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Council trims proposed height for detached accessory dwelling units to 18 feet after planning commission split
Summary
After reviewing recent state changes and local options, council amended proposed zoning text to set detached ADU maximum height to 18 feet (down from staff’s recommended 20), following a split planning commission recommendation; council adopted the ordinance on second reading with the height change.
Hermosa Beach City Council on second reading changed a proposed zoning text update for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and junior ADUs to limit the maximum height for detached ADUs to 18 feet rather than the 20 feet staff recommended.
Nut graf: The council’s final action aligned the local ordinance with the planning commission’s position on height limits while adopting other text changes that the state law updates required. The ordinance update also incorporates recent state-level changes (Assembly Bill 2533 and Senate Bill 1211) that altered ADU definitions, conversion timelines and other statewide standards.
Planning Manager Alexis Arpeza summarized the state changes: AB 2533 revised the legal framework for conversions and extended certain grace periods; SB 1211 adjusted definitions and removed some local parking replacement requirements. Staff recommended a few local changes for greater design flexibility — including a 20‑foot height maximum and deferring detached‑structure separation to the building code — to allow more livable ADUs. The planning commission split on the height question: it supported deferring separation rules to the building code but did not endorse the 20‑foot height recommendation.
Council debate focused on preserving neighborhood scale while providing design flexibility for property owners. Mayor Pro Tem Seaman and some commissioners urged caution about expanding height and scale on R‑zone parcels. Opponents of the 20‑foot recommendation argued that 18 feet (the previous city standard near some transit streets had been 18 feet) preserved local scale while still permitting reasonable two‑story accessory living areas.
Action: Council adopted the ordinance on second reading with an amendment setting the detached ADU height limit to 18 feet; the substitute motion to retain 18 feet passed 3–2 (yes: Mayor Francois, Mayor Pro Tem Seaman, Councilmember Keegan; no: Councilmembers De Toit and Jackson). The rest of the code updates reflecting AB 2533 and SB 1211 were adopted as presented.
Ending: The ordinance will be incorporated into Chapter 17.21 of the municipal code. Staff will publish the amended code language and provide guidance to applicants on the new standards.
