Palm Beach Gardens, FL Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

Sec. 78-159(78) defines an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) as 'an ancillary or secondary unit that has a separate entrance, kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping area,' built either inside the principal structure or as a detached building on the same lot, and then lists the development standards that apply to every ADU in the city. Only one ADU is permitted per residential lot, and Palm Beach Gardens does not count an ADU toward gross or net density calculations, so adding one does not use up a lot's base zoning density.

Size is capped at whichever is less: the total square footage of the principal structure, or 1,500 square feet, and the unit must still meet the lot coverage limit of the applicable zoning district under Table 10. Height cannot exceed two stories or 36 feet and can never exceed the height of the principal dwelling. The ADU has to sit within the same required setbacks that apply to principal structures on that lot, must be architecturally compatible with the main house, and must have reasonable and convenient access.

Parking is set at one space per bedroom in the ADU, on top of whatever parking the principal structure already requires, though the growth management director can approve a reduced count if a parking analysis shows the lower number is sufficient. The same section lets an ADU be used to satisfy the city's workforce and/or affordable housing program under Sec. 78-59, and when it is used that way it skips the additional program-eligibility requirements that apply to other workforce units, while still remaining eligible for impact fee, building permit fee, and expedited-review incentives.