At the City Council meeting on the evening of Monday, September 11, the council unanimously voted to amend the zoning code, to be in line with state laws regarding, among other things, the number of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) permitted on a single lot.
Agenda item PH1 called for the, “introduction of an ordinance approving city-initiated zoning code amendment p2023-0097-zca amending title 17 zoning chapter 17.400.095 residential uses – accessory dwelling units to align with state law by revising various sections including, but not limited to, the total number of ADUs allowed on a lot citywide, including in the Culver Crest neighborhood.”
A short presentation by staff pointed out that, on June 14 of this year, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the new code amendment to City Council.
“Since California adopted ADU laws in 2017, the City has amended its code multiple times to address changing requirements,” staff said.
Those changes included: “in 2017, allowing ADUs by right in R1, R2 and R3 Zones, reducing minimum lot size requirements and reducing parking requirements; in 2018, revising minimum lot sizes and minimum/maximum unit sizes for existing structure conversion, permitted ADUs in RLD, RMD, and RHD Zones, prohibits ADUs in the Culver Crest Neighborhood; in 2020, removing minimum lot size, reducing setbacks, reducing separation between units, allowing larger ADUs, removing owner-occupancy requirement, allowing ADUs in multi-family structures; and in 2021, allowing Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADU), removing ADU parking requirements, facilitating AD development on through lots.”
The proposed modifications were to permit ADUs in the Culver Crest Overlay Area, to allow one new construction ADU, one concerted ADU and one JADU (Junior ADU) on single-family dwellings, and to allow two new construction ADUs on multi-family sites.
All of the council agreed that the city had no choices but to align with state law, although Council Member Göran Eriksson pointed out that he didn’t like it, and that Culver residents should consider this carefully when elections for state representatives come back around.
Vice Mayor Yasmine-Imani McMorrin said that she looked forward to voting “to further fair housing.”
The item passed 5-0.
