Section 46-B - [Newly enacted section not yet numbered] Adaptive reuse; commercial buildings(a) No later than January 1, 2025, each county shall adopt or amend its ordinances to allow for adaptive reuse of existing commercial buildings in the county's building code; provided that adaptive reuse of existing commercial buildings shall be allowed pursuant to this section until each county adopts or amends its ordinance in accordance with this section.(b) Notwithstanding any law, ordinance, or code or standard to the contrary, each adaptive reuse ordinance shall: (1) Allow for the construction of micro units; provided that no county shall require a micro unit to be larger than minimum standards established in the International Building Code;(2) Allow for adaptive reuse to meet the interior environment requirements of the International Building Code; and(3) Provide for an exemption to any requirements regarding park dedication or additional off-street parking; provided that: (A) The existing off-street parking satisfies at least fifty per cent of a county's parking requirements; and(B) The building's floor area, height, and setbacks do not change as a result of adaptive reuse; provided further that this paragraph shall not preclude a county from exempting a project under this section from all off-street parking requirements.
(c) For purposes of this section, "adaptive reuse" means the repurposing of existing buildings or structures in whole or in part for residential purposes. "Adaptive reuse" includes retrofitting and repurposing of existing buildings or structures that create new residential units. "Adaptive reuse" does not include the rehabilitation of any construction affecting existing residential units that are or have been recently occupied.Added by L 2024, c 37,§ 2, eff. 5/28/2024.