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Baldwin Park, CA Accessory Structures: ADU Impact Fees (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Base park fee formula
§ 154.002(B), 3 acres/1,000 residents
ADU (2nd unit) fee reduction
50% of § 154.002(B) formula amount
3rd-unit surcharge
Full fee plus 50% of 2nd-unit fee
Density factor used
4.44 persons per dwelling unit
Fee due
Before Certificate of Occupancy issues

Summary

Baldwin Park cuts its park land-dedication in-lieu fee in half for a second dwelling unit added to a single-family lot, and adds a further 50% surcharge only if a third unit is later built on the same property.

§ 154.003 REDUCTION OF FEES FOR SECOND DWELLING UNIT. (A) When a building permit is sought for the addition of a second unit to a property containing only one existing single-family dwelling unit, regardless of the zoning district in which the property is located, the amount of the in lieu fee to be paid at the time the Certificate of Occupancy is issued for that second unit shall be 50% of the amount required under the formula established in § 154.002(B) for so long as the property remains developed with only two units. (B) In the event a third (or more) residential unit is constructed on the property for which the reduced in lieu fee established in division (A) has been paid, the amount of the in lieu fee fees to be paid at the time the Certificate of Occupancy is issued for such third unit shall be calculated pursuant to the formula established in § 154.002(B) plus an additional amount equal to 50% of the in lieu fee for the second dwelling unit shall also be collected.

Full Breakdown

State law overrides most local caps on ADU size and siting under Gov. Code § 65852.2 and SB 9, but Baldwin Park's own code still sets the local park impact fee an ADU triggers. Under § 154.002, new residential development must dedicate parkland or pay an in-lieu fee sized to provide three acres of park area per 1,000 residents, using a density factor of 4.44 persons per dwelling unit, with the fee based on the fair market land value calculated under § 154.007. Section 154.003, REDUCTION OF FEES FOR SECOND DWELLING UNIT, carves out relief specifically for accessory units: when a building permit is sought to add a second unit to a property that has only one existing single-family dwelling, the in-lieu fee due at Certificate of Occupancy for that second unit is cut to 50% of the amount the § 154.002(B) formula would otherwise produce, regardless of the zoning district, and that reduced rate holds for as long as the property remains developed with only two units.

If a third or later unit is later added to a property that already received the reduced ADU fee, § 154.003(B) requires the full § 154.002(B) formula amount for that new unit plus an additional 50% surcharge equal to the second unit's original in-lieu fee, collected at that unit's Certificate of Occupancy. The fee is due before a Certificate of Occupancy or Temporary Certificate of Occupancy issues, per § 154.002(E). Development that consists of low- or moderate-income or senior-restricted covenanted units can also qualify for the separate exemption at § 154.005 while the covenant runs.

Violations & Fines

A Certificate of Occupancy or Temporary Certificate of Occupancy will not be issued for a new dwelling unit, including a second unit, until the § 154.002/§ 154.003 park in-lieu fee is paid under § 154.002(E). Adding a third unit without paying the § 154.003(B) surcharge on top of the standard formula fee blocks occupancy of that unit until the shortfall is resolved.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Baldwin Park charge the full park impact fee for an ADU?
No. Section 154.003 reduces the in-lieu park fee to 50% of the amount the standard § 154.002(B) density-based formula would otherwise require, as long as the property remains a single-family lot with only one added second unit.
What happens if I later add a third unit after building an ADU?
Section 154.003(B) requires the full formula fee under § 154.002(B) for the third unit, plus an additional amount equal to 50% of the second unit's original reduced in-lieu fee, both collected when the Certificate of Occupancy is issued for the third unit.
Can the city require parkland dedication instead of a fee for a single ADU?
Section 154.002(B) limits mandatory land dedication to projects of more than 50 parcels; smaller projects, which includes adding one ADU to an existing single-family lot, pay the fee only, and that fee is the one reduced under § 154.003.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Baldwin Park

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