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3.A - Page 2 of 23 <br />As of January 1, 2020, the City's ordinance regulating ADUs no longer complies with State law. Therefore, <br />all ADU review and approval practices revert to State law criteria. While the City could continue to review <br />proposed ADUs against State law, updating the City's ordinance allows for increased opportunities to <br />regulate the types of ADUs allowed on a property as well as impose some objective standards such as <br />maximum square footages, height, lot coverage and/or other objective design standards. <br />While some Redwood City residents have expressed support for easing local regulation on ADUs, other <br />residents expressed concerns that construction of ADUs could result in loss of open space, loss of parking <br />(either covered or uncovered), and loss of privacy. There were also concerns that ADUs could present <br />neighborhood incompatibility issues including massing, streetscape and general architectural style and <br />design, especially with regards to second -story ADUs over detached garages. These concerns were at the <br />forefront of discussion leading to updating the City's ADU ordinance in 2019. That ordinance went in effect <br />on September 25, 2019. In recent years, new State laws have streamlined ADU approval processes, <br />significantly reduced the City's ability to regulate or impose standards in response to concerns expressed <br />by some residents, and required staff to review proposed ADUs more quickly. <br />ANALYSIS <br />Existing ADUs <br />The City has an active history of ADU ordinance updates with amendments in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2019. <br />These amendments were in response to continuing State law amendments aimed at addressing the <br />affordable housing shortage and the longstanding difficulty statewide in creating ADUs under local <br />ordinances. The City's ADU ordinance has been recognized as an important tool that can address <br />affordable housing issues, including supply, choice and affordability as well as support multigenerational <br />living. ADUs also create more options for increasing affordable housing stock in existing residential areas. <br />Overall, the production of ADUs in Redwood City has increased, including 75 applications for new ADUs <br />in 2019. (See Figure 1, below) <br />Figure 1- New ADU Applications in Redwood City <br />New Accessory Dwelling Unit Applications <br />80 75 <br />70 <br />60 <br />47 <br />50 <br />40 36 <br />30 22 <br />20 <br />7 <br />10 3 3 <br />0 - <br />2002-2013* 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 <br />(*Per Year) <br />■ New Accessory Dwelling Units <br />Page 2 of 10 <br />City of Redwood City 1017 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, CA. 94063 Tel: 650-780-7000 www.redwoodcity.ore <br />3 <br />