Chapter 12.156 — EMPLOYEE HOUSING

The purpose of this chapter is to establish procedures and standards for the approval and creation of employee housing.

(Ord. 2025-152, 8/18/2025)

Employee housing providing accommodation for six or fewer employees shall be deemed to be a single-unit structure with a residential land use and shall be treated the same as a single-unit dwelling of the same type in the same zoning district. (Ord. 2025-152, 8/18/2025)

The permitted occupancy in employee housing in a zone allowing agricultural uses shall include agricultural employees who do not work on the property where the employee housing is located and may consist of no more than 36 beds in a group quarters or 12 units or spaces designed for use by a single family or household on land zoned for agricultural uses. Such employee housing shall be considered to be an activity that in no way differs from an agricultural use. (Ord. 2025-152, 8/18/2025)

To be eligible for streamlined approval under this section in accordance with the provisions of Cal. Health & Safety Code § 17021.8 , an industrial agricultural employee housing development must meet all of the following requirements:

• A. The development must be located on land designated as agricultural in the City of Gonzales General Plan.

• B. The development must be 12 units or less.

• C. The development must not be located in any of the following areas:

  1. Wetlands, as defined in the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Manual, Part 660 FW 2 (June 21, 1993).

  2. A very high fire hazard severity zone, as determined by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to Cal. Gov't. Code § 51178.

  3. A hazardous waste site that is listed pursuant to Cal. Gov't. Code § 65962.5 or a hazardous waste site designated by the Department of Toxic Substances Control pursuant to Cal. Health & Safety Code Article 5 (commencing with Section 78760) of Chapter 4 of Part 2 of Division 45.

  4. A delineated earthquake fault zone as determined by the State Geologist in any official maps published by the State Geologist.

  5. A flood plain as determined by maps promulgated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

• D. The development must meet all applicable requirements of the City of Gonzales Municipal Code, including but not limited to the following:

  1. The development must have adequate water and wastewater facilities;

  2. The development must comply with all applicable zoning and land use regulations; and

3. The development must comply with all applicable building and safety codes.

(Ord. 2025-152, 8/18/2025)