El Cajon planning commission backs zoning-code changes on ADUs, emergency housing limits and hospital zoning

The El Cajon Planning Commission on April 15, 2025, voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council approve amendments to the city zoning code clarifying accessory dwelling unit rules, adjusting emergency housing unit allowances, and restricting hospital uses in two residential-adjacent commercial zones.

City staff presented the proposal and said the changes respond to recent guidance from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and a March direction from the City Council. "The proposed zoning code update is primarily related to housing and commercial land uses, as well as some recently improved and enacted state laws," said Noah, Community Development staff, during the hearing.

The amendments reviewed by the commission would: clarify ADU standards and references to the Government Code; confirm that adding fire sprinklers to a new ADU does not automatically require sprinklers in the primary dwelling; clarify maximum height for attached ADUs located outside a primary-dwelling setback; and state that attached garages are counted as part of an existing single-family residence when determining eligibility for a junior accessory dwelling.

On emergency housing, staff said the citys existing emergency housing program currently allows up to six units on larger properties with an administrative zoning permit. The proposed changes—directed by the City Council—would let existing, lawfully operating programs that have no substantiated complaints add two units after one year of successful operation and add two more after a second year of successful operation, for a maximum of 10 units.

"There's currently only one operating emergency housing program that's at 660 South Third Street at the Meridian Church," Noah said. Commissioners asked how "substantiated complaints" would be assessed; staff said the director of community development approves administrative zoning permits and can elevate matters to the Planning Commission if complaints or code violations arise. Staff said a substantiated complaint would require evidence of a code violation, for example noise measured above allowable limits.

For commercial land uses, staff proposed removing hospitals as a permitted or conditionally permitted use in the Office Professional (OP) and Neighborhood Commercial (CN) zones because the general plan describes those zones as areas "in close proximity" to residential neighborhoods and therefore typically unsuitable for 24-hour, intensive uses. The code change would prevent hospitals from being established in those zones.

The package also adds a procedure that allows the City Council to "call up" a continued public hearing to act on it immediately, a change staff said responds to recent state law that limits the number of public hearings for a single housing project to five.

The commission opened and closed the public hearing with no members of the public speaking. Commissioner Rose moved to close the public hearing; Commissioner Edison seconded the motion, which carried unanimously. Commissioner Sotile then moved to adopt the resolution recommending City Council approval of the zoning-code amendments; Commissioner Pollock Rood seconded. The motion carried by unanimous vote of members present.

The item is scheduled for City Council consideration on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, according to staff.

Votes at a glance: the Planning Commission approved the consent calendar unanimously earlier in the meeting; it later voted unanimously to close the public hearing on the zoning-code amendments and to adopt a resolution recommending City Council approval of the proposed amendments.

Details that remain: the staff presentation referenced updated HCD guidance and "state law" and the Government Code; no ordinance number or specific amendment text was read into the record during the hearing and the staff report was described as "joint noticed" for City Council review. The exact regulatory text for the hospital prohibition, the ADU wording changes, and the administrative procedures will be considered by the City Council when the item returns for its hearing.