Coronado sits entirely inside the Coastal Zone, so almost every ADU triggers Coastal Development Permit review on top of the standard ministerial path. The city updated its ADU rules in 2025 to align with state law and is rolling out free pre-approved plans.
Coronado Municipal Code §86.56.105 was updated in 2025 to align with state law. Confirm current numeric caps with Planning — Handout 721 explains the application path.
State guarantee: California requires every city to allow at least an 800 sq ft ADU exempt from local lot coverage, FAR, and front-setback rules.
Height baseline: 16 ft for detached, rising to 18 ft within ½ mile of major transit. Attached ADUs follow the primary home, capped at 25 ft.
Per the 2025 Housing Element fact sheet, deed-restricted ADUs (low / very low / extremely low) are exempt from parking. Carriage-house ADU conversions need one space unless deed-restricted low-income.
Handout 721 governs ADU submittal mechanics. Applications are processed in person; incomplete packages are rejected. The 60-day completeness clock applies.
State backstop: A complete ADU permit must receive a decision in 60 business days. If the city stalls past 30 business days, AB 253 lets you hire a certified private plan checker to force a 10-business-day decision.
The city is preparing pre-approved ADU plan sets that will be no-cost beyond standard permitting fees.
SB 543: No impact fees on ADUs ≤750 sq ft. Above 750 sq ft, fees scale to the ratio of ADU size vs the main home.
Visit the official Coronado ADU page (link in hero) for current eligibility and downloads.
Standard ADUs in Coronado: no owner-occupancy required (made permanent in 2023).
JADUs: limited to 500 sq ft of interior livable space within an existing single-family home. Owner occupancy is required only when sanitation facilities are shared with the main house. JADUs cannot be used as short-term rentals (AB 1154 / SB 543).
Sketch a floorplan, walk through it in 3D, and have our planners review it for size, height, and setback compliance before you submit to Coronado.
Heads up: Local rules change frequently. This page summarizes publicly available state law (California Government Code §§ 66310–66342) and current local guidance for general planning purposes. Always confirm specifics with the Coronado planning desk before submitting plans. ADUMetrics does not provide legal advice.