Chapter 17.11 — WATERFRONT AND HARBOR AREA DISTRICTS (IP)
Morro Bay Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · ingested 2026-07-06 · Morro Bay
17.11.010 - Purpose. ¶
The city of Morro Bay is uniquely located and situated to capitalize on the waters of Morro Bay and the adjacent Pacific Ocean. As such, the city of Morro Bay is dedicated to ensuring a vibrant working waterfront for the purposes of providing, promoting and supporting land uses and access in support of water-dependent commercial activities, water-dependent recreational activities, waterfront enhanced commercial activities, water-enhanced recreational activities, and for purposes related to providing public access to the Tidelands Trust Lands. The specific purposes of the waterfront and harbor area districts are to:
A.
Ensure that waterfront development is attractive and pedestrian-friendly through greater pedestrianoriented development, street furniture, and a more efficient solution to traffic circulation and automobile parking.
B.
Achieve an architectural character for the Embarcadero area that is in keeping with a working fishing community.
C.
Preserve the attraction of the city as a tourist destination with visitor-serving facilities, shopping and amusement areas, recreational amenities, and public parks and beaches, but still retain the city's smalltown "fishing port" character.
Additional purposes of each waterfront and harbor area district are as follows:
Commercial Fishing (CF). This district is intended to preserve areas that serve or facilitate licensed fishing activities or commercial fishing and incidental uses supportive of fishing activities in the fisheries sector (measure D zone) shown on Figure LU-5 of Plan Morro Bay pursuant to Measure "D" of the June 2, 1981 city ballot. The CF district is intended to retain the city's small-town fishing image and to ensure that development does not conflict with the fishing industry. Land uses are limited to coastal dependent uses
including boating and fishing facilities, marine sales and services, and incidental parking and utility uses that are supportive of fishing activities. This district implements the commercial/recreational fishing general plan/LCP land use plan land use designation.
Harbor (H). This district designates areas within city limits covered by water, excluding sensitive habitat areas, for those uses which must be located on the water in order to function, or as an accessory use to a land based/shore facility or structure. This district implements the harbor/navigational general plan/LCP land use plan land use designations.
Waterfront (WF). This district is intended to provide for the continued mixture of visitor-serving commercial and recreational and harbor-dependent land uses in appropriate waterfront areas. This district implements the waterfront commercial/industrial general plan/LCP land use plan land use designations.
(Ord. No. 662, § 2, 12-13-23)
17.11.020 - Applicability.
Development shall conform to all applicable land use plan (LUP) policies, including, but not limited to coastal priority uses policies and Embarcadero policies; the provisions of this chapter; and all other applicable provisions of this code.
(Ord. No. 662, § 2, 12-13-23)
17.11.030 - Land use regulations.
Table 17.11.030, Land Use Regulations—Waterfront and Harbor Area Districts, sets the land use regulations for waterfront and harbor area districts. The regulations for each district are established by letter designation as follows:
"P" designates permitted uses.
"M" designates use classifications that are permitted after review and approval of a minor use permit pursuant to Chapter 17.40, Use Permits.
"C" designates use classifications that are permitted after review and approval of a conditional use permit pursuant to Chapter 17.40, Use Permits.
"(#)" numbers in parentheses refer to specific limitations listed at the end of the table.
"-" designates uses that are not permitted.
For all uses, approval of a coastal development permit pursuant to Chapter 17.39, Coastal Development Permits (IP), may be required.
Land uses not listed in the table or not found to be substantially similar to the uses below are prohibited.
TABLE 17.11.030: LAND USE REGULATIONS—WATERFRONT AND HARBOR AREA DISTRICTS
P: Permitted Use; M: Minor Use Permit Required; C: Conditional Use Permit Required; -: Use Not Allowed Note: A Coastal Development Permit may be required, See Chapter 17.39, Coastal Development Permits
| Land Use | CF | H | WF | Additional Regulations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access to water uses | P | P | P | |
| Licensed commercial fshing and noncommercial recreational fshing facilities, and support facilities |
C | C | C | |
| Recreational boating facilities, and support facilities | — | C(1) | C(1) | |
| Support use, structures, connections, and appurtenances to water uses including wharves, docks, piers, slips, quays, launches, fuel docks, hoists, and other facilities necessary or convenient for the promotion and accommodation of commerce and navigation |
C | C | C | |
| Parks, public open spaces, observation decks, bike lanes, benches, boardwalks, kiosks, fences, and other facilities necessary or convenient for the promotion and accommodation of public access to the waterfront |
C | — | C | |
| Government buildings and land based support facilities, including but not limited to connections and appurtenances to docks and piers, which are necessary and convenient for the safety and maintenance of waterways |
C | — | C | |
| Retail and wholesale seafood markets and seafood processing |
C(2) | — | C | |
| Water intake facilities | C(2) | — | — | |
| Moorage | — | P | — | |
| Mariculture and aquaculture | — | C | — | |
| Houseboat or vessel habitation | — | C | — | |
| Promotion and accommodation of commerce and navigation |
— | C | — | |
| Preservation of the Morro Bay wetland estuarine system |
— | C | — | |
| Visitor—serving commercial and recreational uses, including but not limited to those allowed in the VSC district, but excluding parking structures and overnight recreational vehicle camping |
— | — | C | |
| Specifc Limitations: | ||||
| 1. Recreational boating facilities are subject to the following: | ||||
| a. New recreational boating and passenger for hire facilities shall only be located in the bay south of Beach Street and not be located north of Beach Street. |
||||
| b. Existing recreational boating and passengers-for-hire facilities located north of Beach Street may be modifed but not expanded. | ||||
| c. Prior to allowing new recreational boating facilities, the planning commission shall consider the present and future demand for such facilities and for other coastal dependent uses, to ensure that new recreational boating facilities will not preclude reasonable expansion of commercial fshing facilities and other coastal dependent uses. |
||||
| 2. If found to be consistent with Section 17.11.030.A.1, Expressly Prohibited Uses. |
A.
Additional Use Allowances and Limitations.
1.
CF District.
a.
Expressly Prohibited Uses. The city shall not grant any permit, authorization or other approval of any stateowned tidelands subject to city lease between Beach Street and Target Rock, unless such development or use is primarily for the purpose of serving or facilitating licensed commercial fishing activities or noncommercial recreational fishing activities, or if clearly incidental thereto. For purposes of illustration, and not by way of limitation, no approval shall be granted for any new passenger-for-hire boats or supporting facilities, or for any new restaurant, cafe, gift shop, or other retail establishment servicing the general public and any existing such uses shall hereafter be considered nonconforming and shall not be expanded or enlarged.
b.
Existing Uses. Existing uses may remain and be redeveloped provided the use is not expanded, enlarged, or moved.
2.
WF District.
a.
Existing Residential Uses. Residential uses existing in the WF district at the time of adoption of the ordinance codified in this chapter shall be permitted to remain, be reconstructed, or relocated. No new residential uses are allowed.
b.
Development Priority. Development priority shall be given to coastal-dependent uses which are consistent with traffic, circulation, and parking constraints.
(Ord. No. 662, § 2, 12-13-23)
17.11.040 - Development standards. ¶
Table 17.11.040, Development Standards—Waterfront and Harbor Area Districts, prescribes the development standards for waterfront and harbor area districts. Additional regulations are denoted in the right hand column. Section numbers in this column refer to other sections of this code. Additional development standards applicable to the CF and WF districts are established in the waterfront master plan. All development in the CF and WF districts are subject to the standards and requirements of the waterfront master plan.
TABLE 17.11.040: DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS—WATERFRONT AND HARBOR AREA DISTRICTS
| TABLE 17.11.040: DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS—WATERFRONT AND HARBOR AREA DISTRICTS | TABLE 17.11.040: DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS—WATERFRONT AND HARBOR AREA DISTRICTS | TABLE 17.11.040: DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS—WATERFRONT AND HARBOR AREA DISTRICTS | TABLE 17.11.040: DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS—WATERFRONT AND HARBOR AREA DISTRICTS | TABLE 17.11.040: DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS—WATERFRONT AND HARBOR AREA DISTRICTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | CF | WF | H | Additional Regulations |
| Maximum Height (ft) | 14 along Coleman Drive except government structures necessary to meet public need and protection of public safety; Other areas: 30 |
West side of Embarcadero: 17 determined by average grades of the land portion of the site, not including bank. Up to 25 may be allowed pursuant to the WMP Other areas: 25 |
n/a | See § 17.02.030.C, measuring height and § 17.23.070,heights and height exceptions |
| Minimum Setbacks (ft) | ||||
| Front | 5 | 0 | 0 | See § 17.02.030.J, determining setbacks (yards), and § 17.23.050, encroachments into required setbacks |
| Interior Side | 0 | 0 | 0 | See § 17.02.030.J, determining setbacks (yards), and § 17.23.050, encroachments into required setbacks |
| Corner Side | 5 | 0 | 0 | See § 17.02.030.J, determining setbacks (yards), and § 17.23.050, encroachments into required setbacks |
| Rear | 0 | Must allow for a minimum 10 foot boardwalk |
0 | See § 17.02.030.J, determining setbacks (yards), and § 17.23.050, encroachments into required setbacks |
| Maximum Lot Coverage (% of lot) |
50 | 90 | n/a | See § 17.02.030.H, determining lot coverage |
(Ord. No. 662, § 2, 12-13-23)
17.11.050 - Supplemental regulations. ¶
A.
Architectural Treatment. Exterior treatment of structures in new development and redevelopment shall be considered though the development review process. The following criteria will be used in the review of applications:
1.
The architectural and landscape design of a project, including materials, shall be consistent with the character of a working fishing village.
The design shall protect aesthetic environmental qualities.
3.
The design shall enhance the desirability and/or enjoyment of the immediate area.
4.
The design shall improve community appearances by preventing extremes of dissimilarity or monotony in new construction or redevelopments.
B.
Public Access Requirements. Public access from the nearest public roadway to the shoreline and along the bay front shall be provided in new development projects, subject to the provisions set forth in Section 17.14.110, Coastal Access.
C.
Harbor District. In the Harbor District, no use shall be permitted unless the following performance standards are met, as applicable:
1.
No Pollutant Discharge. Pollutants such as chemicals, fuels, lubricants, raw sewage and other harmful wastes generated during commercial or recreational boating activities shall be prohibited from being discharged into the bay;
2.
Adequate Safety and Navigational Standards. New development shall contain adequate safety and navigational standards to ensure compatibility with existing uses within the bay and harbor areas;
3.
Maintenance Dredging Mitigation Measures. Maintenance dredging of the channels shall include mitigation measures to prevent potential damage to benthic organisms including mollusks and eel grass beds;
4.
Preservation of Right-of-Way. Any permitted use of the tidelands, harbor or bay, as defined and regulated by this chapter shall be prohibited from excluding the right-of-way to such water whenever it is required for any public purpose, and from destroying or obstructing the free navigation of such water; and
5.
Placement of Floating Docks. The placement of floating docks shall be in water areas that do not encroach into wetland or buffer areas surrounding defined wetlands in the bay.
(Ord. No. 662, § 2, 12-13-23)