Stanislaus County eases restrictions on ‘granny flats.’ Are they a cure for housing shortage?
Stanislaus County supervisors approved an ordinance amendment this week easing restrictions on extra dwellings that can be placed on residential and agricultural parcels in unincorporated areas.
Tuesday’s action complied with affordable housing bills signed by then-Gov. Jerry Brown in 2017 that took aim at alleviating a housing shortage in California.
Among other things, the package of housing legislation required local jurisdictions to allow “accessory dwellings” as a permitted use. The state came out with clarifications in 2018 and 2019 instructing counties to allow the granny flat-like dwellings in all zoning districts that permit housing.
Average rent just for apartments in Modesto is $1,339 per month, compared with $1,529 in Sacramento, $2,309 in the East Bay Area and $2,355 in Los Angeles, according to RentCafe, an apartment listing service. It can take six months or more to find a decent dwelling to rent because of housing shortages in Stanislaus County.
California’s steep cost for rental housing and home ownership is blamed for everything from crisis-level homelessness to residents fleeing to more affordable states to crowded dwellings in low-income neighborhoods.
Three years ago, Brown signed bills providing funds for building affordable housing and shelter for the homeless, for fast-tracking construction and restricting cities and counties from denying new development.
Accessory dwellings were also encouraged as a way to increase housing for California’s 40 million residents. The state is limiting counties’ ability to impose development standards, such as parking and architectural design, on accessory dwellings.
The county may consider availability of water and sewer service in determining where the housing is permitted. The Stanislaus County ordinance approved Tuesday allows no more accessory dwellings than the minimum number in the state regulations.
The county amendment generally allows for one accessory dwelling up to 1,200 square feet and a 500-square-foot “junior” dwelling in addition to what’s normally allowed in the rural residential zoning, general agriculture and other zoning districts.
As an example, an owner with an 1,800-square-foot house could build a separate granny flat, or accessory dwelling, on the same property and add a 500-square-foot junior dwelling space attached to the main home.
An accessory dwelling can house one or more people with their own accommodations for living, sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation, a county staff report says. Contained entirely in a regular home, a junior unit includes no more than 500 square feet and may have a separate bathroom or shared bathroom.
Supervisor Mani Grewal asked county staff about options for smaller homes often found on rural parcels. The ordinance will allow a small, 1,000-square-foot house to be remodeled as an accessory dwelling and a separate main home could be built on the same parcel.
The county ordinance also includes allowances for accessory dwellings on the 8,300 parcels in Stanislaus County that are committed to farm conservation Williamson Act contracts.
For parcels within a city’s “sphere of influence” boundary, county officials will defer to the city standards for accessory dwellings if those are consistent with state law.
Supervisors draw cards due to conflicts
The county board approved the ordinance amendment on a 3-0 vote Tuesday after supervisors Vito Chiesa, Terry Withrow and Grewal were disqualified on conflicts of interest. To proceed with a legal quorum, playing cards were drawn, with Grewal selected to participate in the discussion and vote with supervisors Buck Condit and Channce Condit.
Stanislaus County has processed 35 building permits for accessory dwellings under the state’s newer standards since 2017.
According to staff reports, 16 permits were for dwellings in single-family residential zones, six were in the agricultural zone on parcels smaller than 20 acres and another six were in the rural residential district.
Seven dwellings were in zoning areas allowing multiple-family housing, planned development or medium density housing.
The county processed 13 building permits for converting garages or shop buildings for living quarters.
