CITY OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANOINTRODUCTION OF AN ORDINANCE
Notice is hereby given that on May 19, 2026, the City Council will adopt an ordinance entitled:
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO AMENDING THE CITY’S LAND USE CODE REGULATING ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS AND JUNIOR ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY WITH STATE LAW; AND FINDING THE ACTION TO BE EXEMPT FROM CEQA UNDER PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE SECTION 21080.17
The purpose of the Code Amendment is to update the City’s regulations that govern accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units consistent with the latest state legislation. Since 2020, the State of California has enacted annual legislation limiting local authority over ADUs and JADUs to accelerate housing development, with four new bills adopted in 2025. AB 462 introduces changes related to Coastal Development Permits (not applicable to San Juan Capistrano) and allows detached ADUs in disaster-affected areas to receive a Certificate of Occupancy before the primary dwelling under specific conditions. AB 1154 relaxes owner-occupancy requirements for JADUs with independent bathrooms and prohibits their use as short-term rentals. SB 9 and SB 543 impose stricter requirements for submitting local ADU ordinances to the California Department of Housing and Community Development, with penalties for noncompliance. SB 543 also clarifies ADU and JADU size limits based on interior livable space and expands exemptions from impact and school fees. Additionally, it confirms that multiple ADU types may be combined on the same property and establishes more detailed timelines and procedures for application review and appeals. In response, City staff have drafted ordinance updates to align local regulations with state law, which have been reviewed by the Planning Commission and are recommended for City Council adoption.
Dated: May 6, 2026/s/ Christy Jakl, City ClerkSaddleback Valley NewsPublished: 5/14/26
