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Board adopts ADU code update to comply with state law after several amendments
Summary
Pima County adopted a zoning code amendment to implement state-required accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rules, adding owner-occupancy limits for short-term rentals, clarifying setbacks and other standards; the board amended the staff draft on the dais and approved the ordinance unanimously.
The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to adopt a zoning code text amendment implementing state rules on accessory dwelling units (ADUs), following hours of public comment and multiple amendments offered from the dais.
Development Services staff told the board the ordinance was drafted to align county code with state law while adding local clarifications: owner-occupancy when an ADU is used for short-term rental, accommodation of state-defined "restricted affordable" units, and clarity tying ADU permitting to existing historic-preservation and scenic-overlay requirements.
Neighborhood associations including the Tucson Mountain Association, Catalina Foothills Association and Tanquer Verde Valley Association praised certain revisions (owner-occupancy) but urged additional protections: cumulative lot-coverage accounting, stricter driveway/access rules, and a clear enforcement mechanism for restricted-affordable deed restrictions. Development-services staff said enforcement would be complaint-driven and that covenants or development agreements would be reviewed prior to recording.
Supervisor Hines successfully moved dais amendments that removed a blanket "site-built only" requirement (allowing modular/manufactured ADUs where those housing types are already permitted in zoning districts) and aligned attached-unit size limits with detached-unit standards; staff signaled those changes were acceptable and consistent with commission direction. The board approved the amended ordinance in a roll-call vote.
What this means: The county will implement state ADU requirements with locally negotiated guardrails. Directors will develop action plans and propose budget and enforcement details during the next budget cycle as departments map tactics to cost centers.
