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Can I build an ADU in Westlake Village, California?

Westlake Village, Los Angeles County · Ordinances checked 2026-10-05 · Reviewed · 14 cited sections

Allowed with a permit

Yes. ADUs are allowed on single-family lots in Westlake Village's R-1 and RPD zones with a ministerial City Zoning Clearance plus a Los Angeles County building permit. A new detached ADU can be up to 850 sq ft (1 bedroom) or 1,000 sq ft (2+ bedrooms) and 16 feet tall, with 4-foot side and rear setbacks.

Zones where allowedR-1 and RPD (plus two North Business Park mixed-use districts) [1]
Max size, detached ADU850 sq ft (0-1 bedroom) / 1,000 sq ft (2+ bedrooms) [2]
Max size, attached ADUSame, or 50% of the house's living area if less (state law may require allowing 800 sq ft) [3]
Max height, detached ADU16 feet (18-20 ft in some cases) [4]
Side and rear setbacks4 feet [5]
Parking1 space for an ADU with a bedroom (tandem OK); exemptions apply [6]
Junior ADU max size500 sq ft [10]
Minimum rental term30 days [12]

Where ADUs are allowed

ADUs are permitted in the R-1 and RPD zones on a lot with an existing or proposed detached house [1]. A junior ADU (JADU) of up to 500 sq ft inside the house is also allowed [10]. In the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, the code allows only one ADU or one JADU [14]; state law's by-right ADU-plus-JADU combination may override that limit.

Size, height and setbacks

  • Detached: up to 850 sq ft with one bedroom or 1,000 sq ft with two or more [2], and 16 feet tall, with taller limits near major transit or to match the house's roof pitch [4].
  • Attached: the same caps, or 50% of the house's living area if that is smaller [3]. State law may override the 50% cap where it would block an 800 sq ft unit.
  • Setbacks: 4 feet from side and rear lot lines [5]. The house's front-yard setback also applies unless it would prevent an 800 sq ft, 16-foot ADU.

Parking

One off-street space is required for an ADU with a bedroom, and it can be tandem on the driveway [6]. No space is needed within a half-mile walk of public transit or in the other listed cases [7].

Approval

Applications go through a Zoning Clearance/Building Permit process or a Building Permit Only process [8]. You need both a City Zoning Clearance and a Los Angeles County building permit [9].

Occupancy and rentals

A recorded covenant must bar renting the ADU or JADU for less than 30 days [12]. The code requires the owner to live on the lot when there is a JADU [11], and for ADUs permitted after January 1, 2025, it ties use of the ADU to the owner living in one of the units [13]. State law bars cities from requiring owner-occupancy for an ADU and allows it for a JADU only when the JADU shares a bathroom with the house, so state law may override these provisions.

State law notes

The code still cites Government Code Section 65852.2, which the state has since renumbered (now Sections 66310-66342); the state rules apply either way. Starting January 1, 2027, state law (AB 956) will require cities to approve two new detached ADUs on a single-family lot.

Guesthouses are different

A guesthouse (no kitchen, not rented) needs a conditional use permit and is not the same as an ADU.

See how Westlake Village compares with 8+ other California towns on accessory dwelling units (adus) →

Next steps

  1. Check your zoning (R-1 or RPD) with the City's Zoning and Neighborhood Finder, and whether your lot is in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.
  2. Apply to the Westlake Village Planning Department for a Zoning Clearance with a site plan showing the ADU's size, height, setbacks and parking (planning@wlv.org, 818-706-1613).
  3. Get a building permit from Los Angeles County Building & Safety (Calabasas office); the County offers pre-approved plans for garage conversions and JADUs.
  4. Within 30 days after the building permit is issued, record the City's restrictive covenant with the L.A. County Registrar-Recorder.

Common questions

Can I build an ADU in Westlake Village, California?
Yes. ADUs are allowed on single-family lots in the R-1 and RPD zones with a ministerial City Zoning Clearance plus a Los Angeles County building permit. A junior ADU of up to 500 sq ft inside the house is also allowed.
How big can an ADU be in Westlake Village, California?
A detached ADU can be up to 850 sq ft with one bedroom or 1,000 sq ft with two or more, and 16 feet tall. An attached ADU has the same caps, or 50% of the house's living area if smaller, though state law may override that where it would block an 800 sq ft unit.
What are the ADU setbacks and parking rules in Westlake Village, California?
ADUs need 4-foot side and rear setbacks. One off-street space is required for an ADU with a bedroom, and it can be tandem on the driveway; none is needed within a half-mile walk of public transit or in other listed cases.
Can I rent out my ADU short term in Westlake Village, California?
No. A recorded covenant must bar renting the ADU or JADU for less than 30 days. The code also has owner-occupancy rules, but state law may override them.
Can I have an ADU in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone in Westlake Village, California?
Yes, but the code allows only one ADU or one JADU there. State law's by-right ADU-plus-JADU combination may override that limit.

California's statewide ADU law

California's ADU law (Gov. Code §§66310–66342, recodified from §65852.2; latest amendments effective January 1, 2026) overrides conflicting city rules, including in charter cities. Cities must approve ADUs ministerially (no hearing) within 60 days of a complete application, or the permit is deemed approved.

What cities cannot require or do:

  • Owner-occupancy for an ADU.
  • A minimum lot size.
  • Side or rear setbacks over 4 feet for a new ADU, or any setback for a converted existing structure.
  • Size, lot coverage or floor-area rules that block an ADU of at least 800 sq ft. Size caps can't be under 850 sq ft (1,000 for 2+ bedrooms).
  • Parking within half a mile walking distance of public transit, or replacement parking for a garage converted to an ADU.
  • Impact fees on ADUs of 750 sq ft or less.

By right on a single-family lot: one converted ADU plus one junior ADU (JADU, up to 500 sq ft inside the house), plus one new detached ADU (up to 800 sq ft, 16 ft tall). Owner-occupancy may be required only for a JADU that shares a bathroom.

Short-term rentals: cities may bar ADU rentals under 30 days, and must for by-right ADUs, JADUs and SB 9 units.

Coming January 1, 2027: AB 956 raises the by-right count to two new detached ADUs per single-family lot.

SB 9 (§§65852.21, 66411.7) allows two homes on a single-family lot, or a split into two lots of at least 1,200 sq ft (with a 3-year owner-occupancy affidavit).

State sources: Gov. Code §66314 (ADU ordinance standards) · Gov. Code §66315 (no owner-occupancy requirement) · Gov. Code §66317 (ministerial review, 60-day deadline) · Gov. Code §66321 (size, setback and height limits on local rules) · Gov. Code §66322 (parking exemptions) · Gov. Code §66323 (by-right ADUs and JADUs) · Gov. Code §66333 (junior ADUs) · Gov. Code §66311.5 (impact fees) · AB 956 (2026), Stats. 2026, ch. 791 · Gov. Code §65852.21 (SB 9 two-unit projects) · Gov. Code §66411.7 (SB 9 urban lot splits) · HCD, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU Handbook, updated March 2026)

What the ordinance says

Exact text from Westlake Village's published ordinances. Section numbers are as printed in the source.

  1. Sec. 9.14.070(A), Municipal Code Article 9 Ch. 9.14 Development Standards (9.14.040 accessory structures and equipment; 9.14.050 fences, walls and screening; 9.14.070-9.14.080 accessory dwelling units and JADUs; 9.14.090 two units/SB 9), p. 1
    Permitted ADU Locations. ADUs are permitted only in the R-1 (Single-Family Residential) and RPD (Residential Planned Development) zones, and in the Mixed Use Lindero and Mixed Use Corsa zoning districts of the North Business Park Specific Plan. An ADU shall be located on the same lot as an existing or proposed detached primary residence.
  2. Sec. 9.14.070(B)(3)(a), Municipal Code Article 9 Ch. 9.14 Development Standards (9.14.040 accessory structures and equipment; 9.14.050 fences, walls and screening; 9.14.070-9.14.080 accessory dwelling units and JADUs; 9.14.090 two units/SB 9), p. 1
    New detached ADU. Eight hundred fifty (850) square feet (ADU with no more than one (1) bedroom) or one thousand (1,000) square feet (ADU with at least two (2) bedrooms).
  3. Sec. 9.14.070(B)(3)(b), Municipal Code Article 9 Ch. 9.14 Development Standards (9.14.040 accessory structures and equipment; 9.14.050 fences, walls and screening; 9.14.070-9.14.080 accessory dwelling units and JADUs; 9.14.090 two units/SB 9), p. 1
    New attached ADU. Eight hundred fifty (850) square feet (ADU with no more than one (1) bedroom) or one thousand (1,000) square feet (ADU with at least two (2) bedrooms) or fifty (50) percent of the primary residence's living area, whichever is less.
  4. Sec. 9.14.070(B)(4)(a), Municipal Code Article 9 Ch. 9.14 Development Standards (9.14.040 accessory structures and equipment; 9.14.050 fences, walls and screening; 9.14.070-9.14.080 accessory dwelling units and JADUs; 9.14.090 two units/SB 9), p. 1
    Sixteen (16) feet for a detached ADU, except as provided in subparagraphs b. and c. below.
  5. Sec. 9.14.070(B)(5)(a), Municipal Code Article 9 Ch. 9.14 Development Standards (9.14.040 accessory structures and equipment; 9.14.050 fences, walls and screening; 9.14.070-9.14.080 accessory dwelling units and JADUs; 9.14.090 two units/SB 9), p. 1
    Unless otherwise provided in this Section, any new ADU shall have a minimum setback of four (4) feet to the rear property line and four (4) feet to the side-yard property line.
  6. Sec. 9.14.070(B)(7), Municipal Code Article 9 Ch. 9.14 Development Standards (9.14.040 accessory structures and equipment; 9.14.050 fences, walls and screening; 9.14.070-9.14.080 accessory dwelling units and JADUs; 9.14.090 two units/SB 9), p. 1
    Parking Requirements. One off-street parking space shall be provided for an ADU with at least one bedroom, in addition to the parking required for the primary residence. The required parking space may be provided as tandem parking on an existing driveway.
  7. Sec. 9.14.070(B)(8)(a), Municipal Code Article 9 Ch. 9.14 Development Standards (9.14.040 accessory structures and equipment; 9.14.050 fences, walls and screening; 9.14.070-9.14.080 accessory dwelling units and JADUs; 9.14.090 two units/SB 9), p. 1
    The ADU is located within one-half-mile walking distance of "public transit" as defined in Government Code Section 65852.2.
  8. Sec. 9.14.080(A), Municipal Code Article 9 Ch. 9.14 Development Standards (9.14.040 accessory structures and equipment; 9.14.050 fences, walls and screening; 9.14.070-9.14.080 accessory dwelling units and JADUs; 9.14.090 two units/SB 9), p. 1
    An application for a new ADU or JADU shall be subject to review and approval under the Zoning Clearance/Building Permit Process specified in paragraph B. below or under the Building Permit Only Process specified in paragraph C. below.
  9. City webpage, Accessory Dwelling Units, Accessory Dwelling Units - City webpage, p. 1
    Please note that in addition to a City Zoning Clearance, a building permit must be obtained from the County of Los Angeles prior to constructing an ADU.
  10. Sec. 9.14.080(E)(1), Municipal Code Article 9 Ch. 9.14 Development Standards (9.14.040 accessory structures and equipment; 9.14.050 fences, walls and screening; 9.14.070-9.14.080 accessory dwelling units and JADUs; 9.14.090 two units/SB 9), p. 1
    A JADU shall be a maximum of five hundred (500) square feet of gross floor area.
  11. Sec. 9.14.080(E)(6), Municipal Code Article 9 Ch. 9.14 Development Standards (9.14.040 accessory structures and equipment; 9.14.050 fences, walls and screening; 9.14.070-9.14.080 accessory dwelling units and JADUs; 9.14.090 two units/SB 9), p. 1
    One of the residential dwellings on the lot shall be occupied as the primary residence of the owner of the lot and shall not be rented or leased as long as the JADU exists.
  12. Sec. 9.14.080(F)(2), Municipal Code Article 9 Ch. 9.14 Development Standards (9.14.040 accessory structures and equipment; 9.14.050 fences, walls and screening; 9.14.070-9.14.080 accessory dwelling units and JADUs; 9.14.090 two units/SB 9), p. 1
    The ADU or JADU may not be rented for a period of less than thirty (30) days.
  13. Sec. 9.14.080(F)(4), Municipal Code Article 9 Ch. 9.14 Development Standards (9.14.040 accessory structures and equipment; 9.14.050 fences, walls and screening; 9.14.070-9.14.080 accessory dwelling units and JADUs; 9.14.090 two units/SB 9), p. 1
    If the property contains an ADU permitted after January 1, 2025, the ADU shall be a legal unit and may be used as habitable space, only so long as either the main dwelling unit, or the ADU, is occupied by the owner of record of the property.
  14. Sec. 9.14.080(D)(1), Municipal Code Article 9 Ch. 9.14 Development Standards (9.14.040 accessory structures and equipment; 9.14.050 fences, walls and screening; 9.14.070-9.14.080 accessory dwelling units and JADUs; 9.14.090 two units/SB 9), p. 1
    No more than one ADU or one JADU is allowed on properties located in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.
This page summarizes Westlake Village's posted ordinances as of 2026-10-05. Ordinances are amended, and individual lots can have overlays, subdivision covenants, or HOA rules that are stricter. Confirm with City of Westlake Village Planning Department, City Hall, 31200 Oak Crest Drive (building permits/inspections by L.A. County Building and Safety, Calabasas office (818) 880-4150) (818-706-1613) before you build. Spot an error?