5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Madera County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Unincorporated Madera County permits one accessory dwelling unit per legally created parcel under Zoning Code Section 18.04.153. The codified 2017 rules reference former Gov. Code 65852.2 and a one-acre minimum, but current state ADU law (Gov. Code 66310-66342) now controls: ministerial approval, 4-foot setbacks, and no minimum lot size.
In unincorporated Madera County, detached sheds and accessory buildings follow the zoning district's setbacks under Chapter 18.98 and the residential development tables in Chapter 18.11. Accessory building height is capped at 15 feet in residential zones, and side/rear offsets may be reduced to 5 feet on narrow lots, but never closer than 10 feet to a dwelling.
Madera County does not have a separate garage-conversion chapter. Converting a garage into living space is treated as a building and zoning change under Title 14 and the zoning code, and converting to an accessory dwelling unit is governed by Section 18.04.153 plus California's ADU law (Gov. Code 66310-66342), which expressly protects garage-to-ADU conversions.
Madera County has no separate carport ordinance. A carport is an accessory structure regulated under Chapter 18.98 structure regulations and the residential development table in Chapter 18.11, so it must meet the zoning district's setbacks and the 15-foot accessory building height limit, plus a building permit under Title 14.
Madera County has no dedicated tiny-home ordinance. A tiny home on a permanent foundation is treated as a dwelling or accessory dwelling unit under the zoning code (Section 18.04.153) and California ADU law, while a tiny home on wheels is a recreational vehicle and generally cannot be used as a permanent residence outside a licensed RV or mobile home park.
1 cities in Madera County have their own accessory structures rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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