Burbank Preapproved Accessory Dwelling Unit Program (BPAP)

1. Is the city endorsing these designs for use?

• No. The posting of preapproved design shall not be considered an endorsement of the applicant or the ADU. It only reflects that the applicant has met all of the Building Code requirements for Life Safety and the plans are complete for issuance of a Building permit.

2. What is the maximum square footage allowed under the program?

• 850 SF for studio & 1-Bedroom and up to 1000 SF maximum for 2-Bedroom, unless in special zoning requirements. Refer to Planning Division FAQ here (Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)).
• Very High Fire Zone is limited to a maximum of 800 SF with no exceptions.
• The Rancho area does not allow any new construction of ADU’s.

3. Are stackable ADU's allowed to be in the program?

• Not at this time.

4. Are side by side ADU's allowed in the program?

• Not at this time.

5. Are accessory spaces and additions to ADU design allowed in the program?

• Not at this time.

6. What do I need to start?

• Please refer to the BPAP Enrollment Requirements and BPAP Enrollment Form, for all information necessary for a complete submission.

7. Are there planning criteria that needs to be met? Door location, max height, etc.?

• Yes, please refer to Planning Division and/or the Burbank Municipal Code for these requirements, as well as the BPAP Plan Check Correction List found on the City Website under the Applications & Forms page.
• The California Department of Housing and Community Development also provides information regarding Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs) on their website.

8. What are the BPAP Enrollment fees?

• BPAP Enrollment fees are based upon the square footage of the unit and are the same as the permit application fees. See current Adopted Fee Schedule for cost per square foot.

9. What is the review timeline for the enrollment process?

• 30 business days for initial review.
• 15 business days for any recheck review.

10. How long is the BPAP approval good for?

• The preapproval is acceptable until the triennial California building standards code cycle expires. Once the city has adopted the new code changes, the plans will need to be updated and reviewed. This happens on a 3-year basis, with the next cycle starting January 01, 2026.

11. When will the next triennial code be available for review?

• Triennial codes are available for review beginning June 2025. 

12. Is enrollment into the program the same as an application for a building permit?

• No, enrollment into BPAP will only provide review by Building & Safety for Life Safety, Structural, and Energy review. All other Department review will happen upon submission for a building permit, with an official street address.

13. Is separate site work, such as site improvements, solar, and grading part of the enrollment program?

• No, these will all be separate reviews and permits. Please review the BPAP Permit Submittal Requirements for further details.

14. What departments will need to review the permit application of a BPAP approved ADU?

• The following departments will all need to review plans for their approval;
  • Planning Department,
  • Public Works Department,
  • BWP Electric Department,
  • BWP Water Department, and
  • Fire Department.
  • In addition, you will need to contact Burbank Unified School District Facilities about school facilities fees.

15. What is the timeline for the BPAP permit review?

• 30 business days for first review.
• 15 business days for any recheck review.

16. Will Development Impact Fees be due at permit issuance?

• Senate Bill 13 allows all Accessory Dwelling Units over 750 square feet to be charged a proportional percentage of the current Development Impact Fees.
  • The City will review the Los Angeles County Assessor website for current information on the primary dwelling units assessed square footage and from there assess what the percentage is. This information is also available on the BPAP Plan Check Correction List found on the City Website under the Applications & Forms page.
• If the ADU is on a Multi-Family lot, the City will review the Los Angeles County Assessor website for current information pertaining to the average square footage per unit and this number will be used as the primary dwelling units assessed square footage.

17. What if the re-arrangement of spaces occurs? For example, a change of kitchen cabinet location, rearrangement of bathroom fixtures? Does it void the preapproval?

• Yes, changes to the preapproved drawings will void its approval. The drawings will then be required to proceed through our standard plan check process.

18. How do I buy the design? 

• The City provides no information regarding the purchase of any design. All information regarding contacting the designer/Architects/Engineers is listed on the City’s website, under the BPAP Library Section.

19. Since the BPAP ADU are not site specific, what information should be included with the plans?
   Architectural:

• Exteriors should include 1-hour fire rated details,
• All specifications for doors, windows, HVAC, and exhaust fans to be coordinated with the Energy Report,
• If Photovoltaic System is required, note on plans location, size, will be issued under a separate permit, and must be installed prior to final inspections.

   Structural:

• If using Wood Framed Prescriptive Provisions, worst case assumption to be used (per Building Code),
• If Structural Calculations provided, worst case assumption to be used (per Building Code),

   Energy:

• Energy Compliance Report & Mandatory Measures Summary Reports must be on the CHEERS.org website for verification.
• Energy Compliance Report (CF-1R) to utilize All Orientation,
• All specifications for doors, windows, HVAC, and exhaust fans to be coordinated with the architectural and structural drawings.
• If Photovoltaic System is required, note on plans location, size, will be issued under a separate permit, and must be installed prior to final inspections.
  • All new construction that is 718 SF is required to provide a photovoltaic system, per Cal Energy Equation 150.1.-C.
  • Exception 2 can be used if photovoltaic calculation, per Cal Energy Equation 150.1.-C, shows the system to be less than 1.8 kWdc.