Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Selma, California

Selma’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction of accessory dwelling units (ADU/JADU) inside Selma city, including conversion of existing space and legalizing unpermitted units

  • Permit application must include plans for review and payment of permit fees.
  • The FAQ describes ADU permits; permit requirements for other construction were not verified.

  “the application for building permits should include plans for review and payment of permit fees.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Accessory dwelling units (ADU/JADU) built under a city building permit inside Selma city

  • Inspections are scheduled after permit issuance and a final inspection must be passed.
  • General inspection requirements for other construction were not verified.

  “once the permit application is reviewed and issued, then inspections will need to be scheduled and final inspection passed.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Selma city limits. The city administers its own zoning ordinance, which the city says is part of its municipal code (Title 11).

  • The city's comprehensive zoning ordinance update (reduced from 35 chapters to 8) is described on the city page; adoption status and ordinance number of the update were not verified.
  • The adopted Title XI text on American Legal Publishing could not be opened (HTTP 403), so district-level rules are not verified here.
  • The city page states the update will not rezone any properties.

  “the zoning ordinance is a crucial section of the selma municipal code that regulates land development and use within the city.”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  Accessory dwelling units (ADU) and junior ADUs (JADU) on residential lots inside Selma city, including single-family lots

  • Minimum unit size 150 sq ft; ADUs must include eating, sleeping and bathroom facilities (a JADU may share eating and bathroom facilities with the primary dwelling if there is an internal connection).
  • If the ADU meets all development standards: adding square footage may not exceed 50% of the main residence or 1,000 sq ft, whichever is less; detached ADU up to 1,000 sq ft; existing space has no limit; JADU up to 500 sq ft.
  • A property with a single-family house may have one ADU and one JADU; a multifamily property may have ADUs per the FAQ limits.
  • Non-compliant lots may still get an ADU up to 800 sq ft with at least 4-foot rear and side setbacks and within height limits.
  • One parking space per ADU unless an exception applies (transit within one-half mile, historic district, conversion of existing space, car share within one block).
  • Fire sprinklers cannot be required for an ADU unless required for the primary residence.
  • The city page says the update allows an ADU on any parcel size; adoption status of that update was not verified.

  minimum ADU size: >= 150 sq ft · detached ADU maximum size: <= 1000 sq ft (if the ADU meets all development standards) · JADU maximum size: <= 500 sq ft (if the ADU meets all development standards)

  “properties with a single-family house may have one adu and one jadu.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permit fees for ADU/JADU projects inside Selma city

  • Most permit fees are based on total cost valuation or square footage; electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits carry additional flat-rate fees (per the FAQ).
  • Fees waived for ADU builds under 750 sq ft: impact fees, general plan maintenance, street maintenance and bedroom taxes.
  • The city site lists a Development Impact Fee Schedule on the zoning and building pages; its figures were not opened in this run.
  • Fee contact: building department 559-891-2208.

  ADU fee waiver threshold: < 750 sq ft (waives impact fees, general plan maintenance, street maintenance and bedroom taxes)

  “most permit fees are based on the project's total cost valuation or square footage.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit process for ADU/JADU projects inside Selma city

  • Process per the FAQ: application with plans, plan review, permit issuance, scheduled inspections and final inspection; the city also links an online permit portal (OpenGov) and a plan check / building inspections page.
  • Full written procedures for other permit types were not opened.

  “the application for building permits should include plans for review and payment of permit fees.”

Rules another office applies inside Selma

Selma does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Building construction inside Selma city, including ADU construction, under the California Building Code

  • The city FAQ refers to California building code requirements; the city's own Title IV adoption clause was not opened.
  • Local amendments, if any, were not verified.

  “unpermitted jadus and adus follow the same building permit review process and california building code requirements as new construction, very similar to additions or remodels.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Selma or Fresno County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction of a home inside Selma city
• Certificate of occupancy — New or altered dwellings inside Selma city
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Selma city (other than accessory dwelling units, see the ADU claim)
• Minimum lot size — Main single-family residential district(s) inside Selma city (R-1 family, including R-1-7 and R-1-9); not answered for the county
• Setbacks — Main single-family residential district(s) inside Selma city (R-1 family, including R-1-7 and R-1-9); not answered for the county

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Selma means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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