Baldwin Park, CA Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

360, adopted under Ordinance 1464 and amended by Ordinance 1512 in November 2024, implements California's ADU statutes (Cal. Gov't Code §§ 66313-66333) at the local level. 020, without discretionary review, but they still require a ministerial permit. A single newly constructed, detached ADU on a single-family lot must keep side and rear setbacks of at least four feet, stay at or under 800 square feet of total floor area, and cap building height at one story and 18 feet, matching the roof pitch of the main house; an ADU created by converting existing space is exempt from that height cap.

For multifamily properties, conversions of non-livable space such as storage rooms, boiler rooms or garages are capped at 25% of the existing lawful units, and up to two new detached ADUs are allowed for developments built after 2024 (up to eight for older developments), each subject to the same four-foot setback and one-story/18-foot height limit. The Community Development Department must act on a complete ministerial ADU permit application within 60 calendar days. No more than one ADU counts against a lot's density, and the City Planner may revoke a ministerial permit for false statements or noncompliance, with a right to appeal within ten calendar days to a hearing officer appointed by the Chief Executive Officer.