Here is a quick word of warning for anyone currently sketching out ideas for a garage or kitchen bump-out addition on their property. Before you spend a single dollar on an architect or designer, go down to your local city planning office and ask for a copy of your official property zoning map to check your required setbacks.
My wife and I spent three months designing a beautiful side-addition for a home office setup. We had everything laid out perfectly on paper and were about to submit the plans for approval.
That is when the zoning department informed us that our specific neighborhood has a strict 15-foot side property line setback rule. Because our house sits awkwardly on our lot, the proposed addition would have crossed into that zone by less than two feet.
They completely denied our permit application on the spot. Our only option was to apply for a zoning variance, which involves paying a hefty non-refundable fee, attending a public city council hearing, and getting written permission from all our surrounding neighbors. It added four months of stressful delays to our timeline and we ended up getting rejected anyway because one neighbor complained it would block their view. Long story short: always figure out exactly where you are legally allowed to build on your land before you start dreaming up layouts.