San Marcos residents who are interested in learning about the possibility of adding an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) or Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit (JADU) to their property will find answers to the most frequently asked questions (in English and Spanish) on the Zoning Information Page.
A change in California State law earlier this year has made it easier to add a second house (called an ADU) to a residentially-zoned property. An ADU is an attached or detached residential dwelling unit that provides complete independent living facilities for one or more persons. ADU’s must include permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation on the same parcel as a single-family or multifamily dwelling. A JADU is 500 square feet or less and is contained entirely within an existing or proposed single-family residence. It must include a separate entrance from the single-family residence.
Both ADUs and JADUs can be integrated into existing single-family or multi-family properties and can be designed in a variety of ways, including converting part of an existing home, adding on to the existing home, converting an existing garage or constructing a new detached structure.
San Marcos residents who are considering adding an ADU or JADU to their property are encouraged to review all of the detailed information outlined here, which includes applicable regulations, requirements and contact information.
