Item Number: 1
City Council / Board of Directors
Public Hearing(s)
Meeting of: August 18, 2026
Submitted By:
Alex Jauregui, City Planner
Subject:
An Amendment to Title 16 (Zoning Ordinance) of the Victorville Municipal Code with an Environmental Exemption to update the City's Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) and Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit (JADU) standards for consistency with current California law Recommendation:
That the Honorable City Council:
(1) Open and conduct a Public Hearing to receive public testimony; (2) Close the Public Hearing;
(3) Find the Victorville Municipal Code Amendment categorically exempt per CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3);
(4) Introduce Ordinance No. 2469 for adoption and first reading by title only to amend the Victorville Municipal Code; and
(5) Waive a further reading in full of proposed Ordinance No. 2469.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action.
Strategic Plan Goal:
Approval of proposed Ordinance No. 2469 will enable the City to further fulfill the following goals identified in the City's Strategic Plan:
Goal C: Community and Economic Development – The proposed amendment supports compliance with State housing law and the Housing Element by maintaining clear, current, and enforceable Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) and Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit (JADU) regulations. Updated standards and ministerial procedures will reduce regulatory uncertainty, support residential investment, and expand housing choices throughout the City.
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Goal D: Reduce Homelessness – ADUs and JADUs provide opportunities for smaller and lower-cost housing development within existing neighborhoods. By removing barriers and maintaining efficient approval procedures, the amendment can help expand the supply of flexible housing options for individuals, families, caregivers, and residents at risk of housing insecurity.
Background:
Amendment Authority
The City of Victorville Planning Department periodically processes amendments to Title 16 of the Victorville Municipal Code to maintain consistency with State law and address land use regulations and development standards. These amendments, commonly referred to as Development Code Amendments, are authorized by California Government Code Section 65850. Article 1 of Chapter 2 of the Development Code establishes the City's amendment procedures and requires a recommendation from the Planning Commission before the City Council considers an associated ordinance.
Purpose of Amendment
In recent years, the State of California has enacted several amendments to its Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) and Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit (JADU) laws and reorganized the governing statutes under Government Code Sections 66310 through 66342. The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has also issued guidance identifying statutory changes affecting local ADU regulations. Staff reviewed the City's existing ADU and JADU provisions and determined that many State requirements were already incorporated into the Victorville Municipal Code. However, the proposed amendment addresses limited provisions identified by City staff that require modification to meet current State standards while also preserving existing local development standards to the maximum extent permitted by law.
Planning Commission Action
At a regular meeting held July 8, 2026, the Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on the proposed amendment and subsequently adopted Resolution No. P-26- 014, recommending City Council approval of Development Code Amendment Case No.
PLAN26-00015 by vote of 5-0. The Planning Commission’s recommendation included minor revisions to correct formatting and grammatical errors, enhance clarity, and address public comments received prior to their hearing. The Ordinance discussed herein includes all revisions approved by the Planning Commission and adequately addresses all public comments received.
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Discussion:
Proposed Amendments
The proposed Development Code Amendment updates the City's existing Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) and Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit (JADU) regulations to reflect current State law and applicable California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) guidance. As proposed, the subject Development Code Amendments address the general topics of applicability, application processing, and development standards in order to maintain consistency with more than twelve separate State Senate and Assembly Bills that have become effective since the City of Victorville last updated the ADU/JADU Ordinance in late 2023. The subject amendments remain targeted to specific statutory, technical, and administrative updates and preserve the City's existing development standards to the maximum extent permitted by law.
The proposed changes to the Development Code are summarized below, with the full text of the amendments, including existing and deleted text, is contained in proposed Ordinance No. 2469 (Attachment A).
Victorville Municipal Code (VMC) - Title 16
(Development Code)
Chapter 3 - Zoning and Land Use Requirements
Article 7: Land Use and Special Requirements
Updated VMC Section 16-3.07.010 and the included Land Use Table 7-1 to clearly identify accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units as permitted uses in residential zones districts.
Updated VMC Section 16-3.07.030(a) to:
oReplace outdated references to former Government Code Sections 65852.2 and 65852.22 with references to “State ADU Law”, which is now regulated as Government Code Sections 66310 through 66342;
oAdd applicability language clarifying that ADUs and JADUs authorized under Government Code Section 66323 are subject only to local requirements permitted by State ADU Law;
oReorganize ADU/JADU application requirements into a separate subsection to clarify new processing timelines required by State law, including completeness reviews within fifteen (15) days, approvals within sixty (60) days, as well as provisions for written notice identifying incomplete items, including descriptions on how an applicant may remedy an incomplete application;
oRevise multifamily ADU provisions to permit up to eight (8) detached ADUs on qualifying lots developed with existing multifamily dwellings, provided the number of detached ADUs does not exceed the number of existing dwelling units on the lot;
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oClarify general and development standards governing allowable City imposed size limitations, architectural compatibility, owner occupancy, sales of ADUs, and other administrative requirements, with the revised language recognizing State mandated allowances;
oRemove the JADU parking-replacement requirement, which is not permitted by State law.
Chapter 3 - Zoning and Land Use Requirements
Article 8: Residential Districts
Updated VMC Section 16-3.08.020 and the included ADU Development Standards Table 8-3 to reflect:
oCurrent detached ADU height allowances, including applicable 18-foot allowances for qualifying multifamily development when designed to match the roof pitch of the primary dwelling; and
oUpdated cross-references to correspond with the reorganized subsections of Section 16-3.07.030 and current State ADU Law.
General Plan Consistency
The proposed Development Code Amendment is consistent with the Victorville General Plan, including Housing Element Proposed Program PP-H.3, which calls for updates to the City's Zoning Ordinance to comply with new State housing laws and to modify development standards that streamline and remove barriers to residential development, including accessory dwelling units. The amendment implements this program by maintaining current and enforceable ADU and JADU regulations while preserving local standards to the extent permitted by law.
Prepared By:
Mina Morgan, Associate Planner
Attachments: A. Ordinance No. 2469 - Development Code Amendment B. California Government Code Sections 66310 through 66342 C. California Department of Housing and Community
Development (HCD) Letter of Technical Assistance
D. Planning Commission Background Information - Executive Summary, Excerpt Minutes, Staff Report, Late Addition
Memorandum, Revised Resolution No. P-26-014, and Public Comments