The Hawaiian Gardens City Council adopted an urgency ordinance on Dec. 10 to amend the city’s ADU/JADU regulations to align with recent state legislation. The ordinance updates local code language to reflect changes from AB 462, AB 1154, SB 9 and SB 543, and directs staff to submit the ordinance to the California Department of Housing and Community Development as required.

Highlights included a new 15‑business‑day deadline for staff to make an application completeness determination for ADU submissions, adjustments to owner‑occupancy rules for JADUs where separate bathrooms exist, and a prohibition on short‑term (under 30 days) rentals for JADUs. Staff told the council the 15‑business‑day completeness check is a new state timeline and the city must develop processes to meet it; the full permit approval timeline remains the state standard (60 days).

Council adopted the urgency ordinance by unanimous roll‑call vote. Because it is an urgency measure, it takes immediate effect; staff will present a non‑urgency ordinance for the standard hearing/second reading process in the new year.

Next steps: staff will implement internal procedures to meet the new timelines, consider pre‑stamped plan templates to assist applicants, submit the ordinance to HCD and return the non‑urgency ordinance for first/second reading as required.