Lexington ADU Forum Unpacks New State Law, Permitting Hurdles for Homeowners

LEXINGTON — April 4, 2025 — Lexington League of Women Voters hosts deep-dive ADU forum under new state law. The April 4 First Friday panel, co-sponsored by the Lexington Housing Partnership and moderated by Charles Hornig, brought together Zoning Administrator Olivia Lawler, Assistant Building Commissioner Bruce Dempsey, Cambridge Savings Bank's Jennifer Conroy, and builder Tim O'Reilly of Backyard ADUs to walk residents through the Affordable Homes Act, which took effect February 2, 2025, and now permits ADUs of 900 square feet or less by right with no special permit and no owner-occupancy requirement. Dempsey warned that Lexington's fossil-fuel-free policy bars extending gas or oil lines in any addition and that asbestos hazard surveys are now required for remodels, calling wetlands and conservation buffers "the number one thing" to investigate first. Homeowner Todd Berger described a four-year odyssey converting an 85-year-old barn at 386R Lincoln Street into an award-winning one-bedroom ADU, requiring a Board of Appeals variance to reach 1,040 square feet and 3.5 months of inter-departmental wrangling over the unit's address — the project now generates "substantial" rental income that helps the family remain in Lexington.