You might need an additional living unit to care for an aging family member or to rent for supplemental income. The City's Zoning Code refers to these additional living units as accessory dwelling units, or ADUs. ADUs go by many different names like "carriage house", "mother-in-law suite", or "coach house", and are quite common throughout the U.S.

Like any land use, ADUs present unique challenges that must be addressed to help them be a compatible part of our city, and there can be many questions that arise. Check out our Zoning Spotlight on ADUs to learn how they can work on your property.

Key ADU provisions from the Zoning Code include the following:

• Outside the Multi-Modal Transportation District (MMTD), each single-family residence, duplex, or non-residential lot is allowed one ADU.
• Inside the MMTD, each single-family residence is allowed one ADU, each unit of a duplex is allowed one ADU, and each establishment on a non-residential lot is allowed one ADU.
• Citywide, ADUs can be 2 stories in height.
• Citywide, ADUs can be up to 1,200 sq. ft. in size.
• Citywide, ADUs must meet the setbacks and lot coverage standard of the principal use.

ADUs can take many forms. Seven of them are illustrated below and are described as follows:

1. Converted Habitable Space - Existing habitable space in a single-family residence or a duplex is converted into an ADU with independent access.
2. Converted Non-Habitable Space - An area that is currently non-habitable in a single-family residence or a duplex like a basement or an attic is converted to an ADU.
3. Converted Garage - A garage at an existing single-family residence or duplex is converted to an ADU.
4. Converted Accessory Structure - An accessory structure at an existing single-family residence or duplex is converted into an ADU. The existing accessory structure could be a pool house, a shed, an artist studio, or a variety of other accessory uses.
5. New Freestanding ADU - A property owner can build a new freestanding ADU that meets the setbacks and overall lot coverage that apply to the principal structure.
6. Expansion to Existing Residence - The ADU is created by expanding the footprint of the existing single-family residence or duplex.
7. Above Garage - The ADU is built above a carport.