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Council introduces zoning amendment to apply state ADU law while local code is updated

Salinas City Council · December 10, 2025

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Summary

Salinas staff told the City Council the city's ADU ordinance is out of compliance with state law; the council voted to introduce an ordinance rescinding local ADU section 37-50.25 and applying state ADU law until a compliant local ordinance returns in 2026.

City planning staff asked the Salinas City Council to introduce a zoning code amendment to rescind Section 37-50.25 of the Salinas Municipal Code and apply state accessory-dwelling-unit (ADU) law while the city completes a comprehensive zoning update.

"Our ordinance has been out of compliance since 2020," planner Lisa Bridal told the council, recommending rescinding the local ADU section and aligning definitions and processing with state law. Planning Commission members reviewed the item on Nov. 19 and recommended the council find it exempt from CEQA as a minor land-use alteration and introduce the ordinance for second reading in January.

Council members and residents raised parking and neighborhood-impact concerns. Councilmember Barrera and others warned that state default rules may relieve local parking requirements; staff said the changes clarify which rules apply to pending and future projects and that a return to a local, compliant ordinance is planned in early 2026.

The council voted to introduce the ordinance and scheduled a second reading for Jan. 13, 2026. The vote was recorded with one absence noted in the roll call.