ADU design competition a perfect fit for Cleveland Heights, officials say

Cleveland Heights is inviting residents to build out their beloved community, with a little help from city planners and professional architects.

In late August, city officials announced details of Cleveland Heights’ accessory dwelling unit (ADU) design competition. The contest welcomes proposals from experienced and aspiring architects alike – winning designs will be developed into construction-ready plans for people interested in building a dwelling on their property.

ADUs are separate living spaces that share a property with a main residence. With the competition as a catalyst, Cleveland Heights aims to modify its zoning codes for construction of ADUs in residential neighborhoods. Ideally, the small dwellings would provide space for older family members to age in place near loved ones, according to city officials.

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“For many seniors, ADUs can provide an affordable way to live independently while receiving support from their family in the primary residence,” said Cleveland Heights planning and development director Eric Zamft in a press release.

While existing carriage houses and outbuildings are allowed under current zoning, constructing an additional detached living space on a property is not permitted, noted assistant planning director Karen Knittel in an interview with The Land.

“Carriage houses were basically ADUs for people working in a household,” said Knittel. “They might be adjacent to or over a garage, but we don’t have zoning code regulations for people to build a new (ADU). We’re hoping the competition lets us take a closer look at the code and what’s appropriate for the community.”

The ADU contest offers two options – a  juried category for professional architects and a “people’s choice” tier for ordinary residents. Entrants are tasked with developing dwellings that complement “the existing character of Cleveland Heights’ neighborhoods,” the press release said. Participants are encouraged to focus on senior-friendly universal design concepts such as wide doorways and single-floor living arrangements.

Winners of the juried contest will receive stipends of $3,250 to help turn their concepts into reality. Winning people’s choice entries, meanwhile, will get a cash prize and have their designs developed by a licensed architect. All entries must be submitted by October 21, with online voting for the people’s choice award taking place from October 23 to November 15. Winners of both competitions will be announced on December 4.

The competition is a collaboration among Cleveland Heights, the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission and the nonprofit Greater Ohio Policy Center. A $15,000 design grant from AARP – the nation’s largest organization dedicated to older Americans – will be utilized as stipends for juried award winners. 

City leaders learned about the AARP grant just as they completed a study on ADUs – a happy confluence that led directly to the design competition, said Knittel.

“This is a process to think through how ADUs may fit into our neighborhoods and to discuss what zoning regulations should be developed,” she said. 

Building an ADU for an aging relative is only viable if it’s erected quickly, said Mike Thomas, city director of communications and public engagement. 

“Having an ADU on my property for my mother-in-law would be pretty attractive, but it takes time to get approval,” Thomas said. “What Cleveland Heights is doing is having pre-approved plans that will speed up the process. These are turnkey options that could be approved fast, and take away the expense (for a loved one).”

A 2016 Cleveland Heights master plan called for alternative housing stock – including ADUs – for a suburb that lost population in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Planning director Knittel believes ADUs can preserve the essence of Cleveland Heights and keep people in the community.

“Enabling ADUs offers an affordable option for established communities, without changing their size or scale,” said Knittel. “We realized from the get-go that this competition was a great opportunity to engage the community, and speak about how ADUs might fit into the neighborhood.”