The Monterey County Board of Supervisors took a final vote on Tuesday, Nov. 18 to approve expanded accessory dwelling units in the coastal zone. It was a long-sought-after change by families in North County looking to add ADUs for young adult children or aging parents, as well as by those in Big Sur looking to add affordable housing for workers.
The 5-0 vote came one month after the California Coastal Commission approved changes to the county's local coastal plan on a 9-0 vote. The main concern of commissioners—including Monterey County Board Chair Chris Lopez, who was appointed to the commission earlier this year—was providing more housing in the coastal zone, while still protecting resources.
Previously, ADUs and junior ADUs were not allowed in the North County area due to water contraints. Under the new ordinance, which goes into effect Dec. 19, the units can be added, as long as structures on the property use water-conserving fixtures and switch from ornamental landscaping to drought-tolerant plants.
The new ordinance also eliminates a cap of 50 ADUs total in Big Sur, which brings the ordinance into compliance with state law regulating the units. The ordinance also allows units of up to 1,000 square feet, up from 850.
There was some disagreement among Big Sur residents at the board meeting. Christina McGinnis of Keep Big Sur Wild urged the board to retain the 50-unit cap and keep the 850-square-foot maximum, out of worries of over development and impact on the region's natural resources.
Rachel Goldberger, program manager for the Community Association of Big Sur, spoke on behalf of the organization in support of the ordinance.
"I get it, and I understand the concern about unchecked development but I'm hopeful that any singe ADU that keeps one of our firefighters, health care workers, artists, teachers, neighbors here in Big Sur is a good option," Goldberger said. "I think that we can take care of one another and try to work on keeping excess development in check."
Goldberger asked the board to consider adding yurts, modular homes and tiny homes on wheels as ADUs in the future, to provide lower cost and easier ways to add housing.