Sahuarita, AZ Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)
ADU rules in Sahuarita, AZ, also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances, cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Key Facts
- Max ADUs per lot
- 1
- Minimum lot size
- 11,000 sq. ft.
- Max ADU size
- 1,000 sq. ft.
- Extra parking required
- 1 space
- Max civil penalty
- $750 individual / $10,000 corporation, per day
Summary
Sahuarita limits homeowners to one accessory dwelling unit per lot under Town Code Section 18.12.030(C), capping the ADU at 1,000 square feet on lots of at least 11,000 square feet. Height and parking follow the main house, and manufactured or wheeled tiny-home ADUs need a Type I conditional use permit outside the RH and GR-1 zones.
Accessory Dwelling Unit. All of the following apply: 1. Only one accessory dwelling per lot shall be allowed. 2. Minimum lot size is 11,000 square feet. 3. The accessory dwelling unit shall be a maximum of 1,000 square feet. 4. ADUs that meet the main house setbacks have the same maximum height as the main house. If an ADU extends past the main house setback but meets the ADU setback that portion of the ADU has a maximum height of 16 feet. ... 8. One parking space must be provided in addition to any parking required for the main residence. On-site parking is preferred; however, the parking space may be provided on street only where there is a legal parking space along the lot frontage and where parking is permitted on both sides of the street. ... Table 18.12-5 Development Standards for Accessory Dwelling Units RH GR-1 SR R-1 R-2 R-3 R-4 R-5 Minimum Setbacks (feet) Front 50 30 50 30 30 20 20 20
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4745395; v0 updated 2025-12-08; through 12-08-2025).
Full Breakdown
The zoning code caps every accessory dwelling unit at 1,000 square feet on a lot of at least 11,000 square feet, and allows only one ADU per lot. An ADU that meets the main house's setback line shares the main house's maximum height; any portion built closer in, out to the smaller ADU setback, is capped at 16 feet. In the RH and GR-1 zones an ADU may be a manufactured home, tiny home, or tiny home on wheels once it is attached to a foundation and either ground set or skirted.
In the SR, R-1, and R-2 zones that same manufactured or wheeled unit needs an approved Type I conditional use permit, must sit behind the main house, and must be screened by an opaque wall (in the SR zone, another screening method may be approved in writing by the planning and building director). The ADU must share the main dwelling's driveway and provide one additional parking space beyond what the main residence requires; on-street parking counts only if the lot has legal frontage parking and the street allows parking on both sides.
12-5 sets separate front, side, and rear setbacks by zone, ranging from a 50-foot front setback in the RH and SR zones down to 20 feet in the R-3 through R-5 zones.
Violations & Fines
An unpermitted or oversized ADU is a civil infraction under Town Code Section 18.95.030: the zoning administrator inspects, serves written notice to correct or cease the violation, and issues a citation if it continues. Section 18.95.040 sets the maximum penalty at $750 per offense for an individual or $10,000 for a corporation, with each day of continued violation a separate offense decided by the town magistrate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big can a Sahuarita ADU be?
Can I put a manufactured or tiny home on wheels as my ADU?
Does my ADU need its own parking space?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sahuarita
How Sahuarita compares: Easiest Cities to Build an ADU·Compare Sahuarita to another location·View the Arizona accessory structures overview
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ADU Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Pima County handle adu rules.