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Hawaiian Gardens adopts urgency ordinance updating ADU and JADU rules to match state law
Summary
Council unanimously adopted an urgency ordinance Dec. 10 to amend the municipal code on accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and junior ADUs to comply with several 2025 state bills, including new timelines and owner‑occupancy and short‑term rental provisions.
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.
