Civic Data Works · Plans catalog · County of Santa Cruz
County of Santa Cruz — preapproved ADU plans
County of Santa Cruz ( County) posts 3 preapproved accessory dwelling unit plans on its own website, verified 2026-07-31.
- Agency
- County of Santa Cruz
- County
- Plans posted
- 3
- Verified
- 2026-07-31
What’s posted
County's own site lists 3 named pre-designed/pre-approved ADU plans: 425 sq ft studio/1BR, 637 sq ft 1BR/1BA, and 998 sq ft 2BR/1BA, each in 3 exterior styles, with downloadable PDF plan sets and estimated permit fees.
Source: https://cdi.santacruzcountyca.gov/Planning/Housing/ADU/Pre-DesignedADUPlans.aspx
WebFetch succeeded directly; confirmed 3 distinct plan sizes with downloadable PDF links in a how-to guide. Adversarially re-verified 2026-07-31: independent re-fetch confirmed all 3 plans exactly; note the county's own page/URL calls these 'Pre-Designed' (not 'Pre-Approved') and states they still require full departmental review before permit issuance.
Any other agency can adopt these plans
Cal. Gov. Code § 65852.27, added by Stats. 2023, ch. 759, amended by Stats. 2024, ch. 7 (SB 477) (§ 65852.27(a)(5)) lets any California local agency admit into its own program plans “A local agency may also admit the following accessory dwelling unit plans into the program: (A) Plans that have been developed and preapproved by the local agency. (B) Plans that have been preapproved by other agencies within the state.” A city or county without a preapproval program of its own can post County of Santa Cruz’s plans as part of its own program instead of designing new ones — see the full statewide catalog for more options.
We build and maintain the program page, the plan library and the required third-party submission path for agencies that want to stand this up: $1,950 setup + $3,600/year (year one all-in $5,550).
Data from Civic Data Works’ AB 1332 compliance scan. If County of Santa Cruz’s plans have moved or you find an error, write to [email protected] and we will correct this page. Back to the full catalog.