To: Board of Supervisors
From: John Kopchik, Director, Conservation and Development
Report Title: Proposed Amendment to the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Ordinance, Chapter 82-24 of the County Ordinance Code
?Recommendation of the County Administrator ? Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. OPEN the public hearing on Ordinance No. 2025-07, RECEIVE testimony, and CLOSE the public hearing.
2. DETERMINE that the adoption of Ordinance No. 2025-07 is statutorily exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15282(h) that exempts the adoption of an ordinance regarding second units.
3. ADOPT Ordinance No. 2025-07 to establish amended regulations and permitting procedures for accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units.
4. DIRECT the Director of Conservation and Development to file a CEQA Notice of Exemption with the County Clerk.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The costs of preparing this ordinance have been funded by the Department of Conservation and Development's Land Development Fund. The cost of processing accessory dwelling unit applications will be 100% funded by applicants.
BACKGROUND:
The Board of Supervisors adopted the current Accessory Dwelling Ordinance (Ordinance No. 2023-13), on June 27, 2023. This Ordinance amended the previous 2020 ADU Ordinance. With the adoption of Ordinance No. 2023-13, the County's ADU Ordinance was consistent with changes in State law related to allowable height limitations as well as allowing the separate sale of an ADU developed by a qualified not profit corporation to a person or family of low or moderate income.
Since adoption of the County's current ADU ordinance, the state legislature has continued to revise State law related to ADUs. Changes to the State ADU law, commencing with Section 66310 of the California Government Code that became effective on January 1, 2025, are not in the current ADU Ordinance, such as updated references to the Government Code due to the recodification of the State accessory dwel...
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