The City of Oldsmar is weighing whether to let homeowners build accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, beyond the small slice of town where they're currently allowed, a move that could open the door to backyard cottages on 274 additional parcels. Right now, those units are only permitted in a couple of areas within Oldsmar's Town Center, and officials have made no decision on whether that will change.
Oldsmar's Town Center generally spans the area between Tampa Road, Bayview Boulevard and St. Petersburg Drive and serves as the city's downtown and Community Redevelopment Area, according to the City of Oldsmar. The push to look beyond that footprint traces back to the city's 2023 comprehensive plan, which directed Oldsmar to explore expanding its ADU district, as reported by Tampa Bay 28. Under current city code, Oldsmar's existing ADUs can only be occupied by family members of the primary property owner and cannot be used as short-term rentals.
What Expansion Could Look Like
If the city moves forward, the proposal on the table would make 274 additional parcels eligible for ADUs, per the same Tampa Bay 28 report. Oldsmar officials estimate that expansion would ultimately yield only around 11 new ADUs over the next 10 years, a projection based on a 0.4% ADU building rate observed in neighboring St. Petersburg.
City Manager Felicia Donnelly said community feedback is an important part of the process, according to the station's report. Oldsmar invited residents to a Thursday-night town hall to discuss the potential expansion, and the city is also collecting input through an online survey before any formal decision is made.
Residents Split Between Family Needs And Small-Town Feel
At the town hall, some residents framed ADUs as a practical housing option, particularly for families caring for aging relatives. Jeri Antozzi said ADUs could help families live close together and care for parents, per the same account relayed by the station.
Others worried that expanding ADU eligibility could invite more development and chip away at the city's character. Nikki Sprague said she worries that added development will make Oldsmar wall-to-wall, while Jeff Henninger said he wants the city to preserve its small-town character amid growth, the station reported.
How St. Petersburg's ADU Rules Compare
Oldsmar's estimate leans on data from St. Petersburg, which expanded ADU eligibility into more neighborhoods back in July 2022, according to the City of St. Petersburg. That change made roughly 70% of the city's single-family lots eligible to accommodate an ADU, as reported by St. Pete Rising.
Even with that broader eligibility, uptake has stayed modest. St. Petersburg permitted 110 ADUs in 2023, the highest number on record for the city, followed by 59 more in just the first five months of 2024, St. Pete Rising reported. St. Petersburg allows an ADU to be attached to the main home or built as a separate detached structure, capped at 800 square feet or 67% of the existing home's size, whichever is smaller, according to the city. St. Petersburg also built a GIS mapping tool so homeowners can check their own property's eligibility.
The idea of loosening ADU rules fits into a broader regional push. The Pinellas Housing Action Plan, unveiled in 2023, called on local governments to update codes to allow a wider range of housing types, including ADUs, townhomes and tiny homes, alongside increased density near jobs, transit and amenities, according to Pinellas County.
What Happens Next
For now, Oldsmar has made no decisions on whether to expand where ADUs are allowed or what requirements might apply if it does. The city and Forward Pinellas will collect and review the feedback gathered from the town hall and online survey, then pass it along to the city council and planning board for consideration of next steps, per the station's reporting. Residents who want to weigh in can still complete the city's online survey.
