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Title 13 — Planning, Zoning and Development›Chapter V — DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS›Article 1 — Residential Districts

§ 13-31. Purpose.

Costa Mesa Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · updated 2026-07-25 · Costa Mesa

The purpose of this article is to achieve the following:

  • (a) Ensure adequate light, air, privacy and open space for each dwelling unit.

  • (b) Minimize traffic congestion and avoid overloading of public services and utilities.

  • (c) Protect residential neighborhoods from excessive noise, illumination, unsightliness, odor, smoke and other objectionable influences.

  • (d) Locate development which retains the scale and character of existing residential neighborhoods and facilitates the upgrade of declining and mixed-density residential neighborhoods.

  • (e) Provide for the creation and ministerial consideration of accessory dwelling units in the R1 (Single-Family Residential District) and R2-MD (Multiple-Family Residential District, Medium Density) at the allowable general plan density for the lot.

  • (Ord. No. 97-11, § 2, 5-5-97; Ord. No. 11-10, § 1, 9-20-11; Ord. No. 18-03, § 4, 1-16-18)

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▸ Contents — Costa Mesa Zoning Code
Costa Mesa Zoning Code
  1. ▸ Title 13 — Planning, Zoning and Development
    Overview
    1. Chapter I — IN GENERAL
    2. Chapter II — ZONING DISTRICTS ESTABLISHED
    3. Chapter III — PLANNING APPLICATIONS
    4. Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX
    5. ▸ Chapter V — DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
      Overview
      1. ▸ Article 1 — Residential Districts
        Overview
        1. § 13-31. Purpose.
        2. § 13-32. Development standards.
        3. § 13-33. Accessory buildings and structures.
        4. § 13-34. Bluff-top development.
        5. § 13-35. Accessory dwelling units.
        6. § 13-36. Two-unit housing development.
        7. § 13-37. Large family day care homes.
        8. § 13-38. Additional property development standards for the mul…
      2. Article 2 — Residential Common Interest Developments
      3. Article 2.5 — Residential Small lot Subdivisions
      4. Article 3 — Commercial Districts
      5. Article 4 — Establishments Where Food or Beverages are Served
      6. Article 4.5 — Development Standards for Churches and Other Pla…
      7. Article 5 — Industrial Districts
      8. Article 5.5 — Non-Residential Common Interest Developments
      9. Article 6 — Planned Development
      10. Article 7 — Institutional and Recreational, Institutional and …
      11. Article 8 — Floor Area Ratios
      12. Article 9 — General Site Improvement Standards
      13. Article 10 — Floodway and Floodplain Districts
      14. Article 11 — Mixed-Use Overlay District
      15. Article 12 — Residential Incentive Overlay District
      16. Article 1 — Residential Districts
      17. Article 2 — Non-Residential Districts
      18. Article 3 — Development Standards
    6. Chapter VII — LANDSCAPING STANDARDS
    7. Chapter VIII — SIGNS
    8. Chapter IX — SPECIAL LAND USE REGULATIONS
    9. Chapter X — NONCONFORMING USES, DEVELOPMENTS AND LOTS
    10. Chapter XI — SUBDIVISIONS
    11. Chapter XII — SPECIAL FEE ASSESSMENTS
    12. Chapter XIII — NOISE CONTROL
    13. Chapter XIV — OIL DRILLING
    14. Chapter XV — GROUP HOMES
    15. Chapter XVII — AFFORDABLE HOUSING ORDINANCE

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