Chapter 18.12
SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONE (R-1)
Sections:
18.12.010 Single-family residential zone (R-1).
18.12.030 Uses permitted subject to a conditional use permit.
18.12.050 Property development standards.
18.12.060 Two-unit housing development.
18.12.010 Single-family residential zone (R-1).
The R-1 single-family residential zone is intended as a low density residential district of single-family homes with one dwelling per lot and customary accessory buildings considered harmonious with low density residential development. (Prior code § 10-3.601)
18.12.020 Uses permitted.
The following uses shall be permitted in the R-1 zone and other such uses as the commission may deem to be similar to those listed and not detrimental to the public health, safety, and welfare:
A. Single-family dwellings and accessory buildings customary to such uses located on the same lot or parcel of land;
B. Home occupations subject to the provisions of Chapter 18.56;
C. Parks, playgrounds, and public buildings;
D. Family day care homes; provided, a large family day care home shall be permitted subject to approval of a home occupation permit pursuant to Chapter 18.56;
E. Mobile homes certified under the National Mobile Home Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. Section 5401 et seq.) on a foundation system, pursuant to Section 18551 of the Health and Safety Code of the state. Further, such mobile homes shall be occupied only as a residential use type and shall be subject to any and all property development standards of the zone;
F. Accessory dwelling unit, as defined in Chapter 18.04 and subject to property development standards set forth in Chapter 18.13;
G. Residential group facility;
H. Transitional housing, subject only to those restrictions that apply to other residential dwellings of the same type in this zone;
I. Supportive housing, subject only to those restrictions that apply to other residential dwellings of the same type in this zone;
J. Home sharing rentals. Home sharing rentals shall be allowed in a single-family residence in accordance with Chapter 5.76. No home sharing rental shall be allowed in any dwelling unit if there is an accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit on the property;
K. Employee housing, as defined by Health and Safety Code Section 17021.5, when providing accommodations for six or fewer employees, subject only to those restrictions that apply to other residential dwellings of the same type in this zone. (Ord. 1866 § 6, 2024; Ord. 1854 § 4, 2023; Ord. 1778 § 2, 2017: Ord. 1737 § 15, 2012; Ord. 1640 § 3, 2003; prior code § 10-3.602)
18.12.030 Uses permitted subject to a conditional use permit.
The following uses may be permitted in the R-1 zone subject to the issuance of a conditional use permit pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 18.46:
A. Public and private schools, to and including the twelfth grade;
B. Church and related facilities. Related facilities do not include day care facilities, schools (kindergarten through twelfth grade), and rectories, convents, parsonages or minister’s residences;
C. Utility substations;
D. Convents and monasteries associated with religious orders of nuns or priests; and
E. Those uses permitted with a conditional use permit, pursuant to Section 18.46.030C. (Ord. 1737 § 3, 2012: Ord. 1683 § 1, 2006; Urg. Ord. 1682; Ord. 1640 § 4, 2003; Ord. 1550 § 2, 1998; Ord. 1527 § 1, 1997; prior code § 10-3.603)
18.12.040 Uses prohibited.
A. All uses not listed in Sections 18.12.020 and 18.12.030 are deemed to be expressly prohibited in the R-1 zone, except those determined to be similar pursuant to the provisions of Section 18.42.040; and
B. Short-term rentals. (Ord. 1854 § 5, 2023; Ord. 1738 § 5, 2012: prior code § 10-3.604)
18.12.050 Property development standards.
The property development standards set forth in this section shall apply to all land and buildings in the R-1 zone.
A. Lot Area. A minimum of five thousand square feet;
B. Lot Width.
1. A minimum of fifty feet for interior lots, and
2. A minimum of fifty-five feet for corner lots;
C. Lot Depth. A minimum of eighty feet;
D. Density. A maximum of one dwelling unit per lot, except for an accessory dwelling unit;
E. Dwelling Unit Size. A minimum of eight hundred square feet, excluding the garage;
F. Building Height. The maximum building height shall not exceed twenty-five feet and shall consist of not more than two stories;
G. Yards.
1. Front yard setback: twenty feet.
2. Side yard setback:
a. A minimum of five feet for interior lots, and
b. A minimum of ten feet for corner lots (street side only),
3. Rear yard setback: ten feet for new dwellings and additions and a minimum of five feet for existing single story dwelling units.
4. Accessory buildings: one-story accessory buildings, other than a garage, shall be set back four feet from the rear and side property lines when located in the rear one-third of the lot. Garages may be constructed along the rear and side property line when located in the rear one-third of the lot. Garages fronting on public streets shall maintain a minimum twenty-foot yard setback. All garages shall be provided with garage doors and new front facing garages and replacement garage doors for front facing garages shall be sectional type doors.
5. No more than fifty percent of the front yard area, including driveways, shall be paved or otherwise covered with hardscaped materials. The remaining area shall be permanently landscaped with softscape materials and a permanent irrigation system shall be installed subject to city approval.
6. Driveways. No more than one driveway shall be allowed per parcel to a public street on parcels with less than one hundred feet frontage.
H. Distances between Buildings. A minimum of six feet between main and accessory buildings;
I. Lot coverage:
1. A maximum of fifty percent for interior lots, and
2. A maximum of seventy-five percent for corner lots;
J. Off-Street Parking. The provisions of Chapter 18.40 shall apply;
K. Signs. The provisions of Chapter 18.58 shall apply;
L. General provisions as set forth in the table found in Section 18.42.010. (Ord. 1873 § 1, 2024; Ord. 1848 § 8, 2023; Ord. 1847 § 8, 2023; Ord. 1814 § 2, 2020; Ord. 1804 § 3, 2019; Ord. 1778 § 3, 2017; Ord. 1738 § 27, 2012; Ord. 1737 § 4, 2012; Ord. 1683 § 1, 2006; Urg. Ord. 1682; Ord. 1640 §§ 5, 6, 2003)
18.12.060 Two-unit housing development.
A. For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
1. “Housing development” shall mean a development with no more than two primary units on a single lot within a single-family zone that meets the requirements of this section. The two units may consist of two new units or one new unit and one existing unit.
2. “Primary unit” shall mean a residential unit that is not otherwise classified as an accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit pursuant to Government Code Sections 65852.2(j) and 65852.22.
3. “Unit” shall mean a primary dwelling unit, but shall not include an accessory dwelling unit or a junior accessory dwelling unit.
4. “Urban lot split” shall have the same meaning as set forth in Section 17.08.270.
B. The city shall ministerially approve a housing development containing no more than two primary units if it meets the following requirements:
1. The parcel is not located in any of the following areas and does not fall within any of the following categories:
a. A historic district or property included on the State Historic Resources Inventory, as defined in Section 5020.1 of the Public Resources Code, or within a site that is designated or listed as a city landmark or historic property or district pursuant to a city ordinance.
b. A hazardous waste site that is listed pursuant to California Government Code Section 65962.5 or a hazardous waste site designated by the Department of Toxic Substances Control pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 25356, unless the State Department of Public Health, State Water Resources Control Board, or Department of Toxic Substances Control has cleared the site for residential use or residential mixed uses.
c. A delineated earthquake fault zone as determined by the State Geologist in any official maps published by the State Geologist, unless the development complies with applicable seismic protection building code standards adopted by the California Building Standards Commission under the California Building Standards Law and by the city’s building department.
d. A special flood hazard area subject to inundation by the one percent annual chance flood (one-hundred-year flood) as determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in any official maps published by FEMA. If an applicant is able to satisfy all applicable federal qualifying criteria in order to provide that the site satisfies this subsection and is otherwise eligible for streamlined approval under this section, the city shall not deny the application on the basis that the applicant did not comply with any additional permit requirement, standard, or action adopted by the city that is applicable to that site. A development may be located on a site described in this subsection if either of the following are met:
i. The site has been subject to a letter of map revision prepared by FEMA and issued to the city; or
ii. The site meets FEMA requirements necessary to meet minimum flood plain management criteria of the National Flood Insurance Program as further spelled out in Government Code Section 65913.4(a)(6)(G)(ii);
e. A regulatory floodway as determined by FEMA in any of its official maps, published by FEMA unless the development has received a no-rise certification in accordance with Section 60.3(d)(3) of Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations. If an applicant is able to satisfy all applicable federal qualifying criteria in order to provide that the site satisfies this subsection and is otherwise eligible for streamlined approval under this section, the city shall not deny the application on the basis that the applicant did not comply with any additional permit requirement, standard, or action adopted by the city that is applicable to that site.
f. Habitat for protected species identified as candidate, sensitive, or species of special status by state or federal agencies, fully protected species, or species protected by the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. Section 1531 et seq.), the California Endangered Species Act (Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 2050) of Division 3 of the Fish and Game Code), or the Native Plant Protection Act (Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 1900) of Division 2 of the Fish and Game Code).
2. The housing development does not require demolition or alteration of any of the following types of housing:
a. Housing that is subject to a recorded covenant, ordinance or law that restricts rents to levels affordable to persons and families of moderate, low, or very low income;
b. Housing on a parcel or parcels on which an owner of residential real property exercised rights under Government Code Section 7060 et seq. to withdraw accommodations from rent or lease within fifteen years before the date of the application; or
c. Housing that has been occupied by a tenant in the last three years.
3. Unless demolition or alteration is prohibited pursuant to subsection (B)(2) of this section, a housing unit may be demolished if it has not been occupied by a tenant in the last three years.
C. Standards and Requirements. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the municipal code to the contrary, the following requirements shall apply in addition to all other objective standards applicable to this zone:
1. Setbacks.
a. No setback shall be required for an existing structure, or a structure constructed in the same location and within the same dimensions as an existing structure.
b. Except for those circumstances described in subsection (C)(1)(a) of this section, the setback for side and rear lot lines shall be four feet.
c. The front setback shall be twenty feet on a lot that fronts on a street, except on lots where the street-facing side (width) is longer than the depth; in such case the setback from the street-facing lot line shall be ten feet.
d. For landlocked parcels side yard setbacks shall apply to all property lines.
2. The applicant shall provide easements for the provision of public services and facilities as required.
3. One parking space per unit shall be required on the lot unless the parcel is located within one-half mile walking distance of either a high-quality transit corridor as defined by Public Resources Code Section 21155(b) or a major transit stop as defined in Public Resources Code Section 21064.3. The parking space need not be covered, but tandem parking shared by separate units shall not be allowed.
4. On landlocked lots, a residential structure shall maintain a separation of eight feet to all other habitable structures from its front-facing facade.
“Front-facing facade” shall be defined for this purpose as the building side most closely parallel to the plane of the main entrance doorway.
5. Lot coverage shall not exceed seventy-five percent.
D. Design Criteria for New Structures. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 18.42.095, all two-unit housing developments shall be required to demonstrate compliance with the following design criteria:
1. Scale and Massing. On lots of at least fifty feet in width, all two-story residential structures must have upper floor exterior walls on the front and at least one side stepped back at least five feet from the ground story exterior walls.
2. Architectural Detailing. At least two distinct exterior surface treatments and at least two exterior colors are required.
3. Rooflines. Flat roofs are permitted only on two-story residential buildings and must include parapets.
4. Garages, Driveways and Parking.
a. A garage attached to a single-family house or duplex that faces the front of the property must be set back at least five feet from the front-facing wall of the house.
b. All garages facing streets, but not those facing alleys, must be set back at least twenty feet from the sidewalk, and if there is no sidewalk, twenty-four feet from the curb.
5. Walls and Fences. Walls and fences in residential zones may be constructed of a variety of materials, but chain link fencing, barbed wire, razor wire, and electrified fences are explicitly prohibited.
E. Limitations on City Actions.
1. The city shall not impose any zoning or design standards that would have the effect of physically precluding the construction of two units on a lot or that would result in a unit size of less than eight hundred square feet.
2. The city shall not deny an application solely because it proposes adjacent or connected structures; provided, that all building code safety standards are met, and they are sufficient to allow a separate conveyance.
F. An applicant for a second house on a lot shall be required to sign an affidavit in a form approved by the city attorney to be recorded against the property stating the following:
1. That the uses shall be limited to residential uses.
2. That the rental of any unit created pursuant to this section shall be for a minimum of thirty-one days.
3. That the maximum number of units to be allowed on the parcels is two, not including units otherwise allowed pursuant to density bonus provisions, accessory dwelling units, junior accessory dwelling units, or units allowed pursuant to Section 17.08.270.
G. The city may deny the housing development if the building official makes a written finding, based upon a preponderance of the evidence, that the proposed housing development project would have a specific, adverse impact, as defined and determined in Government Code Section 65589.5(d)(2), upon the public health and safety or the physical environment and for which there is no feasible method to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the specific, adverse impact. (Ord. 1857 § 1, 2023; Ord. 1838 § 2, 2022)