Woodside planning commission backs ADU-code changes, recommends council adopt tweaks
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Summary
The planning commission voted unanimously Nov. 6 to recommend municipal-code amendments implementing the town's housing element: allow up to four ADUs on certain larger lots, permit ADU septic and utilities on slopes between 35% and 50%, create a preapproved ADU-plan process, and update the emergency-shelter definition; the measure goes to town council Dec. 10.
The Woodside Planning Commission voted unanimously on Nov. 6 to forward recommended municipal-code changes to the town council that aim to remove barriers to accessory dwelling unit (ADU) construction and to align local rules with state timelines.
Associate Planner Melanie Olsen told commissioners the measures implement programs in Woodside's adopted housing element and must be codified by Dec. 31, 2024, with a preapproval ADU-plan procedure required by Jan. 1, 2025. "We're proposing to allow up to 4 ADUs," Olsen said, and staff recommended limits remain subject to existing setbacks, building, fire and parking standards and total floor area (TFA) caps.
The proposed changes would allow up to four ADUs (including one junior ADU) on lots that meet size thresholds identified in the draft: lots exceeding two acres in specified zones and lots exceeding one acre in the SR district. The draft would also permit ADU septic systems and related utilities to be sited on slopes between 35% and 50% if no other feasible location exists, aligning local practice with San Mateo County Environmental Health limits, staff said.
Commissioners probed operational details. One commissioner asked whether preapproved plans would be checklist-driven; staff said the town will develop a plan-check checklist together with the building department so vendors can submit non-site-specific ADU plans for review. Commissioners also asked whether allowing additional ADUs increases a property's TFA; staff replied the ordinance would not increase a property's TFA cap and that ADUs would need to fit within existing allowable floor area.
Public commenters largely urged timely adoption to keep Woodside's housing element in good standing with the state while asking the commission to safeguard hillside design principles. David Middleman, a resident, said, "You should pass this ordinance promptly despite any deficiencies it may have," but urged that design guidelines for hillsides be preserved. ADU-builder Carrie Diller said clarifying septic language and aligning with county septic practice would reduce friction.
After discussion, the commission voted to recommend two specific edits before sending the ordinance to the council: (1) make the table of ADU allowances consistent by permitting four ADUs (rather than three) in the 1-to-2-acre band in non-SR districts, and (2) clarify that attached ADUs may expand an existing main-residence septic into slopes up to 50% when necessary. The motion passed unanimously. Staff emphasized the action is a recommendation; final code changes will be considered by the Town Council at a tentative Dec. 10 review.
What happens next: staff will finalize language to reflect the commission's amendments, review a recently received state-review letter noted in desk items, and present the draft to the town council on the scheduled date. The town must report annually to the state on housing-element program progress, and staff said failing to adopt required measures could prompt further action from the state agency that oversees housing elements.
Vote and procedural note: the planning commission's action was a recommendation to the town council, not a final ordinance adoption. The council is tentatively scheduled to review the draft on Dec. 10.
