How Edmonds Handles Accessory Structures: A Practical Guide

Edmonds maintains 114 local ordinances across all categories, and 2 of those deal specifically with accessory structures. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Edmonds falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

ADU Rules

Edmonds allows a detached single-family home to have up to two accessory dwelling units under ECDC 16.20.060, capping detached ADU floor area at 1,000 to 1,200 square feet depending on LDR subdistrict and requiring separate ingress/egress from the main house.

Key details: Max ADUs per lot: Two, in listed configurations. Max ADU floor area (LDR-M/LDR-L): 1,200 sq ft. Max ADU floor area (LDR-S): 1,000 sq ft. Max detached ADU height: 24 feet. Second ADU parking requirement: 1 space (waived near transit).

ADUs are approved through the standard building permit process administered by the Edmonds planning and development department; construction without a permit or in excess of the floor area, setback or parking standards is subject to code enforcement action. ADUs approved by the city before the current standards took effect may continue as previously approved, but any expansion or modification triggers full compliance with the current ECDC 16.20.060 standards.

Shed & Carport Rules

Edmonds caps accessory building height at 15 feet and lets small accessory structures under 600 square feet reduce their rear setback to 5 feet under ECDC 16.20.065, while otherwise holding sheds and garages to the same dimensional standards as the main house.

Key details: Accessory building height cap: 15 feet. Reduced rear setback threshold: Under 600 sq ft. Reduced rear setback: 5 feet. Ground-mounted satellite dish max diameter: 12 feet. Governing section: ECDC 16.20.065.

Accessory structures built without a required permit, or exceeding the 15-foot height cap or the reduced 5-foot rear setback allowance without qualifying under the under-600-square-foot exception, are subject to code enforcement by the Edmonds planning and development department and can be required to be altered or removed. Requests to exceed height or setback limits for satellite dishes or amateur radio antennas go through a Type III-A hearing examiner waiver process under ECDC 16.20.065(F), which charges the same fee as a variance application except for FCC-licensed amateur radio operators.

The Bottom Line

Edmonds's accessory structures rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Edmonds is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Edmonds can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.