Monterey County Municipal Code § 20.17.060 Site development standards

The purpose of this chapter is to provide a district to allow development in the more remote or mountainous areas in the Coastal Zone while protecting the significant and substantial resources of those areas. Of specific concern are the highly sensitive resources inherent in such areas such as viewshed, watershed, plant and wildlife habitat, streams and riparian corridors. The purpose of this chapter is to be carried out by allowing only such development that can be achieved without adverse effect and which will be subordinate to the resources of the particular site and area.

The regulations of this chapter shall apply in all "WSC" districts subject to Chapter 20.62 (Height and Setback Exceptions) and 20.70 (Coastal Development Permits) of this Title.

The following list shall require a Coastal Development Permit regardless of which category of allowed uses it falls into:

A. Development which will cause a Significant Environmental Impact.

B. Development within the Critical Viewshed as defined by Section 20.145.020.V (Big Sur);

C. Development on slopes of thirty (30) percent or greater (twenty-five (25) percent in North County) except as provided for in Section 20.64.230(C)(2) and (3);

D. Ridgeline Development;

E. Development within one hundred (100) feet of mapped or field identified environmentally sensitive habitats;

F. Development with positive archaeological reports;

G. Land divisions;

H. Development of new or expanded agricultural operations if fifty (50) percent or more of the parcel has a slope of ten (10) percent or greater; or where the operation is to occur on soils with a high or very high erosion hazard potential, according to the Soil Conservation Service Soil Survey Manual.

A. The first single family dwelling per legal lot of record;

B. Guesthouses meeting the development standards of Section 20.64.020;

C. The keeping of pets;

D. Rooming and boarding of not more than two persons;

E. Non-habitable accessory structures and accessory uses to any principal use;

F. Temporary residences, pursuant to Section 20.64.070, used as living quarters during the construction of the first dwelling on a lot;

G. Cultivation, cutting and removal of Christmas trees;

H. Small family day care homes conducted within an existing structure;

I. Small Residential Care Facility;

J. Water system facilities including wells and storage tanks serving fourteen (14) or fewer service connections, pursuant to Title 15.04, Monterey County Code and replacement of water tanks and wells where no increase in service connections is created. The screening of any tanks and associated structures shall be approved by the Director of Planning and Building Inspection;

K. Animal husbandry and small livestock farming, provided that not more than one horse, mule, cow, or similar livestock shall be kept for each twenty thousand (20,000) square feet of land area;

L. All agricultural uses on a minimum of ten (10) acres including crop and tree farming, livestock farming, animal husbandry, apiaries, aviaries, except for those uses requiring a Coastal Administrative or Coastal Development Permit;

M. Home occupations, pursuant to Section 20.64.090;

N. Stands for the sale of agricultural products grown on the premises having no permanent electricity, plumbing or paving and where adequate restroom facilities exist on premises, subject to the approval of the Director of Environmental Health (ZA);

O. Crop farming, tree farming, viticulture and horticulture;

P. Intermittent livestock farming or animal husbandry such as "4-H" projects;

Q. [Repealed];

R. [Repealed];

S. Second residential units not exceeding the zoning density of the property;

T. Reduction in setback requirements provided the proposed reduction is ten (10) percent or less of the required setbacks;

U. [Repealed];

V. Additions to existing, approved wireless communications facilities, pursuant to Section 20.64.310;

W. Supportive Housing contained within the housing types of this section;

X. Transitional Housing or Transitional Housing Development contained within the housing types of this section;

Y. Employee Housing providing accommodations for up to six employees;

Z. Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units meeting the development standards of Section 20.64.030.

(Ord. No. 5432, § 8, 11-18-2025)

A. Additional residential units to a maximum of four on any lot, and not exceeding the zoning density of the property;

B. Public and quasi-public uses including churches, cemeteries, parks, playgrounds, schools, public safety facilities, schools, public utility facilities, but not including uses of a non-residential nature such as jails, rehabilitation centers, detention facilities, or corporation yards;

C. Commercial kennels (ZA);

D. Public stables on a minimum of ten (10) acres (ZA);

E. Legal nonconforming use of a portion of a structure extended throughout the structure (ZA);

F. Legal nonconforming use changed to a use of a similar or more restricted nature;

G. Bed and Breakfast facilities, pursuant to Section 20.64.100;

H. Commercial and noncommercial wind energy conversion systems;

I. [Repealed];

J. Agricultural support services (ZA);

K. [Repealed];

L. [Repealed];

M. Keeping and raising of mink (ZA);

N. Water system facilities including wells and storage tanks serving fifteen (15) or more service connections;

O. Reserved;

P. Assemblages of people, such as carnivals, festivals, races and circuses not exceeding ten (10) days and not involving construction of permanent facilities (ZA);

Q. Accessory structures and uses prior to establishment of main use or structure (ZA);

R. Large family day care facilities (ZA);

S. Frog farms (ZA);

T. Commercial hog and turkey raising on a minimum of ten (10) acres (ZA);

U. Livestock feed yards on a minimum of twenty (20) acres (ZA);

V. Animal sales yards on a minimum of ten (10) acres (ZA);

W. Dairies on a minimum of forty (40) acres (ZA);

X. Animal hospitals (ZA);

Y. Poultry farms on a minimum of five acres (ZA);

Z. Riding and roping arena operations on a minimum of ten (10) acres (ZA);

AA. Zoos or zoological gardens for the purpose of raising, maintaining, keeping or exhibiting any wild animal;

BB. Stands for the sale of agricultural products grown on the premises having permanent electricity, plumbing or paving;

CC. Cottage industries, pursuant to Section 20.64.095 (ZA);

DD. Reserved;

EE. Creation or use of Transfer Development Credits pursuant to Chapter 20.64.90 of this Ordinance (Big Sur only);

FF. Conditional Certificates of Compliance;

GG. Detached structures accessory to any conditional use;

HH. Other residential or agricultural uses of a similar nature, intensity and density as those listed in this section determined by the Planning Commission to be consistent and compatible with this chapter and the applicable land use plan

II. Subdivisions;

JJ. Lot Line Adjustments.

KK. Wireless communications facilities, pursuant to Section 20.64.310;

LL. Supportive Housing contained within the housing types of this section;

MM. Transitional Housing or Transitional Housing Development contained within the housing types of this section;

NN. Reserved;

OO. Agricultural employee housing consisting of not more than thirty-six (36) beds in a group quarters or twelve (12) unites or spaces designed for use by a single family or household.

PP. Commercial Vacation Rentals, pursuant to Section 20.64.290 (ZA).

(Ord. No. 5439, § 10, 9-23-2025; Ord. No. 5432, § 9, 11-18-2025)

A. Minimum Building Site. For clustering purposes only, the minimum building site area shall not be less than one acre.

B. Development Density, Maximum. The maximum development density shall not exceed the acres/unit shown for the specific "WSC" district as shown on the zoning map (e.g., "WSC/40" means a "WSC" district with a maximum gross density of forty (40) acres/unit).

C. Structure Height and Setback Regulations. The following structure height and setback regulations apply unless superseded by a structure height limit noted on the zoning map (e.g., "WSC/40(18)" would limit structure height to eighteen (18) feet), setback requirements when combined with a "B" district, setbacks shown on a recorded final or parcel map, or setback lines on a Sectional District Map.

In a subdivision where a lot or lots have a designated building envelope, the dwelling unit and accessory structures shall be located wholly within the building envelope.

1. Main Structures:

a. Minimum Setbacks:

Front: Thirty (30) feet

Side: Twenty (20) feet

Rear: Twenty (20) feet

b. Height.

Maximum Height: Twenty-four (24) feet

2. Accessory Structures (Habitable):

a. Minimum Setbacks:

Front: Fifty (50) feet

Side: Six feet

Rear: Six feet

b. Height:

Maximum Height: Fifteen (15) feet

3. Accessory Structures (Non-habitable):

a. Minimum Setbacks:

Front: Fifty (50) feet

Side: Six feet on front one-half of property; one foot on rear one-half of property.

Rear: One foot

b. Height:

Maximum Height: Fifteen (15) feet

c. Agricultural windmills and wind machines for crop protection are exempt from the height provisions of this chapter.

4. Accessory structures used as barns, stables or farm outbuildings shall not be less than fifty (50) feet from the front of the property or twenty (20) feet from the side or rear property line or twenty (20) feet from any residence on the property. The maximum height shall be thirty (30) feet.

D. Minimum Distance Between Structures.

Main Structures: Twenty (20) feet

Accessory/Main Structure: Ten (10) feet

Accessory/Accessory: Six feet

E. Building Site Coverage, Maximum: Ten (10) percent

F. Parking Regulations. Parking for all development shall be established pursuant to Chapter 20.58.

G. Landscaping Requirements. None, except as may be required by condition of approval of a Coastal Administrative or Coastal Development Permit.

H. Lighting Plan Requirements. None, except as may be required by condition of approval of a Coastal Administrative or Coastal Development Permit.

I. Sign Regulations. Signing for all development shall be established pursuant to Chapter 20.60.

A. Manufactured Dwelling Units. Manufactured dwelling units meeting the standards of Section 20.64.040 are permitted subject to the requirements of any conventional dwelling unit in this chapter.

B. Vehicle Trip Reduction. The following types of development are subject to Section 20.64.250 (Regulations for the Reduction of Vehicle Trips) of this Title:

1. Any residential development of twenty-five (25) or more units.