The Santa Clarita Planning Commission is set to discuss proposed amendments to the city’s Unified Development Code (UDC) concerning the construction of second units on residential properties, at their regular meeting on Monday.

The proposed changes to the code were prompted by the impending implementation of legislation previously passed by the state and scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2021 which impacts the city’s ability to regulate Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), also referred to as second units, granny flats or mother-in-law units.

More specifically, the state defines ADUs as “an attached or a detached residential dwelling unit that provides complete independent living facilities for one or more persons and is located on a lot with a proposed or existing primary residence.”

The state similarly regulates junior accessory dwelling units (JADUs), which are no more than 500 square feet and contained entirely within a single-family residence.

The intent behind the proposed amendments is to bring the city’s UDC into compliance with existing laws and include ADU regulations to enforce certain local standards for the buildings within the boundaries of the law.

The city is limited in its ability to regulate ADUs in Santa Clarita, but with the adoption of the ADU Ordinance contained in the proposed amendments to the UDC, the city can establish some development standards.

Those standards include “minimum and maximum sizes; the process by which applicants can request a larger ADU; setback standards; a height limit of 16 feet; parking requirements; architectural and construction material standards; a requirement that ADUs shall not be rented for a period of less than 30 days; an owner-occupancy requirement for lots with a JADU; open space replacement; oak tree ordinance and Significant Ecological Area compliance; deed restrictions for JADUs; and tenant notification for multifamily ADU approvals.”

In addition to the development standards, the amendments establish some requirements in regard to the location of ADUs in fire zones and flood zones to mitigate potential public safety issues as a result of traffic impacts in the event of an emergency evacuation.

“The proposed amendments would provide the City with the maximum amount of local control possible over ADUs within the boundaries of the State law,” reads the planning commission report.

Legislation previously passed in the state requires cities to approve up to three units, a single-family home, a detached ADU, and a JADU, on single-family lots. 

Additionally, the city is required to permit ADUs within existing multi-family structures, such as in attics, garages, or other non-livable spaces, or must permit up to two detached ADUs on multi-family lots. 

Single-family homes must also be permitted to convert garages to ADUs with replacement parking required in some but not all cases. 

State law also dictated where ADUs could be located within the City, established maximum size limits and established that if cities do not meet the existing 60-day time limit to review an ADU, the ADU is deemed approved.

The planning commission is expected to recommend approval of the amendments to the UDC to the City Council and a public hearing before the council has been tentatively scheduled for January 12, 2021, according to the planning commission.

The full report from the planning commission on the proposed UDC amendments is available here.

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