When I sent out my August Home-Heart Newsletter describing the changes in In-Law or "Accessory Dwelling Unit" (ADU) permits, someone asked 'What about Redwood City's rules?". What are the requirements there for adding an In-Law Unit? Well, I did some research and here is your answer:

In response to a new State Law, the Redwood City City Council amended the Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance and made consistency changes to other sections of the code (Public Hearing of March 27, 2017). The new state law restricts what cities may require of new ADUs with the intent of further reducing barriers, streamlining approval, and expanding capacity to accommodate the development of ADUs.

The Cities new ordinance:

• Removes requirement for one additional parking space with ADUs
• Allows conversion of the garage into an ADU with replacement parking spaces on the driveway
• Increases base maximum size from 640 sq. ft. to 700 sq. ft. and eliminates the limitation on number of bedrooms
• Permits conversion of accessory structures into an ADU with setbacks required for fire safety
• Allows one of the two required parking spaces for a single-family home to be uncovered and on the driveway
• Eliminates the two-water fixture limitation for accessory buildings.

This information is on Redwood City's Website where they provide a .pdf file with all the details. If you'd like a copy with the complete information, just email me and I'll send it your way.