Can I use my garage as a weight room / laundry / storage / workshop (San Diego: fit in, to rent)

[SportyDog]

I am not part of an HOA.

I have a single car garage, I have the walls lined with storage on one side and tools on the other.

I have gym mats on the center of the floor and some gym equipment in there as well. I plan on using it to work out in.

I was told by someone that it is not legal in San Diego to use your garage as a "living space"

Now regardless of what peoples opinions are I'm looking for specific city ordinances or codes that say you can or can not;

A. use your garage as a living space?

and

B. if you can't, what constitutes a living space.

and

C. if all of the above is true then am I required to park my car in the garage instead of on the street?

I actually called the city, and they seemed to think it wasn't a big deal and even said "everyone does that" but she would look into it for me. Again, that was just the persons opinion so I'm looking for public laws and regulations.

In the meantime I thought maybe someone here would know?

[oddstray]

Are you inside San Diego (or other) city limits, or are you in unincorporated San Diego County?

[SportyDog]

Originally Posted by oddstray

Are you inside San Diego (or other) city limits, or are you in unincorporated San Diego County?

I'm in the city. Central

[moved]

It's not like you're actually living in it, you're just using it for other purposes that keeping your car in it. I know someone in El Cajon that turned her garage into a dance studio, complete with hardward flooring and mirrors. I have another friend in Clairemont that has a one car garage, and her car doesn't even fit in it. She uses it for her washer/dryer and storage.

I don't think it's going to be a problem.

[SportyDog]

Originally Posted by moved

It's not like you're actually living in it, you're just using it for other purposes that keeping your car in it. I know someone in El Cajon that turned her garage into a dance studio, complete with hardward flooring and mirrors. I have another friend in Clairemont that has a one car garage, and her car doesn't even fit in it. She uses it for her washer/dryer and storage.

I don't think it's going to be a problem.

I don't "think" so either, but I would like to be able to point to some conclusive regulations or code to show this person who is telling me otherwise.

[shmoov_groovzsd]

Garage Conversions, Neighborhood Code Compliance Department

Might help...

[skeke]

According to our community liaison officer it is illegal to use your garage in the City of San Diego for uses that prohibit you parking your car in it. That said, as long as no one is complaining the City is probably not going to track you are anyone else down for this violation. The officer did say if your garage is full of junk and couldn't possibly hold a car it would be wise not to leave the door open for all to see because you could be reported. Can't tell you what the code is. I did not ask.

[kettlepot]

I think the key thing about keeping the garage available for parking the car, is to keep it so the garage door still functions. Whether or not it's so full of junk you can't park in it, is your own business. But if the garage door works then it is still legally a garage.

[esmith143]

This is actually a very complicated question, there are many aspects and some of them depend on the specific locale. E.g. laws in Poway are slightly different from laws in San Diego, and people in unincorporated county have it easiest.

I am not a lawyer, but here's my general understanding:

- Your garage is a parking space, a habitable space, or both. A habitable space means any room where you spend time, other than a storage room or a bathroom.
- If your garage is a parking space, you don't have to park there, but you are not supposed to use it for any purpose other than parking your car. (specific to City of San Diego - San Diego Municipal Code, §142.0510(a))
- If you wish to use your garage as a habitable space, it must conform to a number of safety standards, such as, there must be lighting, there must be ventilation, and it may need to have a door in addition to garage doors (fairly universal - California Building Code)
- If you wish to turn your garage into a habitable space, you must construct new parking spaces to replace the ones you just destroyed. This may not even be possible if you have a typical 5000 sf lot, because you can't put new parking spaces between the house and the street, they have to be to the side or behind the house. There are other restrictions. (specific to City of San Diego)
- If you are going to put beds in the converted garage, that makes it a "sleeping area" and there are additional requirements, e.g. you are not allowed to have a water heater there. (universal)

That's all theory. In practice, no one really cares what you do in your garage, unless:

- You put beds there and try to rent it out to illegal immigrants
- Or you take down garage doors and replace them with solid walls
- Or you fill your garage with junk and then all members of your household end up parking in the street in front of the house.

The city has far more regulations than inspectors capable of tracking down all offenders. Unless you do something blatantly visible from the street or someone reports you, you're unlikely to get into any trouble.

[steel7]

Just dont go around the neighborhood telling people & dont leave your garage door open. Neighborhoods are full of snitches who have no lives & want to disrupt yours. Dont let this happen to you.
How to Report a Violation | http://mlvb.net/www.sandiego.gov/nccd/zoning/~~/report/