Alhambra, CA Accessory Structures: ADU Impact Fees (2026)
Key Facts
- Fee waiver cutoff
- ADU/JADU built before Jan. 1, 2020
- Fees waived
- Impact, connection, capacity charges
- Exception
- Utility work needed under HSC § 17920.3
- Governing section
- Municipal Code § 23.22.040(M)(2)
Summary
Alhambra Municipal Code § 23.22.040(M)(2) waives impact fees and connection or capacity charges for owners legalizing an unpermitted ADU or JADU built before January 1, 2020, except when utility upgrades are needed for health and safety.
(2) A homeowner applying for a permit for a previously unpermitted accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit constructed before January 1, 2020, shall not be required to pay impact fees or connection or capacity charges except when utility infrastructure is required to comply with Cal. Health and Safety Code § 17920.3 and when the fee is authorized by Cal. Gov't Code § 66324(e).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-25: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 4851, passed 10-27-25).
Full Breakdown
040(M) sets up an amnesty path for accessory units built without permits before the state's 2020 ADU reforms took effect. Under (M)(1), the city cannot deny a legalization permit merely because the unpermitted unit violates certain building or state ADU standards, unless correcting the violation is necessary to meet the substandard-housing criteria of Cal. 3. 3 health and safety standards, or where a fee is separately authorized under Cal. Gov't Code § 66324(e). Under (M)(3), a city inspector may inspect the unit and issue recommendations rather than penalties, and if noncompliance with health and safety standards is found, the city must approve the permits necessary to fix it rather than penalize the owner for having built without one. 3, which pulls it out of the amnesty and back into normal code enforcement.
Violations & Fines
A unit found substandard under Cal. Health and Safety Code § 17920.3 falls outside the § 23.22.040(M) fee waiver and amnesty path entirely, and remains subject to standard building and safety code enforcement plus the Chapter 1.04 administrative fines referenced in § 23.22.040(K) for ongoing noncompliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I owe impact fees to legalize an old, unpermitted ADU in Alhambra?
What if the inspector finds health and safety problems?
Does the amnesty apply to any older ADU no matter its condition?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alhambra
California rules heatmap·Compare Alhambra to another location·View the California accessory structures overview
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ADU Impact Fees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle adu impact fees.