The city of Longmont is asking for feedback regarding the rising rates of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), colloquially called “granny flats,” in local neighborhoods.

An accessory dwelling unit is a small living area that shares a single-unit lot with a traditional home. This includes apartments in basements and above garages and small stand-alone structures in yards.

City officials said an increasing number of Longmont homeowners have been showing interest in ADUs.

An entire neighborhood in northwest Denver is now rezoned to allow granny flats

In most Colorado neighborhoods, homeowners must apply to rezone their property to add an ADU; however, ADUs have been permitted in Longmont’s residential zoning districts for nearly two decades.

Other cities are beginning to follow suit, including Denver’s Chaffee Park which was rezoned in November to allow for ADUs in the city’s first-ever neighborhood-wide rezoning.

Denver’s Sloan’s Lake neighborhood is currently working on a similar rezoning.

Denver’s Sloan’s Lake neighborhood could be rezoned

Longmont officials said the popularity of ADUs may be raising community concerns like increased traffic, noise or visual impacts.

The Longmont City Council intends to use the survey to gauge and address such issues.

Longmont residents can take the survey at surveymonkey.com.