Recent state law has opened new pathways for increasing density on single-family residential parcels—the type of parcels that make up the majority of Petaluma’s housing stock. Arguably, these policies collectively represent one of the more successful legislative responses to California’s housing shortage.
These laws provide greater flexibility and reduced costs for constructing Accessory Dwelling Units as well as new tools like SB9, which allows for two-lot splits and the development of second homes on single-family zoned parcels.
This session will explore the practical implementation of these new rules in Petaluma, considering both the economics of these small-scale projects as well as one practitioner’s assessment of where these rules open new possibilities for Petaluma’s residential neighborhoods.
We will visually tour some projects around town, and explore the questions below and more:
Where are ADUs and SB9 projects likely to drive ‘gentle density’ in Petaluma?
What is driving vs. limiting the use of ADUs and SB9 projects?
Upcoming legislative changes and future evolution of these tools
How could the pace of these projects be increased?
Implications for housing affordability in Petaluma