Division 6 — COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL-ARTERIAL (CRA) ZONING DISTRICT STANDARDS

Mountain View Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · ingested 2026-07-06 · Mountain View

SEC. 36.18.45. - CRA zone development standards.

New land uses and structures and alterations or modifications to existing uses or structures shall be designed and constructed in compliance with the following requirements:

CRA ZONE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS

Lot Area 20,000 sq. ft. for hotels and mixed-use; other uses no minimum. 20,000 sq. ft. for hotels and mixed-use; other uses no minimum.
Lot Width No minimum.
Residential Density
(maximum)		 See
Section 36.18.50 b.
Floor Area Ratio 0.35 for ofces and R&D;
1.35 for mixed-use.
Setbacks Front 10 ft. of landscaping in front of parking;
20 ft. average for parking on lots 200+ ft. deep, or 20,000+ sq.
ft.;
5 ft. of landscaping between building and sidewalk where no
street setback is required.
Sides 10 ft. minimum on any street side;
equal to building height, 10 ft. minimum, next to residential;
5 ft. of landscaping next to parking;
10 ft. of landscaping and 7 ft. minimum sound wall next to
residential.
--- --- ---
Rear Same as side yard.
Height Limits 45 ft. and 3 stories maximum. See
Section 36.08.30 for exceptions to height limits.
Landscaping Commercial For nonmixed-use commercial projects:
Properties less than 15,000 sq. ft. in size: Minimum 10% of
total site area shall be landscaped.
Properties 15,000 sq. ft. and larger in size: Minimum 15% of
total site area shall be landscaped.
Residential For residential uses on sites larger than 20,000 sq. ft.:
Minimum 45% of the total area of the site shall be
permanently landscaped.
For nonmixed-use residential sites with more than 4 units,
45% of the total area of the site shall be permanently
landscaped.
Street Minimum 10 ft. wide landscape bufer shall be provided along
the street in front of parking, which should be increased to 20
ft. on lots 200 ft. or more in depth and/or 15,000 sq. ft. or
greater in size.
Adjacent to
Residential		 A 10 ft. wide landscape bufer and a 7 ft. high masonry wall
shall be provided adjacent to residentially zoned uses.
Additional
Requirements		 See Article XI (Landscaping) for additional regulations,
including water-efcient landscaping requirements.
Parking and
Loading		 See Article X (Parking and Loading).
Signs See Article XII (Signs).
Other
Development
Standards and
References		 See Zoning Calculations: Methods, Defnitions and Clarifcations handout.

(Ord. No. 18.13, § 1, 12/10/13; Ord. No. 01.2024, § 14, 1/23/24.)

SEC. 36.18.50. - CRA zoning district special development standards.

The following special standards apply to the specified land uses in the CRA zoning district:

a.

Hotels and motels. Hotels and motels are allowed only on sites with an area of twenty thousand (20,000) square feet or larger, shall have a maximum FAR of one and thirty-five hundredths (1.35) and comply with the setback and height standards listed in subsection 36.18.50 b.

b.

Accessory dwelling units. Accessory dwelling units shall be permitted on residential sites and shall comply with the provisions of Sections 36.12.60 through 36.12.120.

c.

Residential and mixed-use projects. New residential and mixed-use developments shall be designed and constructed in compliance with the following requirements:

DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR RESIDENTIAL AND MIXED USE

DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR RESIDENTIAL AND MIXED USE RESIDENTIAL AND MIXED USE
Dwelling Unit Standards The following standards apply to multi-family housing: Standards for
townhouse and rowhouse developments are listed separately in
Sections 36.16.10 and
36.16.20,respectively. See Zoning
Calculations: Methods, Defnitions and Clarifcations handout for
details.
Lot Area Twenty thousand (20,000) square feet minimum, except that lot sizes
in townhouse and rowhouse developments approved through a PUD
permit are listed separately in
Sections 36.16.10 and
36.16.20,
respectively.
Lot Width None.
Density Forty-three (43) units per acre maximum.
Floor Area Ratio One and thirty-fve hundredths (1.35) maximum for ofce, retail and
housing (ofce portion shall not exceed thirty-fve hundredths (0.35)
FAR).
Setbacks See
Section 36.14.75 for exceptions to required setbacks for
properties in the R2 district.
Front Five (5) feet behind sidewalk
minimum.
Rear Fifteen (15) feet minimum but not
less than the height of the
adjacent wall of the subject
parcel (measured to top of wall
plate).
Sides Fifteen (15) feet minimum.
Between Principal Structures One-half (1/2) the sum of nearest
opposing walls of the subject
parcel (measured to top of wall
plate).
--- --- ---
Site Coverage None.
Pavement Coverage for Area
Dedicated to Auto		 Twenty-fve (25) percent of site; the zoning administrator may
approve higher percentage in proportion to commercial [space] in
mixed-use development.
Height Limits See
Section 36.08.30 for exceptions to height limits.
Maximum building height (to ridge): Forty-fve (45) feet; and
Maximum wall height to top of wall plate: Thirty-fve (35) feet.
Except that buildings with commercial space may have a maximum
building height (to ridge) of ffty (50) feet; lower building height may
be required for portions of buildings adjacent to existing residential.
Open Area Forty-fve (45) percent, including forty (40) square feet of private open
area per unit; the zoning administrator may approve reduced open
area in proportion to commercial space in mixed-used development.
Personal Storage Eighty (80) square feet of enclosed and secured storage area for
bulky personal efects (such as recreational equipment) for each unit;
typically in garage area.
Parking See Article X (Parking and Loading).
Signs for Commercial Uses in
Mixed Use Development		 See
Section 36.36.50 (Signs). The zoning administrator may modify
the sign regulations as appropriate for a development that includes
residential uses.

(Ord. No. 18.13, § 1, 12/10/13; Ord. No. 11.20, § 18, 11/10/20; Ord. No. 01.2024, § 14, 1/23/24.)

DIVISION 7. - COMMERCIAL-SERVICES (CS) ZONING DISTRICT STANDARDS

SEC. 36.18.55. - CS zone development standards.

New land uses and structures and alterations or modifications to existing uses or structures shall be designed and constructed in compliance with the following requirements:

CS ZONE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS

Lot area No minimum.
Lot width No minimum.
Floor area Ratio 0.40 maximum.
Setbacks Front
--- ---
Sides
Rear
Height limits No maximum. See
Section 36.08.30 for exceptions to height limits.
Landscaping Street and
sidewalk
Adjacent to
residential
Perimeter planting
Additional
requirements
Parking and
loading		 See Article X (Parking and Loading).
Signs See Article XII (Signs).
Other development
standards and
references		 See Zoning Calculations: Methods, Defnitions and Clarifcations handout.

(Ord. No. 18.13, § 1, 12/10/13; Ord. No. 5.18, § 5, 4/24/18; Ord. No. 01.2024, § 15, 1/23/24.)

ARTICLE VI. - INDUSTRIAL ZONES DIVISION 1. - PURPOSE

SEC. 36.20. - Purpose.

This article provides regulations applicable to development and new land uses in the industrial zoning districts established by Section 36.04 (Zoning Districts Established). The purposes of the individual industrial zoning districts are as follows:

a.

ML (Administrative, Research and Limited Industrial) district. This district is designed to provide an environment conducive to the development and protection of modern, large-scale administrative facilities, research institutions and specialized manufacturing organizations, all of a nonnuisance type. The ML zoning district is consistent with the general industrial and high-intensity office land use designations of the general plan.

b.

MM (General Industrial) district. This district is designed to encourage sound industrial development in the city by providing and protecting an environment exclusively for such development, subject to regulations necessary to insure the purity of the air and waters in the bay area, and the protection of nearby residential uses of the land from hazards and noise or other radiated disturbances. The MM zoning district is consistent with the general industrial and high-intensity office land use designation of the general plan.

(Ord. No. 18.13, § 1, 12/10/13.)

DIVISION 2. - LAND USES

SEC. 36.20.05. - Industrial zone land use permit requirements.

The uses of land allowed by this Chapter in each industrial zoning district are identified in the following tables as being:

a.

Permitted subject to compliance with all applicable provisions of this Chapter, including development review and parking requirements, and subject to obtaining any building permit or other permit required by the city code ("P" uses on the tables). Per Section 36.44.45, development review approval is required for exterior building or site modifications.

b.

Allowed subject to approval of a conditional use permit ("CUP") (Sec. 36.48).

c.

Allowed subject to approval of a temporary use permit ("TUP") (Sec. 36.46).

d.

Land uses listed, as specifically defined in this Chapter, and on the tables in a particular zoning district(s) shall only be allowed in the specific zoning district(s) in which it is listed. Such uses can only be allowed in other zoning district(s) upon approval of a text amendment as provided by Section 36.52.35 (Zoning amendments). These uses cannot be named as similar uses as determined by the zoning administrator through the conditional use permit process or Section 36.58.30 (Procedures for interpretation).

e.

Land uses that are not listed on the tables are not allowed, except where otherwise provided by Section 36.06.40 (Determination of allowable land uses) or 36.06.50 (Exemptions from zoning permit requirements).

LAND USES AND PERMIT REQUIREMENTS BY INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT

NOTE: Where the last column on the following tables ("See Section") includes a section number, there are specific regulations in the referenced section that apply to the use and/or a specific definition of the use; however, provisions in other sections may apply as well.

LAND USE PERMIT REQUIREMENTS BY ZONE PERMIT REQUIREMENTS BY ZONE PERMIT REQUIREMENTS BY ZONE
ML MM SEE SECTION
EDUCATION, PUBLIC ASSEMBLY, AND RECREATION
Child-care centers CUP CUP 36.20.10.g;
36.28.20;
36.60.09
Community assembly CUP CUP 36.20.10.g;
36.60.09
Indoor recreation and ftness centers CUP CUP 36.20.10.g;
36.60.21
Outdoor recreation CUP CUP 36.60.33
Public recreation P P 36.60.35
Religious institutions CUP CUP 36.20.10.e;
36.60.39
Schools — public CUP CUP 36.20.10.g;
36.60.41
Schools — specialized education and training CUP 36.20.10.g; 36.20.20.a.2;
36.60.41
PROCESSING AND PRODUCTION
Concrete-mixing and asphalt-mixing yards CUP
Food products P 36.60.15
Laboratory P P 36.60.27
Manufacturing, light P P 36.60.29
Manufacturing, heavy P 36.60.29
Pharmaceuticals, compounding pharmacy P 36.60.35
Printing and publishing P 36.60.35
Recycling facilities—reverse vending machines,
small collection, and large collection		 CUP CUP Article IX, Division 13;
36.60.39
Wholesaling and distribution P P ML District: 36.20.15.a.2;
36.60.49
PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES, TRANSPORTATION, AND UTILITIES
Hydrogen fueling station P P 36.30.120;
36.60.19
Pipelines and utility lines P P 36.60.35
--- --- --- ---
Public safety facilities CUP CUP 36.60.35
Public utility facilities CUP P 36.60.35
Transit stations and terminals P 36.60.43
RETAIL
Accessory retail uses P P 36.28.05;
36.60.05
Cannabis business, nonstorefront retail CUP CUP Article IX,
Division 21;
36.60.09;
Chapter 9
Drive-in and drive-through facilities CUP CUP 36.28.30;36.20.10.f,
36.60.11
Outdoor retail sales, permanent CUP CUP 36.28.95;
36.60.33
Restaurant P CUP 36.20.10.b;
ML District: 36.20.15.a.1;
36.60.39
Restaurant serving liquor P CUP 36.20.10.b;
36.60.39
Restaurant with entertainment (serving or not
serving liquor)		 CUP CUP 36.20.10.b;
36.60.39
Retail, general merchandise CUP CUP 36.20.10.c;
36.60.39
Shopping center, warehouse retail CUP 36.20.10.d;
36.30.40;
36.60.41
Warehouse retail CUP CUP 36.20.10.d;
36.30.40;
36.60.49
SERVICES
Animal service establishment CUP 36.30.35;
36.60.05
Auto/motor vehicle repair — minor or major CUP 36.30.25;
36.60.05;
Chapter
39
Auto/motor vehicle wrecking yard, junk yard, scrap
and dismantling yard		 CUP 36.60.05
Auto/motor vehicle tow yard CUP 36.60.05
Banks and fnancial services P CUP 36.60.07
Business services CUP 36.60.07
Data center P P ML District: 36.20.15.a.2;
36.60.11
Ofces P CUP MM District: 36.20.20.a.1;
36.60.33
Ofces, research and development P P MM District: 36.20.20.a.3;
36.60.33
--- --- --- ---
Personal storage facilities P 36.60.35
Service station CUP CUP 36.30.15;
36.60.41
Storage, accessory P P 36.60.41
Warehousing P P ML District: 36.20.15.a.2;
36.60.49
OTHER USES
Crop, tree farming, livestock P P 36.20.10.a;
36.60.09
Emergency shelter CUP P Article IX, Division 10;
36.60.13
Low-barrier navigation center CUP P Article IX, Division 10;
36.60.27
Safe parking CUP CUP Article IX,
Division 22;
36.60.41;
Chapter 19
Uses not named but similar to listed uses as
determined by the zoning administrator		 CUP CUP 36.20.05.d
KEY TO PERMIT REQUIREMENTS SYMBOL SEE SECTION
--- --- ---
Permitted use, zoning compliant P Article XVI, Division 2
Conditional use, conditional use permit required CUP Article XVI, Division 6
Temporary use, temporary use permit required TUP Article XVI, Division 3
Use not allowed (blank)

(Ord. No. 18.13, § 1, 12/10/13; Ord. No. 5.18, § 6, 4/24/18; Ord. No. 9.18, § 4, 10/23/18; Ord. No. 10.19, § 3, 6/25/19; Ord. No. 16.19, § 10, 10/22/19; Ord. No. 20.19, § 7, 12/10/19; Ord. No. 01.2024, § 16, 1/23/24; Ord. No. 3.2026, § 5, 3/10/26.)