Clearfield City Zoning Code

The Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) ordinance is established to provide areas for the encouragement and promotion of an environment for family life by providing for the establishment of an accessory unit in conjunction with single-family detached dwellings on individual lots. This chapter is hereby established to promote the use of ADU; to provide flexibility for the changes in household size associated with life cycle; to offer financial security for home buyers; and to offer security against problems associated with frailty in old age. These provisions are also intended to provide for affordable housing with reasonable limitations to minimize the impact on neighboring properties and neighborhoods, and to promote the health, safety, and welfare of the property owners and residents of ADU.

(Ord. 2021-14, 9-28-2021; amd. Ord. 2025-23, 11-25-2025)

PRIMARY DWELLING: The main or principal dwelling on a lot used to accommodate the primary use to which the premises is devoted. In the context of this chapter, the primary dwelling is a single-family residential building.

(Ord. 2021-14, 9-28-2021; amd. Ord. 2025-03, 11-25-2025)

No ADUs shall be created, established, or occupied unless the bona fide property owner(s) as shown on the Davis County tax assessment rolls resides fulltime on the property within either the primary dwelling or ADU.

(Ord. 2021-14, 9-28-2021; amd. Ord. 2025-23, 11-25-2025)

The occupants of an ADU unit shall be limited to a single family as defined in section 11-3-3 of Clearfield City Code.

(Ord. 2021-14, 9-28-2021; amd. Ord. 2025-23, 11-25-2025)

An ADU which meets ordinance requirements and development standards may be allowed within all single-family and agricultural zones.

(Ord. 2021-14, 9-28-2021; amd. Ord. 2025-23, 11-25-2025)

A maximum of one (1) ADU per lot.

(Ord. 2021-14, 9-28-2021; amd. Ord. 2025-23, 11-25-2025)

The primary dwelling and theADU shall have the same address number but shall refer to the ADU as “unit B.” Addresses must be located in a visible location on the street frontage side of the home.

(Ord. 2021-14, 9-28-2021; amd. Ord. 2025-23, 11-25-2025)

An ADU must provide, a kitchen, living areas, sleeping areas, and a full bathroom, including, sink, toilet shower/bath, separate from the primary dwelling.

(Ord. 2021-14, 9-28-2021; amd. Ord. 2025-23, 11-25-2025)

An ADU shall comply with all building construction and fire codes in effect at the time the IADU is constructed, created or subsequently remodeled, including the obtaining of required building and other permits.

(Ord. 2021-14, 9-28-2021; amd. Ord. 2025-23, 11-25-2025)

A single-family dwelling with an ADU shall have only one (1) meter for each water, gas, and electricity utility service, and each meter shall be in the property owner’s name. Installing separate utility meters for the ADU is prohibited.

(Ord. 2021-14, 9-28-2021; amd. Ord. 2025-23, 11-25-2025)

ADUs shall not be sold separately nor subdivided from the primary dwelling unit or lot.

(Ord. 2021-14, 9-28-2021; amd. Ord. 2025-23, 11-25-2025)

Any person owning an existing ADU that has not previously been permitted by the city, or any person constructing or causing the construction of a residence that has an ADU, or any person remodeling or causing the remodeling of a residence for an ADU, shall register the accessory dwelling unit with the Community Development Department. If the ADU is a rental unit a business license is also required. This shall be in addition to a building permit for the work to be performed. In order to meet the requirements of the registration, the applicant shall:

   A.   Submit a fee as identified in the Consolidated Fee Schedule with a completed registration form/application including a site plan that shows property lines and dimensions, the location of existing buildings and building entrances, dimensions from buildings or additions to property lines, the location of parking stalls, and utility meter.

   B.   Include detailed floor plans with labels on rooms indicating uses or proposed uses.

   C.   Pay building permit fees, if applicable, for construction and/or remodeling , in accordance with the established fees and charges.

   D.   Make all corrections identified as necessary to comply with building code requirements, as identified by the chief building official or designee and provide photos of the life safety items required by building code, including carbon monoxide detectors, smoke detectors, and earthquake strapping on water heaters.

   E.   Failure to complete registration of IADU: If the property owner does not complete the registration as outlined above, ADU unit shall not be considered legal or approved. Failure to complete the registration of an existing ADU may result in a fine, which may result in a lien on the property. After the fine is assessed, the building official or his designee shall determine an appropriate deadline for compliance. An additional fine may be assessed for each deadline that is not met.

(Ord. 2021-14, 9-28-2021; amd. Ord. 2025-23, 11-25-2025)

Home occupation businesses which may be approved in an ADU shall be restricted to a home office use which creates no customer traffic. No home occupation business shall be established within an ADU without the express written permission of the property owner, and approval from the City Business license official.

(Ord. 2021-14, 9-28-2021; amd. Ord. 2025-23, 11-25-2025)

Internal Accessory Dwelling Units (IADUs):

   A.   Appearance: The architectural design, color pallet, and materials for an IADU shall be similar to the primary dwelling unit. The use of portable storage containers in the creation or construction of IADUs is prohibited.

   B.   Location: IADUs shall meet the same setbacks as required for the primary residence in the zone.

      1.   IADUs may be allowed as long as the zoning requirements for properties in a single-family neighborhood are met. The IADU shall not be within the building front, rear, or side yard setbacks for the zoning district in which the dwelling lot is located. In addition, the following standards apply:

      2.   IADUs are allowed:

         a.    Over an attached garage, provided the accessory unit does not otherwise disrupt required covered parking.

         b.    Inside the primary residential dwelling through an internal conversion of the housing unit as an addition or in the basement.

         c.    By an addition to the house, containing an internal connection between dwelling units provided that the addition will not alter the single-family character of the building.

   C.   Building Entrances: An IADU shall have a separate entrance located on any side or rear of the single-family home or at the front of the home if it is below grade and maintains the characteristics of a single-family home. The purpose of this requirement is to preserve the single-family residential appearance of the building.

Detached Accessory Dwelling Units (DADUs):

   A.   Appearance: The architectural design, color pallet, and materials for a DADU shall be similar to the primary dwelling unit. The use of portable storage containers in the creation or construction of DADUs is prohibited.

   B.   Location: DADUs shall be located in the rear yard of the primary dwelling.

   C.   Height: DADUs shall be single story only and not include any livable square footage above or below the ground story level and are subject to the following total height restrictions.

      1.   Flat roof types are limited to a maximum height of twelve feet (12').

      2.   Pitched roof types are limited to a maximum height of eighteen feet (18').

      3.   DADUs shall not exceed the height of the primary dwelling.

   D.   Height Exception: DADUs built above a detached garage are limited to a maximum height of twenty-five feet (25') or the height of the primary dwelling, whichever is less.

   E.   Setbacks: DADUs shall maintain the following setbacks.

      1.   Rear: Ten (10) feet if single-story and twenty (20) feet if DADU is built above a detached garage.

      2.   Side: Ten (10) feet.

      3.   Corner Side: Twenty (20) feet on the side adjacent to a street.

      4.   Distance from Primary Dwelling: Ten (10) feet.

   F.   Size: DADUs shall comply with the following size and total floor area requirements.

      1.   Building footprint not to exceed fifty percent (50%) of the footprint of the primary dwelling.

      2.   Minimum: Total floor area to be no less than two hundred (200) square feet.

      3.   Maximum: Total floor area not to exceed one thousand (1000) square feet.

   G.   Lot Coverage: DADUs shall comply with the following lot coverage requirements. Coverage calculation is for all buildings and structures, both main and accessory, and shall not exceed the listed percentages based on lot size.

      1.   Lot Size of forty-three thousand five hundred sixty (43,560) square feet and larger: Twenty percent (20%).

      2.   Lot Size of forty-three thousand five hundred fifty-nine (43,559) to fifteen thousand (15,000) square feet: Thirty percent (30%).

      3.   Lot Size of fourteen thousand nine hundred ninety-nine (14,999) square feet and below: forty percent (40%).

(Ord. 2021-14, 9-28-2021; amd. Ord. 2025-23, 11-25-2025)

   A single-family dwelling with an ADU shall provide at least one (1) additional off-street parking space for the ADU, above the minimum spaces required for a single-family dwelling. The additional space may include the use of covered parking, a garage, or an approved driveway. Gravel or crushed rock accessory parking areas cannot be used to meet the parking requirement.

(Ord. 2025-23, 11-25-2025)