Keedysville MD ADU Rules 2026: Oct. 7 Hearing, 5-Ft Setback Benchmark & What to Verify

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Last researched: September 19, 2026. Keedysville is now formally considering a zoning amendment to permit and regulate accessory dwelling units. The Town posted a public-hearing notice on September 18, 2026 stating that the Mayor and Council will consider an amendment to the Town Zoning Ordinance to comply with Maryland’s ADU law.

Important timing note: the Town’s notice headline says the October 7 hearing is at 7:00 PM, while the body of the same notice says the public hearing will start at 6:45 PM. Confirm the final start time with Town Hall before attending.

Homeowner takeaway: Keedysville has not yet published the proposed ADU ordinance text in a stable online page that we can quote section by section. The complete proposal is on file at Town Hall. Until the amendment is adopted and effective, homeowners should rely on the Town for the current zoning pathway and should not invent proposed size, parking or owner-occupancy standards from secondhand summaries.

Keedysville ADU planning snapshot

Question What we verified
2026 ADU action The Town posted a public hearing notice on September 18, 2026 for an amendment to permit and regulate ADUs.
Hearing date October 7, 2026 at Town Hall.
Hearing time The headline says 7:00 PM; the notice body says 6:45 PM. Confirm with Town Hall.
Proposal status Proposed; the Town says the Council may act at the regular meeting on the hearing date or later.
Current accessory-building setback The zoning ordinance currently linked by the Town says detached accessory buildings may be as close as 5 ft to side and rear property lines.
Current accessory-building height The same zoning ordinance uses a 20-ft maximum for accessory buildings, subject to listed exceptions.
Zoning permit The Town publishes a zoning permit application and maintains its own Planning & Zoning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals.
State size framework Maryland allows an ADU up to 75% of the size of the primary single-family detached dwelling, and covered jurisdictions may not impose a lower maximum.
State setback framework Local ADU side and rear setbacks may not be more restrictive than existing accessory-structure setbacks.
State parking framework Additional off-street ADU parking requires the state-required parking study and a waiver process.

Keedysville posted the ADU hearing notice on September 18

Keedysville’s official notice says the Mayor and Council will hold a public hearing on October 7 to consider whether to introduce, pass and make effective a zoning amendment to permit and regulate accessory dwelling units under Maryland Land Use Article Title 4, Subtitle 5.

The notice says a complete copy of the proposed ordinance is on file in the Office of the Town Administrator and may be inspected or copied there.

The Town also says the Council intends to make a determination at the regular meeting held on the hearing date or at a later meeting.

The hearing-time discrepancy should be confirmed directly

The Town’s page title advertises the hearing as 7:00 PM. The body of the official notice says the public hearing will commence at 6:45 PM.

Because both times appear in the same official notice, this guide does not choose one and present it as certain. If you plan to attend, call Town Hall at 301-432-5795 or contact the Town Administrator before October 7.

Keedysville’s current zoning ordinance gives us a 5-ft setback benchmark

The zoning ordinance currently linked from Keedysville’s Town Charter & Ordinances page says completely detached accessory buildings may occupy required side and rear yards but may not be located closer than 5 feet to any side or rear property line.

Maryland’s 2026 ADU framework says a local government may not impose side or rear ADU setbacks more restrictive than its existing accessory-structure setbacks.

That makes the existing 5-foot standard an important benchmark when the final Keedysville ADU ordinance is reviewed. Do not assume, however, that every other accessory-building standard automatically applies to an ADU.

The current accessory-building height limit is 20 ft

Keedysville’s currently linked zoning ordinance also says accessory buildings or structures may not exceed 20 feet in height, subject to listed exceptions for certain farm structures, towers, utility features and similar structures.

One of the questions to ask when the ADU amendment is available is whether the Town keeps that 20-foot limit for detached ADUs or creates a separate ADU height standard.

Maryland’s 75% rule will be a key test of the final ordinance

Maryland’s current ADU law defines an accessory dwelling unit as a secondary dwelling unit on the same lot as a primary single-family detached dwelling and allows the ADU to be up to 75% of the size of the primary dwelling.

The Maryland Department of Planning says covered jurisdictions may not impose a lower local ADU maximum.

When Keedysville’s final ordinance is available, homeowners should check:

  • how the Town measures the primary dwelling;
  • whether it uses gross floor area, livable area or another measure;
  • whether attached and detached ADUs use the same calculation;
  • whether the ordinance adds an absolute square-foot cap; and
  • whether any local cap complies with Maryland’s 75% framework.

Use our Maryland ADU size guide for the statewide rule, then confirm Keedysville’s final calculation method before choosing a plan.

Parking must follow Maryland’s study-and-waiver framework

Maryland law now limits local governments that want to require additional off-street parking specifically for ADUs. A jurisdiction must complete the required parking study before imposing additional ADU parking and must provide a waiver process.

Because Keedysville’s full proposed ADU text is not publicly exposed in a stable online version, this guide does not claim that the draft requires zero, one or two additional spaces.

Ask the Town:

  • whether the proposal requires additional ADU parking;
  • whether a parking study has been completed;
  • how on-street parking is treated; and
  • what waiver process the final ordinance provides.

The Town has its own Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals

Keedysville maintains a Planning & Zoning Commission and a separate Board of Zoning Appeals. The Town also publishes its own zoning permit application.

That means property inside Keedysville should not automatically be analyzed under Washington County zoning rules. County agencies may still be involved in building, health, septic or other reviews, but the Town’s zoning process should be checked first.

For property outside Keedysville’s municipal boundary, use the applicable Washington County zoning rules rather than assuming the Town ordinance controls.

The currently linked zoning ordinance is older than the 2026 ADU proposal

Keedysville’s Town Charter & Ordinances page currently links its zoning ordinance together with later zoning amendments for agriculture, temporary portable storage containers and short-term rentals.

The ADU proposal is new in 2026 and is not yet listed there as an adopted zoning amendment. That is why homeowners should obtain the final ADU amendment from Town Hall once the October hearing process is complete.

Water and utility capacity should be checked early

Keedysville participates in a joint water system and maintains separate water-hookup and water-rate ordinances. An ADU can increase fixture count and occupancy even when it shares a service line with the primary house.

Before final design, ask whether the project requires:

  • a separate meter;
  • a new or upsized water connection;
  • a connection or benefit charge;
  • capacity review;
  • septic review where public sewer is not available; or
  • other Washington County health or utility approvals.

What to ask Keedysville before paying for ADU plans

  • Was the ADU zoning amendment adopted after the October 7 hearing?
  • What is the ordinance number and effective date?
  • Can I get the final signed ordinance?
  • Which zoning districts or lot types are eligible?
  • Are internal, attached and detached ADUs all allowed?
  • What maximum size and measurement method apply?
  • What side and rear setbacks apply to detached units?
  • Does the existing 5-ft accessory-building setback control the ADU?
  • Does the existing 20-ft accessory-building height limit apply?
  • What parking requirement applies?
  • Has the Town completed the required ADU parking study?
  • What parking-waiver process is available?
  • Is owner occupancy required?
  • Can an existing garage or accessory structure be converted?
  • What zoning, building, water, sewer, electrical, plumbing and occupancy permits are required?

Keedysville homeowner checklist

  1. Confirm the property is inside Keedysville municipal limits.
  2. Check the zoning district.
  3. Obtain the final ADU ordinance after the hearing process.
  4. Confirm the ordinance effective date.
  5. Determine whether the ADU will be internal, attached or detached.
  6. Verify the legal size and measurement method.
  7. For a detached unit, compare final setbacks with the existing 5-ft accessory-building benchmark.
  8. Confirm height, lot coverage and building separation.
  9. Confirm parking and any waiver procedure.
  10. Ask about water, sewer or septic capacity.
  11. Submit the Town zoning permit before construction.
  12. Do not make a non-refundable prefab or construction commitment until the final ordinance is confirmed.

Keedysville MD ADU FAQs

Has Keedysville adopted an ADU ordinance?

Not as of this September 19 review. The Town posted a public hearing notice on September 18 for an October 7 hearing to consider an ADU zoning amendment. The Council may act at that meeting or later.

When is the Keedysville ADU hearing?

The hearing is scheduled for October 7, 2026. The Town’s headline says 7:00 PM, while the body of the official notice says 6:45 PM. Confirm the start time with Town Hall before attending.

What are Keedysville’s current accessory-building setbacks?

The zoning ordinance currently linked by the Town says completely detached accessory buildings may not be closer than 5 feet to a side or rear property line.

How tall can an accessory building be?

The currently linked zoning ordinance uses a 20-foot maximum for accessory buildings, subject to listed exceptions. Confirm whether the final ADU ordinance creates a separate height rule.

What is the maximum ADU size in Keedysville?

The final local maximum was not publicly verifiable from a stable ordinance text during this review. Maryland allows an ADU up to 75% of the primary detached dwelling and covered jurisdictions may not set a lower local maximum. Ask the Town for the final adopted ordinance.

Who should I contact about a Keedysville ADU?

Start with Keedysville Town Hall at 19 South Main Street, Keedysville, Maryland 21756. The Town lists 301-432-5795 and townhall@keedysvillemd.com.

Primary sources checked

Maryland ADU Guide is an independent research publication, not the Town of Keedysville, Washington County, a law firm, architect or contractor. This page distinguishes the Town’s existing zoning rules from the proposed 2026 ADU amendment and states exactly what was publicly verifiable on September 19, 2026. Confirm the final signed ordinance, hearing time and parcel-specific requirements with Town Hall before spending money on design or construction.

YOUR NEXT PRACTICAL STEP

What to do next

Get the final Keedysville ADU ordinance before choosing a size, parking plan or detached-unit location.

  1. Confirm who reviews the property.
  2. Ask Town Hall for the proposed/final ADU ordinance and confirm the October 7 hearing time.
  3. Gather your zoning district, survey, accessory structures and utility information.
  4. Continue to the Maryland ADU planning tools.

Planning guidance is not permit approval.