ADU Ordinance update

The City is comprehensively updating its Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Ordinance, Chapter 16.79 of the Zoning Ordinance, for consistency with State law and to incorporate local objective development standards.

On December 15, 2025, the Planning Commission held a study session regarding the ADU Ordinance update, including potential local objective standards. The staff report for the meeting is available here. At this meeting, staff received feedback on a variety of issues concerning ADU regulations.

On April 13, 2026, the Planning Commission reviewed the revised draft ADU Ordinance, which included several changes to the proposed regulations based on feedback from the December 2025 study session. The staff report for the April 2026 meeting is available here. The Planning Commission recommended that the City Council approve the proposed amendments to Chapter 16.79 with the following changes:

• Eliminate all parking minimums for all accessory dwelling units; and
• Allow one ADU to exceed the total floor area limit (FAL) for a property by up to 800 square feet, but remove the one-time limitation. This would allow one ADU to take advantage of any remaining square footage up to the 800 square-foot exceedance through subsequent permits for remodeling or additions.

The Planning Commission also recommended that the City Council direct staff to evaluate allowing ADUs to be sold separately from the main house as a condominium.

The City Council reviewed and considered the Planning Commission’s recommendation and the draft ADU Ordinance, and introduced the ADU Ordinance update on May 19, 2026 with a clarification to the rental requirement. More information is available in the City Council staff report.

The City Council is scheduled to adopt the ordinance at its meeting on June 9, 2026.