VANPLEX
David Babakaiff
Written by David Babakaiff · Co-Founder, VanPlex | 25+ Years BC Construction Last reviewed: October 2026

Cities | Jurupa Valley

Jurupa Valley, California Multiplex Rules 2026: Zoning, ADUs, SB 9, Apartments, Animal-Keeping Lots and Fees

Jurupa Valley, California is a general law city in western Riverside County, along the Santa Ana River. Its zoning and subdivision rules sit in Titles 9 and 7 of the Jurupa Valley Municipal Code, published on Municode. The code began as the Riverside County Code, and a May 2026 City report counts 21,752 parcels in zones where horses and other animals may be kept. Apartments are allowed in six zones, and state law adds ADUs and SB 9 homes on house lots. In 2026 the City Council changed the ADU rules, opened by-right approval on rezoned Housing Element sites and started a rewrite of the animal rules. This page sums up the ways to build two, three, four or more homes on a Jurupa Valley lot. The seven guide pages below cover each topic in depth.

Jurupa Valley in six facts

Jurupa Valley Guide Pages

Zoning districts
The 37 zones in the code, house zones from R-1 lots of 7,200 square feet to half-acre R-R lots, and the R-2, R-2A, R-3, R-4 and R-6 zones that allow apartments.
Lots and subdivisions
Minimum lot sizes by zone, parcel maps decided by the Director, 36-month tentative maps, SB 9 lot splits of 40 to 60 percent and small-lot maps.
ADUs and SB 9
The ADU rules adopted in May 2026, permit-ready ADU plans, ADU fees, and the City's SB 9 chapter for two homes in the R-R, R-R-O, R-1, R-A and R-D zones.
Three or more homes
Apartments with a site development permit, 2,500 square feet of lot per home in R-2, the 2026 by-right rule for rezoned sites, and the 7 percent inclusionary rule.
Parking, setbacks, height
Two spaces per house, 1.25 to 2.75 per apartment, 20-foot front yards in most house zones, height limits from 30 to 50 feet and lot coverage rules.
Animals and rural lots
Horses, livestock and poultry by zone, the equestrian overlay update heard in October 2026, and flood and fire limits that apply to rural lots.
Permits and fees
Who decides each permit, 10-day appeals, deposits, the development impact fee, the habitat fee raised on July 1, 2026 and the inclusionary in-lieu fee.

Start With State Law

Four state laws set the floor Jurupa Valley must allow. SB 9 (2021) allows two main homes on a lot in a single-family zone, a split into two lots, or both, approved by staff with no hearing. ADU law sets the accessory dwelling units (ADUs), second homes on a lot, and junior ADUs a city must allow; a junior ADU is a unit of 500 square feet or less inside a house. SB 684 and SB 1123 allow maps of up to 10 lots with 10 homes. The state density bonus gives extra homes to projects of five or more units that include affordable homes.

Jurupa Valley writes ADU law into Section 9.240.290, SB 9 into Chapter 9.305 for two-home projects and Chapter 7.85 for lot splits, and the density bonus into Chapter 9.300. It has no section of its own for SB 684 and SB 1123 maps, so the statute applies directly. Jurupa Valley is a general law city, a city organized under the state's general laws for cities: the May 21, 2026 City Council minutes record a resolution calling the November 3, 2026 election "as required by the provisions of the laws of the State of California relating to general law cities."

SB 79 allows taller and denser projects near qualifying rail and bus stops. The state Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) says in its SB 79 advisory that its upzoning took effect on July 1, 2026 in seven counties: Alameda, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and San Diego. Riverside County is not among them.

Jurupa Valley in Numbers

The US Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 city file estimates 107,311 people in the City of Jurupa Valley on July 1, 2025, up from a 2020 estimates base of 105,047. In that file Jurupa Valley is the 64th largest city in California, after Downey (108,468) and ahead of Rialto (106,554). Riverside County has 2,544,916 people in the same file.

A May 21, 2026 staff report says the City incorporated on July 1, 2011, when building and zoning permits passed from the County of Riverside to the new City. The code's preface says it was built from "the Riverside County Code as it existed on July 1, 2011," adopted by Ordinance No. 2011-01, and Ordinance No. 2017-17 recodified it as the Jurupa Valley Municipal Code. The Municode copy read for this guide is Supplement 27, whose Supplement History Table ends with Ordinance No. 2026-04, adopted May 21, 2026.

The City's Housing Element page says HCD certified the 2021 to 2029 Housing Element on April 22, 2022, making Jurupa Valley "the 10th jurisdiction in the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and 2nd in Riverside County to receive certification." Its table gives a state housing allocation of 4,497 homes, while its text says 4,485. An August 6, 2026 staff report uses 4,497 and says 1,444 homes had been permitted through the end of June 2026. The three or more homes page has the breakdown by income.

The Ways to More Homes Compared

Way Where Homes Approval
ADU and junior ADU Any zone that allows homes House plus a converted ADU, a detached ADU and a JADU Building permit only for state types; 60 days otherwise
SB 9 two-unit project R-R, R-R-O, R-1, R-D, R-A 2 main homes Director, no hearing, 60 days
SB 9 urban lot split R-R, R-R-O, R-1, R-D, R-A 2 lots of 40 to 60 percent, up to 2 homes each Parcel map, no hearing, then Council final map
Duplex or apartments R-2, R-2A, R-3, R-D R-2: one per 2,500 sq ft of lot Site development permit, Director, 30 days
By-right affordable project R-3 sites rezoned by Ord. No. 2024-10 Up to 25 per acre, 20% lower income Ministerial site development permit
Small-lot map (SB 684 / SB 1123) Multifamily lots up to 5 acres; vacant single-family lots up to 1.5 acres Up to 10 Ministerial under Gov. Code 66499.41, 60 days

Sources: Jurupa Valley Municipal Code Sec. 9.240.290, 9.305.030, 7.85.050, 9.70.110 and 9.240.330 (Supplement 27); Ordinance No. 2026-06; Gov. Code 65852.21, 66411.7 and 66499.41.

Zones That Allow Homes

Section 9.35.010 lists 37 zone classifications. The house zones are R-R (half-acre lots), R-R-O, R-1 (7,200 square feet), R-A (20,000 square feet) and the agricultural zones such as A-1. Apartments are allowed in R-2, R-2A, R-3, R-4, R-6 and R-D. R-2 requires 2,500 square feet of lot per home, R-2A caps buildings at two stories and 30 feet, and R-3 allows 50 feet and a floor area ratio of two to one. On Housing Element sites rezoned R-3 in 2024, the City allows up to 25 homes per acre. See the zoning districts page.

House Lots: ADUs and SB 9

Ordinance No. 2026-04, adopted May 21, 2026, brought Section 9.240.290 in line with the ADU laws that took effect January 1, 2026, and Supplement 27 prints the new text. A detached ADU of up to 800 square feet, 16 feet tall and 4 feet from side and rear lines needs only a building permit, and a house lot may combine a converted ADU, a detached ADU and a JADU. The City offers four permit-ready ADU plans. See the ADUs and SB 9 page.

SB 9 allows two main homes on lots in R-R, R-R-O, R-1, R-D and R-A, or a split into two lots of 40 to 60 percent each. The owner of a split lot must record a covenant promising to live in one of the homes for three years. On July 16, 2026 the City Council approved the final map for an SB 9 split of a 0.39-acre R-1 lot at 4397 Glen Street. The lot size and subdivisions page covers lot splits, parcel maps and small-lot maps.

Three or More Homes

Duplexes and apartments need a site development permit, decided by the Community Development Director within 30 days when no hearing is required, and must meet the design standards of Section 9.240.545, which list six allowed architectural styles and ban composition shingle roofs. Residential projects of one or more homes owe 7 percent affordable homes or an in-lieu fee of $2.50 per square foot, with exemptions for ADUs and SB 9 units. Since June 2026, projects with 20 percent lower-income homes on rezoned Housing Element sites are approved by right. See the three or more homes page.

Parking, Setbacks and Height

A house needs two parking spaces and an apartment 1.25 to 2.75 depending on bedrooms, with one space per apartment in a garage or carport. Most house zones require a 20-foot front yard. Heights run from two stories and 30 feet in R-2A to 50 feet in R-3. See the parking, setbacks and height page.

Animals, Flood and Fire on Rural Lots

A May 7, 2026 staff report counts 21,752 parcels zoned for animal keeping, 75 percent of them under half an acre. Pens for poultry and small animals must stay 50 feet from any residence, which limits where a new ADU or SB 9 home can go. The Planning Commission was set to hear a new animal-keeping section, 9.240.305, and an expanded Equestrian Lifestyle Protection Overlay on October 14, 2026. SB 9 is barred in FEMA flood zones and very high fire hazard zones with limited exceptions. See the animals and rural lots page.

Fees

Planning applications are paid by deposit, and appeals cost a flat $964 under the City's Permit Process page. New homes pay a development impact fee set by Council resolution, the regional habitat (MSHCP) fee of $4,632 per home at under eight homes per acre from July 1, 2026, and the regional transportation fee, which since March 2026 counts duplex units as multi-family and exempts ADUs. See the permits and fees page.

Recent City Council Actions

  • March 5, 2026. Ordinance No. 2026-03 redefined single-family and multi-family units for the regional transportation fee and added a yearly adjustment capped at 5 percent.
  • May 21, 2026. Ordinance No. 2026-04 updated the ADU and JADU rules, and Resolution No. 2026-30 confirmed the 2026-27 habitat fee.
  • June 4, 2026. Ordinance No. 2026-06 created by-right approval through a ministerial site development permit for projects with 20 percent lower-income homes on rezoned Housing Element sites. It is not yet in the Municode copy.
  • July 16, 2026. The Council approved Final Parcel Map No. 38824, an SB 9 lot split at 4397 Glen Street, by a 4-1 vote.
  • August 6, 2026. A staff report asked the Council to start a Local Housing Trust Fund and a nexus study on the inclusionary in-lieu fee.
  • October 14, 2026. The Planning Commission agenda listed a hearing on an expanded equestrian overlay and a new Section 9.240.305 on animal keeping, to be recommended to the City Council.

Where the Code, City Documents and State Law Differ

The guide pages flag each difference where it arises. The main ones:

  • Supplement 27 predates Ordinance No. 2026-06 (June 4, 2026), which adds Section 9.240.335. The ordinance controls.
  • Section 9.240.290 caps an attached ADU at 50 percent of an existing house; Government Code 66321 bars a cap below 850 square feet of interior livable space. The statute controls.
  • The City's ADU page still describes a December 2020 ordinance, and the ADU Handbook dates from June 2024, with fees as of April 2024.
  • Section 9.305.030 treats R-D as a single-family zone for SB 9, while the R-D use list allows apartments.
  • Section 9.267.030 exempts SB 9 units because the SB 9 ordinance "requires that one (1) of the units have an affordability covenant," but Chapter 9.305 has no such covenant.
  • The Housing Element page gives the housing allocation as 4,485 in its text and 4,497 in its table.
  • The appeal fee is $964 on the City's page and $910 plus other department charges in Section 3.65.030, and several sections still refer to "County Ordinance No. 671" for fees.

Limits of This Guide

The code comes from Municode's Supplement 27, which includes ordinances through May 21, 2026. Later City actions come from agendas, minutes, staff reports and pages on jurupavalley.org, read on October 10, 2026, through the City Council meeting of October 15, 2026 and the Planning Commission meeting of October 14, 2026 as listed on their agendas. The zoning map, the General Plan and its Equestrian Lifestyle Protection Overlay map, the Housing Element text, the 11 specific plans and the current development impact fee and transportation fee resolutions were not read. Ask the Planning Division at 951-332-6464 which standards apply to your lot and whether any later ordinance applies.

Best For

  • ✓ House lots that can take a converted ADU, a detached ADU and a JADU.
  • ✓ R-2 lots of 10,000 square feet or more, for a fourplex at 2,500 square feet per home.
  • ✓ Rezoned R-3 Housing Element sites, where 20 percent lower-income projects are approved by right.

Usually Fails When

  • ✕ A new home sits within 50 feet of animal pens on the lot or next door.
  • ✕ The lot lies in a FEMA flood zone or very high fire hazard zone and the plan uses SB 9.
  • ✕ The budget leaves out the habitat fee and the inclusionary in-lieu fee.

What To Verify Before Spending Money

  • → The lot's zone, any specific plan and the proposed equestrian overlay boundary.
  • → Current impact, transportation and planning fee amounts with the City.
  • → Sewer or septic service and flood and fire hazard maps.

Where to Go Next

ADU Law
The state rules behind Jurupa Valley's 2026 ordinance.
SB 9
Two homes and lot splits statewide.
Richmond
The previous city in the guide, by population.

Related on VanPlex: the SB 684 and SB 1123 page, the California impact fees page and the duplex to fourplex guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people live in Jurupa Valley, California? +
The US Census Bureau estimates 107,311 people in the City of Jurupa Valley, California on July 1, 2025, in its Vintage 2025 city file, up from an April 2020 estimates base of 105,047. In that file Jurupa Valley ranks 64th among California cities, after Downey at 108,468 and ahead of Rialto at 106,554. Riverside County has 2,544,916 people.
Where is the Jurupa Valley zoning code? +
Jurupa Valley's zoning code is Title 9, Planning and Zoning, of the Jurupa Valley Municipal Code, published on Municode and linked from the City's Municipal Code page. Title 7 holds the subdivision rules. The Municode copy, Supplement 27, includes ordinances through Ordinance No. 2026-04 of May 21, 2026, so the June 2026 by-right ordinance must be read separately.
Is Jurupa Valley a charter city? +
No. Jurupa Valley is a general law city: the May 21, 2026 City Council minutes record a resolution calling the November 3, 2026 election as required by the state laws "relating to general law cities." The City incorporated on July 1, 2011, a May 2026 staff report says, and its code began as the Riverside County Code adopted that year.
What is the easiest way to add a home to a Jurupa Valley house lot? +
For most Jurupa Valley house lots, an ADU. A detached ADU of up to 800 square feet, 16 feet tall and 4 feet from side and rear lines needs only a building permit under Section 9.240.290, and the City offers four pre-approved ADU plans. ADUs of 750 square feet or less pay no impact fees under state law and the City code.
Which state housing laws apply in Jurupa Valley? +
State ADU law, SB 9, the SB 684 and SB 1123 small-lot map law, the state density bonus and the parking limit near major transit in Government Code 65863.2 all apply in Jurupa Valley. The City writes ADUs into Section 9.240.290, SB 9 into Chapters 9.305 and 7.85, and the density bonus into Chapter 9.300. HCD says SB 79 had not taken effect in Riverside County.
When did Jurupa Valley last change its housing rules? +
In 2026 the Jurupa Valley City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2026-03 on the regional transportation fee on March 5, Ordinance No. 2026-04 updating ADU rules on May 21, and Ordinance No. 2026-06 on June 4, which makes 20 percent lower-income projects on rezoned Housing Element sites a use by right. A new animal-keeping section was set for a Planning Commission hearing on October 14.
How many homes must Jurupa Valley plan for? +
Jurupa Valley's state housing allocation for 2021 to 2029 is 4,497 homes, according to the table on the City's Housing Element page and an August 2026 staff report; the same page's text says 4,485. The report says 1,444 homes had been permitted through June 2026. HCD certified the 6th Cycle Housing Element on April 22, 2022.
Can I keep horses on a Jurupa Valley lot? +
On many Jurupa Valley lots, yes. A May 2026 City report counts 21,752 parcels zoned for animal keeping. In R-1, horses are allowed on lots of at least 20,000 square feet and 100 feet wide, up to two per 20,000 square feet and four per lot. R-R allows grazing at up to five animals per acre.
How many homes fit on a typical Jurupa Valley R-2 lot? +
On a 7,200 square foot Jurupa Valley R-2 lot, two homes, because Section 9.70.110 requires 2,500 square feet of lot per home; a 10,000 square foot lot fits four (VanPlex arithmetic). Buildings may be three stories and 40 feet tall and cover 60 percent of the lot, and two or more homes need a site development permit.
What should I check before buying a Jurupa Valley lot to add homes? +
Check the Jurupa Valley zone and any specific plan on the City's GIS View, whether the lot is in a FEMA flood zone or a very high fire hazard zone, and whether it sits inside the proposed equestrian overlay. Then check septic or sewer service, animal pens on and next to the lot, and the habitat fee of $4,632 per home.

Official sources (checked October 2026)

Jurupa Valley Municipal Code (Municode, Supplement 27)
https://library.municode.com/ca/jurupa_valley/codes/municipal_code
Jurupa Valley Municipal Code, Title 9, Planning and Zoning
https://library.municode.com/ca/jurupa_valley/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT9PLZO
City of Jurupa Valley, Planning Division page
https://www.jurupavalley.org/199/Planning
City of Jurupa Valley, Ordinance No. 2026-04 (ADUs), adopted May 21, 2026 (PDF)
https://www.jurupavalley.org/DocumentCenter/View/5424
City of Jurupa Valley, Ordinance No. 2026-06 (by-right multifamily housing), adopted June 4, 2026 (PDF)
https://www.jurupavalley.org/DocumentCenter/View/5471
City of Jurupa Valley, City Council minutes, June 4, 2026 (PDF)
https://www.jurupavalley.org/DocumentCenter/View/5583
Jurupa Valley Municipal Code, preface
https://library.municode.com/ca/jurupa_valley/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=JUVAMUCO
Jurupa Valley Municipal Code, Supplement History Table
https://library.municode.com/ca/jurupa_valley/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=SUHITA
Jurupa Valley Municipal Code, Section 9.35.010, zones
https://library.municode.com/ca/jurupa_valley/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT9PLZO_CH9.35ZOCL_S9.35.010ZO
Jurupa Valley Municipal Code, Section 9.240.290, accessory dwelling units
https://library.municode.com/ca/jurupa_valley/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT9PLZO_CH9.240GEPR_S9.240.290ACDWUN
Jurupa Valley Municipal Code, Section 9.305.030, SB 9 standards
https://library.municode.com/ca/jurupa_valley/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT9PLZO_CH9.305SEBI9HODEST_S9.305.030OBST
City of Jurupa Valley, City Council minutes, May 21, 2026 (PDF)
https://www.jurupavalley.org/DocumentCenter/View/5492
City of Jurupa Valley, Housing Element Update page
https://www.jurupavalley.org/462/Housing-Element-Update
City of Jurupa Valley, staff report on affordable housing incentives, August 6, 2026 (PDF)
https://www.jurupavalley.org/DocumentCenter/View/5709
City of Jurupa Valley, staff report on unpermitted structures, May 21, 2026 (PDF)
https://www.jurupavalley.org/DocumentCenter/View/5443
City of Jurupa Valley, staff report on animal-keeping standards, May 7, 2026 (PDF)
https://www.jurupavalley.org/DocumentCenter/View/5352
City of Jurupa Valley, Planning Commission agenda, October 14, 2026
https://www.jurupavalley.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10142026-987?html=true
US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 city population estimates (CSV)
https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_6.csv
HCD, SB 79 advisory (PDF)
https://www.hcd.ca.gov/sites/default/files/docs/planning-and-community/sb-79-mpo-advisory.pdf
Government Code 65852.21 (SB 9 two-unit projects)
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&sectionNum=65852.21
Government Code 66411.7 (SB 9 urban lot splits)
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&sectionNum=66411.7
Government Code 66499.41 (SB 684 and SB 1123)
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&sectionNum=66499.41
Government Code 65915 (state density bonus)
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&sectionNum=65915
General information, not legal advice. California housing law changes every year, and each city adds its own rules on top of state law. Confirm current requirements with the city or county planning department, and with a California-licensed attorney or architect, before you buy land or file plans.

Planning a multiplex in California?

VanPlex builds multiplexes in British Columbia, Canada. For a lot in California, our team makes a custom proforma by hand and emails it to you in 24 to 48 hours.

Get a proforma for your address