CityofSantaBarbaraSource: City of Santa Barbara
City staff is starting the process to update the 2015 Housing Element. The Housing Element will create goals and actions to address housing opportunities, new housing development, preservation and improvement of existing housing, regional cooperation and jobs/housing balance, and public education and information.
The update will occur throughout 2022 and the locally adopted draft Housing Element is due to the State Department of Housing and Community Development in early 2023. If you would like to be added to the interested parties list for the Housing Element Update, please click here and enter your email on the right where it says “Stay Informed”.
Approval of the Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance in the Coastal Zone
Source: City of Santa Barbara
In late 2021, the California Coastal Commission (CCC) approved the City’s Title 28 Zoning Ordinance amendments for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) with two changes related to Coastal Development Permit requirements for ADUs in the Coastal Zone. Before the ordinance could be used to regulate ADUs in the Coastal Zone, two final steps are necessary: 1) City Council needs to adopt the ordinance as modified and 2) the CCC has to accept the City’s actions at their next a public meeting.
In March 2022, City Council approved the modified ADU Ordinance. The ADU ordinance becomes effective immediately on the date the CCC accepts the City’s actions, planned for their meeting of April 6-8. Exact date will be known when the CCC’s agenda is released 10 days before the hearing date, see https://www.coastal.ca.gov/
As of the effective date, new ADU applications will need to comply with the regulations in the City’s Title 28 Ordinance for ADUs. Building permit applications for ADUs in the Coastal Zone that were submitted before the effective date will be given a 60-day grace period in order to obtain a building permit issued under state law regulations. After the 60-day grace period, if a permit was not issued, new regulations will apply.
For links to state law and the ordinances discussed above and to stay informed on future public hearings, please visit SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ADU.
This work effort is being conducted by the Planning Division of the Community Development Department. For questions, please contact Rosie Dyste at RDyste@SantaBarbaraCA.gov.
