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Crane Property helps homeowners and developers understand project feasibility, costs, constraints, next steps, and the professionals they may need.

Does my state force my city to allow ADUs?

Several states have passed legislation that limits local restrictions on ADUs, and in those states a local prohibition may not be enforceable. The details vary widely by state, which is why Crane reads the state statute and the local code together rather than assuming either one alone.

Will an ADU trigger impact fees?

It can. A second dwelling unit is often treated as new development for fee purposes, and some states have capped or waived those fees for ADUs. Crane records the published fee schedule where the jurisdiction issues one, and flags where fees are only confirmed at application.

Rental rules are separate from building rules. A jurisdiction may permit the unit but limit short-term rentals, require the owner to live on site, or count the unit against a rental cap. Those rules are usually in the municipal code rather than the development code, and they are worth checking before the design is fixed.

ADU feasibility

ADU Feasibility: Can You Add a Second Home on Your Lot?

Accessory dwelling units are the most-asked property question in the country, and the most locally decided. Crane researches what your state requires, what your jurisdiction allows, and what your lot can actually fit.

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An ADU is a second, smaller home on the same lot as the first — detached in the backyard, attached to the house, or carved out of a garage or basement. In recent years many states have passed legislation that limits how far a city can restrict them, which is why an answer from five years ago is often wrong today.

The useful question is not whether ADUs are allowed in general. It is what your jurisdiction allows on your lot, and what state law requires it to allow.

The four limits that decide most ADUs

Almost every ADU outcome turns on a small number of numbers. They vary by jurisdiction, and occasionally by how far the lot is from a transit stop or a job centre.

Size — a maximum floor area, usually expressed as a percentage of the main house or a flat square footage.
Height and setbacks — how tall it may stand and how far it must sit from each property line, often with a reduced rear setback specifically for ADUs.
Lot coverage — how much of the lot may be covered by buildings, which is frequently the binding constraint on a small lot.
Parking and access — whether a parking space must be added, whether the driveway can be widened, and whether fire apparatus can reach the unit.

What state law changes

A growing number of states have adopted statutes that override local prohibition of ADUs, cap the fees a city may charge, require a decision within a set number of days, or remove parking minimums near transit. Where that legislation exists it can be decisive — a jurisdiction's own code may be out of step with it.

Crane reads the state legislation alongside the local code rather than instead of it, because the two together are what actually govern.

What makes an ADU project different from an addition

An ADU creates a second dwelling unit, which brings its own requirements: a separate kitchen, a sleeping area, a bathroom, and often its own utility connections, address and meter. It may also trigger impact fees that an addition would not.

If the unit is intended for a family member, a rental, or a short-term stay, say so — some jurisdictions treat those differently, and some treat an owner-occupied ADU differently from one on a rental property.

What still needs checking for your property

Crane researches official state and local sources to help you understand your project. Statewide research coverage runs across all 50 states, with expanding local jurisdiction intelligence — so what applies to a particular address is always worth confirming against the reviewing authority.

Whether the parcel is in a zone that permits an ADU outright, conditionally, or not at all — and whether state law overrides that.
The maximum size, height and setback that apply to the specific lot, including any reduced rear setback.
Whether the existing house is a legal conforming use, since a nonconformity can change what may be added.
Utility capacity — sewer or septic, water, and electrical service — and whether an upgrade is required.
Any HOA covenant, historic overlay or fire access requirement that applies on top of the code.

Common questions

Often that is the simpler path, because the structure and the footprint already exist. It still depends on the same limits — height, setbacks, lot coverage and parking — and on whether the garage is counted as required parking. See Garage Conversion for what changes.

Keep reading

Next step

Start with your own address.

What applies to a property depends on where it is. Tell Crane what you are considering and it will research the official state and local sources that bear on it, then set out what may be possible and what still needs checking.