Parma (2025 code) allows an attached or detached apartment for a relative or household member by zoning board special permit.
The code allows an ADU only with a special use permit, which a board must approve, usually after a public hearing. Approval is not automatic.
The unit is limited to family members, so it cannot be rented to the public.
Whether any of this applies to your lot depends on your zoning district and your property.
The rules we found
| What the code says | Allowed with a special use permit (family only) |
|---|---|
| Detached (backyard) unit | Yes, an apartment in an accessory building |
| Inside or attached | Yes |
| Size limit | 550 sq ft or 35% of the house, whichever is GREATER; accessory-building limits may be tighter |
| Bedrooms | Not stated in the code we read |
| Owner must live on site | Yes; occupant related to the owner by blood, marriage, adoption or other domestic bond |
| Who may live there | Family members only; it cannot be rented to the public |
| How approval works | Zoning Board of Appeals special use permit in AR, RR, NR, MR and WR |
| Other rules | One apartment per home. For an apartment in an accessory building, the district's size limits for accessory buildings also apply and may be stricter. If the conditions of the approval change, the permit is void. |
Code section: §§165-22, 165-23, 165-24 (Parma residential accessory-use regulations). Entire zoning chapter replaced April 1, 2025.
What this means for your plans
- Expect a public hearing where neighbors can speak, and a board decision that can take a few months. How special use permits work.
- The owner has to live on the property. If you plan to move away, spend winters somewhere else or sell, read the owner rule above closely. Renting and owner rules.
- Only family members can live in the ADU, so it can’t be rented for income. Think about what it becomes when family no longer needs it.
What we’re still confirming
- This comes from our review of the code on September 16, 2026. Confirm with the town before you rely on it.
Before you spend money on drawings
- Confirm the Town of Parma governs your lot: it should be the municipality on your property tax bill.
- Find your zoning district on the municipal zoning map; the rules above can differ by district.
- Call or write the code office with your address and what you’re picturing, and ask for the answer and the code section in writing.
- On septic or a well? Ask the Monroe County health department whether the system can serve an extra bedroom. On public sewer? Ask your sewer district.
Our guides explain the approval process, site and utility checks and what an ADU costs.
Sources
General information, not legal advice. The Town of Parma decides what can be built on your property.