Stanislaus County supervisors on Tuesday are expected to approve agreements with Newman and eight other cities to share the cost of updating a set of pre‑approved accessory dwelling unit plans used to streamline small‑home construction across the region.
The Memorandums of Understanding would allow the county to act as the lead agency in updating three of its most commonly used ADU master plans so they comply with the state’s 2025 Building Code, which took effect Jan. 1. Newman, Hughson and Patterson are joining the partnership for the first time, while Ceres, Modesto, Oakdale, Riverbank, Turlock and Waterford previously participated in earlier rounds of plan development.
The county first created the ADU plans in 2021 using state housing grant funds, offering residents ready‑to‑permit building designs for detached units ranging from small studios to one‑bedroom layouts. The plans were intended to reduce design costs for homeowners and encourage infill housing options in communities like Newman, where ADUs have become an increasingly popular way to add rental units or create space for extended family.
The plans were updated again in 2023 to meet the 2022 Building Code, but another revision is required to keep them usable. Because TPH Architects holds the copyright to the original designs, the county is proposing a sole‑source contract for the latest update.
Rather than revising all eight original plans, the partner agencies agreed to update only the three most widely used sizes — 450, 750 and 1,192 square feet — at a cost of $15,000. The county will also conduct a plan check for all jurisdictions at a cost of $2,033.
Under the proposed MOUs, the county and the nine cities would split the total cost equally. Each jurisdiction, including Newman, would contribute $1,703.
County planning officials say the update supports the Housing Element adopted in December, which requires making pre‑approved ADU plans available to the public. If approved, the county will finalize a new agreement with TPH Architects and begin updating the plans for use across all participating cities.
