City guide

Building a backyard home in Lucas

Lucas allows a backyard cottage on big acreage lots — but it can never be a rental.

What Lucas allows

Cottage size

Up to 900 sq ft by right. Up to 1,500 sq ft is possible with a Specific Use Permit — City Council approval, not guaranteed.

Setbacks

50 ft from the rear property line, 25 ft from the side lines, and at least 10 ft behind the main house (standalone cottage) — deeper than any of our other launch cities.

Height

Standalone cottages capped at 25 ft to the roof peak.

Renting it

Never. Lucas ADUs may only be occupied by the owner/occupant's family, invited guests, or domestic staff — they cannot be rented, bartered, leased, or exchanged, under any circumstance.

Lot count

Max one ADU per lot; must meet standard residential (IRC) safety code, plus energy code if the space is habitable.

The catch most people miss

The no-rental rule is absolute. Most of our launch cities restrict rentals to owner-occupied properties — Lucas goes further and bans renting the cottage out at all, ever. This is the right city for a multigenerational family or guest suite, not an income property.

What it costs

The factory price is only part of the real number — site work, utilities, permits, and delivery/crane are the rest. Your Owner's ADU Roadmap gives a specific budget band for your address, plus the exact permit path and everything you need to run the project yourself (or have us run it).

Rules verified 2026-07-18 from City of Lucas Code of Ordinances — Ch. 14 Zoning, Div. 8 Accessory Buildings. General guidance, not a determination for a specific property — zoning overlays, planned developments, and HOA/deed restrictions are address-specific.