Chapter 21.25 — COMMUNITY FACILITIES ZONE
Carlsbad Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · updated 2026-07-25 · Carlsbad
§ 21.25.010. Intent and purpose. ¶
The intent and purpose of the C-F, community facilities, zone is:
(1) To ensure that all master plans and residential specific plans (i.e., specific plans which include residential units) reserve community facilities sites of adequate size for uses which benefit the community as a whole by satisfying social/religious/institutional/human service needs;
(2) To identify those uses which can be utilized to satisfy the community facilities uses requirements in master plans pursuant to Chapter 21.38 of this code and residential specific plans; and
(3) To establish development standards for community facilities uses in master plans and residential specific plans.
(Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001; Ord. CS-224 § XX, 2013)
§ 21.25.020. Applicability. ¶
This chapter applies as follows:
(1) This chapter applies to those properties developed through a new master plan pursuant to Chapter 21.38 of this code approved after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter.
(2) This chapter applies to those properties developed through a new residential specific plan (a specific plan which includes residential units) of at least one hundred gross acres approved after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter.
(3) This chapter applies to any master plan or residential specific plan approved prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter for which an application for amendment involving at least one hundred gross acres of undeveloped land is made by the property owner.
(4) Master plans and residential specific plans approved prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter and not described in subsection (3) of this section may satisfy their community facilities requirements (if any) as required by those approved master plans or specific plans.
(Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001)
§ 21.25.030. Time period of reservation. ¶
As part of the master plan or residential specific plan application, the developer shall designate a portion(s) of the site for community facilities uses. The community facilities designation shall be for a minimum time period of ten years. The ten-year time period shall commence when final inspections have been approved for one hundred percent of the units in the first residential planning area in the master plan or specific plan. There shall be no automatic reversion of the community facilities site to other uses. If, at the end of the ten-year reservation period, community facilities have not developed
in the community facilities designated area, then the developer may make an application for a major master plan amendment to eliminate the community facilities site(s) or to designate a different site(s) of the master plan or residential specific plan for such uses. If the developer proposes to eliminate the community facilities area, he or she shall demonstrate why it is infeasible that the designated area will ever develop with community facilities uses. If the developer proposes to designate a different site(s) for the community facilities uses, he or she shall demonstrate why the proposed alternative location is better than the originally designated location. If an alternative location(s) is proposed, the total amount of acreage for the community facilities uses shall not be reduced from the originally designated acreage. (Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001)
§ 21.25.040. Permitted uses. ¶
A. In a C-F zone, notwithstanding any other provision of this title, only the uses listed in Table A, below, shall be permitted, subject to the requirements and development standards specified by this chapter, and subject to the provisions of Chapter 21.44 of this title governing off-street parking requirements.
B. The uses permitted by conditional use permit, as indicated in Table A, shall be subject to the provisions of Chapter 21.42 of this title.
C. A use similar to those listed in Table A may be permitted if the City Planner determines such similar use falls within the intent and purposes of this zone, and is substantially similar to the specified permitted uses.
D. A use category may be general in nature, where more than one particular use fits into the general category (ex. in some commercial zones "office" is a general use category that applies to various office uses). However, if a particular use is permitted by conditional use permit in another zone, the use shall not be permitted in this C-F community facilities zone (even under a general use category) unless it is specifically listed in Table A of this chapter as permitted or conditionally permitted.
Table A
Uses Permitted
In the table, below, subject to all applicable permitting and development requirements of the municipal code: "P" indicates the use is permitted. (See note 1 below)
"CUP" indicates that the use is permitted with approval of a conditional use permit. (See note 1 below)
1 = Minor Conditional Use Permit (Process One), pursuant to Chapter 21.42 of this title.
2 = Conditional Use Permit (Process Two), pursuant to Chapter 21.42 of this title.
3 = Conditional Use Permit (Process Three), pursuant to Chapter 21.42 of this title.
- "Acc" indicates use is permitted as an accessory use.
| Use | P | CUP | Acc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult and/or senior day care and/or recreation facility (private or nonprivate) |
1 | ||
| Athletic felds | 2 | ||
| Child day care center (subject to Chapter21.83; defned: Section 21.04.086) |
X | ||
| Churches, synagogues, temples, convents, monasteries, and other places of worship |
2 |
| Use | P | CUP | Acc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clubs — nonproft; business, civic, professional, etc. (defned: Section 21.04.090) |
1 | ||
| Educational institutions or schools, public/private (defned: Section 21.04.140) |
2 | ||
| Mobile buildings (subject to Section 21.42.140(B)(90); defned: Section 21.04.265) |
1 | ||
| Offce area (see note 2 below) | X | ||
| Religious reading room (separate from church) | 1 | ||
| Satellite television antennae (subject to Sections21.53.130— 21.53.150; defned: Section 21.04.302) |
X | ||
| Signs (subject to Chapter21.41) | X | ||
| Veterans' organizations (including meeting facilities) | 1 | ||
| Welfare and charitable services (private or semi-private) with no permanent residential uses (e.g., Good Will, Red Cross, Traveler's Aid) |
1 | ||
| Wireless communication facilities (subject to Section21.42.140(B) (165); defned: Section 21.04.379) |
1 / 2 | ||
| Youth organizations (e.g., Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA and YWCA, except lodgings) |
1 |
Notes:
Any use meeting the definition of an entertainment establishment, as defined in Section 8.09.020 of the Carlsbad Municipal Code (CMC), shall be subject to the requirements of CMC Chapter 8.09 .
If any office area is proposed with a use, the office area must be ancillary to the main use; it cannot be the principal use.
(Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001; Ord. NS-791 § 18, 2006; Ord. CS-102 § XLII, 2010; Ord. CS-164 § 10, 2011; Ord. CS-178 § XVI, 2012; Ord. CS-189 § XXII, 2012; Ord. CS-224 § XXI, 2013)
§ 21.25.060. Limitations on permitted uses. ¶
All uses shall be conducted wholly within a building except such uses as athletic fields, outdoor play areas, and other uses customarily conducted in the open. (Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001)
§ 21.25.070. Minimum requirements for community facilities ¶
area.
(1) The minimum size of the community facilities area for new master plan developments and new residential specific plan developments is two net developable acres plus one percent of the total net developable acreage in the entire master plan or residential specific plan area.
(2) The minimum size of the community facilities area for master plan developments and residential specific plan developments approved prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter and described in Section 21.25.020(3) is two net developable acres plus one percent of the total net developable acreage in the area included in the proposed amendment.
(3) All master plans and residential specific plans must provide for a child day care facility somewhere within their community facilities area.
(Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001)
§ 21.25.080. Building height. ¶
No building in the C-F zone shall exceed a height of thirty-five feet and three levels if a minimum roof pitch of 3:12 is provided or twenty-four feet and two levels if a roof pitch less steep than 3:12 is provided. Architectural projections may be allowed pursuant to Section 21.46.020 of this code. (Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001)
§ 21.25.090. Yards. ¶
Front yard, side yard, or rear yard setbacks shall be as required through the development standards contained in the master plan or residential specific plan. (Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001)
§ 21.25.100. Location and design standards. ¶
Every community facilities site shall satisfy the following criteria:
(1) The community facilities uses shall be located so as to assure compatibility with adjacent land uses.
(2) The community facilities area(s) shall be located and designed so as to provide adequate buffering from, and to minimize any negative impacts to, surrounding residential developments.
(3) The community facilities structures shall be designed to be architecturally compatible with surrounding developments.
(4) The community facilities site(s) shall be centrally located within the master plan or residential specific plan unless a noncentral location more effectively serves a greater number of residents of the master plan or residential specific plan.
(5) All community facilities uses shall be located on one unified site unless provision of two or more sites more effectively serves a greater number of residents of the master plan or residential specific plan.
(Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001)
§ 21.25.110. Required notification. ¶
Full disclosure shall be made to all buyers of surrounding residential units and owners of surrounding properties within six hundred feet that a community facility will be located on the reserved portion of the property. All approvals of new master plans, new residential specific plans, and amendments to previously approved master plans and residential specific plans involving one hundred or more gross acres of undeveloped land shall be conditioned to provide documentation that this disclosure requirement has been accomplished to the satisfaction of the City Planner. (Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001; Ord. CS-164 § 10, 2011)
§ 21.25.120. Severability. ¶
Should any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of the ordinance codified in this chapter be held for any reason to be invalid or unconditional by the decision of any court of competent
jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of the ordinance codified in this chapter. The City Council declares that it would have passed the ordinance codified in this chapter and each section, subsection, sentence, clause, and phrase thereof irrespective of the fact that any part thereof be declared invalid or unconditional. (Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001)
Get a plain-English answer with a citation back to this text.
Ask AI about this code▸ Contents — Carlsbad Zoning Code
-
▸ Title 21 — Zoning
Overview- Chapter 21.02 — PURPOSE
- Chapter 21.04 — DEFINITIONS
- Chapter 21.05 — ZONE ESTABLISHMENT—BOUNDARIES
- Chapter 21.06 — Q QUALIFIED DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY ZONE
- Chapter 21.07 — E-A EXCLUSIVE AGRICULTURAL ZONE
- Chapter 21.09 — R-E RURAL RESIDENTIAL ESTATE ZONE
- Chapter 21.10 — R-1 ONE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONE
- Chapter 21.12 — R-2 TWO-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONE
- Chapter 21.16 — R-3 MULTIPLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONE
- Chapter 21.18 — R-P RESIDENTIAL PROFESSIONAL ZONE
- Chapter 21.20 — R-T RESIDENTIAL TOURIST ZONE
- Chapter 21.21 — H-O HOSPITAL OVERLAY ZONE
- Chapter 21.22 — R-W RESIDENTIAL WATERWAY ZONE
- Chapter 21.24 — RD-M RESIDENTIAL DENSITY-MULTIPLE ZONE
- Chapter 21.25 — COMMUNITY FACILITIES ZONE
- Chapter 21.26 — C-1 NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL ZONE
- Chapter 21.27 — OFFICE ZONE
- Chapter 21.28 — C-2 GENERAL COMMERCIAL ZONE
- Chapter 8.09
- Chapter 21.29 — C-T COMMERCIAL TOURIST ZONE
- Chapter 21.30 — C-M HEAVY COMMERCIAL—LIMITED INDUSTRIAL ZONE
- Chapter 21.31 — C-L LOCAL SHOPPING CENTER ZONE
- Chapter 21.32 — M INDUSTRIAL ZONE
- Chapter 21.33 — OS OPEN SPACE ZONE
- Chapter 21.34 — P-M PLANNED INDUSTRIAL ZONE
- Chapter 21.35 — V-B VILLAGE-BARRIO ZONE
- Chapter 21.36 — P-U PUBLIC UTILITY ZONE
- Chapter 21.37 — RMHP RESIDENTIAL MOBILE HOME PARK ZONE
- Chapter 21.38 — P-C PLANNED COMMUNITY ZONE
- Chapter 21.39 — L-C LIMITED CONTROL ZONE
- Chapter 21.40 — S-P SCENIC PRESERVATION OVERLAY ZONE
- Chapter 21.41 — SIGN ORDINANCE
- Chapter 21.42 — MINOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS AND CONDITIONAL …
- Chapter 21.43 — ADULT BUSINESSES
- Chapter 21.44 — PARKING
- Chapter 21.45 — PLANNED DEVELOPMENTS
- Chapter 21.46 — YARDS
- Chapter 21.47 — NONRESIDENTIAL PLANNED DEVELOPMENTS
- Chapter 21.48 — NONCONFORMING LOTS, STRUCTURES AND USES
- Chapter 21.49 — PLANNING MORATORIUM
- Chapter 21.50 — VARIANCES
- Chapter 21.52 — AMENDMENTS
- Chapter 21.53 — USES GENERALLY
- Chapter 21.54 — PROCEDURES, HEARINGS, NOTICES AND FEES
- Chapter 21.55 — DEDICATION OF LAND AND FEES FOR SCHOOL FACILIT…
- Chapter 21.56 — INTERPRETATION
- Chapter 21.58 — VIOLATION—REVOCATION— EXPIRATION
- Chapter 21.60 — PERMITS—LICENSE ENFORCEMENT
- Chapter 21.61 — JUDICIAL REVIEW OF ZONING DECISIONS AND TIME L…
- Chapter 21.62 — VIOLATIONS
- Chapter 21.70 — DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS
- Chapter 21.80 — COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMITS— AGUA HEDIONDA
- Chapter 21.82 — BEACH AREA OVERLAY (BAO) ZONES
- Chapter 21.83 — CHILD CARE
- Chapter 21.84 — HOUSING FOR SENIOR CITIZENS
- Chapter 21.85 — INCLUSIONARY HOUSING
- Chapter 21.86 — DENSITY BONUS
- Chapter 21.87 — REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION
- Chapter 21.88 — MULTIFAMILY HOUSING AND MIXEDUSE DEVELOPMENT—O…
- Chapter 21.89 — SUBSTANTIAL CONFORMANCE REVIEW
- Chapter 21.90 — GROWTH MANAGEMENT
- Chapter 21.95 — HILLSIDE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS
- Chapter 21.100 — T-C TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR
- Chapter 21.105 — RECYCLING FACILITIES AND RECYCLING AREAS
- Chapter 21.110 — FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS
- Chapter 21.201 — COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT PROCEDURES
- Chapter 21.202 — COASTAL AGRICULTURE OVERLAY ZONE
- Chapter 21.203 — COASTAL RESOURCE PROTECTION OVERLAY ZONE
- Chapter 21.204 — COASTAL SHORELINE DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY ZONE
- Chapter 21.205 — COASTAL RESOURCE OVERLAY ZONE MELLO I LCP SEG…
- Chapter 21.208 — COMMERCIAL/VISITOR-SERVING OVERLAY ZONE
- Chapter 21.209 — CR-A/OS CANNON ROAD AGRICULTURAL/OPEN SPACE Z…
- Chapter 21.210 — HABITAT PRESERVATION AND MANAGEMENT REQUIREME…