Lake Forest council adopts zoning amendment first reading to align ADU rules with state law

The Lake Forest City Council unanimously voted Feb. 18, 2025 to find a proposed ordinance statutorily exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act and to hold a first reading to amend the city zoning code governing accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and junior accessory dwelling units (JADUs).

Assistant Community Development Director Amy Stoneage told the council that new state law on ADUs took effect Jan. 1, 2025 and that the city previously adopted an urgency ordinance on Jan. 7 to preserve certain limited local standards while the non-urgency ordinance proceeded through the public hearing process. Stoneage said the ordinance before council aligns local code with the state changes while retaining limited standards the city may impose, such as utility-connection requirements, permits for certain ADUs, and setback and height limits.

Stoneage said the new state bills include provisions to help property owners with unpermitted ADUs built before Jan. 1, 2020 by allowing those conversions to be permitted if they meet health-and-safety and building-code requirements. She said the state also expanded prohibitions on requiring replacement of off-street parking when parking is demolished for ADU construction to include uncovered parking spaces, clarified the definition of livable space for converted ADUs in multifamily buildings, and allowed an increased number of detached ADUs on a lot with existing multifamily dwellings (up to eight or the number on the primary lot, whichever is less).

Council members asked staff about the local share of ADU permits and practical effects. Stoneage said the city reports ADU permit data to the state and to county-level trackers; she told council Lake Forest has a relatively small share of permitted ADUs—about 0.9% of the county's share. She and council members noted construction costs as a frequent barrier to completion after initial inquiries. Stoneage confirmed that garage conversions and other existing conversions built before 2020 may be brought into compliance if they meet current health and safety standards.

A resident speaker, Andrew O’Connor, urged clarity on whether informal conversions (such as garages used as living space) are subject to code enforcement and whether state associations had given input; Stoneage and staff indicated they would follow up on enforcement specifics and noted that local concerns included parking impacts.

The council moved staff’s recommendation, held the public hearing, reopened it to allow public comment, and then closed the hearing. The motion to find the ordinance statutorily exempt from CEQA and to approve the first reading of the zoning amendment passed unanimously.