Redondo Beach, CA Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

1506 makes ADUs and JADUs a permitted use on any lot zoned single-family or multi-family that already has, or proposes, a qualifying dwelling. An ADU built to the section's standards does not count against the lot's allowed density and is deemed consistent with the General Plan and zoning designation. Approval is ministerial: no discretionary review, hearing, variance, or special use permit process applies, and the city must act within 60 days of a complete, code-compliant application, tolled only if the applicant requests a delay. A certificate of occupancy for the ADU cannot issue before the primary dwelling's certificate of occupancy.

Subsection (b) sets streamlined size and siting standards. An ADU built within the existing space of a single-family home or an existing accessory structure, or requiring no more than a 150-square-foot addition for ingress and egress, qualifies automatically if it has independent exterior access and the site's setbacks already meet code. 22. A detached, newly constructed ADU on a single-family lot must sit at least four feet from side and rear lot lines, cannot exceed 800 square feet of living area, and is capped at 16 feet in height, or 18 feet within a half-mile walk of a major transit stop, with an additional two feet allowed to match the primary dwelling's roof pitch. Water and sewer capacity findings and, in some cases, a percolation test are required before approval.