Permits for new and converted ADU units still available

By Stan Matthews
County Communications Program Manager

With the February 6 application deadline approaching for the 14 new construction permits for Detached Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) and 3 for the conversion of existing structures to ADUs, San Juan County permit coordinator Allen Shayo reports that a total of 12 applications have been received for new construction and 1 for conversion.

If the number of applications exceeds the number available, the Community Development and Planning Department (CDPD) will conduct a lottery on February 20 to determine who will have the opportunity to apply. This will be the first such lottery for ADU permits in San Juan County. In recent years, CDPD held phone competitions, accepting applications from the first callers to get through at an appointed time. However that process became unwieldy after some applicants retained multiple callers and the lines quickly became jammed.

For this year’s lottery, entries must be submitted on an official ADU Lottery Application Form. The forms are available for download at:

https://sanjuanco.com/cdp/docs/ADU/ADULotteryApplicationForm.doc.pdf or may be obtained from the CDPD office at 135 Rhone Street, PO Box 947 in Friday Harbor.

Completed Application Forms can be filed in person at the CDPD office during normal business hours or by fax or U.S. Mail. The fax number is (360) 378-3922. A “hard copy” of each application must be submitted on the official ADU lottery application form. No electronic applications will be accepted.

CDPD will accept ADU Lottery Applications until the close of business on February 6, 2009. Any ADU Lottery Application received by CDPD after the close of business on February 6, 2009 will be ineligible for the lottery, but will be added, in the order received, to the appropriate waitlist at the end of the appropriate waitlist established on February 20, 2009.

The complete 2009 ADU Lottery Procedures can be found on the County website at: https://sanjuanco.com/cdp/docs/ADU/ADULotteryProcedures2009.doc.pdf
Questions regarding the application procedure and requirements can be addressed to CD&P staff either by phone at (360) 378-2354 or by email at permits@sanjuanco.com