Can I add an accessory dwelling unit?
Melissa's ordinance does not use the term ADU. The closest options are a Garage Apartment (a dwelling unit built with a garage, main structure must be an owner-occupied detached home) or a Guest House (an accessory building for the owner's guests, never rented). Per the Schedule of Uses, both require a Specific Use Permit: Garage Apartments in SF-1, SF-2, SF-3 and the Downtown Overlay's Transition Mixed Use zone (DOD TMU), Guest Houses in SF-1 and SF-2 only. Neither is permitted by right in any district, and a Guest House by definition may never be rented. Cottages (single-family homes clustered around a shared courtyard) are a separate use requiring a Specific Use Permit in SF-3 and DOD TMU only. Start by confirming the zoning district on the city's zoning map (cityofmelissa.com/194/Zoning) or with Development Services at 972-838-2036. This pack covers incorporated Melissa only; the ETJ and unincorporated Collin County land have no municipal zoning.
Sources
Full text: Melissa ordinance on Municode. Applies to districts: SF-2, SF-3.
Get the full picture for your property
Enter an address. We identify the zoning district and assemble what the ordinance says about it: permitted uses, dimensional rules, accessory structures, and the approval process.
District identification is free. The full brief is $79.