The Bay Area Planning Directors Association (BAPDA) is an organization that provides professional education, advice, support and leadership on planning policy and practice at the state, regional and local level to planning directors and community development directors in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The biannual meetings allow for exchange of ideas, information and best practices among Bay Area planners. These meetings promote the need for and value of good planning and effective planning policy and programs in the Bay Area. BAPDA promotes communication and collaboration among planning professionals in the various jurisdictions, agencies, special districts and private firms within the Bay Area.

Accessory Dwelling Units

California has new laws regarding Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). These laws are intended to make it easier for property owners to create ADUs. The new bills limit public agencies' ability to regulate ADUs and mandate that all local agencies adopt an ADU ordinance consistent with the new provisions by January 1, 2017.

Goldfarb & Lipman has published a Law Alert which provides more details about these new requirements. California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) staff will be issuing a guidance memo. Additional background materials are available on the ABAG website at:
http://abag.ca.gov/planning/housing/accessory-dwelling-units.html.