Garage conversion rules in Burbank, CA — sometimes called garage-to-ADU or accessory living unit conversions — govern permits, ceiling height, egress, and parking replacement.
Burbank allows converting an existing legal garage or accessory structure into an ADU under BMC 10-1-620.3, requiring removal of the garage door, permitting the existing nonconforming setback to be kept, and waiving replacement parking for the demolished or converted garage.
Burbank Municipal Code Section 10-1-620.3 governs garage and accessory-structure conversions to accessory dwelling units. When a garage is converted into an ADU, the garage door must be removed and replaced with one or more windows and/or a residential entry door (subsection J(1)). An existing accessory structure may be converted to an ADU up to the greater of (1) 850 square feet for an ADU with one bedroom or less, or 1,000 square feet for an ADU with more than one bedroom, or (2) the square footage of the existing structure; and the conversion may add not more than 150 square feet beyond the existing footprint, limited to accommodating ingress and egress (subsections F(7)-(8)). When a legally permitted garage or accessory structure is converted, its existing legal nonconforming setback may be maintained, though the 4-foot rear and side setbacks apply to any space added beyond the existing footprint (subsection H(3)). Critically, when an existing garage, carport, or covered parking structure is demolished in conjunction with the construction of an ADU or is converted into an ADU, replacement parking for the main dwelling is not required (subsection C(2)), consistent with California Government Code Section 65852.2. When an attached front or street-facing garage is converted, the existing driveway and curb cut may be kept only if the resulting parking stalls meet minimum dimensions of 18 feet deep by 8 feet 6 inches wide; otherwise the driveway and curb cut must be removed (subsection C(4)).
Converting a garage to a dwelling unit without permits, or failing to remove the garage door / provide compliant openings, is a Municipal Code violation. Under BMC 10-1-620.6, violations of the ADU section are misdemeanors carrying minimum penalties of $100 per day (first), $500 per day (second), and $1,000 per day (further violations), in addition to code-enforcement correction and after-the-fact permitting requirements.
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