Del Mar is a small coastal city with most parcels under Coastal Commission oversight. Chapter 30.91 of the Municipal Code governs ADUs, and the city is exploring incentives for low-income ADUs to meet its Housing Element targets.
At least state minima (efficiency unit, 850 sq ft for studio/1BR, 1,000 sq ft for 2+ BR). Attached ADUs are capped at 50% of the existing primary dwelling. Coastal harmonization can affect siting.
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.
Coastal Act and Local Coastal Program interface drives parking and siting decisions. ADU approvals frequently travel with Administrative Coastal Development Permit findings.
Use the fillable ADU application packet plus the Planning Fee Schedule. Administrative CDP processing follows DMMC 30.75.080. The 60-day state shot clock applies to qualifying ministerial applications.
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.
Planning Fee Schedule PDF is linked directly on the ADU page.
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 Del Mar ADU page (link in hero) for current eligibility and downloads.
Standard ADUs in Del Mar: 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 Del Mar.
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 Del Mar planning desk before submitting plans. ADUMetrics does not provide legal advice.