Buena Park, CA Accessory Structures: Garage Conversions (2026)

Buena Park's clearest pathway for garage conversions is the ADU/JADU ordinance (BPMC 19.348.010). One ADU may be created within an existing single-family home or accessory structure - including an attached garage - and a JADU may be created within the single-family dwelling, which includes an attached garage. A converted-structure ADU keeps the existing setbacks; a conversion may add up to 150 square feet beyond the existing footprint solely to accommodate ingress/egress. The city's objective design standards specifically require that when an existing garage is converted into a JADU/ADU, the existing garage door - if visible from a public or private right-of-way - be eliminated and replaced with a wall, windows, door, or other exterior features that are architecturally consistent with the main dwelling. Importantly, converting a garage removes required covered parking: the city's single-family standards require enclosed garage parking (e.g., two garage spaces and a 400-square-foot minimum garage in RS-6/RS-8), and the parking exemptions in the ADU ordinance address replacement parking when a garage is demolished or converted for an ADU. A garage conversion that is not an ADU still needs Building Division permits and must satisfy the zone's parking requirements. Applications are processed by Community Development; ADU conversions are approved ministerially within 60 days.