Anne Arundel Council Advances Cottage Home Tiny-House Bill to County Executive

The Anne Arundel County Council advanced and approved legislation to permit cottage-home developments in a narrow 4-3 vote on Feb. 18, 2026, sending the bill to County Executive Steuart Pittman for final approval. The ordinance would limit qualifying cottages to 800 square feet, restrict purchases to households at or below the area median income (about $130,000), and place enforcement of the income rules with Arundel Community Development Services, a quasi-governmental agency named in the measure.

Councilmember Pete Smith, the north-county Democrat who sponsored the bill, framed the changes as a targeted affordability tool in a county where the median single-family price exceeds $500,000. Smith said the smaller footprints translate to construction savings and could create ownership opportunities for younger and older residents; he also told reporters he expects the cottages to sell for around $200,000, well below the county median. Smith added that “By putting constraints on the buyer, it also puts constraints on the builder to build products that also fall in the price range we are trying to serve.”

The bill changes long-standing density limits in residential zones to make clustered tiny-home communities viable for developers, but reporting on the exact units-per-acre differs. One account states the ordinance would allow up to ten houses per acre in residentially zoned areas, while another describes a possible outcome of 12 cottages where the code previously allowed one residence per acre. Other council briefs noted only that the plan permits multiple cottages in places now zoned for a single house, and indicated the proposal includes density incentives and even allowances on certain commercial and industrial lots to encourage development.

Lawmakers moved the bill after several rounds of amendments and a public County Council hearing held the Monday before the vote. Patch reporting noted the measure was first introduced in November and underwent adjustments before the late Tuesday advancement; a separate account places the bill’s introduction in the 2025 legislative session. Developers have told council staff that tiny-home construction is rarely pursued under existing rules because it can be unprofitable or impractical, and sponsors argue the new density allowances are intended to change that calculus.

The final vote split along party lines, with the council’s four Democrats voting for the measure and three Republicans against; Republican Councilmember Shannon Leadbetter is recorded as voicing dissent in the final vote. Pittman’s administration has expressed support for policies expanding affordable housing, and Banner reporting indicates that if Pittman signs the ordinance it would take effect 45 days after his signature. Supporters say the first cottage-home communities could begin taking shape as soon as next year, contingent on the executive’s signature and subsequent permitting.