Can you build an ADU in Bodega Bay? (94923)

What the parcel data shows in Bodega Bay

We ran every single-family parcel in 94923 — 1,334 of them — through the same eligibility engine behind our address checker: real parcel geometry, a 4-foot setback inset, existing building footprints subtracted, then CAL FIRE and FEMA hazard layers applied. 74.5% can fit a detached ADU. That is below the midpoint of the neighborhoods we have analyzed, so Bodega Bay is workable but not effortless — placement matters more here than it does in a large-lot suburb.

Underneath that headline: 0.1% of lots come back clearly eligible, 74.4% are eligible with a caveat we would want to confirm, and 25.4% need a closer look before anyone should rely on an answer. The last group is not a rejection — it is where the public data runs out and a person has to look.

That near-zero "clearly eligible" figure is not a verdict on the lots themselves — nearly every parcel here sits in a CAL FIRE hazard zone, so the same wildfire-construction caveat attaches to all of them. It is a blanket condition on the area, not a fault in any individual property, and it changes what you build rather than whether you can build.

How much room is actually left

The median lot in Bodega Bay is 7,535 square feet, but lot size is not buildable size. After setbacks and the footprint of the existing home, the median parcel here has 4,042 square feet of genuinely usable rear-yard area — roughly 46% of the lot is spoken for before you start.

Of the lots we analyzed, 74.7% have room for at least a compact detached unit, and 49.6% can take a full two-bedroom-plus home. The most commonly recommended size in Bodega Bay is the EVO Two Plus, which is the best fit on 49.6% of lots.

The gap between those two figures is the story of this neighborhood: plenty of lots can host something, far fewer can host the largest models. Choosing a smaller unit is what converts a marginal lot into a buildable one.

What holds lots back in Bodega Bay

99.2% of lots in 94923 sit inside a CAL FIRE fire hazard severity zone. That is most of the neighborhood, and it is a real cost rather than a formality: building in these zones triggers CBC Chapter 7A wildland-urban interface construction — fire-rated exterior materials, ember-resistant vents, and restricted decking — which the state ADU statute never mentions.

2.5% are inside a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area, where the finished floor has to sit at or above the base flood elevation and flood insurance applies.

What an ADU could earn in Bodega Bay

HUD puts the fair market rent for a one-bedroom in 94923 at $1,890 a month — a conservative 40th-percentile figure, so treat it as a floor rather than an asking price.

Rent is only half of the return. The other half is what the project costs on your particular lot — the unit price is fixed, but site work, utility runs and permits move with the parcel. Those are the numbers worth pinning down before you decide.

Why your lot may differ from these numbers

Everything above is a neighborhood aggregate across 1,334 parcels in Bay Area. It is a good guide to what is normal on your street and a poor guide to your specific property. Two adjacent lots of identical size can reach opposite conclusions — one has a shallow house and a wide side yard, the other a detached garage sitting exactly where a unit would go.

The analysis also works from public records. It does not know your soil, your utility routing, your easements, or anything a survey would reveal. Run your own address for a parcel-specific answer, and treat both as a screen rather than a permit determination.

Common questions about ADUs in Bodega Bay

Can you build an ADU in Bodega Bay (94923)?

Yes. Of the 1,334 single-family lots we analyzed in 94923, 74.5% can fit a detached ADU under California state law — 0.1% clearly eligible and 74.4% eligible with a caveat to confirm. The median lot has 4,042 square feet of buildable area left after setbacks and existing structures.

How big of an ADU fits on a typical Bodega Bay lot?

74.7% of lots in 94923 fit at least a compact detached unit and 49.6% fit a full two-bedroom-plus model. The most commonly recommended size here is the EVO Two Plus, best fit on 49.6% of lots. Your own maximum depends on setbacks, the position of your existing home, and access.

What is the average lot size in 94923?

The median single-family lot in 94923 is 7,535 square feet. More useful for an ADU is the buildable remainder: after a 4-foot setback inset and subtracting the existing home's footprint, the median parcel retains 4,042 square feet of usable rear-yard area.

Is Bodega Bay in a fire hazard zone?

99.2% of lots in 94923 fall inside a CAL FIRE fire hazard severity zone. Building there triggers CBC Chapter 7A wildland-urban interface requirements — fire-rated exterior materials, ember-resistant vents and restricted decking — which add cost the state ADU statute does not mention. Whether your specific parcel is affected depends on its exact location.

Does flood zoning affect ADUs in 94923?

2.5% of lots here sit in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area. On those parcels the finished floor must be at or above the base flood elevation and flood insurance applies, both of which affect foundation design and cost.

How much rent could an ADU earn in Bodega Bay?

HUD's fair market rent for a one-bedroom in 94923 is $1,890 a month. Actual rent depends on unit size, finish, parking and privacy — treat these as an area expectation rather than a quote for your unit.

Is Bodega Bay a good neighborhood for an ADU?

On the physical measures we can check, Bodega Bay ranks higher than 42% of the neighborhoods in our data, with 74.5% of lots able to fit a detached unit. That reflects lot geometry and hazard exposure only — not demand, rent growth, or local permitting speed, which vary independently.