Mendocino County Municipal Code § 20.405.035 Site Development Standards—East of Highway 1

The intent of this district is to provide for commercial and residential development which is compatible with existing commercial uses; to create a compact, integrated and walkable shopping district; to direct new development east of Highway 1; to provide public access along the bluff; and to protect and enhance coastal and river views.

(Ord. No. 4083 (part), adopted 2002.)

The following use types are permitted in the GVMU District, subject to obtaining a Coastal Development Permit and necessary building permits and approvals:

(A) Coastal Residential Use Types.

Family Residential: Single Family;

Family Residential: Two Family;

Family Residential: Multifamily;

Family Residential: Boarding House.

(B) Coastal Civic Use Types.

Ambulance Services;

Clinic Services;

Cultural Exhibits and Library Services;

Day Care Facilities/Small Schools;

Fire and Police Protection Services;

Group Care;

Lodge, Fraternal and Civic Assembly;

Religious Assembly.

(C) Coastal Commercial Use Types.

Administrative and Business Offices;

Animal Sales and Services: Household Pets;

Animal Sales and Services: Veterinary (Small Animals);

Automotive and Equipment: Parking;

Building Maintenance Services;

Business Equipment Sales and Services;

Communications Services;

Eating and Drinking Establishments;

Financial Services;

Food and Beverage Preparation: Without consumption;

Food and Beverage Retail Sales;

Funeral and Interment Services;

Laundry Services;

Medical Services;

Neighborhood Commercial Services;

Personal Services;

Repair Services: Consumer;

Retail Sales: General;

Wholesaling, Storage, Distribution: Light.

(D) Coastal Visitor Accommodations and Services Use Types.

Bed and Breakfast Accommodation;

Visitor-Oriented Eating and Drinking Establishments;

Visitor-Oriented Retail Sales.

(E) Coastal Open Space Use Types

Passive Recreation.

For purposes of appeals to the California Coastal Commission, pursuant to Section 20.544.020(B)(4) of the Coastal Zoning Code and Section 30603(a)(4) of the Coastal Act, the Principal Permitted Use (PPU) is commercial use.

(Ord. No. 4083 (part), adopted 2002.)

The following use types are permitted in the GVMU District, subject to obtaining a Coastal Development Use Permit and necessary building permits and approvals:

(A) Coastal Residential Use Types.

Mobile Home Park.

(B) Coastal Civic Use Types.

Administrative Services: Government;

Alternative Energy Facilities: On-site;

Community Recreation;

Educational Facilities;

Major Impact Services and Utilities;

Minor Impact Utilities.

(C) Coastal Commercial Use Types.

Automotive and Equipment: Cleaning;

Automotive and Equipment: Gasoline Sales;

Automotive and Equipment: Repairs, Light;

Automotive and Equipment: Sales/Rentals;

Automotive and Equipment: Storage, Recreational Vehicles and Boats;

Commercial Recreation: Indoor Sports and Recreation;

Commercial Recreation: Indoor Entertainment;

Commercial Recreation: Outdoor Sports and Recreation;

Commercial Recreation: Water-Dependent Recreation;

Construction Sales and Services;

Recycling Centers;

Research Services;

Wholesaling, Storage and Distribution: Mini-warehouses.

(D) Coastal Visitor Accommodations and Services Use Types.

Hostel;

Hotel;

Inn;

Motel. (E)

Coastal Open Space Use Types.

Active Recreation.

(Ord. No. 4083 (part), adopted 2002.)

Six thousand (6,000) square feet.

(Ord. No. 4083 (part), adopted 2002.)

(A) Single family dwelling units per parcel, or portion thereof, shall be limited to a density of ten (10) units per acre.

(B) Multiple family and two-family dwelling units per parcel, or portion thereof, shall be limited to a density of thirty (30) units per acre.

(Ord. No. 4083 (part), adopted 2002.)

Density of visitor accommodation units shall not exceed twenty (20) units per acre, not to exceed thirty (30) units.

(Ord. No. 4083 (part), adopted 2002.)

(A) Maximum Building Height. Structures shall be limited to twenty-eight (28) feet in height. Lesser heights may be required where it is found that building heights would have adverse impacts to community character, open space or public views.

Exceptions to the strict application of maximum building heights may be allowed for church steeples, flag poles, water towers, utility poles and other towers and architectural features not for human habitation, where such exceptions are consistent with the intent of the Zoning District and a variance is obtained.

(B) Maximum Lot Coverage. The maximum lot coverage for all uses shall be twenty-five percent (25%).

(C) Maximum Floor-Area Ratio. A maximum floor-area ratio of thirty-five percent (35%) shall be permitted for all uses.

(Ord. No. 4083 (part), adopted 2002.)

(A) Maximum Building Height. Structures shall be limited to eighteen (18) feet in height. Exceptions to the strict application of the eighteen-foot height limit to a maximum permitted height of twenty-eight (28) feet may be granted in instances where "significant view corridors" are maintained and subject to the lot coverage and floor area ratio criteria established below.

(B) Minimum View Corridor. All development shall be required to maintain a minimum view corridor of constant width equivalent to thirty percent (30%) of the average length of the front and rear parcel boundaries. A "significant view corridor" is equivalent to fifty percent (50%) of the average length of the front and rear parcel boundaries.

(C) Maximum Lot Coverage. The maximum lot coverage for all uses shall be twenty percent (20%). If significant view corridors are maintained, the maximum lot coverage may be increased to twenty-five percent (25%) during the Coastal Development Permit or Coastal Development Use Permit process.

(D) Maximum Floor-Area Ratio. A maximum floor-area ratio of twenty percent (20%) shall be permitted for all eighteen (18) foot structures. Where significant view corridors are maintained and an exception to the eighteen-foot height limit has been granted, a maximum floor-area ratio of thirty percent (30%) shall be permitted.

(Ord. No. 4083 (part), adopted 2002.)

Minimum building setbacks from property lines adjoining public or private roadways shall be established to preserve the rights-of-way identified on the Highway 1 Streetscape Plan and the Local Roads Streetscape Plan of the Gualala Town Plan. At a minimum, buildings and parking areas shall be setback forty (40) feet from the Highway 1 centerline and thirty (30) feet from the centerline of the right-of-way for local roads in the GVMU District.

Where a parcel in the GVMU District is adjacent to a property which is not in either the GVMU, GHMU, GPD or GI districts, a setback of ten (10) feet shall be required between the subject parcel and the adjoining property. All commercial development shall be buffered from adjoining properties with RR, SR or RMR designations by fencing or plant screening or other approved mitigating devices.

(Ord. No. 4083 (part), adopted 2002.)

At a minimum, ten percent (10%) of the total lot area shall consist of usable activity space in each residential development. Areas within the required building setbacks may contribute to this requirement.

(Ord. No. 4083 (part), adopted 2002.)

For studio and one-bedroom dwelling units: minimum of one and one-half (1.5) on-site parking spaces per unit.

For two- or more bedroom dwelling units: minimum of two (2) on-site parking spaces per unit.

(Ord. No. 4083 (part), adopted 2002.)

Off-street parking for non-residential uses shall be provided in accordance with the standards established in "Off-street Parking" chapter of the Coastal Zoning Code. Shared parking arrangements shall be permitted in accordance with the standards established in the Coastal Zoning Code and subject to obtaining a variance.

(Ord. No. 4083 (part), adopted 2002.)

Shared driveway access between neighboring uses and parcels shall be encouraged. Wherever possible, driveway access shall be provided at the property boundary, to permit future negotiations of shared access agreements when adjoining parcels are developed. Where shared access is provided, a ten percent (10%) reduction in the required parking spaces for all commercial uses shall be permitted for each participating parcel. Driveway access to Highway 1 shall be limited to one (1) driveway per parcel except in instances where more than one (1) access/egress point can be clearly justified.

(Ord. No. 4083 (part), adopted 2002.)

All new development shall be required, where feasible, to provide a pedestrian walkway along Highway 1 and local street frontages. Pedestrian walkways shall be a minimum of five (5) feet in width and shall be constructed of concrete. Walkways may be located within the landscaping/walkway corridors of the public rights-of-way, as indicated on the Highway 1 and Local Road Streetscape Maps of the Gualala Town Plan. The specific location of pedestrian walkways shall be determined by each property owner. However, narrow linear strips of landscaping between walkways and streets shall be discouraged. Required walkways shall connect to existing walkways on adjacent properties, and where such adjacent walkways have not been developed, the required walkways shall be located in areas where the future continuation of the walkway across adjoining properties is feasible.

(Ord. No. 4083 (part), adopted 2002.)

A landscape plan shall be required for development proposals in the GVMU District, in accordance with the On-Site Landscaping policies in the "Design Guidelines" chapter of the Gualala Town Plan.

(Ord. No. 4083 (part), adopted 2002.)

Exterior lighting regulations are contained in the "Visual Resource and Special Treatment Areas" chapter of the Coastal Zoning Code and the "Design Guidelines" chapter of the Gualala Town Plan and shall apply to development in the GVMU District.

(Ord. No. 4083 (part), adopted 2002.)

Sign regulations are contained in the "Sign Regulations" chapter of the Coastal Zoning Code and the "Design Guidelines" chapter of the Gualala Town Plan and shall apply to development in the GVMU District.

(Ord. No. 4083 (part), adopted 2002.)

Ordinances requiring dedications or "in lieu" development fees may be adopted by the Board of Supervisors for the acquisition and development of open space, public facilities, pedestrian access facilities and streetscape improvements identified in the Gualala Town Plan. Development in the GVMU District shall be required to participate once a fee schedule is adopted by the Board of Supervisors.

(Ord. No. 4083 (part), adopted 2002.)