Washington County · 25,745 residents
Hurricane ADU rules
Hurricane: internal ADUs allowed; detached ADUs allowed. Owner occupancy applies.
Internal ADU (inside the home)
Detached ADU (backyard building)
✓ Checked against city sources on September 24, 2026 See sources
Hurricane ADU rules at a glance
| Rule | Internal ADU (basement, attic, inside the home) | Detached ADU (backyard building) |
|---|---|---|
| Allowed? | Allowed | Allowed |
| Minimum lot | Not yet verified — confirm with the city | State law effective Oct 1, 2026 requires Hurricane to allow a detached ADU on single-family lots of 11,000 sq ft or more; the city's ADU chapter itself sets no separate lot-size minimum. |
| Owner occupancy | The owner, or a member of the owner's family, must live on the property as their primary residence for the ADU to be rented; for long-term rentals the owner may live in either the ADU or the main home. | The owner, or a member of the owner's family, must live on the property as their primary residence for the ADU to be rented; for long-term rentals the owner may live in either the ADU or the main home. |
| Parking | A single-family home with an ADU needs 3 off-street parking spaces in total. | A single-family home with an ADU needs 3 off-street parking spaces in total. |
| Size limits | Not yet verified — confirm with the city | A detached ADU must meet the zone's accessory building size limit (1,200 sq ft in R1-15 and R1-10; 500 sq ft in R1-8 and R1-6; 2,000 sq ft in RA zones) unless a conditional use permit allows more; at least 50% of the lot must stay free of buildings. |
| Height | Not yet verified — confirm with the city | Up to 16 ft in the R1-15, R1-10, R1-8 and R1-6 zones and 20 ft in RA zones; taller by conditional use permit. |
| Setbacks | Not yet verified — confirm with the city | Uses accessory building setbacks, except it must meet the main home's street-side setback. If at least 10 ft from the main home: 10 ft rear and 2 ft interior side; otherwise the main-home setbacks apply. Accessory buildings are not allowed in the front yard unless the code expressly authorizes it. |
| Zones | Permitted in the R1-15, R1-10, R1-8, R1-6, RA-1 and RA-.5 zones; not allowed in R1-4, multifamily (RM) or MH/RV zones. | Permitted in the R1-15, R1-10, R1-8, R1-6, RA-1 and RA-.5 zones; not allowed in R1-4, multifamily (RM) or MH/RV zones. |
| Short-term rentals | Only the ADU (not the main home) may be used as a short-term rental, and only one ADU per lot may be used for residential hosting under the city's transient lodging rules (Chapter 51). | Only the ADU (not the main home) may be used as a short-term rental, and only one ADU per lot may be used for residential hosting under the city's transient lodging rules (Chapter 51). |
| Permit process | One ADU is a permitted use; the city must issue a permit for the unit's use (building permit, plus a residential hosting license if used as a short-term rental). A second ADU needs a conditional use permit and a lot of at least 0.8 acre. | One ADU is a permitted use with a building permit; a larger or taller detached ADU, or a second ADU on a lot of 0.8 acre or more, needs a conditional use permit. |
Proposed or pending changes
Not adopted as of September 24, 2026. They do not change the rules above until the city adopts them.
- Aug 20, 2026: City Council discussed ADUs (Councilman Imlay). Members floated limiting detached ADU size and removing the second-ADU conditional use option; no ordinance was drafted and Councilman Prete suggested raising it at town halls first.
- Jul 30, 2026: staff reported the Planning Commission decided to postpone residential hosting and ADU code changes for future consideration.
- 2025 proposal LUCA25-06 to allow ADUs in the front buildable area (conditional use on lots under 0.5 acre) was considered by the Planning Commission; it does not appear in the codified code as of Supplement 5 Update 2 (June 4, 2026).
State law: detached ADUs from October 1, 2026
Hurricane is a “specified municipality” under Utah S.B. 284. Beginning October 1, 2026, it must permit one detached ADU as a permitted use on a lot of 11,000 sq ft or more that has a detached single-family home. The city can still apply setbacks, height, design, owner-occupancy and limited parking rules, and it may allow detached ADUs on smaller lots. How the state ADU laws work.
How our property map screens Hurricane lots
The map colors parcels using the rules on this page and the recorded lot size. A color is a planning screen, not a permit; Hurricane makes the decision.
- No numeric external minimum is recorded for Hurricane. The map keeps the statewide 11,000 sq ft external screen and shows the researched status (generally allowed) on the property report.
- "Likely" above 15,000 sq ft is this site's planning band for a large recorded lot. It is not a sentence in the Hurricane code. Owner occupancy, parking, setbacks, zones, and HOA rules below still have to be checked.
Planned communities, PRDs and PUDs
Reviewed on September 22, 2026 against this city's research file, its published ADU page where one was found, and Utah meeting packets. No adopted sentence was confirmed that allows or bans an ADU in every PUD, PRD, PRUD, or planned community. If the assessor class or subdivision name says PUD, PRD, PRUD, planned unit development, planned residential development, planned community, resort community, or master planned community, the map keeps that lot highly unlikely regardless of size. A plat, CC&Rs, or development agreement can still prohibit an ADU where the zone allows one.
Sources
We link only to government sources and public meeting records. Codes change; confirm the current version with Hurricane before you apply.
- Hurricane City Council minutes, Aug 20, 2026 (OpenUtah) — ADU discussion
Staff overview of current ADU rules; State requires one ADU, city code allows two on large lots; council took no action
- Hurricane City Council, Jul 30, 2026 (OpenUtah)
Planning Commission postponed residential hosting/ADU code changes
- Hurricane City — Planning & Zoning
Official planning page (applications, fee schedule; links to city code)
- U.S. Census Bureau — Utah subcounty population estimates, Vintage 2025 (sub-est2025_49.csv)
July 1, 2025 population estimates for Utah cities and counties
- Utah S.B. 284 (2026) enrolled — Local Land Use Modifications
Enacts Utah Code 10-21-304 (detached ADUs on lots of 11,000 sq ft or more in specified municipalities, effective Oct 1, 2026) and the 'specified municipality' definition
- Utah Code Title 17, Chapter 60 (county classification, 17-60-104/105)
Current county class population thresholds: 3rd class 40,000-259,999; 4th class 12,000-39,999
- Official Hurricane website
Common Hurricane ADU questions
Can you build an ADU in Hurricane?
Hurricane: internal ADUs allowed; detached ADUs allowed. Owner occupancy applies. This is planning guidance, not a permit. Confirm the zone on your parcel with Hurricane.
What lot size does Hurricane require for an ADU?
Internal ADU: Not yet verified — confirm with the city. Detached ADU: State law effective Oct 1, 2026 requires Hurricane to allow a detached ADU on single-family lots of 11,000 sq ft or more; the city's ADU chapter itself sets no separate lot-size minimum.
Does Hurricane require the owner to live on the property?
Internal ADU: The owner, or a member of the owner's family, must live on the property as their primary residence for the ADU to be rented; for long-term rentals the owner may live in either the ADU or the main home. Detached ADU: The owner, or a member of the owner's family, must live on the property as their primary residence for the ADU to be rented; for long-term rentals the owner may live in either the ADU or the main home.
How much parking does a Hurricane ADU need?
Internal ADU: A single-family home with an ADU needs 3 off-street parking spaces in total. Detached ADU: A single-family home with an ADU needs 3 off-street parking spaces in total.
Can an ADU in Hurricane be a short-term rental?
Internal ADU: Only the ADU (not the main home) may be used as a short-term rental, and only one ADU per lot may be used for residential hosting under the city's transient lodging rules (Chapter 51). Detached ADU: Only the ADU (not the main home) may be used as a short-term rental, and only one ADU per lot may be used for residential hosting under the city's transient lodging rules (Chapter 51).
What does it cost to build an ADU in Hurricane?
Wasatch Front planning bands are often about $55,000–$145,000 for an internal suite, $70,000–$175,000 for a garage conversion, and $95,000–$250,000 or more for a new detached unit, before unusual site work. These are planning ranges, not bids.
Can an HOA block an ADU in Hurricane?
City approval does not override CC&Rs or plat notes. Read the HOA documents and your subdivision plat before you design. A private restriction can stop a unit the city would otherwise allow.
Before you design: general checks for any Utah ADU
General planning advice, not Hurricane code.
- Confirm the zoning district on the city zoning map. The county assessor’s “residential” class is not zoning.
- Read your HOA CC&Rs and subdivision plat notes; private restrictions can block a unit the city allows.
- Sketch existing and proposed parking. Driveway geometry and access often decide what fits.
- Ask early about sewer, water and electrical capacity; utilities can force a redesign.
- Expanding a building’s footprint usually triggers full setback and height rules.
Nearby city ADU rules
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Utah ADU Builder provides educational planning guidance. This page is not legal advice and not a permit. Population: U.S. Census Bureau population estimate (2025). Editorial standards.