Residential drafting in Glendale, Arizona
Glendale is really two markets. The central and southern city has a substantial postwar core, much of it built between the 1940s and the 1960s, plus Catlin Court's early twentieth century bungalows. North and west Glendale is later subdivision and master planned development.
The drafting problems differ accordingly. Older masonry and ranch houses may have low roof slopes, carports, shallow foundations, galvanized or cast iron plumbing remnants, and additions with uncertain permit histories. Narrow postwar lots make side yard access and fire separation more consequential than they look. Newer properties carry engineered trusses, block walls, rear easements, and HOA design control.
One Glendale condition has no equivalent in most of the valley. Parts of the city sit within the Luke Air Force Base compatible land use area, and state ADU law excludes land in the vicinity of a military airport (A.R.S. 9-461.18(G)(2)). That has to be checked against the parcel before anyone assumes a standard entitlement applies.
ADU standards
Setback, size, and parking rules for an accessory dwelling unit in Glendale.
| Maximum size | May equal the square footage of the house, but never more than 1,000 sq ft (35.3.204(A)(16)) |
|---|---|
| Side and rear setback | 5 ft minimum (35.3.204(A)(11)) |
| Height | The zoning district limit (35.3.204(A)(12)) |
| How many | One attached and one detached. One attached and two detached on a lot of an acre or more if one is restricted affordable (35.3.204(A)(9), (10)) |
| Utilities | Separate meters required, including a separate city water meter (35.3.204(A)(24)) |
| Driveway | No separate driveway or parking area from the house (35.3.204(A)(20)) |
| Address | No separate address from the house (35.3.204(A)(21)) |
| Easements | No encroachment without written consent from every easement holder (35.3.204(A)(19)) |
Glendale's size rule runs differently from the state minimum. Rather than capping the unit at 75 percent of the house, the code lets it equal the house's square footage, with a hard ceiling of 1,000 square feet (35.3.204(A)(16)). On a small house that is more generous than the surrounding cities.
Two requirements shape the site plan before anything else. Glendale requires separate utility meters, including a separate city water meter (35.3.204(A)(24)), and it does not allow a separate driveway or parking area for the unit (35.3.204(A)(20)). The unit also cannot carry its own address (35.3.204(A)(21)).
Older guidance you may find online is stale. The 2023 framework, including its minimum lot size, was replaced in December 2024.
Planning office: Glendale Planning and Zoning
Sources: Glendale Unified Development Code 35.3.204(A). Ordinance O24-51, adopted December 2024. A.R.S. 9-461.18. Last checked August 2026.
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