What decides whether you can build up
- Zoning height: Scottsdale limits ADU height to the zoning district’s maximum. See the ADU page.
- ESL areas: much of northern Scottsdale is in the Environmentally Sensitive Lands overlay, which has its own standards. See ESL.
- HOA rules: many communities limit two-story accessory buildings or require extra review for views and privacy.
- Size caps: the floor area of both levels counts toward ADU size limits.
Common layouts
- Living space over a garage: a detached garage below and a studio or one-bedroom above.
- Stacked casita: living and kitchen downstairs, bedroom and bath upstairs.
- Loft casita: a tall single room with a sleeping loft, which can feel larger than its footprint.
Design considerations
- Privacy: place upper windows to avoid looking into neighbors’ yards. Clerestory windows help.
- Stairs: interior stairs keep the unit cooler. Exterior stairs save floor area but face the sun.
- Heat: upper floors get hotter. Plan insulation, shading and separate cooling.
- Structure: second floors need engineered framing and foundations.
- Long-term use: if a parent may live there later, keep a bedroom and bath on the ground floor.
Style
Two-story casitas often borrow from Santa Fe and Spanish Colonial homes, with balconies, wood beams and tile roofs. Desert contemporary designs use flat roofs and deep overhangs to keep the height visually low.
See also custom casitas, detached ADUs and home additions.
