ADU rules in Santa Maria, CA — also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances — cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Santa Maria permits one ADU and one JADU per single-family lot ministerially within 60 days; detached ADUs may be up to 1,200 sq ft with 4-foot side/rear setbacks, and parking is waived within 1/2 mile of transit.
Chapter 12-56 of Title 12 of the Santa Maria Municipal Code (adopted by Ordinance No. 2017-21 and comprehensively amended by Ordinance No. 2021-03 on May 18, 2021) implements California Government Code Sections 65852.2 and 65852.22 governing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs). Section 12-56.04 sets development standards: a detached new-construction ADU may not exceed 1,200 square feet; an attached new-construction ADU is limited to 50% of the existing primary dwelling's living area or 850 square feet (1,000 sq ft if more than one bedroom), whichever is greater; side- and rear-yard setbacks must be at least four feet; and an ADU above a garage requires a four-foot side/rear setback. Conversion of existing structures has no floor-area cap and no setback requirement. Per Section 12-56.04(g), parking is one space per ADU or per bedroom, whichever is less, and is waived entirely when the ADU is within 1/2 mile walking distance of public transit, located in a historic district, part of the existing primary residence, or near a car-share location; demolished garage parking does not need to be replaced. Section 12-56.06 requires ministerial approval within 60 days of a complete application.
ADUs built without a building permit or zoning certificate from the Community Development Director may not be rented, leased, or occupied as a separate dwelling, and under Section 12-56.09 unpermitted units must go through the conformance review (same standards as a newly proposed ADU) before they can be legalized.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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