4.7.10 HRO-1 ZONING DISTRICT STANDARDS — Belmont Zoning Code

(a) RESIDENTIAL DENSITY AND LOT SIZE STANDARDS - Each lot existing as of the time of application of this ordinance and each lot created by land division shall comply with the General Density and Lot Size Standards of Section 4.7.9 unless a use permit for clustering is granted pursuant to the procedures and noticing requirements of Section 11.
(b) FLOOR AREA - The maximum allowable floor area shall be 4,500 sq. ft. on parcels 20,000 sq. ft. and larger, and on clustered developments with an average lot size of

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20,000 sq. ft. and larger. The maximum allowable floor area on all other lots shall be 3,500 sq. ft.

(c) CLUSTERING OF SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES - The grouping of residences on smaller lots and in closer proximity than otherwise permitted may be allowed in the HRO-1 District upon the granting of a Conditional Use Permit in order to reduce grading, visual impact, and provide permanent open space.
- 1. Application requirements. A Conditional Use Permit application for clustering shall be accompanied by the following:
  - a. A map showing the existing parcels with dimensioned parcel boundaries, parcel areas, and topography at five (5) foot contour intervals or less.
  - b. Site plan showing the proposed parcels with dimensioned parcel boundaries, parcel areas, together with proposed locations of all homes, yard areas, driveways, and grading.
  - c. Proposal for the location, ownership, and management of the permanent open space.
- 1. Standards for Clustering:
  - a. Residential density within the clustered development shall be required to meet the density standards of section 4.7.9 but not the minimum lot size standards.
  - b. The minimum lot size in clustered development shall be 10,000 sq. ft.
  - c. The lot dimension standards of Section 4.7.4 shall not apply. Clustered lots shall not be less than 50 feet in average width, nor have less than 30 feet street frontage.
  - d. Permanent open space shall be provided over all open space parcels and over all portions of lots exceeding 10,000 sq. ft.
  - e. Except as provided herein, all other development standards of the HRO-1 district shall apply.
- 1. Conditional Use Permit Findings Required for Planning Commission Approval. In addition to the standard Use Permit findings, the Commission must also find that:[59]
  - a. The development resulting from clustering is consistent with the policies of the San Juan Hills Area Plan.
  - b. The development which would result from clustering of residences would reduce grading and vegetation removal and result in better home sites and overall pattern of development than could be achieved through the application of this ordinance without clustering.

59 Amended by Ord. 2018-1131, §12, 4/24/2018

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c. The open space areas will not create an enforcement or maintenance problem and will be protected from development by the establishment of an open space or conservation easement over its entirety, and adequate provision for the ownership and management of such property and easements will be provided.
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- d. All clustering standards will be met. 
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4.7.11 HRO-2 ZONING DISTRICT STANDARDS[60]
- (a) RESIDENTIAL DENSITY AND LOT SIZE STANDARDS - Each lot and land subdivision shall comply with the general density and lot size standards of Section 4.7.9 unless a permit for Density or Floor Area Transfer, or a Lot Line Adjustment is approved.
- (b) FLOOR AREA RATIO - Except as provided in Section 24, the permitted floor area on lots 40,000 sq. ft. or larger in area shall be 3,500 sq. ft. The permitted floor areas on lots less than 40,000 sq. ft. are based on lot slope and shall be determined using the applicable floor area ratio in Table 2. The floor area on each lot shall not total more than 3,500 sq. ft. and is allowed to be at least 900 sq. ft.[61]

TABLE 2[62]

HRO-2 FLOOR AREA RATIO STANDARDS

AVERAGE SLOPE	FAR	SLIDING SCALE MINIMUM FLOOR AREA (LOTS 31% - 45% SLOPE AND UP)
1 – 10%	0.350	1,200
11%	0.327	1,200
12%	0.307	1,200
13%	0.289	1,200
14%	0.273	1,200
15%	0.259	1,200
16%	0.246	1,200
17%	0.219	1,200
18%	0.197	1,200
19%	0.179	1,200
20%	0.164	1,200
21%	0.151	1,200
22%	0.140	1,200
23%	0.131	1,200
24%	0.122	1,200
25%	0.115	1,200
26%	0.108	1,200
27%	0.102	1,200
28%	0.096	1,200

60 Amended by Ord. 2025-1192, §39, 12/9/2025; Amended by Ord. 2018-1131, §13, 4/24/2018

61 Amended by Ord. 2017-1118, §24, 5/23/2017
62 Amended by Ord. 982, 1/28/03

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AVERAGE SLOPE	FAR	SLIDING SCALE MINIMUM FLOOR AREA (LOTS 31% - 45% SLOPE ANDUP)
29%	0.091	1,200
30%	0.087	1,200
31%	0.083	1,180
32%	0.076	1,160
33%	0.070	1,140
34%	0.065	1,120
35%	0.059	1,100
36%	0.053	1,080
37%	0.048	1,060
38%	0.044	1,040
39%	0.041	1,020
40%	0.038	1,000
41%	0.035	980
42%	0.032	960
43%	0.030	940
44%	0.028	920
45% & UP	0.026	900

(c) SUBSTANDARD LOTS - Vacant lots which are nonconforming to the required lot size shall be allowed a floor area which is the larger of 1,200 sq. ft. or the floor area ratio applicable to the lot's slope category, except when the average lot slope exceeds 30%, then the allowed floor area shall be the larger of the minimum floor area or the floor area ratio applicable to the lot’s slope category as shown on Table 2 – HRO-2 Floor Area Ratio Standards.[63]
(d) FLOOR AREA TRANSFER The permanent transfer of floor area development potential in the HRO 2 Zoning District from one discontinuous site to another site within the HRO-2 Zoning District shall be permitted upon approval of an Administrative Floor Area Transfer application by the Zoning Administrator. Any project resulting in a floor area ratio exceeding 0.5 shall be subject to public hearing by the Planning Commission. Floor Area Transfer applications are subject to the following:[64]

O 2 Zoning District from one discontinuous site to another site within the HRO-2 Zoning District shall be permitted upon approval of an Administrative Floor Area Transfer application by the Zoning Administrator. Any project resulting in a floor area ratio exceeding 0.5 shall be subject to public hearing by the Planning Commission. Floor Area Transfer applications are subject to the following:[64]

Application requirements A Floor Area Transfer application shall be accompanied by the following:
- a. Map showing the location and boundaries of the proposed sending and receiving parcels.
- b. Calculations showing the maximum allowable floor area on the receiving parcel according to the requirements of this ordinance.

63 Amended by Ord. 979, 5/14/02; Ord. 982, 1/28/03

64 Amended by Ord. 2018-1133, §1, 8/28/2018

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c. Site plan of the receiving parcel showing the proposed locations of all buildings, driveways, and grading.
d. A signed contractual agreement with the owner of the sending property to transfer floor area to the owner of the receiving parcel, and agreeing to record an open space or conservation easement restricting all development potential attributable to the sending parcel, and evidence of title insurance on the sending parcel indicating that the parties to the contractual agreement have the right to enter into such a contract.
e. Program for ownership and management of the sending property. Such a program may include merger with contiguous property, fee ownership by a private conservation organization; fee ownership by the owner of the receiving parcel, or other means approved by the Planning Commission.
f. If the receiving parcel is not served by a roadway that is improved to current City standards, an approved hillside road improvement plan.[65]

Standards for Floor Area Transfer
- a. Floor area and development rights transfer shall be by recordation of a deed of development rights transfer on each lot describing the transfer between the owners of the sending and receiving parcels.
- b. An open space or conservation easement and an ownership and open space management plan for the sending parcel shall be approved and recorded prior to issuance of a building permit for construction of any transferred floor area.
- c. The total floor area allowed on the receiving property shall be that which would be allowed on the receiving lot plus 1,200 sq. ft. If the applicant can demonstrate through survey that the sending property would yield more than 1,200 sq. ft. then the floor area allowed on the receiving site shall be the summation of the floor area allowed on the sending and receiving sites. Total allowed floor area shall not exceed 3,500 sq. ft. on any one lot.
Conditional Use Permit Findings Required for Approval
- a. The proposed transfer of density is consistent with the policies of the San Juan Hills Area Plan and the Geologic Hazards Ordinance.
- b. Adequate infrastructure exists or its construction is assured, and for sites requiring road improvement plans, such plans have been approved.

c. The pattern of development which would result from the transfer of floor area is better than could be achieved through the application of this ordinance without floor area transfer, due to less grading, less street and utility extension, and better building site locations.
- d. The sending property will be protected from development by the establishment of a conservation easement over its entirety, or be merged with an adjacent lot

65 Amended by Ord. 2018-1133, §1, 8/28/2018

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and a conservation easement established over land equal in area to the sending site, and the ownership and management of such property will be adequately provided for.

  - e. The proposed building sites will not be in an area designated Md or Pdf on the current geologic hazards map. 

  - f. All floor area transfer standards will be met.

(e) DENSITY TRANSFER - The permanent transfer of residential units in the HRO-2 Zoning District from one group of lots to another noncontiguous site along the same roadway and within the same statistical subarea as shown on the San Juan Hills Area Plan is permitted upon approval of a conditional use permit by the Planning Commission. Density transfer use permits are subject to the following:
- 1. Application requirements - A conditional use permit application for density transfer shall be accompanied by the following:
  - a. Map showing the location and boundaries of the proposed sending and receiving parcels.
  - b. Calculations showing the maximum allowable density and minimum lot size on the sending and receiving parcels according to the requirements of this ordinance.
  - c. Site plan of the receiving parcels showing the proposed locations of all homes, driveways, and grading.
  - d. A signed contractual agreement with the owner of the sending property to transfer density to the owner of the receiving parcel, and agreeing to record an open space or conservation easement restricting all development potential attributable to the sending parcel and evidence of title insurance for the sending parcel indicating that the parties to the contractual agreement have the right to enter into such a contract.
  - e. Program for ownership and management of the sending property. Such a program may include merger with contiguous property, fee ownership by a qualified private conservation organization, fee ownership by the owners of the receiving parcel, or other means approved by the Planning Commission.
  - f. An application for a tentative subdivision map.
  - g. An approved hillside road improvement plan.
- 1. Standards for Density Transfer
  - a. The receiving site shall be at least 20,000 sq. ft. and each lot created as part of the density transfer procedure shall be a minimum of 10,000 sq. ft. and shall not be required to meet the minimum lot size standards Section 4.7.9. b. One transferred residential unit shall be allowed for each 3 lots, which have density transferred from them.

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b. Density transfer shall be by recordation of a deed of development rights transfer on each lot describing the transfer between the owners of the sending and receiving parcels.
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- c. An open space or conservation easement and an ownership and open space management plan shall be approved and in place prior to issuance of a building permit for construction of any transferred density. 

- d. The floor area allowed on each lot created as part of the density transfer procedure shall be 3,500 sq. ft. 
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- 1. Conditional Use Permit Findings Required for Approval
  - a. The proposed transfer of density is consistent with the policies of the San Juan Hills Area Plan and the Geologic Hazards Ordinance.
  - b. Adequate infrastructure exists or its construction is assured.
  - c. The pattern of development which would result from the transfer of density is better than could be achieved through the application of this ordinance without density transfer, by reducing the need for roadway extensions, reducing grading, and relocating development potential to less steep areas.
  - d. The sending property will be protected from development by the establishment of a conservation easement over its entirety, or be merged with an adjacent lot and a conservation easement established over land equal in area to the sending site, and the ownership and management of such property will be adequately provided for.
  - e. The proposed building sites will not be in an area designated Md or Pdf on the current geologic hazards map.
  - f. All density transfer standards will be met.
(f) LOT LINE ADJUSTMENTS: Lot line adjustments are permitted in the HRO-2 Zoning District upon approval by the Zoning Administrator. Any lot line adjustment resulting in four or more reconfigured lots shall be subject to a public hearing by the Planning Commission. Lot line adjustment applications are subject to the following:
1. Application Requirements:
  - a. Site plan of the proposed parcels showing existing property lines, the proposed sizes of the newly configured parcels, and the locations of all homes, driveways, and grading.
  - b. An approved road improvement plan.
2. Standards for Lot Line Adjustments:
  - a. The lot size standards of Section 4.7.11(a) must be met. They may be waived if the following standards are met:

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The proposed lot line adjustment is consistent with the policies of the San Juan Hills Area Plan and the Geologic Hazards Ordinance.
The pattern of development which would result is better than could be achieved through the application of this ordinance without lot line adjustment, due to less grading, less street and utility extension, and better building site locations.
The total number of lots is reduced.
No reconfigured lot shall be less than 10,000 sq. ft. and no lot shall be reduced from its present size.
Adequate infrastructure exists or its construction is assured.

b. For each lot eliminated 900 sq. ft. shall be allowed on the reconfigured site in addition to that which would be allowed on the newly configured lot by the floor area standards of Section 4.7.11 (b), up to a maximum of 3,500 sq. ft.