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Saratoga council approves stronger incentives for affordable ADUs, removes notarized‑affidavit proposal

Saratoga City Council · April 1, 2026
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Summary

Council voted 5‑0 to increase the floor‑area bonus for deed‑restricted ADUs from 10% to 15%, expand fee reductions and explore amnesty and conversion incentives. Council removed a proposed notarized‑affidavit alternative to recorded deed restrictions after staff and members raised concerns about HCD recognition and permanence.

The Saratoga City Council on April 1 approved a package of measures aimed at encouraging creation of affordable accessory dwelling units (ADUs), including increasing the existing floor‑area bonus for deed‑restricted ADUs from 10 percent to 15 percent and adopting tiered fee reductions.

Cindy McCormick, the city’s development manager, presented the staff recommendations: a 15 percent site‑coverage/floor‑area bonus for deed‑restricted ADUs; a tiered fee approach that would make permits for very low income ADUs free and charge low income ADUs 50 percent of permit costs; an amnesty program to legalize unpermitted ADUs; incentives for converting accessory structures to ADUs; and outreach and internal process…

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