Chapter 21.12 — SPECIAL PURPOSE ZONING DISTRICTS
Fountain Valley Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · updated 2026-07-25 · Fountain Valley
§ 21.12.010. Purpose. ¶
This chapter determines which land uses are allowed in each of the special purpose zoning districts established by Section 21.04.020 (Zoning districts established) of this title, what land use permit is required to establish each use, and the basic development standards that apply to allowed land uses in each district.
(Ord. 1308 § 5, 2000)
§ 21.12.020. Special purpose zoning districts (PI, P/OS, SP). ¶
The purposes of the individual special purpose zoning districts and the manner in which they are applied are as follows:
(1) PI (Public Institutional) District. The PI zoning district is applied to areas suitable for public, civic, government, education, cultural or quasi-public services. The PI zoning district is consistent with the public facilities land use designation of the general plan.
(2) P/OS (Parks and Open Space) District. The P/OS zoning district is applied to areas appropriate for active and passive recreational uses, including parks and natural preservation areas. The P/OS zoning district is consistent with the parks and open space land use designation of the general plan.
(3) Specific Plan (SP) Zoning District. The SP zoning district is intended to address specific areas within the community that warrant a comprehensive set of land use policies and standards designed for the unique features of an area. The SP zoning district is consistent with the specific plan designation of the general plan.
Sites within the SP district shall be developed according to standards adopted within the applicable specific plan to address specific site constraints and opportunities, including buffering, traffic, noise and other land use compatibility impacts.
(Ord. 1308 § 5, 2000)
§ 21.12.030. Special purpose district land uses and permit requirements. ¶
Table 2-8 identifies the uses of land allowed by this title in each special purpose zoning district, and the land use permit required to establish each use, in compliance with Section 21.06.030 (Allowable land uses and permit requirements) of this title.
Note: where the last column in the table ("Specific Use Regulations") includes a section number, the regulations in the referenced section apply to the use; however, provisions in other sections of this title may also apply.
| Table 2-8 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICT LAND USE AND PERMIT REQUIREMENTS | |||
| Allowed Uses and Permit Requirements for Special Purpose Land Use |
P CUP TUP — |
Permitted Use Conditional Use Permit required Temporary Use Permit Use not allowed |
|
| LAND USE (1) | PERMIT REQUIRED BY DISTRICT | Specifc Use Regulations |
|
| PI | P/OS | ||
| AGRICULTURE AND OPEN SPACE USES |
|||
| Hiking and bicycle trails | — | P | |
| Nature preserves | — | P | |
| RECREATION, EDUCATION AND PUBLIC ASSEMBLY USES |
|||
| Convention and exhibition centers | CUP | — | |
| Golf course, private | — | P | |
| Libraries and museums | CUP | — | |
| Municipal facilities | P | P | |
| Schools, colleges and universities | CUP | — | |
| Schools, private | CUP | — | |
| Temporary off-site storage | TUP | ||
| Temporary outside storage | TUP | ||
| Outdoor recreational facilities | — | P | |
| Assembly uses | CUP | — | |
| RESIDENTIAL USES | |||
| Caretaker housing | CUP | — | |
| SERVICES | |||
| Day care centers | CUP | — | 21.30.020 |
| Medical services - hospitals and related medical services |
|||
| Wireless telecommunications facilities |
CUP (2) | CUP (2) | 21.28 |
Notes:
(1) See Article VI for land use definitions. See Section 21.02.020 regarding uses not listed.
(2) Wireless telecommunications facilities may also be permitted by an administrative permit subject to the provisions in Chapter 21.28 .
(Ord. 1308 § 5, 2000; Ord. 1523 § 7, 2017; Ord. 1615, 10/1/2024)
§ 21.12.040. Special purpose district general development standards. ¶
Subdivisions, new land uses and structures and alterations to existing land uses and structures, shall be designed, constructed and/or established in compliance with the requirements in Table 2-9, in addition to any other applicable requirements of this chapter, and the development standards (e.g., landscaping, parking and loading, etc.) in Chapters 21.16 through 21.30 of this title.
TABLE 2-9
| TABLE 2-9 | ||
|---|---|---|
| SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICT GENERAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
||
| Development Feature | Requirement by Zoning District | |
| PI | P/OS | |
| Minimum lot size | Determined by the Commission through development review process, consistent with the General Plan. |
|
| Setbacks required | Minimum setbacks required. See Section21.18.090for setback measurement, allowed projections into setbacks, and exceptions to required setbacks. |
|
| Front Sides (each) Rear |
Determined by the Commission through development review process, consistent with the General Plan. |
|
| Height limit | ||
| Landscaping | As required by Chapter21.20(Landscaping) | |
| Parking | As required by Chapter21.22(Parking and Loading) | |
| Signs | As required by Chapter21.24(Signs) |
(Ord. 1308 § 5, 2000)
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Ask AI about this code▸ Contents — Fountain Valley Zoning Code
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▸ Title 21 — Development Code
Overview- Chapter 21.01 — ENACTMENT AND APPLICABILITY OF TITLE
- Chapter 21.02 — INTERPRETATION OF TITLE PROVISIONS
- Chapter 21.04 — ESTABLISHMENT OF ZONING DISTRICTS—ADOPTION OF …
- Chapter 21.06 — DEVELOPMENT AND LAND USE APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS
- Chapter 21.08 — RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS
- Chapter 21.10 — COMMERCIAL AND MANUFACTURING ZONING DISTRICTS
- Chapter 21.12 — SPECIAL PURPOSE ZONING DISTRICTS
- Chapter 21.14 — OVERLAY ZONING DISTRICTS
- Chapter 21.15 — MIXED-USE ZONING DISTRICTS
- Chapter 21.16 — GENERAL PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
- Chapter 21.17 — INCLUSIONARY HOUSING PROGRAM
- Chapter 21.18 — GENERAL PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT AND USE STANDARDS
- Chapter 21.20 — LANDSCAPING
- Chapter 21.22 — PARKING AND LOADING
- Chapter 21.24 — SIGNS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY
- Chapter 21.25 — SIGNS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY
- Chapter 21.26 — TRIP REDUCTION AND TRAVEL DEMAND MANAGEMENT
- Chapter 21.28 — WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS
- Chapter 21.29 — GROUP HOMES
- Chapter 21.30 — STANDARDS FOR SPECIFIC LAND USES
- Chapter 21.32 — APPLICATIONS, PROCESSING AND FEES
- Chapter 21.34 — AMENDMENTS
- Chapter 21.36 — CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS
- Chapter 21.38 — DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS
- Chapter 21.39 — DEVELOPER MITIGATION FEES
- Chapter 21.40 — DEVELOPMENT REVIEW
- Chapter 21.42 — HOME OCCUPATION PERMITS
- Chapter 21.44 — PRECISE PLAN OF DESIGN
- Chapter 21.46 — SPECIFIC PLANS
- Chapter 21.48 — TEMPORARY USE PERMITS
- Chapter 21.50 — VARIANCES
- Chapter 21.52 — ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITY
- Chapter 21.56 — NONCONFORMING USES, STRUCTURES AND PARCELS
- Chapter 21.58 — PUBLIC HEARINGS
- Chapter 21.60 — APPEALS
- Chapter 21.62 — REVOCATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS
- Chapter 21.64 — ENFORCEMENT PROVISIONS
- Chapter 21.66 — APPLICABILITY AND ADMINISTRATION OF SUBDIVISIO…
- Chapter 21.68 — SUBDIVISION DESIGN AND IMPROVEMENT REQUIREMENTS
- Chapter 21.70 — TENTATIVE MAP FILING AND PROCESSING
- Chapter 21.72 — PARCEL MAPS AND FINAL MAPS
- Chapter 21.74 — CONDOMINIUMS AND CONDOMINIUM CONVERSIONS
- Chapter 21.76 — LOT LINE ADJUSTMENTS AND PARCEL MERGERS
- Chapter 21.78 — DEDICATIONS, EXACTIONS AND MITIGATION FEES
- Chapter 21.79 — PARKLAND DEDICATIONS, RESERVATIONS AND FEES
- Chapter 21.80 — IMPROVEMENT PLANS AND AGREEMENTS
- Chapter 21.82 — SURVEYS AND MONUMENTS
- Chapter 21.84 — CONDITIONS, COVENANTS OR RESTRICTIONS
- Chapter 21.90 — DEFINITIONS/GLOSSARY