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Palo Alto ADU Guide (Updated)

George Dy

A Comprehensive Guide to ADU Regulation and Zoning Policy in Palo Alto, CA

Coming to Palo Alto!

Sitting in the top 5 most expensive zip codes in America, Palo Alto is well known as the birthplace of Stanford University among another extremely notable high tech companies such as HP & PARC (from the early days of the high-tech boom) and Tesla, Palantir, Lockheed Martin to name a few.

While the City of Palo Alto continues to grow as the economic focal point of Silicon Valley, so does the median value of its single family dwellings, which make up more than 60% of its housing stock. As a result, Palo Alto has quickly become one of the most expensive cities to buy a home in America. And despite its growing population, there is an increasing jobs-to-housing imbalance.

But city officials are aware of these shortcomings, establishing a Housing Element to cover goals from 2015-2023. The Housing Element notably sets up regional housing allocations, with plans to address housing quotas based on income categories:

  • Income Level: Very Low; Housing Units: 691

  • Income Level: Low; Housing Units: 432

  • Income Level: Moderate; Housing Units: 278

  • Income Level: Above Moderate; Housing Units: 587

  • Total Housing Units: 1,988

A large part of this effort will be made up through the development of accessory dwelling units. We are excited to bring our Solo ADU Series to Palo Alto to provide housing units with the same spirit of innovation that built the city. Not only will our development practices assist in the growing need for housing, but it will reduce the neighborhood construction impact compared to conventional construction practices on top of production times on average by 50%.

If you’re building or planning to build in Palo Alto and can’t find the information you’re looking for in our permitting guide, you can visit Palo Alto’s ADU support pages here:

General Notes on Palo Alto ADU Regulation

  • Palo Alto has currently updated it’s local planning requirements to reflect adjustments with compliance with the State ADU Mandate on January 2020

  • Recent 2019 updates to the California Building Code and California Residential Code are in effect

  • Bay Modular’s pre-approved Solo ADU Series is designed to meet the State ADU Mandate and is 100% compliant with the 2019 CBC/CRC

  • All Solo ADUs are pre-approved by the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD #1560585) and do not require any additional local plan check, inspection, or approval

  • All site preparation, foundation work, and utility upgrade & connection related to the installation of all Solo ADUs will still require local plan check, and inspection

  • Due to statewide updates to ADU regulations, it has never been easier or more affordable to build a permitted ADU

City of Palo Alto: Planning & Development Services Contact Information

City of Palo Alto, Planning & Development Services
285 Hamilton Avenue - 1st Fl
Palo Alto, CA 94301
Phone: (650) 329-2496
Email: Planner@CityofPaloAlto.org

See this map in the original post

Detailed Palo Alto City ADU Regulations & Guidelines

ADU Size Restrictions (Updated January 2020)

  • ADUs: Residential lots will be approved to build up to 900 square ft. for a detached ADU, regardless of the underlying zoning standards of the property.

  • Junior ADUs: No more than 500 square feet in size and contained entirely within a single-family residence.

Lot Size Restrictions (Updated January 2020)

  • There is no minimum lot size for an ADU so long as a legal Single Family or Multi-Family Residence exists on the property.

Type of ADUs Allowed

  • Detached ADU, attached ADU, and junior ADUs are all approved (Solo ADU Series are detached ADUs)

  • ADUs may be new construction or conversion of existing space (e.g. garage)

  • Junior ADUs must be conversion of existing space (e.g. garage)

  • California Building Code (CBC) & California Residential Code (CRC) 2019 is in effect

Number of ADUs Allowed (Updated January 2020)

  • Except as otherwise permitted by this subdivision, one ADU is permitted per residential lot. Single family residential lots may be permitted up to one ADU and one junior ADU.

  • Multi-family buildings may add ADUs up to 25% of the existing unit space (example: 4-unit building would be allowed one ADU), or at least one (1) ADU.

Zoning Requirements (Updated January 2020)

According to state law, all residential zoning districts, including single-family and multi-family, are allowed to build ADUs.

  • Allowed Zones: R1 (including subdistricts), R2, RE, RMD, OS, RM, and PC, providing property is used for a single-family dwelling

Setback Requirements (Updated January 2020)

  • 6 feet from interior side/rear property line

  • 16 feet from street side yard

  • Not permitted in the front yard setback

Parking Requirements (Updated January 2020)

  • No new parking is required for a new ADU or jADU.

  • Replacement parking not required when existing garage is converted. Any required parking for the primary home displaced by a unit must be restored on site and may be located within an existing driveway

  • When ADU parking is provided, it must meet standards for development.

Fire Safety Requirements

  • Accessory dwelling units shall not be required to provide fire sprinklers unless required for the primary dwelling.

Architectural Requirements

  • Interior conversions of existing space are not subject to this requirement.

Height Requirements

17 feet

Daylight Plane

  • Height limitation that defines a building envelope)

  • Building not permitted to encroach into a daylight plane beginning at a height of 8 feet at the property line and increasing at a slope of 1 foot for every 1 foot of distance from the property line

  • No projections are permitted to encroach into the required setbacks and daylight plane, with the exception of a roof eave up to two feet

Ownership (Updated January 2020)

Through 2025, owner occupancy requirements will not apply to new ADUs, per SB13. Owner may rent out both the ADU and primary residence.

Rental Restrictions

  • Rentals for fewer than 30 days are prohibited.

Utility Connections

  • The applicant may be required to install a new or separate utility connection directly between the accessory dwelling unit and the utility and may be subject to a connection fee or a capacity charge established by the city council that shall be proportionate to the burden of the proposed accessory dwelling unit, based upon either its size or the number of its plumbing fixtures, upon the water or sewer system.

  • This fee or charge shall not exceed the reasonable cost of providing this service.

  • ADU/JADUs are not considered a new residential use, when calculating utility connection fees.

Fees