877-747-1635

San Diego ADU Rules

ADU Contractors has 20 years of experience building San Diego ADUs, so we have developed a strategy to ensure your ADU’s construction will go well.

Our San Diego ADU contractors can help with laws, guide you through the permit and building approval procedures, and more. Here are the San Diego ADU Rules for a more organized ADU construction operation.

Zoning and Eligibility Review

We first consult your local zoning authorities to see if your plan to construct a different structure is viable. During our initial consultation regarding the San Diego ADU rules, we will advise you on these procedures. Next, we’ll make a trip to the zoning office. The zoning office will give you further information about your requests based on the characteristics of your land and its size.

Based on the zoning report and the city of San Diego ADU rules for construction, we’ll need to know where your site is and what exactly qualifies as acceptable ADU size in your zone. Frequently, this is followed up with an additional discussion on your intended build size, features, and finishes for the unit.

Allowed ADU Sizes

ADUs are designed to be smaller than single-family homes. To a maximum of 1,200 square feet, an ADU connected to a principal residence may have a size of up to 50% of the single-family home. No matter how big the primary residence is, an ADU detached from it can be up to 1,200 square feet.

Here are the eligible ADU sizes for your San Diego granny flat:

Square Footage of Existing single-family residence (SFD), Maximum Allowed Square Footage for Detached ADU, Maximum Allowed Square Footage for Attached ADU (up to 50% of SFD),
1,800 sq. ft.1,200 sq. ft.900 sq. ft.
2,000 sq. ft.1,200 sq. ft.1,000 sq. ft.
3,000 sq. ft.1,200 sq. ft.1,200 sq. ft.
4,500 sq. ft.1,200 sq. ft.1,200 sq. ft.

ADU Construction Eligibility Criteria in San Diego

Our ADU builders will ascertain that your property complies with San Diego ADU rules about local construction before designing.

San Diego Property Qualifications

Before constructing the property, consulting with the San Diego City local government is best. A lot must be code-compliant to be granted a permit. Per San Diego ADU Zoning and regulations, here are some other details to note:

  1. San Diego ADUs can usually not be sold independently from the primary residence but are always available for rental.
  2. A fire sprinkler system is only necessary for ADUs when it is also required for the primary residence.
  3. Even if you live in San Diego County, owner-occupancy is optional for renting primary homes or ADUs.
  4. When a building has the right meter size, it is not charged for water or sewer when converted to a companion unit.

Coastal Guidelines

ADUs and JADUs with one story, as long as their height does not exceed 16 feet, are free from zoning restrictions under the coastal overlay. Permission from Coast Development is required for detached housing. The approach is now considerably more straightforward than it was in the past for coastal areas that could be more appealing.

Maximum Height

Your ADU’s minimum and maximum heights are one story and 16 feet, respectively. Single-family and multifamily properties are subject to a height restriction on detached ADUs. ADUs that are attached are only permitted to be as tall as the main house.

Setbacks

A property border, curb, or internal structure within a building must always remain far from every construction. Environmental protection, privacy protection, and public safety Are the reasons behind this. San Diego permits the side and backyard setbacks to be surpassed by ADUs. Just adherence to standard front yard setbacks is necessary. The only exception to this rule is for already-permitted garages.

Minimum Setbacks

JADUs and conversion ADUs must be removed from San Diego ADU Zoning and regulations; the primary dwelling unit is far from mountain fire safety. The connected and detached ADUs must be constructed at least 4 feet apart from the side and rear lines of the primary dwelling unit.

Utility Elements

All public utilities that cross your property or are located there are included. We ensure that your proposed ADU won’t impede the availability of these utilities.

Parking Regulations

In San Diego, garage conversions usually don’t require new parking. In most cases, no additional parking is needed for homes constructed within the San Diego Transit District. Parking issues may occasionally need to be resolved based on zoning.

The dimensions of newly constructed parking spaces shall be 8.5 feet by 18 feet. A few situations do not apply to this generalization, though. Providing a parking place for your granny’s apartment is not necessary if:

  • The MTS, a Breeze bus, waterfront shuttles, or any other kind of public transit are all within half a mile of your property.
  • A historic district’s limits include your property.
  • A residential parking district surrounds your house.
  • A car or bike-sharing station is one block away from your property.
  • The size of your companion unit is under 500 sq. ft2 of floor space.
Build ADU of your Choice

Required Permits to obtain

We will continue with the final design documentation once you provide your permission so we may submit it for approval and manufacture. The required paperwork is listed as follows:

Plot Plan

The Plot Plans that detail the precise location of your property in this part are what you must submit initially. In addition, mention the order of the parking spaces, the yard setbacks, and the name and number of the street.

Floor Plan

The floor plan, which will need to reflect the details of the work, should also be submitted. This plan must include the suggested rooms, the door and window measurements, and more. To show where everything will be located will be necessary.

Foundation Plan

The foundation plan, an important document, is another thing you must submit. The whole ADU layout should specify the length and width of the foundation. With this style, you should mention specifics like the slab’s thickness and material quality.

We’ll schedule an appointment with the San Diego ADU Construction permit office and provide all the required documents. The Permit officer will review the application after submission to see if it complies with the county’s zoning and construction rules.

Building and Inspection

The site must be prepared, which may entail clearing, grading, or demolitions. Following the installation of the systems, the interior finishing, framing, and building of the structures begin.

As per San Diego ADU rules for the construction and following the Inspection Checklist for ADUs, we will also schedule appointments for inspections at the proper stages, including foundation work, framing, roofing, plumbing, and electrical layout.

We will evaluate when the construction is finished to see if your property satisfies all safety criteria.

FAQS

Both an ADU and a JADU may be constructed inside a property’s perimeter walls in San Diego. But, if we are aware of the precise location and area’s zoning regulations, we can provide more detailed responses.

You will only need extra parking if a public transportation stop is half a mile from your house.

Articles Related to Guides

Take the First Step in Building the Right ADU