Definition of a Vacant Site

A vacant site is a site without any houses, offices, buildings, or other significant improvements on it. Improvements are generally defined as development of the land (such as a paved parking lot, or income production improvements such as crops, high voltage power lines, oil-wells, etc.) or structures on a property that are permanent and add significantly to the value of the property.

Examples of Vacant Sites:

• No improvement on the site (other than being a finished lot).

• No existing uses, including parking lots.

• Underutilized sites are not vacant sites.

• Sites with blighted improvements are not vacant sites.

• Sites with abandoned or unoccupied uses are not vacant sites. End definition

If the inventory identifies nonvacant sites to address a portion of the RHNA, the housing element must describe the realistic development potential of each site within the planning period. Specifically, the analysis must consider the extent that the nonvacant site’s existing use impedes additional residential development, the jurisdiction's past experience converting existing uses to higher density residential development, market trends and conditions, and regulatory or other incentives or standards that encourage additional housing development on the nonvacant sites.

Site Inventory Guidebook

Page 24

May 2020