Contact
Planning Counter
(805) 564-5578
PlanningCounter@SantaBarbaraCA.gov
Building & Safety Counter
(805) 564-5485 x4371
CDBuildingCode@SantaBarbaraCA.gov
Preapproved ADU Program
Image Source: City of Concord Preapproved ADU Program and RRM Design Group
NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS
May 1, 2024 - The City of Santa Barbara is pleased to announce it is now accepting submissions for designer-owned preapproved plans for detached Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). These plans will be considered for preapproval by the City, with the goals of speeding up the review and approval process, guiding homeowners who may not know where to start, and ensuring that those homeowners work with qualified, experienced professionals. For more information on how to apply, please read the "For Designers" section below.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: JULY 1, 2024
WHAT ARE PREAPPROVED PLANS?
Preapproved plans are ADU designs submitted by designers, architects, builders, and other qualified professionals and vetted in advance by Planning and Building & Safety. Once preapproved, they can be selected for use by homeowners for their own ADU projects with an expedited review timeline and lower permitting costs.
FOR DESIGNERS
Having your ADU plans preapproved by the City is a great way to help your future clients move through the permitting process quickly and smoothly. All preapproved ADU plans will be featured on the City’s website to help connect you with homeowners who are interested in adding an ADU to their property. You will still retain your copyright to the preapproved design, so any homeowner who wishes to use the design must contract with you to do so.
2024 Timeline
Submit concepts for design review.
Design Review at public hearing.
Supply detailed plans for code review.
Up to three rounds of plan review.
Preapproved plans available on website.
HOW TO APPLY FOR PREAPPROVAL
This guide has been created to assist architects and designers in preparation of a submittal for ADU preapproved plans (Phase 1). Please follow the steps outlined below.
Advisory. These are not the steps for a building permit submittal. Homeowners must obtain a building permit from the Building & Safety Division for the construction of a preapproved ADU (Phase 2). For more information on how to apply for a building permit, please read the "For Homeowners" section below.
Preapproved ADU Plan Submittals must meet the following criteria:
- Detached, single-unit ADUs only.
- New construction (not conversions).
- Minimum unit size of 250 square feet.
- Maximum unit size of 800 square feet.
- Maximum one-story and height up to16 feet (measured from grade to ridge).
- Must meet High Fire construction requirements.
OPENS: MAY 1, 2024
APPLICATION DEADLINE: JULY 1, 2024
Prepare and submit conceptual architectural plans for Design Review preapproval. The plans must include:
- Title sheet with placeholders for:
- Project Data
- Vicinity Map
- Scope of Work
- Sheet Index
- Applicable Codes
- Placeholder sheet for Site Plan
- Placeholder sheet for existing building and site photos showing all sides of the existing main residence
- 3-D Color Rendering of ADU
- Elevations showing:
- Building Materials (exterior finishes, colors, roofing materials)
- Window Specifications (dimensions, operation (double-hung, casement), and include a window section with dimensions and muntin specifications)
- Plate Heights, Roof Pitch
- Building Height
- Building Sections
- Floor Plan
- Materials options (if proposed)
You will submit your plans for preapproval via a Planning Pre-Application. Please refer to the City's ADU Preapproval Submittal Checklist for a complete list of submittal criteria and details.
All applications, including all supporting plans and documents, must be submitted online via our Accela Citizen Access Portal (ACA). If you have any questions about the Design Review process, please stop by the Permit Center at 630 Garden Street, or call us at (805) 564-5578, or email us at PlanningCounter@SantaBarbaraCA.gov to be connected to a planner.
The fee for design review preapproval is per hearing:
- $514 for Architectural Board of Review (ABR)
- $514 for Historic Landmarks Commission (HLC)
- $514 for Single Family Design Board (SFDB)
Total $1,542 for review by all three review bodies
You have the option to request preapproval by one, two, or all three design review bodies (ABR, HLC, SFDB). Each hearing requires a separate fee, but only one application. The design review bodies will be looking for consistency with applicable design guidelines and quality of architectural details and materials. If you opt to be reviewed by all three design review bodies, your ADU may be preapproved citywide. If you typically only work on single family projects, you may select only SFDB, if desired. More information on the City’s Boards and Commissions is online.
After payment of fees, the plans will be scheduled for a decision at a design review hearing. If multiple submissions are received, the City may bundle them together for review at one hearing. At the hearing, the design review bodies may approve, conditionally approve, or deny the designs. If your design is preapproved, move on to the next step. If your design is denied, you may revise and resubmit it for preapproval during the next application period in 2025.
After your design has aesthetic preapproval by one or more design review bodies in Step 4 above, you may submit detailed drawings for Building & Safety review.
First Round Opens: August 1, 2024
First Round Deadline to Apply: November 13, 2024
Expect a City Response by December 10, 2024
Second Round Opens: December 11, 2024
Second Round Deadline to Apply: January 10, 2025
Expect a City Response by January 28, 2025
Third Round Opens: January 29, 2025
Third Round Deadline to Apply: March 2, 2025
Expect a City Response by March 7, 2025
In addition to the information required above, your plans for preapproval must also include:
- Structural Plans
- Mechanical, Plumbing and Electrical Plans
- Calculations, Specifications, and Supplemental Reports
- Structural Load and Lateral Calculations
- Energy Calculations & Forms
You do not need to submit a separate application for this part of the review. Submit your detailed plans for preapproval by Building & Safety via the same Planning Pre-Application you used in Step 2. Please refer to the City's ADU Preapproval Submittal Checklist for a complete list of submittal criteria and details.
All applications, including all supporting plans and documents, must be submitted online via our Accela Citizen Access Portal (ACA). Contact the Building Counter for any questions about building code review. Stop by the Permit Center at 630 Garden Street, or call (805) 564-5485 x4371 or email CDBuildingCode@SantaBarbaraCA.gov to speak to Building & Safety Counter staff.
Staff will invoice the appropriate fee based on the floor area of the ADU:
- 0-500 square feet: $2,150
- 501-750 square feet: $3,225
- 751-800 square feet: $4,301
After payment of fees, the plans will be reviewed by the City’s Building & Safety Division and Planning Division for compliance with all codes and requirements. There may be more than one round of review if corrections are necessary. However, there is a limited 4-month window to have the plans approved. Applicants must agree to a timely resubmittal process to ensure completion within the application period. The first plan check request must be submitted by November 13, 2024, and if there are corrections, the second submittal must be uploaded by January 10, 2025. If required, a third (and final) submittal must be uploaded by March 2, 2025.
At the end of both the Design Review Preapproval period and the Building Code Plan Preapproval period, you will be notified of the City’s decision to preapprove your plans. If your design is preapproved, the plans will be posted on this webpage along with your contact information for use by future clients. Once your ADU plan is preapproved by the City, the preapproval will remain valid until the City adopts new building or zoning codes that apply to your ADU plan. The City will notify you when such changes take place and let you know how updated plans can be submitted. The City will remove a preapproved ADU plan from the website within 30 days of receiving a request for removal from the applicant.
If your design is not preapproved within the required timeline, you may revise and resubmit it for preapproval during the next application period in 2025.
FOR HOMEOWNERS
Available in March 2025 – the City will launch the Preapproved ADU Program for homeowners to use. Homeowners can then reach out to the designer of the plan they select and work with them throughout the process. Browse the City’s list below – New plans coming soon!
How to Apply for a Building Permit
Preapproval does not mean that the designs already have their building permits, but rather that elements of the permitting process for your ADU will already be addressed upon application submittal. Pre-approved plans are around 70-80% complete but you will still be required to provide site-specific information. To use a preapproved ADU plan, you must:
- Contract with the designer responsible for the plan set.
- Submit additional site-specific plans, studies, and engineering, as applicable.
- Obtain a building permit from the Building & Safety Division for the construction of a preapproved ADU. The full list of submittal requirements for a building permit are included below.
ADU Supplemental Application
Basic Site Plan Submittal Guide
Building Permit (BLD) Application
Project Plan Submittal Guide
PREAPPROVED ADU PLANS
The following plans have been preapproved by the City of Santa Barbara. To use a preapproved ADU plan, homeowners must contract with the designer responsible for the plan set. Contact information for designers with preapproved plans and sample photos of their ADU units are available below.
New plans coming soon!
Disclaimer. Please note that the City of Santa Barbara has reviewed the above accessory dwelling unit plans and found them in conformance with all applicable zoning and building code requirements. Additionally, these plans do not require any discretionary design review. The preapproval of these plans does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of any specific designer, contractor, or other design professional by the City.