The BREAKDOWN: City of Santa Cruz ADU Regulations
Hello from Bri Steel, Broker/Realtor® & Owner of Live Love Santa Cruz!
If you are planning on building an ADU on your property there are a few things you should consider before embarking on the project. The City of Santa Cruz has a well-known housing shortage, and the department has become much more supportive of folks wanting to build ADUs. The State of California and the City and County of Santa Cruz have made a lot of recent changes to the rules and regulations of building ADUs and the rules and fees associated with them have become much more reasonable. I recently built my ADU, pictured below. It was a year-and-a-half project. The design took me about 4 months, the permitting process took 4 months, and the build took about 10 months. It was a lot of work but I LOVE my ADU, it’s such a great addition to my property. If you have the resources and stamina to go on this journey, I would highly recommend it. Below is information that I found when starting to do my research. I wanted to put it in one blog post for you in hopes that it may make your research a tad easier!
Santa Cruz City ADU Overview
What is an ADU?
An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is a living space with all the amenities needed for eating, sleeping, cleaning, cooking, and sanitation. They must have a complete kitchen and full bathroom, regardless of size (minimum toilet, sink, shower, or bath). An ADU needs its own external entrance separate from the main house.
Overview Of Adu Regulations
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) can be constructed on the majority of residential lands in California as of January 2020. The data presented here outlines the fundamental requirements for ADUs in Santa Cruz and responds to the most typical queries about where, how, and how much an ADU can cost to build.
Current ADU Urgency Ordinance
On January 1, 2023, new state laws governing ADUs went into force, and Santa Cruz's ADU rules were revised. The ordinance update will replace the urgency ordinance, which is the present temporary format for the law, later in 2023.
Permits For ADUs
A construction permit is necessary for all ADUs; there is no need for a public hearing or a planning permit, and neighbors cannot contest or appeal these permits. Additional permits might be necessary if an ADU is a component of a larger project that entails constructing or extensively renovating the primary structure on the parcel. In the case of a new home or multi-family structure on a parcel, the City may postpone action on the ADU application until the primary residential use is approved.
Additionally, some ADUs in the coastal zone will need an administrative coastal permit, which does not require a public hearing but does require notification to neighbors.
ADU/JADU and Short-Term Rentals (STRs) Permits
Both uses are currently prohibited by law on the same property. Therefore, property owners will have to decide whether to have a legal short-term vacation rental on their property or have an ADU or JADU for long-term residential purposes.
Fees and Waivers
The cost of building permits for ADUs varies from project to project and depends on the type of construction (conversion vs. new construction, conversion of habitable space vs. conversion of non-habitable space), the size of the ADU, and the overall scope of the project (addition of new sidewalks, need to open the street to install new water or sewer connections, the addition of parking or paved areas, etc.)
ADUs Building Regulations
For detailed information on Basic requirements for ADUs, standards for new construction detached ADUs, standards for new construction attached ADUs, and standards for conversion ADUs, check out this link from the City of Santa Cruz.
Take Away!
I hope this has helped you in your decision to build an ADU. If you need more information, please do not hesitate to reach out.
At Live Love Santa Cruz we bring a fresh and innovative “boutique” approach to real estate in the Santa Cruz area. In the process, we make dreams come true.
Looking to sell? We will make your home SHINE. Listings like ours that are beautifully presented and professionally inspected sell faster and for more money.
Looking to buy? We help our clients write offers that WIN. We are competitors at heart and negotiators at work. We get results.
Call or email us to set up an appointment with our broker and owner, Bri Steel.
Bri Steel
Broker/Realtor® + Owner
Live Love Santa Cruz
831.200.6338
bri@livelovesantacruz.com
Bri Steel at the Live Love Santa Cruz office with her two mini Aussies Kiwi and Fiji.
