Woodland Hills City Zoning Code

A. Intent: The following ordinance has been established to:  

1. Provide minimum standards for the establishment and operation of accessory apartments within the city of Woodland Hills while keeping the look and appeal of single-family residential housing. 

2. To facilitate the implementation of the affordable housing element of the general plan by adopting provisions allowing the construction and operation of accessory apartments within single-family residential zones and is considered a permitted application, not requiring a Conditional Use Permit. 

3. All efforts shall be made for the accessory apartment structure to blend in with the main residential structure with similar or compatible appearances. 

B. Definition: An accessory apartment is a detached structure which contains separate cooking, sleeping, and sanitary facilities, and occupied or intended for occupancy as a separate but subordinate dwelling unit to the primary dwelling or place of residence. It can be part of a detached garage or other structure, but if it is intended to be a temporary or permanent dwelling location, it must be constructed according to city and adopted state building standards and requirements. 

C. Accessory apartments must be approved by the city and licensed as such and comply with any state requirements for rental units. 

D. Application and Approval Required: Accessory apartments must be identified as such in the building permit application, which application is to be completed using My City Inspect or other software that the city uses. All applications will be reviewed by the various city departments and personnel involved in the building permit process and must conform to all building codes contained in the city ordinances including IBC and IRC building code standards for residential construction. Required inspections will be performed before and during the building process and providing all inspections have been performed and passed, a Certificate of Occupancy will be issued by the city. The accessory apartment cannot be occupied as a dwelling until the Certificate has been issued. 

E. Standards and Requirements for an Accessory Apartment: 

1. The primary dwelling unit on the property or the accessory apartment must be lot owner-occupied. Exceptions can be granted by the city for short-term absences of the owner(s), including church assignments, deployments, sabbaticals, etc. Proof of owner occupancy may be required. 

1. At least one additional parking place (two existing plus one) must be provided that meets city standards and cannot be in the front setback of the residence. The parking area must be hard surfaced and the driveway can be the same as the residence but if not, it must meet the driveway setback requirement for the zone it is in as included in city code 10-8-5. 
2. Must be constructed according to all city and other adopted building and fire code requirements. 
3. All setbacks, lot coverage, etc. must conform to the requirements found in city code 10-8-5 for the zone the accessory apartment is in. 
4. If a septic system is used, a County health approval letter for the septic system to be used must be provided, indicating that the septic tank and drain field is adequate to accommodate the additional demand from the accessory apartment or if a new septic system will be required. 
5. It is to be on the same metering electric and gas service as the main residence. Further, both sewer and water service (same meter) is to come off the lines serving the main residence. 
6. The accessory apartment cannot be used for short-term rental (less than 30 days). 
7. Only one accessory apartment structure is allowed on each building lot. 
8. Ownership of the accessory apartment property must remain with the residential lot/property owner and cannot be sold separately from the main residence. 
9. There must be an existing residence on the property in order to construct a detached accessory apartment structure. 
10. Height restrictions are the same as found in city code 10-8-5. 
11. A .45 acre-feet of water will be required for an accessory apartment approval. 

F. Submit the following materials relating to the proposed accessory apartment in the application process:

1. A detailed site plan meeting the site plan requirements found in this title.
2. Identify the septic system layout as approved by the county health department
3. The location of one additional parking place that is required for an accessory apartment that meets city code 
4. Payment of required fees pertaining to the building permit application 
5. The fire sprinkler system layout 
6. Evidence of ownership for .45 acre-feet of water 
7. Show utility hookups for gas, electric, sewer, and water 

History:

(Ord. 2024-15, 5-28-2024)