Residential drafting in Gilbert, Arizona
Much of Gilbert's housing dates from the 1990s and 2000s, with large production neighborhoods such as The Islands and Power Ranch. The typical house from that period is wood framed on a slab, with stucco walls and a pitched tile roof. Some Gilbert construction uses diagonal metal bracing and foam behind the stucco rather than continuous plywood sheathing, something that can matter when an exterior wall is opened or extended.
Lots vary more than the streetscape suggests. Older conventional subdivisions often have more rear yard, while parts of Power Ranch are considerably tighter. Agritopia and some Power Ranch neighborhoods also use rear alleys and alley loaded garages.
Additions commonly involve tying a new roof into an existing hip or gable roof, matching stucco, and extending slab construction. Post-tension slabs are common enough in houses of this era that tendon locations need to be verified before slab cutting or drilling. When we measure an existing Gilbert house, the visible exterior is only part of the picture. Roof framing, wall bracing, slab construction, and recorded easements all affect how an addition can actually connect to it.
ADU standards
Setback, size, and parking rules for an accessory dwelling unit in Gilbert.
| Maximum size | The lesser of 75% of the primary dwelling or 1,000 sq ft. A unit over 1,000 sq ft is a separate track requiring an administrative use permit, and the unit must always be smaller than the main house (5.2.3.B.2, 5.2.3.C, 2.0) |
|---|---|
| Side and rear setback | 5 ft at 10 ft of height, with a foot of additional setback for every foot of height above that. This applies to units of 1,000 sq ft or less; a larger unit must stay within the building envelope instead (5.2.3.B.3.a, 5.2.3.B.4, 5.2.3.C.2.a) |
| Front setback | The front setback of the underlying single family district (5.2.3.B.4.a) |
| Height | The height allowed by the base zoning district. Two story units are permitted and carry additional elevation requirements (5.2.3.A.4.b, 5.2.3.B.5.a) |
| How many | 1 detached and 1 attached. One additional detached unit on a parcel of an acre or more when at least one unit is restricted affordable (5.2.3.A.3) |
| Rented separately | Yes. The code expressly permits renting the unit separately from the main house, on both the by right and permitted tracks (5.2.3.A.4.e, 5.2.3.C.3.b) |
| Lot coverage | The unit cannot push the property past the base district's maximum lot coverage (5.2.3.A.4.a) |
| Utilities | The unit may not be built over a current or planned public utility easement without written consent from the utility company (5.2.3.A.4.c) |
| Design | A unit of 1,000 sq ft or less does not have to match the main house, though front elevation articulation is required. A unit over 1,000 sq ft must be compatible with the main house in materials, colors, and architectural style (5.2.3.B.5.a, 5.2.3.C.3.c) |
Gilbert runs two tracks. A unit of 1,000 sq ft or less is by right, gets the reduced setbacks, and does not have to match the house. A unit over 1,000 sq ft needs an administrative use permit, must stay inside the building envelope, and must be compatible with the house in materials, colors, and style (5.2.3.B and 5.2.3.C). The square footage decides which set of rules you are drawing to.
The setback formula on the by right track is unusual: 5 ft covers a unit up to 10 ft tall, and every foot of height above that costs a foot of setback (5.2.3.B.4). Height and placement trade off directly.
Ordinance 2931 removed several older restrictions, including the requirement that the unit draw utility service from the main house and the extra off street parking requirement. Summaries written before December 2024 describe rules Gilbert no longer has.
The town amended its definition of habitable space in September 2025 (Ordinance 2961), which can affect how floor area is calculated.
Planning office: Gilbert Development Services
Sources: Gilbert Land Development Code 5.2.3. Ordinance 2931, adopted December 2024. Ordinance 2961, adopted September 2025. A.R.S. 9-461.18. Last checked August 2026.
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