CLOCK TOWER at Westminster Civic Center (OC Tribune photo).

An ordinance allowing the widening of driveways by five feet at houses with an accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit was approved by the Westminster City Council Wednesday night.

The vote was 4-0 with Vice Mayor Chi Charlie Nguyen recusing himself. Wednesday’s action was a first reading and introduction; the ordinance would be officially adopted on a second reading at the Oct. 27 meeting.

Accessory dwelling units (commonly known as ADUs) and junior accessory dwelling units (JADUs) are small residences built on a single family home lot or attached to such a building. This category of housing was created in an effort to ease California’s housing shortage.

Widening of the driveway would accommodate extra parking for ADU residents.

In the public hearing, Westminster resident Terry Rains termed the proposed change “futile.”  She added that “many homeowners have paved their entire front yards.”

To our readers: Wednesday’s meeting ran past our deadline. We’ll have a follow-up story on later council action on Thursday.