La Mesa publishes one of the most polished pre-approved plan libraries in the county — five PADU options ranging from a 224 sq ft studio to a 1,199 sq ft three-bedroom, plus a Guidebook with sample layouts on real La Mesa lots.
PADU catalog runs 224 sq ft (studio) to 1,199 sq ft (3BR). Local rules in Ordinance 2023-2903.
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.
Parking standards are governed by Ord. 2023-2903. Many lots qualify for transit-served exemption via the Trolley.
Submit through the MaintStar Permitting Portal. Email Planning@cityoflamesa.gov for the official PADU construction sets.
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.
See the city ADU Guidebook and permit fees via the permitting portal. Soils report only required if the ADU is over 500 sq ft.
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 La Mesa ADU page (link in hero) for current eligibility and downloads.
Standard ADUs in La Mesa: 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 La Mesa.
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 La Mesa planning desk before submitting plans. ADUMetrics does not provide legal advice.