Community Corner
Newport Beach Waives City Permit Fees For Accessory Dwelling Units Through 2022
They include attached or stand-alone guest houses, converted garages, and apartments above garages.
The City Council has approved a temporary program to waive all City permit fees for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) through the end of 2022.
The temporary fee waiver is designed to encourage additional development of new ADUs, and prompt homeowners to seek permits for existing ADUs that are currently unauthorized but meet City codes.
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ADUs are secondary houses or apartments located on the same lots as primary residences, with their own kitchens, dining areas and entrances. They include attached or stand-alone guest houses, converted garages, and apartments above garages.
ADUs and their smaller counterparts, junior ADUs (JADUs), are a key part of the City’s effort to meet state housing mandates that require Newport Beach to plan for the development of 4,845 new housing units over the next eight years. Also, ADUs tend to be small and more affordable, which helps the City meet the state’s lower-income housing goals.
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“We really want to encourage property owners with existing, illegal ADUs to reach out and work with our staff to obtain the necessary permits to bring the units into compliance,” said Mayor Brad Avery. “We also expect that property owners who are considering ADU construction or conversion will use this opportunity to save money on City permitting costs.”
Depending on the type and size of the ADU, City permit fees can range from $1,000 to $5,000.
The fee waiver will apply to: construction of new, detached ADUs on developed lots; construction of new, ADUs and JADUs attached to an existing residence; conversion of an existing space to ADU and JADU; and legalization of existing units that meet building and fire code requirements. The fee waiver does not apply to ADUs or JADUs that are part of a new development project. For example a new single family development that incorporates a JADU would not be eligible for the fee waiver.
Property owners are invited to call the City’s Community Development Department at 949-644-3200 with questions, or for more information.
This press release was produced by the City of Newport Beach. The views expressed here are the author’s own.
