Palisades ADU service areas
ADU Service Areas in and Around Pacific Palisades
We build ADUs in every Palisades neighborhood, from the Village grid to the bluffs and canyons, plus neighboring Brentwood and Sunset Mesa. Each area has its own terrain, rules and permit path.
Pacific Palisades service areas
Pacific Palisades ADU Neighborhoods
City of Los Angeles
ADU Builder in Alphabet Streets
The Palisades' original 1920s grid by the Village, with the smallest lots in the community and many rebuilds pairing a new house with a compact ADU.
See Alphabet StreetsCity of Los Angeles
ADU Builder in Marquez Knolls
Ocean-view hillside lots north of Sunset where lower-level units, garage-top ADUs and rebuild plans follow the slope.
See Marquez KnollsCity of Los Angeles
ADU Builder in Palisades Highlands
A 1970s planned community beside Topanga State Park, with gated HOAs where junior ADUs and garage conversions are common choices.
See Palisades HighlandsCity of Los Angeles
ADU Builder in Castellammare
Bluff-side lots above PCH near the Getty Villa, with narrow streets, coastal review and geology driving every ADU plan.
See CastellammareCity of Los Angeles
ADU Builder in Huntington Palisades
A bluff-top neighborhood framed by Potrero Canyon and the coast, where canyon and coastal buffers define the buildable area.
See Huntington PalisadesCity of Los Angeles
ADU Builder in El Medio Bluffs
Ridge-top lots west of Temescal Canyon with ocean views, wind exposure and tight level pads that favor attached units.
See El Medio BluffsCity of Los Angeles
ADU Builder in Rustic Canyon
A wooded canyon beside Will Rogers park, with protected trees, narrow lanes and historic cabins shaping compact ADU designs.
See Rustic CanyonCity of Los Angeles
ADU Builder in The Riviera
Larger lots around Riviera Country Club, bordering Santa Monica, with room for two-bedroom units and more than one ADU.
See The RivieraCity of Los Angeles
ADU Builder in Temescal Canyon
Canyon-edge homes between Sunset and PCH near Temescal Gateway Park, where bluff buffers and drainage guide placement.
See Temescal CanyonCity of Los Angeles
ADU Builder in Brentwood
Fire-zone canyons above Sunset, estate and small lots below it, and apartment buildings ready for multifamily ADUs.
See BrentwoodUnincorporated Los Angeles County
ADU Builder in Sunset Mesa
An unincorporated bluff community near Topanga with a Malibu address, where Los Angeles County issues ADU permits.
See Sunset MesaPacific Palisades Neighborhoods North and South of Sunset
Sunset Boulevard is more than a street here. Nearly every building north of it was lost in the January 2025 fire, so neighborhoods like the Alphabet Streets, Marquez Knolls, the Highlands and much of Rustic Canyon are largely rebuild territory. ADU work there usually means designing a unit alongside a new house, or building it first so the family has somewhere to live.
South of Sunset, places like Huntington Palisades, El Medio Bluffs and the lower Riviera have more existing homes, and ADU projects there more often involve conversions, attached units and backyard cottages added to houses that are still standing.
City of Los Angeles and LA County ADU Permits
Ten of the eleven areas we serve are in the City of Los Angeles. Pacific Palisades and Brentwood are LA neighborhoods, so LADBS issues ADU permits under the City's ordinance, City Planning handles coastal review, and LADWP supplies power and water.
Sunset Mesa is the exception. It is unincorporated Los Angeles County, so the County handles zoning, building permits and fire review there, and the City's Palisades rebuild orders do not apply. We confirm the jurisdiction for every lot before design begins.
How Terrain Changes ADU Plans Across the Palisades
Within a few miles, Palisades ADUs move from flat grid lots to steep hillsides, coastal bluffs and wooded canyons. Flat lots near the Village suit detached cottages. Hillside lots in the Knolls and the Highlands favor lower-level units, conversions and units above the garage. Bluff-top neighborhoods such as Huntington Palisades and Castellammare need buffers, geology reports and drainage plans.
Canyon areas like Rustic Canyon and Temescal Canyon add protected trees, narrow streets and wildland edges. Each area page explains which ADU types fit and what to plan for.
Fire Zone Rules for ADUs in Every Palisades Area
The whole Palisades has been a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone since 1999, and Brentwood above Sunset carries the same CAL FIRE designation. That means every ADU we build in those areas uses wildfire-resistant roofing, vents, siding, windows and decks, with defensible space around it.
Sunset Mesa sits outside City limits, so we look up its parcels individually on CAL FIRE's hazard maps rather than assume the City's blanket designation.
ADU Build and Finish Photos
FAQs
Service Area FAQ for Palisades ADU Projects
Is any Palisades neighborhood outside your ADU coverage?
No. Every neighborhood listed on this page is covered, along with Brentwood and Sunset Mesa next door.
Who issues ADU permits in my area?
For Pacific Palisades and Brentwood, the City of Los Angeles through LADBS. For Sunset Mesa, Los Angeles County. We confirm this for every lot.
Do the fire-rebuild orders apply everywhere you work?
They apply to fire-damaged lots in the City of Los Angeles portion of the Palisades Fire area. They do not apply in unincorporated Sunset Mesa.
What if my street is just outside these neighborhoods?
Possibly. Name your street or cross streets on the consultation form, and our reply will tell you whether the lot is within our working area.
ADU consultation
Request an ADU Consultation for Your Neighborhood
Tell us which neighborhood your lot is in and what you hope to build. Submit the consultation form and our team will be in touch within 24 hours.
- Design
- Permits
- Construction