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Division 1 — Generally›Chapter 33›Article 1 — GENERAL PROVISIONS AND DEFINITIONS

§ 33-8. Definitions.

Escondido Zoning Code · 2026-05 edition · updated 2026-07-25 · Escondido

For the purpose of this chapter, the words and phrases set forth in this section shall have the

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City of Escondido, CA § 33-8

ZONING

§ 33-8

meanings respectively ascribed to them. Words used in the present tense shall include the future; words in the singular number shall include the plural, and words used in the plural number shall include the singular; the word "shall" is mandatory, and the word "may" is permissive.

"Abutting" means a structure, lot, or parcel of land having a common boundary with another structure, lot, or parcel of land including a structure, lot, or parcel of land which have no common boundary other than a common corner.

"Accessory" means a use and/or structure customarily incidental to a building, part of a building or structure, which is subordinate to and the use of which is incidental to and detached from the main building, structure or use on the same lot. If an accessory building is attached to the main building either by a common wall, or if the roof of the accessory building is a continuation of the roof of the main building, such accessory building shall be considered a part of the main building. (See also Use - Accessory Use .)

"Adjacent" means a structure, lot, or parcel of land that is close or contiguous to another structure, lot, or parcel of land.

"Alley" means any public thoroughfare, having a width of not more than 30 feet. An alley shall not be considered a street for the purposes of calculating building or structure setbacks or height.

"Amusement arcade" means any establishment, room or place where more than four amusement machines are available for public use.

"Amusement machine" means any device, whether mechanical, electrical or electronic, or similar object, which by payment of a fee, or insertion of a coin or token, may be operated for the primary purpose of amusement. The term amusement machine does not include any device or object the primary purpose of which is to play music.

"Apartment" means a room or group of two or more rooms which is constructed, designed, intended for or actually used by, a single family for living and sleeping purposes for periods of 30 consecutive days or longer.

"Area of lot" means the total horizontal area included within ownership lot lines.

"Arts and crafts" shall include physical objects which are made by or as if by hand, and which require manual dexterity and artistic skill. Items such as jewelry, paintings, needlepoint, knitting, crochet, dolls, furniture, woodworking (e.g., carvings, etchings), sculptures, ceramics, toys, clothing, photography, scale models and similar items as determined by the director shall be considered as "arts and crafts" objects.

clude physical objects which are made by or as if by hand, and which require manual dexterity and artistic skill. Items such as jewelry, paintings, needlepoint, knitting, crochet, dolls, furniture, woodworking (e.g., carvings, etchings), sculptures, ceramics, toys, clothing, photography, scale models and similar items as determined by the director shall be considered as "arts and crafts" objects.

"Arts and crafts show" shall mean the activity of offering for sale of "arts and crafts" by means of announcing or advertising an "arts," "crafts," or "hobbies," show, bazaar or festival, all of which are synonymous, or by any other means intended to communicate that the sale is an occasional, casual event offering the sale of personally crafted property. "Arts and crafts show" shall only be conducted by a property owner possessing a valid business license and an arts and crafts permit issued by the City of Escondido.

"Attached unit" means a unit completely within an existing principal building or added to an existing principal building; provided, that both dwelling units shall be attached by a common wall, floor or ceiling, and not simply by an attached breezeway or porch; and shall be contained within one building. An accessory dwelling unit constructed above an existing detached garage shall be considered an attached unit.

Banking.

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City of Escondido, CA

ESCONDIDO CODE

§ 33-8

§ 33-8

  • (1) "ATM kiosk" is an electronic telecommunications devise or electronic banking outlet that allows customers to complete basic financial transactions without the aid of a bank teller or chartered financial institution representative.

  • (2) "Bank" means a state or federally chartered financial institution, credit union, mortgage lender, savings and loan association, or industrial loan company which offers financial services that include lending money, collecting deposits, issuing currencies and debit cards, and transaction processing, and other typical banking services, with or without a teller.

  • (3) "Check-cash/pay day" means fringe bank institution or uses defined as other than a State or Federally chartered institution, credit union, mortgage lender, savings and loan association or industrial loan company, that offers deferred deposit transaction services or check cashing services and loans for payment of a percentage fee. The term included, but is not limited to, deferred deposit transaction (payday loan) businesses that make loans upon assignment of wages received, check cashing businesses that charge a percentage fee for cashing a check or negotiable instrument, and vehicle title lenders who offer a short-term loan secured by the title to a vehicle. Non-profit financial institutions are not included in this definition.

m included, but is not limited to, deferred deposit transaction (payday loan) businesses that make loans upon assignment of wages received, check cashing businesses that charge a percentage fee for cashing a check or negotiable instrument, and vehicle title lenders who offer a short-term loan secured by the title to a vehicle. Non-profit financial institutions are not included in this definition.

"Bargain basement store" means any for-profit or non-profit store including any establishment, operation, or enterprise with one or more of the following characteristics: (1) a majority of the store's merchandise is offered for sale at a price lower than those prices typically charged for comparable new goods in non-bargain basement retail establishments (i.e., other "General Retail" uses); (2) merchandise priced lower than merchandise typically charged for comparable new goods in non-bargain basement retail establishments occupies at least one-half of the store's floor area which is devoted to retail sales; (3) used and/or liquidation items represent a majority of the merchandise offered for sale in the store; or (4) used and/or liquidation merchandise occupies at least one-half of the floor area in the store devoted to retail sales; (5) there is a gamification component to the sale of merchandise. Used merchandise herein is defined as all forms of used items including, without limitation, items that were formerly used but have been repaired, refurbished, and/or repackaged. Liquidation merchandise herein is defined as items that are or have been overstocked by a manufacturer or other commerce/retailer, returned by customers, refurbished, or sold during a store permanently closing. Gamification component herein is defined as any operational component that applies typical elements of game playing (e.g. competition, point scoring, rules of play, etc.) The bargain basement store definition excludes: (1) bona fide antique stores; (2) thrift stores, second-hand dealers, and pawn shops; (3) stores which primarily engage in the sale of used books, periodicals, videos, or DVDs; (4) stores specializing in the sale of highly collectible items such as used coins, stamps, baseball cards, and other similar collectibles; and (5) a store where the majority of the items sold, measured by receipts or number of items sold, consist of food and/or beverage items.

"Basement" means a story partly underground and having at least 1/2 of its height above the average adjoining grade. A basement shall be termed a cellar when more than 1/2 of its height is below the average adjoining grade. A basement or cellar shall be counted as a story if the vertical distance from the average adjoining grade to the ceiling is over five feet.

"Block" means all property fronting upon one side of a street between intersecting and intercepting streets, or between a street and a railroad right-of-way, waterway, terminus of dead end, or cul-de-sac street, city boundary, public parks or other natural boundary. An intercepting street shall determine only the boundary of the block on the side of the street which it intercepts.

Boarding house. See Rooming house.

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City of Escondido, CA § 33-8

ZONING

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▸ Contents — Escondido Zoning Code
Escondido Zoning Code
  1. Chapter 6
  2. Division 2 — Routing
  3. Division 2 — Weed and Rubbish Abatement Program
  4. ▸ Division 1 — Generally
    Overview
    1. § 11-53. Created and established.
    2. § 11-54. Purpose.
    3. § 11-55. Membership.
    4. § 11-56. Members in classified service and subject to civil se…
    5. § 11-57. Personnel to obey fire chief and rules and regulation…
    6. § 11-63. Appointment; tenure.
    7. § 11-64. Qualifications.
    8. § 11-65. Status of employment.
    9. § 11-66. General authority.
    10. § 11-67. To perform duties prescribed by city manager.
    11. § 11-68. To aid enforcement of ordinances, report violations.
    12. § 11-69. Duty to promulgate and enforce rules, regulations for…
    13. § 11-70. Authority, duty to inspect buildings, premises and or…
    14. § 11-71. Right of entry to make inspections.
    15. § 11-72. Duty to investigate fires, maintain records.
    16. § 11-73. Duty to preserve order at fires.
    17. § 11-74. Provide instruction for department in first aid, etc.
    18. § 11-75. Duty to call fire drills; purpose of drills.
    19. § 11-76. Responsible for conduct of and property of department.
    20. § 11-77. Duty to recommend disciplinary action.
    21. § 11-78. Duty to make reports; contents.
    22. § 11-79. To submit annual budget.
    23. Chapter 20
    24. Chapter 32
    25. ▸ Chapter 33
      Overview
      1. § 33-1313. Penalty provisions.
      2. ▸ Article 1 — GENERAL PROVISIONS AND DEFINITIONS
        Overview
        1. § 33-1. Short Title.
        2. § 33-2. Authority for the zoning chapter.
        3. § 33-3. Purpose.
        4. § 33-4. Replacement of other ordinances.
        5. § 33-5. Reference to any portion of this chapter.
        6. § 33-6. Interpretation.
        7. § 33-7. Permits and licenses required.
        8. § 33-8. Definitions.
        9. § 33-8 Building.
        10. § 33-8 accessory dwelling unit is existing or proposed.
        11. § 33-8 flowers or other tender plants.
        12. § 33-8 preparation counter, and storage cabinets.
        13. § 33-8 unit.
        14. § 33-13 technology to identify, sort, collect, and process use…
        15. § 33-13. Determination of permitted uses.
        16. § 33-14. Zoning districts.
        17. § 33-15. Zoning district boundary uncertainty.
        18. § 33-16. Processing of concurrent applications for permits, an…
      3. Article 2 — OPEN SPACE AND HAZARDOUS LANDS GENERALLY
      4. Article 3 — OPEN SPACE (OS) ZONE
      5. Article 4 — FLOOD PLAIN (FP) OVERLAY ZONE
      6. Article 5 — OPEN SPACE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
      7. Article 6 — RESIDENTIAL ZONES
      8. Article 9 — ANIMAL OVERLAY (AO) ZONE
      9. Article 11 — (RESERVED)
      10. Article 13 — (RESERVED)
      11. Article 16 — COMMERCIAL ZONES
      12. Article 18 — SPECIFIC PLAN (S-P) ZONE
      13. Article 19 — PLANNED DEVELOPMENT (P-D) ZONE
      14. Article 24 — (RESERVED)
      15. Article 25 — PARKING OF RECREATIONAL VEHICLES IN RESIDENTIAL Z…
      16. Article 26 — INDUSTRIAL ZONES
      17. Article 27 — EMERGENCY SHELTER OVERLAY
      18. Article 30 — HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL OVERLAY (H-C-O) ZONE
      19. Article 31 — SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT (S-T-P) OVERLAY ZONE
      20. Article 32 — BED AND BREAKFAST FACILITIES
      21. Article 33 — RECYCLING FACILITIES
      22. Article 34 — COMMUNICATION ANTENNAS
      23. Article 35 — OUTDOOR LIGHTING
      24. Article 36 — CARGO CONTAINER RESTRICTIONS
      25. Article 37 — PUBLIC ART
      26. Article 38 — MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENTS
      27. Article 39 — OFF-STREET PARKING
      28. Article 40 — HISTORICAL RESOURCES
      29. Article 41 — SENIOR HOUSING
      30. Article 42 — ADULT BUSINESSES
      31. Article 43 — ABANDONED SERVICE STATIONS
      32. Article 44 — HOME OCCUPATIONS
      33. Article 45 — MOBILEHOME PARKS
      34. Article 46 — TRAVEL TRAILER PARKS
      35. Article 47 — ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
      36. Article 48 — RELOCATION OF BUILDINGS
      37. Article 49 — AIR SPACE CONDOMINIUM AND COMMUNITY APARTMENT PRO…
      38. Article 52 — FREEWAY SIGN CONTROL
      39. Article 55 — GRADING AND EROSION CONTROL
      40. Article 56 — MISCELLANEOUS DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
      41. Article 57 — MISCELLANEOUS USE RESTRICTIONS
      42. Article 58 — DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS
  5. Division 1
  6. Division 2 — Variances and Administrative Adjustments
  7. Division 3 — Nonconforming Uses and Structures
  8. Division 4 — Amendments and Zone Changes
  9. Division 5 — Reasonable Accommodation
  10. Division 6 — Public Hearings, Notices, Fees and Appeals
  11. Division 7 — Enforcement and Penalties
  12. Division 8 — Plot Plans
  13. Division 9 — Zoning Administrator

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