A committee of Montgomery County lawmakers expressed its support Monday for new rules that would make it easier for residents to build apartments onto their single-family homes.

Under current law, anyone who wants to add an “accessory apartment” has to go through a lengthy zoning approval process, including a hearing before the hearing examiner and approval by the Board of Appeals. The changes, backed by the Montgomery County Council Planning, Housing, and Economic Development Committee, would allow residents in specific types of residential zones to bypass the process, though neighbors still would have the opportunity to object to the addition through an optional hearing process.