Fontana processes ADU and JADU applications ministerially under Fontana Municipal Code (FMC) Chapter 30 Article XII and California Government Code §65852.2 (as amended by AB 68, AB 881, and SB 13). The Fontana Planning Department and Building & Safety Division review permits with the state-mandated 60-day deadline. Detached ADUs are allowed up to 1,200 sq ft and JADUs up to 500 sq ft.
Fontana adopted updated ADU regulations to align with the state ADU laws codified in California Government Code §65852.2 and §65852.22, as amended by AB 68 (2019), AB 881 (2019), SB 13 (2019), and follow-on bills including AB 976 (2023). The standards are integrated into the Fontana Municipal Code zoning provisions (FMC Chapter 30) and the city ADU regulations. Applications are reviewed ministerially — no public hearing, no discretionary findings, and only objective design and development standards apply. State law caps review at 60 days from a complete application. Detached ADUs may reach 1,200 sq ft; attached ADUs are capped at 50% of the primary dwelling or 1,200 sq ft, with a state by-right floor of 800 sq ft. The state-mandated 4-foot side and rear setback applies, and the height limit is 16 feet for standard detached ADUs (up to 18-25 feet near transit or for two-story attached units per Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(1)(D)). JADUs up to 500 sq ft are permitted within an existing or proposed single-family dwelling. Applications are filed through the Fontana Planning Department; all ADUs must comply with the California Residential Code, Title 24 energy standards, and CalGreen. The Building & Safety Division enforces the 2022 California Building Standards Code adopted in FMC Chapter 14.
Building an ADU without a permit violates FMC Chapter 14 (Building) and Chapter 30 (Zoning) and the California Building Standards Code, subject to stop-work orders, code-enforcement citations under FMC Title 1, and double permit fees on after-the-fact applications. Unpermitted ADUs are ineligible for the ministerial path until properly permitted.
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