§ 18.26 — Morgan Hill Zoning Code

18.26.020 - Land use regulations. ¶

A.

Permitted Land Uses. Table 18.26-1 identifies land uses permitted in the industrial zoning districts.

Table 18.26-1 Permitted Land Uses in the Industrial Zoning Districts

Key P Permitted Use A Administrative Use Permit required C Conditional Use Permit required — Use not allowed	Zoning District	Zoning District				Additional Regulations
	CI	IO	IC	IL	IG
Residential Uses
Caretaker Quarters	—	—	—	C	C
Public and Quasi-Public Uses
Colleges and Trade Schools	C	C	C	C	—
Community Assembly	C	—	—	—	—
Instructional Services	A	—	—	—	—
Medical Ofces and Clinics
≤ 5,000 sq. ft.	P	P	P	P	—
5,001 sq. ft. to 20,000 sq. ft.	A	A	A	A	—
>20,000 sq. ft.	C	C	C	C	—
Parks and Recreational Facilities	C	—	—	C	—
Public Safety Facilities	C	—	—	C	—
Commercial Uses
Adult Businesses	—	—	P	P	—	18.92.020
Animal-Related Commercial Uses
Animal Boarding	C	—	—	C	C
Veterinarian Clinics and Hospitals	A	A	A	C	C
Banks and Financial Institutions	C [4]	—	—	—	—
Business Support Services	P	C	P	P	P
Cinemas and Theaters	A	—	—	—	—
Commercial Recreation, Indoor
≤ 15,000 sq. ft.	P	C	C	—	—
> 15,000 sq. ft.	C	C	C	—	—
Eating and Drinking Uses
Restaurants, Fast Food	C [4]	— [5]	— [5]	— [5]	— [5]
Restaurants, Sit-Down	C [4]	— [5]	— [5]	— [5]	— [5]
Tasting Rooms	P [6]	—	—	A [6]	A [6]
Lodging Facilities
Hotels and Motels	P	—	—	—	—
Mini-Storage	—	—	—	C	—	18.92.100
Personal Service	C [4]	— [5]	— [5]	— [5]	— [5]
Plant Nurseries	C	—	—	P	P
Professional Ofces	P	P	P	P	—

Retail
Building Materials	C	—	—	P	P
Convenience Markets	C [4]	— [5]	— [5]	— [5]	— [5]
General Retail	C [4]	— [5]	— [5]	— [5]	— [5]
Home Improvement Centers	C	—	—	C	—
Large Commodity Retail	C	—	—	—	—
Vehicle-Related Uses
Salvage and Wrecking	—	—	—	—	C
Towing and Impound	—	—	—	C	P
Vehicle Repair and Maintenance, Major	—	—	—	C	P
Vehicle Repair and Maintenance, Minor	—	—	—	P	P [1]
Vehicle Storage, Outdoor	—	—	—	C	C	18.52.080.C
Wholesaling	P	—	—	P	P
Industrial Uses
Construction and Material Yards	C	C	C	P	P	18.26.030.C
Food and Beverage Production
< 5,000 sq. ft. [7]	A [2]	A [2]	A [2]	P [2]	P [2]
5,000 sq. ft. to 10,000 sq. ft. [7]	C [2]	C [2]	C [2]	P [2]	P [2]
> 10,000 sq. ft.	C	C	C	P [2,8]	P [2,8]
Manufacturing, Light	P	C [3]	C	P	P
Manufacturing, General	—	—	—	—	C
Research and Development	P	P	P	P	P
Warehousing and Distribution
Warehousing and Distribution, Large	C	C [3]	C [3]	C	P
Warehousing and Distribution, Small	C	C [3]	C [3]	P	P
Warehousing and Distribution with Outdoor Storage	C	—	—	C	C
Heavy Distribution	—	—	—	—	—
Parcel Sorting Facilities	—	—	—	—	—
Parcel Hub Small < 75,000 sq. ft.	—	—	—	—	—
Parcel Hub Large > 75,000 sq. ft.	—	—	—	—	—
Recycling Facilities
Reverse Vending Machine	P	C	C	P	P
Recycling Collection Facility	C	—	—	C	C
Recycling Processing Facility	—	—	—	—	C
Utilities, Major	—	—	—	C	C
Wireless Communications Facilities	See Chapter 18.96

Agriculture and Natural Resource Uses

Crop Cultivation	—		—
Other Uses
Accessory Uses	See Chapter 18.44
Temporary Uses	See Section 18.92.150

Notes:

[1] Retail sale of automotive products allowed only when ancillary to a vehicle repair and maintenance use. Retail display areas for automotive products may not exceed twenty-five percent of the building floor area.

[2] Must be one hundred fifty feet or more from a residential zoning district, otherwise requires a CUP.

[3] Permitted only when ancillary to another permitted use.

[4] Allowed as a primary use only when the planning commission finds that the use supports the primary job-generating uses within a business park setting.

[5] Allowed when accessory to a permitted primary use subject to the limitations in Section 18.26.020.D (Accessory Uses).

[6] Allowed only when accessory to a brewery, winery, or other alcoholic beverage production facility. Tasting rooms must be located within the building occupied by the primary use and may not exceed five thousand square feet or ten percent of the gross floor area of the building, whichever is less.

[7] On-site wholesale or retail sales required.

[8] Conditional use permit required when the type of food being produced will emit a generally offensive odor. Examples include primary processing of seafood, coffee roasting, pickled foods, or processes involving primarily fat and oils.

B.

Additional Permits. In addition to permits identified in Table 18.26-1, development projects in the industrial districts may also require a design permit pursuant to Section 18.108.040 (Design Permits). Modifications to a historic resource may require a Historic Alteration pursuant to Chapter 18.60 (Historic Resources).

C.

Outdoor Uses.

1.

In the IO zoning district, all uses shall be conducted wholly within a completely enclosed building. Outdoor uses are prohibited.

2.

In all other industrial zoning districts, outdoor uses shall be screened from public view and the area containing the outdoor use shall meet the minimum design standards applicable to off-street parking facilities as specified in Section 18.72.060 (Parking Design and Development Standards).

D.

Accessory Uses.

1.

In all industrial zoning districts, retail, personal service, recreation, restaurants, and other similar uses are permitted as an accessory use provided the following conditions are met:

a.

The use is conducted within the building occupied by the primary use; and

b.

The use is to serve only employees and guests of the primary use; and

c.

The use is limited to no more than three thousand square feet or ten percent of the floor area of the primary use, whichever is less.

2.

Tasting rooms associated with a brewery, winery, or other alcoholic beverage production facility are allowed in industrial zoning districts as specified in Table 18.26-1.

(Ord. No. 2277 N.S., § 5(Exh. A), 6-6-2018; Ord. No. 2317, N.S., § 1, 11-18-2020; Ord. No. 2319 N.S., § 5, 1-20-2021; Ord. No. 2330 N.S., § 1, 4-6-2022)

18.26.030 - Development standards. ¶

A.

General. Table 18.26-2 identifies development standards that apply in the industrial zoning districts.

Table 18.26-2: Industrial Zoning District Development Standards

	CI	IO	IC	IL	IG
Site Requirements
Lot Area, Minimum	20,000 sq. ft.	40,000 sq. ft.	5 acres	20,000 sq. ft.	20,000 sq. ft.
Lot Width, Minimum	100 ft.	100 ft.	300 ft.	100 ft.	150 ft.
Lot Depth, Minimum	100 ft.	100 ft.	300 ft.	100 ft.	100 ft.
Floor Area Ratio, Maximum	0.5/0.6 [1]	0.6	0.5	0.6	0.6
Building Coverage, Maximum	60%	40%	40%	50%	60%
Structure Requirements

Setbacks, Minimum[2]						Chapter 18.56
Front	30 ft.	40 ft.	50 ft.	30 ft.	30 ft.
Rear	20 ft.	20 ft.	20 ft.	20 ft.	20 ft.
Interior Side	10 ft.	10 ft.	25 ft.	10 ft.	15 ft.
Street Side	15 ft.	15 ft.	15 ft.	15 ft.	15 ft.
Height, Maximum	4 stories or 55 ft., whichever is less	35 ft.	50 ft.	50 ft.	50 ft.	18.56 18.26.030.B

Notes:

[1] An FAR of 0.6 is allowed for industrial uses. An FAR of 0.5 is allowed for non-industrial land uses.

[2] Where a property abuts a residential zoning district or residential land use designation, the property shall comply with increased setbacks, upper story stepbacks, and landscaping standards as specified in Section 18.92.130 (Residential Transition Standards).

B.

Cul-De-Sac Lot Width. In all industrial zoning districts except for the IC zoning district, the minimum width of a cul-de-sac lot is eighty feet as measured along the radius of the front property line.

C.

Joint Access Agreement — IL, IG Zoning Districts. For parcels of less than forty thousand square feet in area, a joint mutual access agreement between adjoining parcels shall be required for reasonable vehicular and pedestrian passage.

(Ord. No. 2277 N.S., § 5(Exh. A), 6-6-2018; Ord. No. 2319 N.S., § 5, 1-20-2021)

Chapter 18.28 - OPEN SPACE, PUBLIC, AND RECREATION ZONING DISTRICTS

18.28.010 - Purpose of the open space, public, and recreation zoning districts.

A.

Open Space. The purpose of the Open Space (OS) zoning district is to preserve and enhance open space lands as a limited and valuable resource in Morgan Hill. The OS zoning district is intended to permit limited but reasonable use of open space lands while reducing exposure to geologic hazards, to preserve agricultural land, and to preserve the topographic features that contribute to Morgan Hill's unique identity.

B.

Public Facilities. The purpose of the Public Facilities (PF) zoning district is to provide a location for schools, governmental offices, parks and recreational facilities, fire and police stations, utilities, and other public and

quasi-public facilities to serve the community.

C.

Sports Recreation and Leisure (SRL). The purpose of the SRL zoning district is to provide a location for a variety of private and public or quasi-public land sports, recreation, and leisure uses to serve the community. The SRL zoning district includes two sub-zones:

1.

The SRL-A sub-zone which supports lower intensity sports, recreation, and leisure uses that are compatible with nearby agricultural and open space activities; and

2.

The SRL-B sub-zone which supports lower and medium intensity sports, recreation, and leisure uses that are generally open in nature.

(Ord. No. 2277 N.S., § 5(Exh. A), 6-6-2018; Ord. No. 2290 N.S., § 5(Exh. A), 11-7-2018)

18.28.020 - Land use regulations.

A.

Open Space and Public Facility Zones.

1.

Permitted Land Uses—General. Table 18.28-1 identifies land uses permitted in the Open Space (OS) and Public Facilities (PF) zoning districts.

Table 18.28-1: Permitted Land Uses in the Open Space and Public Facilities Zoning Districts

Key P Permitted Use A Administrative Use Permit required C Conditional Use Permit required — Use not allowed	Zoning District		Additional Regulations
	OS	PF
Residential Uses
Accessory Dwelling Units	P	—	Chapter 18.84
Agricultural Labor Accommodations	P	—
Single-Family Detached Dwellings	P	—
Public and Quasi-Public Uses		—
Cemeteries	C	C
Colleges and Trade Schools	—	C
Community Assembly	—	C
Cultural Institutions	—	P [1]

Day Care Centers	—	C
Emergency Shelters	—	P
Government Ofces	—	P
Home Day Care, Small	P	—
Hospitals	—	P
Instructional Services	—	P [1]
Parks and Recreational Facilities	P	P [1]
Public Safety Facilities	C	P
Schools, Public	—	P
Schools, Private	—	C
Commercial Uses
Animal-Related Commercial Uses
Animal Boarding	C	—
Equestrian Centers	C	—
Farmer's Markets	C	C
Plant Nurseries	C [2]	—
Transportation, Communication, and Utility Uses		—
Parking Structures and Facilities	—	P [1]
Utilities, Major	—	C
Wireless Communications Facilities	See Chapter 18.96
Agriculture and Natural Resource Uses
Crop Cultivation	P	—
Animal Raising and Production, Intensive	C	—
Animal Raising and Production, Limited	P	—
Wildlife Refuges	P	—
Other Uses
Accessory Uses	See Chapter 18.44
Home Occupations	See Section 18.92.060
Temporary Uses	See Section 18.92.150

Notes:

[1] A Conditional Use Permit is required if not owned or operated by a governmental agency.

[2] Sales are limited to horticultural products grown on site.

B.

Design Permit for Residential Uses in the OS Zone. In addition to projects requiring Design Permits pursuant to Section 18.108.040 (Design Permits), the construction of new residential uses requires a Design

Permit to verify conformance with Section 18.28.030.B (Performance Standards in OS Zone) and all other applicable requirements.

C.

Sports Recreation and Leisure Zones. Table 18.28-2 identifies land uses permitted in the SRL-A and SRL-B sub-zones.

Table 18.28-2: Permitted Land Uses in the Sports Recreation Leisure Zoning District

Key P Permitted use C Conditional Use Permit required — Use not allowed	Zoning District
	SRL-A	SRL-B
Residential Uses
Single-family detached dwellings	P [1]	P [1]
All other new residential land uses	—	—
Commercial Uses
Drive-through establishments	—	—
Gas and service stations	—	—
Hotel and motels	—	—
Restaurants	—	—
Retail that is sports-themed or sports/recreation- serving	—	—
Sports, Recreation, and Leisure Uses
Adventure sports facilities, indoor	P	—
Adventure sports facilities, outdoor	P	P
Arts and crafts studios	P	P
Batting cages, indoor	P	—
Batting cages, outdoor	P	P
Bowling alleys	—	—
Campgrounds	—	—
Casinos, card clubs, and gambling facilities	—	—
Cinemas and movie theaters	—	—
Day spas, barbershops, and hair salons	C [2]	—
Equestrian centers	P	P
Golf courses	P [3]	P [3]
Health and ftness clubs and indoor recreation centers oriented to local residents	C [4]	—
Indoor sports centers	P	—
Outdoor sports centers	P	P

Outdoor race tracks for cars, go-karts, or similar use;	—	—
Pool and billiards halls	—	—
Recreational vehicle parks	—	—
Sports Fields	P	P
Stadiums	—	—
Swimming pools, indoor	P [5]	—
Swimming pools, outdoor	P [5]	P
Agriculture and Natural Resource Uses
Crop cultivation	P	P
Farmer's market	P	P
Sales of agricultural products grown on site	P	P
Wineries	P	P
Transportation, Communication, and Utility Uses
Wireless communications facilities	See Chapter 18.96
Other Uses
Accessory Uses and Structures	See Chapter 18.44
Home Occupations	See Section 18.92.060
Temporary Uses	See Section 18.92.150

Notes:

[1] Permitted only on a legal lot of record established in the unincorporated area prior to August 1, 2014.

[2] May be permitted with a conditional use permit if ancillary to hotel or motel use.

[3] Golf courses in excess of three holes are prohibited.

[4] Fitness and exercise facilities ancillary to a primary destination-oriented sports/recreation/leisure use are allowed with a conditional use permit.

[5] Permitted if ancillary to hotel or motel use.

D.

Additional Permits. In addition to permits identified in Tables 18.28-1 and 18.28-2, development projects in the open space, public, and recreation zoning districts may also require a design permit pursuant to Section 18.108.040 (Design Permits). Modifications to a historic resource may require a historic alteration pursuant to Chapter 18.60. (Historic Resources).

E.

Hillside Combining District. Development on site with an average slope of ten percent or greater are subject to the requirements of Section 18.30.040 (Hillside Combining District).

(Ord. No. 2277 N.S., § 5(Exh. A), 6-6-2018; Ord. No. 2290 N.S., § 5(Exh. A), 11-7-2018; Ord. No. 2352, § 4, 4-24-2024)