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PC - PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of a City-Initiated Zoning Code Amendment (P2025-0240-ZCA) to: Adopt an exemption pursuant to CEQA Section 15183 and Public Resources Code Section 21080.17; Amend the Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) Chapter 15.10, Subdivisions to Permit the Addition of Accessory Dwelling Units in Qualified Lot Subdivisions; Amend CCMC Section 17.400.095, Residential Uses - Accessory Dwelling Units to Remove Owner-Occupancy Requirements for Junior Accessory Dwelling Units; and Adopt CCMC Section 17.400.096 to Permit the Separate Sale and Conveyance of Accessory Dwelling Units as Condominiums.
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Meeting Date: November 12, 2025
Contact Person/Dept: Gabriel Barreras, Senior Planner
Emily Stadnicki, Current Planning Manager
Phone Number: (310) 253-5776 / (310) 253-5727
Fiscal Impact: Yes [ ] No [X] General Fund: Yes [ ] No [X]
Public Hearing: [X] Action Item: [ ] Attachments: [X]
City Council Action Required: Yes [X] No [ ] Date [TBD]
Public Notification: (Email) Public Notifications - Planning Commission (10/23/25), Meetings and Agendas - Planning Commission (10/23/25), (Posted) City website (10/23/25), Social Media (10/23/25); (Published) Culver City News (10/23/25)
Department Approval: Mark E. Muenzer, Planning and Development Director (10/30/2025)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission adopt Resolution No. 2025-P016 recommending the City Council adopt an exemption pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Section 15183 and Public Resources Code Section 21080.17 and update various portions the Municipal Code pertaining to Accessory Dwelling Units, as detailed in Exhibit A.
PROCEDURES
1. Chair calls on staff for a staff report and Commission poses questions to staff.
2. Chair opens the public hearing, providing the public the opportunity to speak.
3. Chair seeks a motion to close the public hearing after all testimony has been presented.
4. Commission discusses the matter and arrives at its decision.
BACKGROUND
As part of the City’s efforts to facilitate housing development, several recent California Senate Bills (SB) and Assembly Bills (AB) were identified for their potential to encourage new units and increase homeownership opportunities:
• SB 684 and 1123 - Permit Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in Qualified Subdivisions
• AB 1154 - Remove Owner-Occupancy Requirements for Junior ADUs (JADUs)
• AB 1033 - Separate Sale and Conveyance of ADU Condominiums
The City Council Standing Housing and Homelessness Subcommittee (August 26, 2025 meeting) requested staff bring forward these amendments, as analyzed below.
ANALYSIS
Permit Accessory Dwelling Units in Qualified Subdivisions (SB 684 and 1123)
The existing CCMC Chapter 15.10 - Subdivisions was adopted into the Municipal Code on May 27, 2025, and is fully compliant with State law pursuant to the passage of SB 684 and SB 1123. The goal is to provide streamlined ministerial approvals of parcel maps, tentative maps, or final maps for housing developments containing 10 or fewer lots or 10 or fewer residential airspace units, located in both single-family and multifamily residential zones.
In addition to residential units, this Government Code Section gives local jurisdictions the option to permit up to 1 ADU per newly created lot resulting from an SB 684 or SB 1123 subdivision. The resulting lots, residences, ADUs, and JADUs are still required to protect existing housing designated for low-income tenants, under rent control, and/or occupied by renters in the last 5 years and are subject to local standards and the Subdivision Map Act.
Remove Owner-Occupancy Requirements for JADUs (AB 1154, effective January 1, 2026)
CCMC Section 17.400.095, Residential Uses - Accessory Dwelling Units has been consistently updated to conform with State law, with the last Zoning Code Amendment related to ADUs adopted by City Council on May 12, 2025.
Previously, State law mandated that a property owner must reside in either the primary single-family home or in the approved JADU. California has since enacted new legislation which takes effect January 1, 2026, and only requires owner-occupancy if a JADU is dependent on shared sanitation facilities in the single-family residence. As a result, JADUs that don’t share a bathroom or a sink with the associated primary residence may now both be occupied by someone other than the property owner.
The proposed Zoning Code Amendment will modify the regulations of CCMC Section 17.400.095.M.6 to only require owner-occupancy if the JADU is dependent on shared sanitation facilities with the attached single-family residence. The passage of AB 1154 does not alter any other provisions regulating JADUs within CCMC Section 17.400.095, specifically:
• JADUs still cannot be sold separately from the main residence;
• JADUs must be rented for terms longer than 30 days; and,
• All existing development standards for JADUs remain unchanged.
Separate Sale and Conveyance of ADU Condominiums (AB 1033)
Culver City is among the top 10 cities in Los Angeles County in ADU production from 2018-2023, with 34.5 ADUs being built per 1,000 existing housing units. Moreover, in 2024, there were a total of 87 residential building permits issued, 80 of which (92%) were for ADUs. While ADUs make up a large percentage of local housing demand, the current Municipal Code does not allow ADUs to be subdivided or sold separately from the primary residence.
In late 2023, California enacted AB 1033, authorizing local jurisdictions to allow the separate subdivision, sale and conveyance of ADUs as condominiums to provide new, smaller, and more affordable homeownership opportunities within existing neighborhoods. To date, numerous California cities have revised their ADU ordinances to allow separate sale and conveyance of ADUs, including Santa Monica, San Jose, San Diego, and Santa Cruz.
To protect the interest of the public, the City, property owners and future homeowners, per State legislation, ADU condominiums are required to comply with numerous legal and procedural regulations, including:
• The Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act, a California law that governs the legal framework for homeowners' associations (HOAs);
• The California Subdivision Map Act and CCMC Chapter 15.10, which regulate the standards for preparing and recording Condominium Maps;
• If the property has a Lienholder, a lienholder's consent, including consent from all parties with an interest in the real property;
• Impact fees are only applied to ADUs over 750 square-feet in size; and
• Compliance with all local ADU development standards.
The Zoning Code Amendment will introduce Section 17.400.096, at the end of the current ADU code section. Additionally, it will modify the regulations of Section 17.400.095.K, removing prohibitions on separate sale and conveyance of ADUs.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION
The proposed Zoning Code Amendments are considered exempt from CEQA pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080.17, which exempts the adoption of an ordinance approving Zoning Code amendments related to ADUs implementing the provisions of Government Code Section(s) 66314 and 66333.
Further, pursuant to California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 15183 of CEQA Guidelines, the proposed local adoption and implementation of revisions pursuant to AB 1033 and Government Code Section 66342 is within the analyzed development potential in the General Plan 2045 EIR as adopted by the City Council on October 9, 2024, and, therefore, no further environmental review under CEQA is required.
COMMUINITY OUTREACH
CCMC Section 17.630.010 requires public notification via a publication in the Culver City News, a minimum of 20 days prior to the formal public hearing. Accordingly, a public notice was published in the Culver City News and posted on the City website and distributed electronically via GovDelivery on October 23, 2025. As of the writing of this report, no new comments have been received.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There are no direct financial impacts as a result of the recommended Code Amendment. Implementation of the Amendments will create additional opportunities for subdivision map applications and housing production, which may in turn lead to higher volumes of development applications and corresponding entitlement, permit, and development impact fees.
CONCLUSION
The proposed Zoning Code Amendment is consistent with State law and will expand homeownership opportunities, facilitate housing production through streamlined processes, and satisfy various General Plan policies related to housing. Staff proposes the findings can be made and recommends the Planning Commission recommend approval of the amendments to the City Council.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Proposed Planning Commission Resolution No. 2025-P016 including Exhibit A: Proposed Zoning Code Text Changes in “strikethrough/underline” format
MOTION
That the Planning Commission:
Adopt Resolution No. 2025-P016 recommending the City Council: adopt an exemption pursuant to CEQA Section 15183 and Public Resources Code Section 21080.17; amend CCMC Chapter 15.10 to allow Accessory Dwelling Units in qualified lot subdivisions; amend CCMC Section 17.400.095 to remove owner-occupancy requirements for Junior Accessory Dwelling Units; and adopt CCMC Section 17.400.096 to permit the separate sale and conveyance of Accessory Dwelling Units as condominiums.