ADU rules in Austin suburbs - Leander, Cedar Park etc.

[Madhu G.]

Hey folks, 

Can you pls share what you know about zoning laws in Austin suburbs? I see this page that talks about ADU laws being relaxed in Austin in 2015. https://www.austintexas.gov/pa...

1. Does this rule apply to suburbs (Leander, Cedar park, Round Rock etc.) as well?

2. If I am looking to buy a house with plans to add an ADU, what is the diligence I need to do (before buying the home) in addition to city zoning laws ? I can think of HOA rules. Anything else to keep in mind?

Thank you!

[Austin Martel]

1. The link that you posted is just for the City of Austin. Each city that you mentioned has its own regulations on ADUs.

2. Zoning, building, and occupancy code are the most important. If the home is in an HOA I would move on to another property but if you are feeling lucky each condo association declaration (HOA rules contract) is recorded with the County Clerk and it can be found on the respective county's website. Each city that you mentioned goes into detail about these codes in their respective online MuniCode library (can be found on their city websites). In the smaller cities you can call up the development departments and they are pretty friendly/willing to help. They might not call you back quickly but they are much easier to deal with than the City of Austin.

This process takes time and it might be wise to consult a real estate professional if you want to work with these cities especially the City of Austin. I hope that helps!