AADU vs Not an AADU
Accessory dwellings units are not new but have recently become part of everyday language rather than just an obscure land use term. I spend a lot of time speaking to the nuances of what exactly puts a space into the category of an ADU.
Many time we convert an existing space inside a home. Sometimes it’s already finished with drywall, flooring, etc. and maybe a bathroom was added a few years back. Then someone added a wet bar and small countertop space to use when entertaining. So, when exactly does this space become an AADU?
When you add a food prep area?
What’s a “food prep” area?
Directors Rule 7-1983 defines it as “a room or portion of a room designed, arranged, intended or used for cooking or otherwise making food ready for consumption”. Clear as mud. You should go read the text in its entirety. It’s almost amusing.
There cannot be permanently installed appliances, well except for a fridge. And you cannot have a 208- or 220-volt appliance outlet or a gas appliance outlet. Is a microwave or toaster oven a “permanently installed appliance”? Can you have a small drawer dishwasher in your wet bar? What if the wet bar is in its own room and not part of a larger rec room? What if your bar sink is kitchen sized?
1AD Studio will help you navigate this maze of rules, regulations, and gray areas. We look at your space to see where you are starting from. What is currently there and what was and was not permitted. You may think you have a bedroom because it was labeled that way on the real estate listing, but does it meet minimum requirements, or does it have an EERO opening?
You don’t have to dive into the deep end to get all this information. A single on-site consultation by 1AD Studio will answer many of these questions for you so that you know where you are starting from in the process of adding an AADU to your home.
We research your lot, your structure, and infrastructure then visit your site to see what’s there, what’s going on in the street (right-of-way) and neighbors’ yards because big trees and structures built along the property line all have an impact on what you might want to do on your lot!
