Adam Hardesty insists he wanted to do everything by the book.
Before moving forward with his plans to convert the garage of his three-story condo into a ground-floor apartment, he canvassed local architects and engineers to make sure a kitchenette, a bedroom and a bathroom could all be packed safely and legally into just 417 square feet.
He pored over local zoning maps, checked with the city of Carlsbad and got himself a building permit…