Town of Yountville
Staff Report
6550 Yount Street
Yountville, CA 94599
Agenda Item #: 10C
Yountville Town Council Staff Report
DATE: June 17, 2025
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Brad Raulston, Town Manager
PREPARED BY: Aaron Hecock, Planning & Building Director
RECOMMENDATION
Introduce and wave first reading of Ordinance 25-532 amending Chapter 17.156 of Title 17 of the Yountville Municipal Code regarding Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs) and find adoption of the Ordinance exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
DISCUSSION/BACKGROUND
The California Legislature views Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) as playing an important role in solving California's housing crisis. Over the past few years, the Legislature has enacted numerous laws intended to increase the number of ADUs by removing barriers to their construction. Examples of such laws include requiring ministerial approval of ADU applications within 60 days, authorizing ADUs on lots with multifamily dwellings, and prohibiting local agencies from imposing height and setback standards beyond State-set limits. In response, the Town has amended its zoning ordinance to bring its ADU regulations into conformance with State law.
Since the Town’s ADU Ordinance was last amended, the California Legislature has adopted several laws imposing new standards and methods for processing ADUs. New laws and changes to existing law include:
• Prohibiting owner occupancy requirements for ADUs (and removing the previous sunset clause on this prohibition);
• Requiring local programs for preapproval of detached ADU plans; • Defining terms like “livable space”;
• Specifying that uncovered, off-street parking demolished for the construction of an ADU do not need to be replaced;
• Authorizing up to 8 detached ADUs on a lot with an existing multi-family dwelling, provided that the number of ADUs does not exceed the number of existing units on the lot; and • Authorizing conveyance of an ADU separate from primary dwelling if certain circumstances are met.
At the May 13, 2025 meeting of the Zoning & Design Review Board (ZDRB), the ZDRB unanimously recommended (4-0 vote with one member absent) that the Town Council adopt the Ordinance as presented.
ANALYSIS
This ordinance:
• Revises standards related to privacy, landscaping, architecture, and appearance to be objective. • Specifies that total floor area of an attached ADU may not exceed 50% of an existing primary dwelling. (Gov. Code, § 66314, subd. (d)(4).)
• Clarifies that connection fee and capacity charges for water and sewer service to ADUs may be charged based upon square footage or number of drainage fixture unit (DFU) values, up to the reasonable cost of providing service (Gov. Code, § 66324.) .
• Revises owner occupancy requirements to apply only to JADUs, as State law now prohibits requiring owner occupancy for ADUs. (Gov. Code, § 66315, 66333.)
• Adds specific deed restriction language required for the creation of a JADU. (Gov. Code, § 66333, subd. (c).)
• Specifies the process for preapproval of ADU plans and the shorter, 30-day review period applicable to ADU applications that utilize a qualifying preapproved plan. (Gov. Code, § 65852.27.) • Makes other clerical revisions for internal consistency and consistency with the statutory language, including updating citations to the Government Code following the recent renumbering of the ADU law (formerly 65852.2, et seq.).
FINDINGS
Pursuant to YMC § 17.184.060, upon receipt of the recommendation of the Zoning and Design Review Board, the Town Council may approve or approve in modified form the proposed amendment(s) if from the facts presented all the following findings can be made:
1. The proposed amendment(s) would further the goals, objectives, policies and programs and is consistent with the intent of the General Plan;
Staff Response: The proposed amendments would further General Plan goals, policies, and programs, including the following:
• Housing Element Goal H.2: Promote the development of infrastructure and regulations that accommodate increased residential development of all housing types. • Housing Element Goal H.3: Promote the development of a variety of housing types. o Policy 3.7: Encourage ministerial infill housing development such as two residential units, urban lot splits, and accessory dwelling units (ADU) with a streamlined checklist approach. • Housing Element Goal H.4: Provide increased opportunities for multifamily and affordable workforce housing and maintain affordability for income groups.
o Policy 4.4: Encourage ADUs, including junior ADUs, on single-family lots.
2. The proposed amendment(s) would not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience, or welfare of the Town;
Staff Response: The proposed amendments will be implemented through established development and building permit review procedures ensuring that there will be no detrimental impacts to the public interest, health, safety, convenience, or welfare of the Town.
3. For amendments involving a zoning or land use map amendment, the site is physically suitable, including consideration of physical constraints, access, compatibility with surrounding land uses, and provision of utilities, for the requested or potential land uses.
Staff Response: The proposed amendment does not involve or include any zoning or land use map amendment.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The proposed ordinance is statutorily exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Public Resources Code section 21080.17 and CEQA Guidelines Section 15282(h), as CEQA “does not apply to the adoption of an ordinance by a [Town] to implement … Article 2 (commencing with Section 66314) or Article 3 (commencing with Section 66333) of Chapter 13 of Division 1 of Title 7, of the Government Code.”
FISCAL IMPACT
Is there a Fiscal Impact? No
Is it Currently Budgeted? N/A
Where is it Budgeted? N/A
Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? Mandatory
Is there a Staff Resource Impact? No
STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL
Is item Identified in Strategic Plan? Indirectly
If yes, Identify Strategic Goal and Objective. Quality of Life: The Town enhances the livability of Yountville by providing well-maintained public facilities, parks, and trails, and quality programs and events.
Briefly Explain Relationship to Strategic Plan Goal and Objective. Adopting clear, objective standards related to state mandated requirements for the development of Accessory Dwelling Units, will help ensure orderly development and high qualify design. This will further Strategic Plan goals by safeguarding the quality of life for Yountville residents.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Draft Ordinance No 25-532