Quick Answer: Glendale’s accessory dwelling unit ordinance has been found out of compliance with California ADU law multiple times since 2022, most recently through an October 2025 agreement with the state’s housing department (HCD). Under that agreement, Glendale currently cannot enforce three specific restrictions — including its ban on building an ADU above a detached garage — while it works on a further fix. As of late September 2026, the city’s own materials still referenced that agreement as active, meaning the fix hadn’t yet formally taken effect.
Why does Glendale’s own ADU page say the city “cannot enforce” certain rules?
Because the state’s housing department repeatedly found parts of Glendale’s local ADU ordinance to conflict with state ADU law — starting with a 2023 review that flagged more than a dozen non-compliant provisions. After a partial fix in December 2024 resolved most (but not all) of the issues, the city and the state entered into a formal agreement in October 2025 in which Glendale agreed not to enforce three specific remaining restrictions while it prepares another round of amendments.
Which three restrictions currently can’t be enforced?
Based on that agreement: the ban on building an ADU above a detached garage, the ban on adding a detached ADU to a lot that already has certain other accessory living space (such as a guest house), and a restriction on combining the different ADU types (conversion ADU, junior ADU, and detached ADU) that state law allows together. An application relying on any of these three points is generally supposed to be evaluated under state ADU law rather than the city’s own restrictive text, for as long as this arrangement remains in effect.
Is this arrangement permanent?
No — it’s explicitly temporary, tied to Glendale adopting a fully compliant ordinance. A corrective amendment went to the Planning Commission in February 2026, but as of late September 2026 the city’s own materials still referenced the older agreement as controlling, suggesting the fix had not yet been formally adopted by City Council. This status can change at any point — it needs a direct, current confirmation from Glendale Planning for any active project.
What should someone planning an ADU project in Glendale actually do?
Ask Glendale Planning directly and in writing whether the corrective ordinance has taken effect yet. If a plan depends specifically on one of the three temporarily-unenforceable restrictions not applying (for example, an ADU proposed above a detached garage), get that confirmed for the current date — not based on an older article or a general understanding of “the rules changed a while back.”
Does this affect a home’s value or marketability in the meantime?
Potentially, yes, in a subtle way — a property with unresolved ADU permit history, or one where a prior application was denied specifically under one of the three now-unenforceable provisions, may be worth a second look. A prior denial resting on a rule the city currently can’t enforce might not have been a valid denial at all, and that’s worth flagging before assuming a property’s ADU potential is settled either way.
Related reading: Burbank vs. Los Angeles: How ADU Rules Change at the City Line and Glendale R-1-R Hillside Zoning Rules for Buyers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this affect the rest of Glendale’s ADU ordinance, or just these three provisions?
Just these three — the rest of the city’s ADU rules (size limits, height limits, setbacks, and so on) generally remain in effect independent of this specific compliance issue.
If my ADU application was denied before this agreement existed, can I reapply?
The agreement doesn’t automatically reopen old applications — contact Glendale Planning directly to ask whether a prior denial can be reconsidered given the current status.
How did this situation start?
It traces back to a specific ordinance provision (the garage-ADU ban) being challenged by a resident and referred to the state, which then reviewed the entire ordinance and found broader compliance issues beyond that one rule.
Is this kind of state-versus-city ADU compliance dispute unique to Glendale?
No — California’s housing department has issued similar compliance findings against a number of cities as ADU law has tightened in recent years. It’s a reasonable question to ask about any city’s ADU ordinance, not just Glendale’s.
General information about an actively evolving state-city compliance dispute, not legal advice. This status changes — confirm current requirements directly with the City of Glendale Community Development Department before relying on any figure or restriction discussed here.
About Will Flannigan
Will Flannigan is a California licensed real estate agent (DRE #01951292) and Certified Trust & Probate Specialist (CTPS) with The Nell Team at Equity Union Real Estate. A former attorney, Will brings a background in property management and over a dozen home flips to every transaction, and has been licensed since 2014. A 20+ year resident of Burbank Rancho, Will specializes in Burbank, Altadena, Pasadena, Glendale, and the greater San Gabriel Valley, with fluency in Mandarin serving clients in San Marino and beyond.
Buying or selling a Glendale home with ADU potential? Right now the answer can depend on the date you ask — having an agent who tracks it matters. Let’s talk about the property.
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