Last researched: September 19, 2026. Manchester is now formally rewriting its zoning code to allow accessory dwelling units. On September 8, 2026, the Mayor and Council introduced Ordinance No. 276, which would amend Chapter 250 — Zoning — to include and regulate ADUs. The Town has scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at 7:00 PM at Town Hall.
Important status: Ordinance 276 is still proposed as of this review. Manchester’s current accessory-structure guidance still says no accessory building may be used for human habitation and no residential accessory building may contain full bathroom facilities. Do not assume a detached backyard ADU is currently permitted until the Town confirms that Ordinance 276 has been adopted and is effective.
Manchester ADU planning snapshot
| Question | What we verified |
|---|---|
| 2026 ADU legislation | Ordinance No. 276 was introduced September 8, 2026 to amend Chapter 250 and regulate ADUs. |
| Current status | Proposed; the Town scheduled a public hearing for October 13, 2026 at 7:00 PM. |
| Current accessory-building rule | The Town’s current regulations page says no accessory building may be used for human habitation and no residential accessory building may contain full bathroom facilities. |
| Current accessory-building location | Accessory buildings generally must be behind the front building line, at least 6 ft from the principal building and at least 5 ft inside rear and side lot lines, unless another rule applies. |
| Current accessory-building size | The Town currently says one accessory structure may not exceed 1,000 sq ft and total accessory-building area may not exceed 1,500 sq ft. |
| Current accessory-building height | Generally one story / 10 ft, with a maximum of 15 ft with roof, and not higher than the principal building. |
| Rental licensing | Manchester requires a valid Rental Housing License before a dwelling unit is rented. |
| State deadline context | Maryland requires covered municipalities to adopt a local ADU law by October 1, 2026. |
| Current zoning contact | The Town lists Michelle Wilder as Zoning Administrator and 410-239-3200 for the Zoning Office. |
Ordinance 276 was introduced September 8
Manchester’s official public notice says the Mayor and Council introduced Ordinance No. 276 on September 8, 2026. The stated purpose is to amend Chapter 250 — Zoning — “to include and regulate accessory dwelling units.”
The Town’s homepage repeats that the ordinance is under consideration and announces the public hearing for October 13.
That makes Manchester different from a town where the ADU issue is only being discussed informally. Here, there is a numbered zoning ordinance, a formal introduction date and a scheduled public hearing.
The October 13 hearing is the next major milestone
Manchester’s public hearing is scheduled for:
Tuesday, October 13, 2026 — 7:00 PM
Manchester Town Hall
3337 Victory Street
Manchester, MD 21102
The Town says a copy of Ordinance 276 is available for review at Town Hall during business hours and through the ordinance notice page.
Because the full proposal is not reliably indexed in searchable public text, this guide does not publish unverified proposed size, parking, owner-occupancy, bedroom or setback numbers. Those details should come from the draft itself or the final signed ordinance after adoption.
Manchester’s current code still blocks human habitation in accessory buildings
Manchester’s current regulations page is unusually clear about accessory buildings. It states:
- no accessory building may be used for human habitation; and
- no accessory building or structure in a residential district may contain full bathroom facilities.
That matters for a detached ADU because a legal detached ADU necessarily involves human habitation and full residential plumbing.
In practical terms, Ordinance 276 appears necessary not just to add an ADU definition, but to create an exception or new framework that allows a secondary dwelling where the older accessory-building rule would otherwise prohibit it.
Current accessory-building setbacks give us a useful benchmark
Manchester’s existing accessory-use guidance says accessory buildings and structures generally must:
- be behind the front building line of the principal building;
- be at least 6 feet from the principal building unless a stated exception applies; and
- be at least 5 feet inside rear and side property lines, unless another regulation applies.
Maryland’s current ADU framework says local ADU side and rear setbacks may not be more restrictive than the jurisdiction’s existing accessory-structure setbacks.
That makes Manchester’s existing 5-foot side/rear standard an important benchmark when evaluating the final Ordinance 276. But do not assume the final ADU ordinance will simply copy every current accessory-building dimension.
Manchester’s current accessory-building size and height rules may also change for ADUs
The Town’s current rules say:
- one accessory structure may not exceed 1,000 square feet;
- the total area of all accessory buildings or structures may not exceed 1,500 square feet;
- accessory structures generally may not exceed one story or 10 feet, with a maximum of 15 feet with roof; and
- an accessory structure may not exceed the height of the principal building.
Those are current accessory-structure standards, not necessarily the future ADU standards. Maryland’s state definition allows an ADU up to 75% of the size of the primary single-family detached dwelling, and Maryland Planning says covered jurisdictions may not impose a lower local ADU maximum.
One of the first things to check in the final Ordinance 276 is therefore whether Manchester creates a separate ADU size and height rule that supersedes the current accessory-building limits.
Maryland’s 75% rule will be a key test of Ordinance 276
Maryland’s HB 1466 framework requires covered local governments to authorize ADUs and defines an ADU as no greater than 75% of the size of the primary detached dwelling.
Maryland Planning’s implementation guidance says jurisdictions subject to the law cannot set a lower local maximum.
When Manchester’s final ordinance is available, homeowners should check:
- how the Town defines the primary dwelling’s size;
- whether it uses gross floor area, livable area or another measurement;
- whether it imposes a percentage or absolute square-foot cap;
- whether detached and attached units use the same size rule; and
- whether any older 1,000-square-foot accessory-building cap is displaced for ADUs.
Use our Maryland ADU size guide to understand the statewide rule, but wait for Manchester’s final ordinance before designing to a Town-specific number.
Parking will also need to comply with Maryland’s new process
Maryland law now limits additional off-street parking requirements imposed specifically on ADUs. If Manchester requires extra ADU parking, the Town must complete the parking study required by state law and must provide a waiver process.
The public notice for Ordinance 276 does not disclose the proposal’s exact parking standard. Ask the Town whether:
- a dedicated ADU parking space is required;
- on-street parking can satisfy the requirement;
- a parking study has been completed; and
- a formal waiver process is included in the final ordinance.
Manchester has a municipal rental-license program
Manchester requires a valid Rental Housing License before a property owner offers a dwelling unit for rent or allows a rental unit to be occupied.
The Town’s current rental application charges:
- $25 for properties containing one or two dwelling units; and
- $50 for properties containing three or more dwelling units.
The current application also requires additional lead-compliance information for applicable older rental properties.
If the new ADU will be rented, ask whether it needs a separate license entry, inspection or unit count and whether the final Ordinance 276 adds owner-occupancy or rental-duration restrictions.
Water and sewer costs should be checked early
Manchester operates its own water and wastewater systems. Town ordinances governing water and sewer assessments have historically imposed additional charges when an existing structure is altered to add another dwelling unit.
The exact current charge should be verified before budgeting an ADU because Town water and sewer rates and assessments have changed in recent years.
Before final design, ask:
- whether the existing service line has enough capacity;
- whether a separate meter is required;
- whether a separate lateral is required;
- whether a benefit assessment or connection charge applies; and
- whether fire-sprinkler or backflow requirements affect the service size.
Manchester revised Chapter 250 earlier in 2026
Manchester approved Ordinance No. 271 on March 10, 2026, revising Chapter 250 — Zoning. That means the Town has already been actively updating its zoning code this year before introducing the ADU-specific Ordinance 276 in September.
For a current application, ask the Zoning Administrator for the most recent consolidated Chapter 250 text rather than relying on an older copy of the zoning ordinance.
What applies before Ordinance 276 becomes effective?
Until Ordinance 276 is adopted and effective, Manchester’s existing zoning and accessory-structure rules remain the starting point.
Because the current accessory-building rules prohibit human habitation, a homeowner should not assume a detached garage, shed or other backyard structure can legally become a dwelling before the new ordinance is in force.
For an internal or attached proposal, ask the Town whether any current zoning pathway exists before Ordinance 276 or whether the Town intends applicants to wait for the new law.
What to ask Manchester before paying for ADU plans
- Has Ordinance 276 been adopted after the October 13 hearing?
- What is the final effective date?
- Which residential zoning districts permit ADUs?
- Are internal, attached and detached ADUs all allowed?
- What maximum size and measurement method apply?
- Does the current 1,000-sq-ft accessory-building cap apply to an ADU?
- What side and rear setbacks apply to a detached ADU?
- What building-separation requirement applies?
- What height limit applies?
- Can an existing garage be converted?
- What parking rule and waiver process apply?
- Has Manchester completed an ADU parking study?
- Is owner occupancy required?
- Can the ADU be rented?
- What rental-license requirements apply?
- What water/sewer connection or assessment fees apply?
- What building, electrical, plumbing and occupancy permits are required?
Manchester homeowner checklist
- Confirm the property is inside Manchester municipal limits.
- Check the zoning district.
- Ask whether Ordinance 276 is still proposed or has been adopted.
- Obtain the final signed ordinance before choosing a legal ADU size.
- Confirm whether the project is internal, attached, detached or a garage conversion.
- Verify setbacks, building separation and height.
- Confirm parking and any waiver procedure.
- Check rental-license requirements if the ADU will be leased.
- Confirm water/sewer service and current connection or assessment charges.
- Prepare a plot plan before final design.
- Map all Town and Carroll County construction/trade approvals.
- Do not make a non-refundable prefab or construction commitment until the final ordinance is confirmed.
Manchester MD ADU FAQs
Has Manchester adopted its ADU ordinance?
Not as of this September 19 review. Ordinance 276 was introduced September 8, 2026, and the Town scheduled a public hearing for October 13 at 7:00 PM.
Can I convert a backyard accessory building into an ADU today?
Do not assume so. Manchester’s current accessory-building guidance says no accessory building may be used for human habitation and no residential accessory building may contain full bathroom facilities. Ask the Town whether Ordinance 276 has become effective before planning a detached conversion.
What are Manchester’s current accessory-building setbacks?
The Town’s current regulations generally require accessory buildings to be behind the front building line, at least 6 feet from the principal building and at least 5 feet inside side and rear property lines, unless another rule applies. Confirm how the final ADU ordinance modifies or uses those standards.
What is the maximum ADU size in Manchester?
The final Ordinance 276 should be used for the Town-specific answer once adopted. Maryland’s statewide framework allows an ADU up to 75% of the primary detached dwelling and covered jurisdictions may not impose a lower local maximum.
Can I rent a Manchester ADU?
Manchester already requires a Rental Housing License for rental dwelling units. Ask whether the final ADU ordinance adds owner-occupancy or other rental restrictions and how the ADU should be registered.
Who should I contact about a Manchester ADU?
Start with the Manchester Zoning Office at Town Hall, 3337 Victory Street, Manchester, Maryland 21102. The Town lists Michelle Wilder as Zoning Administrator and 410-239-3200 for zoning questions.
Primary sources checked
- Town of Manchester — Ordinance No. 276 public notice
- Town of Manchester — current homepage and hearing notice
- Town of Manchester — current accessory-building and rental regulations
- Town of Manchester — Ordinance No. 271, 2026 Chapter 250 zoning revision
- Town of Manchester — Planning & Zoning
- Town of Manchester — Zoning Administrator contact
- Maryland Department of Planning — HB 1466 ADU FAQ
- Maryland Land Use § 4-504
Maryland ADU Guide is an independent research publication, not the Town of Manchester, Carroll County, a law firm, architect or contractor. This page distinguishes Manchester’s current accessory-structure restrictions from proposed Ordinance 276. The ordinance had not been finally adopted as of September 19, 2026. Confirm the final signed ordinance and parcel-specific requirements with the Town before spending money on design or construction.
What to do next
Confirm whether Ordinance 276 has become law before choosing an ADU size or detached-unit layout.
- Confirm who reviews the property.
- Ask Manchester for the current signed ADU ordinance.
- Gather your zoning district, plot plan, utility and rental information.
- Continue to the Maryland ADU planning tools.
Planning guidance is not permit approval.