Thousand Oaks issues Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) permits ministerially under Title 9 of the Thousand Oaks Municipal Code (TOMC), which implements California Government Code Β§65852.2. ADUs and Junior ADUs (JADUs) are allowed in any residential zone where a single-family or multifamily dwelling is permitted. The 60-day statutory review applies β no public hearing, no discretionary design review.
Title 9 (Planning and Zoning) of the TOMC contains the city's ADU regulations, which are required by state law to conform to Gov. Code Β§65852.2 and Β§65852.22. Applications go to the Community Development Department (805-449-2100) and are processed ministerially: no Planning Commission hearing, no CEQA review for individual ADUs (state-law exempt), and no discretionary design approval. Per Gov. Code Β§65852.2(a)(3), the City must approve or deny a complete application within 60 days, or the permit is deemed approved by operation of law. Permitted by-right are one detached ADU up to 1,200 sq ft, one attached ADU (up to 50% of the primary dwelling or 1,200 sq ft, whichever is less), one conversion ADU within existing space, and one JADU up to 500 sq ft within the walls of the primary dwelling. State law's 800 sq ft / 16-foot / 4-foot setback floor applies regardless of underlying zoning. Building plans must comply with the 2025 California Building, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical and Electrical Codes. Much of Thousand Oaks sits in a Cal Fire State Responsibility Area (SRA) High or Very-High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, so plans typically must also satisfy CBC Chapter 7A wildland-urban interface (WUI) construction standards (ignition-resistant exterior, ember-resistant vents, Class A roof).
Building an ADU without permits violates TOMC Title 9 (zoning) and Title 8 (building code adoption), enforceable via stop-work order, mandatory after-the-fact permitting at investigation rates, administrative citations under TOMC Chapter 1 enforcement, and recordation of a notice of violation. Unpermitted ADUs cannot legally be rented and must be disclosed at the point of sale under California Civil Code Β§1102.
Thousand Oaks, CA
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