The City of Carpinteria approved a new Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) ordinance in February, allowing homeowners to build ADUs on their properties. They also launched ready-to-go prototypes for homeowners to use.
The ADU program stems from a 2017 state law that requires jurisdictions to allow ADUs on residential properties. Because Carpinteria is located within the coastal zone, the city had to go through additional hoops to get its plan approved. The California Coastal Commission approved the plans in late 2022, and they went into effect in February.
“It’s to help to provide more housing for the state because obviously we need more housing,” said Syndi Souter, an associate planner for the City of Carpinteria. “Especially the smaller units that are the more affordable units for younger people and smaller families.”
The program includes the city’s two prototype plans ready to go for homeowners to build on properties. There’s a 400-square-foot plan and a 480-square-foot plan. Homeowners also have two architectural design options — coastal cottage and California ranch.
Once the City Council approved making the plans, RRM Design Group was hired out of San Luis Obispo to research residential properties in Carpinteria to determine what size units and types of architecture would best work in the typical backyard.
The plans have been pre-approved by the Carpinteria building division only for use within city limits. Homeowners who use the plans still need to get a coastal development permit and a building permit approved for construction.
The plans were released in June and, according to Souter, no one has applied to build the plans as of yet, but there has been serious interest from the community.
However, architect Dylan Chappell said that city-made prototypes for ADUs rarely work.
“I’m interested to see how those are going to work out. Typically, in my experience, prototype plans don’t work very well,” Chappell told Noozhawk. “Every property is different, every location, the access to the views, the yard, and every homeowner is different. So to try and have one plan that works for everybody can be difficult.”
Chappell said he is working on several ADU projects in Carpinteria, and none uses the city’s plans because they wouldn’t work for those specific sites and property owners. Chappell said he has a few upcoming ADU projects for which they might be able to use the prototypes.
Homeowners do not have to use the city’s plans, but doing so can help homeowners save money on designers and architects.
“These plans are a full package deal,” Souter said. “These are just a bonus, really, that our City Council had developed to make it easier for our property owners.”
Homeowners should know that they won’t be permitted to use ADUs as short-term rentals on sites such as Airbnb or VRBO. The minimum lease a homeowner can have on the ADU is 31 days.
“The intention is to provide long-term housing for Californians,” Souter told Noozhawk.
Since the ordinance went into effect in February, Souter said that more than 50 people have come into City Hall to talk to her and ask questions about the plans. So far, there have been 10 submittals for ADU applications, and seven of those have received their coastal development permits.
Because Carpinteria is in the coastal zone, most building projects require a coastal development permit. Once the permit application is submitted, it takes about 30 days for review. Once that is approved, homeowners can submit their plans to the building department, which could take 30 days or longer to be approved.
Local contractor George Manuras with Seascape Realty told Noozhawk that he’s excited about the ADU prototype plans and has a few upcoming projects planning to use them. Manuras said he’s had roughly a dozen inquiries to build an ADU in Carpinteria since the ordinance went into effect earlier this year.
Manuras was the first contractor to get an ADU permit in Carpinteria, and he hopes to be done with that project in the next three to four months. He has at least three upcoming ADU projects for which he plans to use the city’s prototypes.
“The people that were wanting to do it now again are really receptive of the city’s plans because it’s already done for them and it’s a nice-sized unit,” Manuras told Noohawk.
As a contractor, Manuras said the plans make his job and the construction process a lot easier.
“Having an actual plan laid out makes it a lot easier,” Manuras said. “They can visually see something on paper right away.”
Souter encourages any homeowners interested in building an ADU in Carpinteria to make an appointment with her or walk into City Hall to learn more about their options for an ADU build.
“The potential for these new units is about a $5,000 value to the homeowners,” Souter told Noozhawk. “It’s a sizable gift from our City Council to the community to have these prototype plans to make it easier for them.”
More information from the city, including the prototype plans, is online here.