One City, Four Original Communities — Here’s How ADU Rules Work Across All of Santa Clarita
The City of Santa Clarita was incorporated in 1987 by combining four previously separate communities — Valencia, Newhall, Saugus, and Canyon Country — into one city government. That’s why locals still refer to “Valencia” or “Saugus” as distinct places even though they now share one City Hall, one Planning Division, and one ADU ordinance. Santa Clarita is the fourth-largest city in Los Angeles County by population.
SantaClaritaADU.org works across all four original communities and the areas that have grown up around them, connecting homeowners with vetted contractors and handling the permitting details city-wide.
What Makes Santa Clarita Stand Out
Six Flags Magic Mountain, Old Town Newhall’s historic Main Street, William S. Hart Regional Park, and the Santa Clara River Trail all sit within city limits. Each original community kept its own identity — Old Town Newhall’s early-1900s bungalows look nothing like Valencia’s master-planned paseo tracts — which is exactly why we treat each part of the city differently when we scope an ADU project rather than using one generic plan for the whole city.
How ADU Permitting Works Citywide
Every neighborhood within city limits — Valencia, Newhall, Saugus, and Canyon Country included — goes through the same City of Santa Clarita Planning Division review under the city’s ADU ordinance (SCMC §17.57.040): ministerial approval with no public hearing for compliant applications, a 60-day state-mandated review window, detached ADUs up to 1,200 sq ft, and 4-foot minimum side and rear setbacks. Nearby unincorporated communities like Stevenson Ranch, Castaic, Acton, and Agua Dulce follow a different process through LA County instead — something we check for every address before we start.
Which Part of Santa Clarita Is Your Property In?
- Valencia — master-planned, paseo-connected, mostly HOA-governed
- Newhall — historic core, older lots, Old Town Main Street
- Saugus — Bouquet Canyon, Plum Canyon, and newer Skyline Ranch
- Canyon Country — Sand Canyon horse property to Golden Valley tracts
Not sure which rules apply to your address? Contact us or call (661) 486-8393 and we’ll walk you through it.