Cities | Pasadena, California

Pasadena, California Multiplex Rules 2026: Zoning, ADUs, SB 9, Apartments and Fees

Pasadena, California is a charter city in Los Angeles County. Its zoning rules sit in Title 17 of the Pasadena Municipal Code, the Zoning Code, and its subdivision rules in Title 16, both published on Municode. The code allows two homes on RM-12 lots, apartments built around a required garden in the RM-16, RM-32 and RM-48 districts, ADUs on every residential lot, and SB 9 homes on house lots, with historic review in its landmark districts, which reached LD-30 in August 2026. This page sums up the routes to two, three, four or more homes on a lot, what each allows, and where the code and state law differ. The seven guide pages below cover each topic in depth.

This page covers Pasadena in California. The Pasadena, Texas guide covers the city of the same name in Texas.

Pasadena Guide Pages

Start With State Law

Four state laws set the floor Pasadena 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), which are 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 the 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 that include affordable homes.

Pasadena is a charter city, a city that runs under its own local charter. Charter Section 301 gives it "the power to make and enforce all laws and regulations in respect to municipal affairs, subject only to the restrictions and limitations provided in this Charter and in the Constitution of the State of California." The SB 9 statutes still apply, because they define a local agency as a city "whether general law or chartered," and Pasadena writes its SB 9 rules into Sections 16.08.240 and 17.22.050.G. Its ADU section says: "In the event of a conflict between this section and applicable state law, state law shall prevail."

SB 79 allows taller and denser housing near qualifying rail and bus stops. HCD's SB 79 advisory says its upzoning provisions took effect on July 1, 2026 in seven counties, including Los Angeles County. A City ordinance draft counts six transit zones within one-half mile of Metro A Line stations in Pasadena, and that delay ordinance before the Council in June 2026 excludes some sites until January 1, 2028; the three or more homes page has the details.

Pasadena, California in Numbers

The US Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 city file estimates 135,804 people in the City of Pasadena on July 1, 2025, down from a 2020 estimates base of 139,618. In that file Pasadena is the 45th largest city in California, after Orange (138,365) and ahead of Santa Clara (133,446). Los Angeles County has 9,694,934 people in the same file.

Most housing decisions are made by staff or a hearing officer. The Planning Director approves ADUs and does design review, a check of a building's look against City guidelines, for projects up to 10 units, the advisory agency (a hearing officer) decides maps, the Historic Preservation Commission decides major historic projects, the Design Commission reviews projects above 10 units, and the City Council decides zone changes and new landmark districts. A staff or commission decision takes effect on the 11th day unless an appeal is filed first, in person. The permits and fees page has the deadlines.

The Routes to More Homes Compared

Sources: Pasadena Municipal Code Table 2-2, Table 2-3, Table 2-4, Sec. 17.50.275, Sec. 16.08.240 and Tables 6-3 and 6-4; Government Code 66499.41.

Zones That Allow Homes

Table 2-1 lists five residential district groups. The RS districts (RS-1 to RS-6) allow one dwelling unit per lot, with the number after RS showing the maximum homes per acre; new RS-6 lots must be 7,200 square feet and 55 feet wide. RM-12 allows two units per lot. The City of Gardens districts set density as lot area per home: 2,750 square feet in RM-16, 3,000 in RM-16-1, 1,360 in RM-32 and 910 in RM-48. By VanPlex arithmetic, a 10,000 square foot lot gives 3, 7 and 11 homes in RM-16, RM-32 and RM-48. Overlays add rules on top: LD for landmark districts, HD for hillsides and ND for Lower Hastings Ranch. Ten specific plans, from the Central District to Lamanda Park, replace the base rules in their areas. See the zoning districts page.

House Lots: ADUs and SB 9

Section 17.50.275, rewritten by Ordinance No. 7464 of January 26, 2026, lets a house lot add one new ADU, one conversion ADU and one junior ADU. An Exemption ADU of up to 800 square feet with 4 foot side and rear setbacks skips most zone rules and needs no parking. Larger ADUs may reach 1,200 square feet detached, or 850 to 1,000 attached, and must meet the zone standards. Detached ADUs may be 18 feet tall, or 16 in hillside areas and where seen from the street in historic districts. See the ADUs and SB 9 page.

Pasadena calls SB 9 homes "Two-Unit Developments": two primary homes per RS lot, 4 foot side and rear setbacks, and one uncovered parking space per new home unless the lot is within a half mile walk of major transit. An SB 9 lot split makes two lots of at least 40 percent of the original and 1,200 square feet each, with no more than two units on each, and the applicant must intend to live in one home for three years. The code still prints a ban on both in the Eaton Fire very high fire hazard area, but Ordinance No. 7474 repealed it on August 3, 2026. The lot size and subdivisions page covers the split.

Three or More Homes

Projects of three or more homes use the City of Gardens standards in RM-16, RM-32 and RM-48. Each needs a main garden rectangle of 17 to 20 percent of the site, at least 20 feet in each direction, and no street facade longer than 60 feet. Projects of 10 or more units must make 20 percent of the units affordable or pay an in-lieu fee. Design review is by the Planning Director up to 10 units and the Design Commission above. Pasadena's density bonus table stops at 35 percent outside the Central District, below the state's 50 percent. See the three or more homes page.

Parking, Setbacks and Height

A house needs 2 covered spaces in a garage or carport, and an apartment 2 covered spaces at 650 square feet or more and 1 below. Within half a mile of a major transit stop, state law bars any parking minimum. RS houses may be 28 feet tall on lots under 75 feet wide and 32 feet on wider lots, inside a side plane sloping in at 30 degrees from 6 feet above grade, with side setbacks of 10 percent of lot width (5 to 10 feet). RM buildings reach 32 to 38 feet. See the parking, setbacks and height page.

Historic Districts

New construction, alterations and demolitions in a landmark or historic district need a Certificate of Appropriateness. A new landmark district needs a petition from 51 percent of the owners, and the Council created LD-29 (Arboleda Drive) and LD-30 (Mesita Road) on August 24, 2026. In an eligible district, demolition of a contributing house can be delayed 365 days, and no main building anywhere in the City may be demolished until the replacement building permit is issued. See the historic districts page.

Fees

The FY 2027 Residential Impact Fee runs from $24,530.43 for a studio to $45,406.92 for five or more bedrooms, and the traffic fee from $1,705 to $2,352 per apartment. ADUs of 900 square feet or less pay neither. By VanPlex arithmetic, four two-bedroom apartments of 801 to 1,600 square feet pay $115,004.56 in park fees and $8,632 in traffic fees. The code sets the construction tax at 1.5 percent of value; the City's FY 2027 schedule lists 1.92 percent. See the permits and fees page.

Where the Code and State Law Differ

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

• Sections 16.08.240.J and 17.22.050.G still print the Eaton Fire SB 9 ban from Ordinance No. 7455, which the City's own records call an uncodified interim urgency ordinance; Ordinance No. 7474 repealed it on August 3, 2026. The repeal controls.
• Section 17.22.050.G bans SB 9 homes on every site in a historic or landmark district; Government Code 65852.21, as amended effective June 30, 2026, excludes only contributing structures and individually listed or landmark parcels. The statute controls.
• The 800 square foot ADU cap on narrow hillside streets is below the 850 square foot floor in Government Code 66321(b)(2). The code's own rule says state law prevails.
• Pasadena's density bonus table tops out at 35 percent outside the Central District; Government Code 65915 goes to 50 percent. The statute controls.
• The parking tables print minimums near transit; Government Code 65863.2 bars them within half a mile of a major transit stop. The statute controls.
• Section 4.32.020 sets the construction tax at 1.5 percent; the FY 2027 schedule lists 1.92 percent. Ask the Permit Center which applies.
• Section 16.18.080 sends map appeals to the City Council, while Section 17.72.020 sends Advisory Agency decisions to the Board of Zoning Appeals.
• The City's ADU web page still describes the 2024 rules of Ordinance No. 7420; the code includes the 2026 rewrite. The code controls.

Limits of This Guide

The code comes from Municode Supplement 79, current through May 18, 2026. Ordinances adopted after that were read from Municode's ordinance bank and City Council agenda packets; the signed text of Ordinance No. 7471 was not yet available, and no signed copy of the SB 79 delay ordinance was found, so the guide relies on the agenda versions and says so. The Zoning Map, the specific plan documents outside the code, the Housing Element, the Inclusionary Housing Regulations and the Rebuild Ordinance for the Eaton Fire area were not read. Confirm the rules for your lot with the Planning and Community Development Department before you budget or design.

Where to Go Next

Related on VanPlex: the SB 9 page, the California rent and tenant rules page and the duplex to fourplex guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Official sources (checked October 2026)