipality your property is actually in.
Washington County