On May 24, 2022, the Sierra Madre City Council adopted Ordinance No. 1454 comprehensively updating the Second Units Ordinance, renaming it the Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance, and providing development standards and procedures necessary for development.

Development Standards

For the full text and additional requirements, please see Sierra Madre Municipal Code Chapter 17.22.
***Important Notice: CivicPlus is currently in the process of codifying all text of Ordinance No. 1454 and the Municipal Code linked here may not be accurately reflected of the adopted ordinance text.***

Submitting an Application

A ministerial review must be submitted for review to the Planning & Community Preservation Department prior to submitting for a Building Permit as part of the Plan Check Process to ensure compliance with the zoning regulations.

The Master Zoning Application is necessary to submit for any project in Sierra Madre requiring zoning clearance. The Accessory Dwelling Unit Submittal Checklist provides an itemized list of material to submit with the Master Zoning Application to begin review of the project.

Information from the State of California

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is an excellent resource that provides guidance for building ADUs.

https://www.hcd.ca.gov/accessory-dwelling-units

California Legislative Information on relevant law can be found at the links below:

Government Code Section 65852.2 (ADU)
Government Code Section 65852.22 (JADU)