City Council
259 N. Wilma Avenue
Ripon, CA 95366
MEMO
To: Honorable City Council
From: Ken Zuidervaart, Planning Director
Date: 05/12/2026
Subject: Development Code Text Amendment for ADUs - Public Hearing RECOMMENDED ACTION:
No action is required; however, if the City Council agrees with the recommendations of the Planning Commission and staff, the appropriate motion would be to waive the first reading and introduce the ordinance listed later on this agenda.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Ripon last comprehensively updated its Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) regulations in April 2021. Since that time, the State of California has adopted numerous legislative changes related to ADUs, resulting in substantive updates to Government Code provisions governing ADU development.
As a result of these legislative changes, portions of the City’s current ADU ordinance are no longer consistent with State law and require amendment to ensure compliance. Failure to maintain a compliant ADU ordinance may result in the City being subject to State enforcement actions and limitations on local land use authority.
The proposed amendments to Chapter 16.86 have been prepared to align the Ripon Municipal Code with current State requirements while maintaining, to the extent allowed, local development standards and objective criteria.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
The proposed ordinance amendments update Chapter 16.86 of the Ripon Municipal Code to reflect changes in State law governing ADUs, including provisions related to ministerial review, development standards, and exemptions from certain local requirements.
A detailed overview of the proposed changes, including a summary of key legislative updates and their implications for local regulation, is provided in the accompanying PowerPoint presentation. Staff will present this information at the public hearing.
In summary, the proposed amendments are intended to:
Ensure compliance with current State ADU laws;
Clarify and update local development standards;
Distinguish between State-mandated requirements and locally applied standards where permissible; and
Provide clear, objective criteria for ADU review and approval.
The amendments are not intended to expand local discretion beyond what is permitted under State law, but rather to bring the City’s regulations into alignment with existing statutory requirements.
The Planning Commission conducted a duly noticed public hearing on April 20, 2026 to consider the proposed amendments to Chapter 16.86. During its review, the Commission expressed several policy concerns related to the limitations imposed by State law, including:
Infrastructure Impacts:
State law restricts the City’s ability to collect development impact fees for certain ADUs, raising concerns regarding long-term impacts to water, sewer, roadway, and public service infrastructure.
Neighborhood Parking and Street Congestion:
Limitations on requiring off-street parking may increase on-street parking demand and contribute to congestion within established residential neighborhoods. Design Compatibility Limitations:
State law constrains local discretion, limiting the City’s ability to impose design standards that ensure new ADUs are fully compatible with existing neighborhood character.
Increased Unit Density on Single-Family Parcels:
State law mandates the allowance of multiple ADUs on single-family properties, which may result in increased density and potential impacts to infrastructure capacity, neighborhood character, and overall quality of life.
While acknowledging these concerns, the Planning Commission recognized that the proposed amendments are required to comply with State law. Following discussion, the Planning Commission voted 5-0 to recommend approval of the ordinance to the City Council.
FINDINGS:
1. That the proposed use is consistent with the goals, policies, standards, and maps of the General Plan, any applicable Master Plan, Specific Plan, any Specific Purpose Plan, and any other applicable plan adopted by the City of Ripon.
2. The proposed amendments are necessary to ensure consistency with State law governing accessory dwelling units.
3. The proposed amendments will not be detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
The proposed ordinance amendments are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080.17, which provides a statutory exemption for the adoption of an ordinance by a city or county to implement the provisions of Government Code Section 65852.2 related to accessory dwelling units.
The proposed amendments are intended solely to bring the City’s regulations into compliance with State law governing accessory dwelling units and do not involve the approval of any specific development project. Accordingly, the action is statutorily exempt from CEQA.
GENERAL APPLICATION INFORMATION:
Owner/Applicant: City of Ripon
Application#: TAZ 26-38
GP Designation: All residential GP Designations
Zoning: All residential zones
Attachments:
1. Proposed ADU Ordinance - Final Draft
2. Current Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance - redline version
3. Accessory Dwelling Unit Handbook
4. April 20, 2026 - PC Minutes
5. Public Hearing Notice
6. ADU Slide Show - CC