Sacramento’s City ADU guide presents a local ordinance route and a separate State Standards route. It says an owner chooses one set of rules for the ADU or ADUs on the lot, so do not combine the most permissive number from each route.
Local standards
The selected local standards are summarized in the Step 1 — Is an ADU Allowed on My Property?. Under the local route, detached ADUs have a combined maximum floor area of 1,200 square feet. Local attached size uses the greater of 50% of the primary residence, 850 square feet for a studio/one-bedroom, or 1,000 square feet for two or more bedrooms. Local height follows the zoning district; the City gives 35 feet in R-1 as an example.
Confirm the applicable rule
Local setbacks depend on the whole ADU’s distance from the front property line. The guide lists three-foot side/rear distances for units less than 60 feet from it; a multistory unit at least 60 feet away may use the stated first-floor exception while upper floors retain the listed setback. The separate State Standards summary includes an 800-square-foot, 18-foot, four-foot side/rear example. Zoning measurements do not by themselves establish fire separation, building-code compliance, utility capacity, or permit approval. For shared measurement methods, see the setback and separation guide and floor-area guide.
