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Orinda council limits ADU rights on Starter‑Home subdivisions, asks staff to use safety exception for wildfire risk
Summary
The council told staff to prohibit accessory dwelling units on parcels created under the new state Starter Home Revitalization Act (SB 1123), to bar subsequent SB 9 lot splits on those parcels, and to prepare objective design standards and a staff process to evaluate and, when justified, invoke the law's safety exception for wildfire/evacuation risk.
The Orinda City Council on March 3 gave staff direction on how to respond locally to SB 1123 (the Starter Home Revitalization Act), narrowing the city’s approach to protect public safety and local character while assigning staff to draft an ordinance that implements that approach.
Planning staff summarized the statutory framework and two policy questions for the council: whether accessory dwelling units (ADUs and junior ADUs) should be allowed on lots created under SB 1123, and whether lots created under SB 1123 should remain eligible for subsequent ministerial SB 9 lot splits. Staff noted the act permits ministerial subdivision into up to…
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