By Mike Hazlip—
The City of Citrus Heights held an online presentation Tuesday to inform residents about new options to build permit-ready accessory dwelling units (ADUs), often called backyard cottages, “granny flats” or “in-law units.”
Recent state legislation encourages cities and counties to incentivize the development of these smaller, secondary housing units, as a way to address the state’s housing shortage.
Associate Planner Allison Bermudez hosted the presentation, highlighting the benefits of multi-family dwellings as well as the cost savings of using pre-approved designs from the city. Bermudez said ADUs are becoming popular as a solution for multi-generational families to live together.
An ADU can be a detached free-standing structure, attached addition to an existing dwelling, or a converted interior space like an attic or basement, Bermudez said. Additionally, she said an ADU can be built into an existing garage, or added as a second story above a garage.
Bermudez said the pre-approved plans save time and costs associated with design and planning. She estimated a savings of about $3,000 in fees by using city plans for a 749-square-foot ADU based on typical fees for similar structures.
Sean Jackson, president of Jackson and Sands Engineering, presented various plans ranging in sizes from just under 500 square feet to over 700 square feet. There are 13 different designs with a variety of roof styles and exterior finishes, Jackson said.
Associate Planner Eric Singer said an ADU must have a minimum four-foot setback from the side and rear of the property line, with a maximum heights of 16 feet. Units can be 60% of the size of the main dwelling, up to a maximum of 1,200 square feet.
All ADUs must have a separate exterior entrance, and cannot be rented on a short-term basis, he said. One ADU is allowed for each single-family parcel, and the unit becomes part of the property and cannot be sold separately. A second junior ADU may also be added on the same property, Singer said.
Chief Building Official Greg Anderson said using pre-approved plans can reduce the back-and-forth process of planning and permitting.
A total of 28 people joined the live streamed event online out of 53 registrants, according to the city’s communications manager. A recording of the presentation and more information is available on the city’s website: www.citrusheights.net/ADUcentral.
