Annotated California ADU Law Library

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), nothing in this article shall be construed to supersede or in any way alter or lessen the effect or application of the California Coastal Act of 1976 (Division 20 (commencing with Section 30000) of the Public Resources Code), except that the local government shall, pursuant to Section 66317, either approve or deny a coastal development permit application for an accessory dwelling within 60 days of receiving a completed application, and shall not be required to hold public hearings for coastal development permit applications for accessory dwelling units. The process to approve or deny a coastal development permit application under this subdivision shall happen concurrently with the process to approve or deny an application for an accessory dwelling unit under Section 66317.

(b) (1) If the local government does not have a certified local coastal plan or program, as defined in Section 31001 of the Public Resources Code, then the California Coastal Commission shall either approve or deny the coastal development permit application for an accessory dwelling unit within 60 days of receiving a completed application.

(2) A local government that does not have a certified local coastal plan or program shall immediately notify the California Coastal Commission that a permit application for an accessory dwelling unit is complete pursuant to Section 66317.

(3) The California Coastal Commission’s review process to approve or deny a coastal development permit application shall happen concurrently with the process to approve or deny an application for an accessory dwelling unit under Section 66317 provided that the California Coastal Commission has received a completed application for a coastal development permit pursuant to Section 65943.

(4) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), if the coastal development permit application to create or serve an accessory dwelling unit is submitted with a coastal development permit application to create or serve a new single-family or multifamily dwelling on the lot, the California Coastal Commission may delay approving or denying the coastal development permit application for the accessory dwelling unit until the California Coastal Commission approves or denies the coastal development permit application to create or serve the new single-family or multifamily dwelling.

(5) Except as provided in paragraph (4), if the California Coastal Commission has not approved or denied the completed coastal development permit application for the accessory dwelling unit within 60 days, the application shall be deemed approved.

(c) Any decision of a local government pursuant to subdivision (a) is not subject to appeal under Section 30603 of the Public Resources Code.