While California already made huge strides in 2017 with favorable Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) legislation, a new series of state bills, signed into law by Governor Newsom at one of our ADU projects, further lower barriers to creating ADUs, aka Granny Flats. Here are the basics of what you need to know regarding the 2020 ADU rule changes for California.
1. Statewide ADU Law
These 2020 ADU rule changes are statewide in California and all local jurisdictions (cities, counties, etc.) must comply with these new laws starting January 1st, 2020. If a City doesn’t create a new Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance, then state law will apply. If a City creates their own ADU Ordinance, it must comply with these new rules.
2. Now you can add two ADUs to your property!
You are now permitted two ADUs on a single family zoned property, one full Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) and one Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit (JADU). A JADU is a 500 sq. ft. max ADU created by converting part of an existing residence (such as a spare bedroom or attached garage).
3. Larger ADUs
From 2017-2020, many cities tried to stifle ADU development though local ordinances that severely limited ADU size based on lot size, lot coverage, and a slew of other restrictions. Starting in 2020 you can now build a detached ADU up to 800 sq. ft. and 16′ tall without any local discretionary approvals. ADUs created by conversions are also granted automatic approval.
If a local municipality creates their own ADU ordinance, it must permit an ADU of up to 850 sq. ft .or 1,000 sq. ft. for an ADU that contains more than one bedroom.
4. More Parking Exceptions
Parking requirements for ADUs are still one parking space per unit or per bedroom (whichever is less) if you are located more than half a mile from public transit. But starting in 2020, ADUs do not require parking if they are created within an existing space in your house or an accessory structure, like a garage or carport. Additionally, no replacement parking is required for the main residence when a garage or carport is demolished or converted to create an ADU.
