Article 17 — PD Planned Development District (Inland)

Oceanside Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · ingested 2026-07-06 · Oceanside

Sections:

  • 1701 Specific Purposes

  • 1702 Land Use Regulations

  • 1703 Development Regulations

  • 1704 Initiation

  • 1705 Required Plans and Materials

  • 1706 Planning Commission Action

  • 1707 Status of PD Plan and Development Plan

  • 1708 Status of Specific Plan

  • 1709 Zoning Map Designation 1710 Building Permits

1701 Specific Purposes

The specific purposes of the PD Planned Development District are to:

  • A. Establish a procedure for the development of parcels of land in order to reduce or eliminate the rigidity, delays, and inequities that otherwise would result from application of zoning standards and procedures designed primarily for small parcels.

  • B. Ensure orderly and thorough planning and review procedures that will result in quality urban design.

  • C. Encourage variety and avoid monotony in large developments by allowing greater freedom in selecting the means to provide access, light, open space, and amenity.

  • D. Provide a mechanism whereby the City may authorize desirable developments consistent with the General Plan without inviting speculative rezoning applications, which, if granted, often could deprive other owners of development opportunities without resulting in construction of the proposed facilities.

  • E. Encourage allocation and improvement of common open space in residential areas, and provide for maintenance of the open space at the expense of those who will directly benefit from it.

  • F. Encourage the preservation of serviceable existing structures of historic value or

(Bold/underlined/italicized or stricken text indicates City Council adopted revisions, in effect in inland areas only. California Coastal Commission certification of a LCPA for coastal zone properties is currently pending.)

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artistic merit by providing the opportunity to use them imaginatively for purposes other than that for which they were originally intended.

  • G. Encourage the assembly of properties that might otherwise be developed in unrelated increments to the detriment of surrounding neighborhoods.

1702 Land Use Regulations

No use, other than a use existing at the time of establishment of a PD District, shall be permitted in a PD district except in accord with a valid PD Plan or Specific Plan. Any permitted or conditional use authorized by this ordinance may be included in an approved PD Plan or an adopted Specific Plan, consistent with the General Plan land use designation(s) for land within the PD district.

1703 Development Regulations

  • A. Minimum Area. The minimum net area of a PD district shall be 4 acres. A PD district may be subdivided into lots smaller than four acres, provided a Tentative Map is approved concurrent with a PD Plan or Specific Plan.

  • B. Residential Unit Density. Residential unit types included in a PD Plan shall conform to the applicable residential unit type for the General Plan land use designations for land within the PD district as prescribed by Section 2.33 of the General Plan. The total number of dwelling units in a PD Plan shall not exceed the maximum number permitted by the General Plan density for the total area of parcels designated for residential use and for open space. A PD Plan that would exceed the base density for the area, as shown on the Land Use Element of the General Plan, may be approved only if the Planning Commission finds that the plan conforms to the provisions of Section 2.3 of the Land Use Element of the General Plan.

  • C. Performance Standards. The performance standards prescribed by Section 3024 shall apply.

  • D. Other Development Regulations. Other development regulations shall be as prescribed by the PD Plan or Specific Plan. The development standards of an existing overlay district may be modified by the PD Plan or Specific Plan.

1704 Initiation

An amendment to reclassify property to PD shall be initiated by a property owner or authorized agent, the Planning Commission, or the City Council. If the property is not under a single ownership, all owners shall join in the application, and a map showing the

(Bold/underlined/italicized or stricken text indicates City Council adopted revisions, in effect in inland areas only. California Coastal Commission certification of a LCPA for coastal zone properties is currently pending.)

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extent of ownerships shall be submitted with concept plans and materials.

1705 Required Plans and Materials

In addition to the plans and materials required to accompany an application for a zoning map amendment by Article 45, an application for rezoning to a PD district shall include a PD Plan or Specific Plan and a Development Plan incorporating the materials required for

design review by Article 43. The City Planner also may require one or more of the following items, based on the type, location, and potential impacts of proposed development:

  • A. A map showing proposed district boundaries and the relationship of the district to uses and structures within a 300-foot radius of the district boundaries.

  • B. A map or aerial photo of the proposed district and 100 feet beyond its boundary showing sufficient topographic data to indicate clearly the character of the terrain; the type, location, and condition of mature trees and other natural vegetation; and the location of existing development.

  • C. The proposed pattern of land use, with acreage and residential density computations.

  • D. The proposed street and lot pattern.

  • E. Any other informational items deemed necessary by the City Planner in order to fully analyze and review the proposed development.

1706 Planning Commission Action

The Planning Commission shall consider an application for reclassification to a PD district as prescribed in Article 45 and shall at the same time consider the proposed PD Plan or Specific Plan, and the Development Plan accompanying the application. A recommendation of the Planning Commission to reclassify to a PD district shall be accompanied by a recommendation of approval for a PD Plan or a Specific Plan, and a Development Plan. The City Planner may require either a PD Plan or a Specific Plan.

  • A. Required Findings. The Planning Commission shall recommend approval or conditional approval of a PD Plan or a Specific Plan, and a Development Plan, upon finding that:

    1. The PD Plan or Specific Plan and the Development Plan are consistent with the adopted Land Use Element of the General Plan and other applicable policies and are

(Bold/underlined/italicized or stricken text indicates City Council adopted revisions, in effect in inland areas only. California Coastal Commission certification of a LCPA for coastal zone properties is currently pending.)

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compatible with surrounding development;

  1. The PD Plan or Specific Plan and the Development Plan will enhance the potential for superior urban design in comparison with the development under the base district regulations that would apply if they were not approved;

  2. Deviations from the base district regulations that otherwise would apply are justified by compensating benefits of the PD Plan or Specific Plan and the Development Plan; and

  3. The PD Plan or Specific Plan and the Development Plan includes adequate

provisions for utilities, services, and emergency vehicle access; and public service demands will not exceed the capacity of existing and planned systems.

1707 Status of PD Plan and Development Plan

  • A. Effective Date. A PD Plan and the Development Plan shall be effective on the same date as the ordinance creating the PD district for which they were approved.

  • B. Lapse of Approvals. A PD Plan and Development Plan shall expire two three years after the effective date of approval or conditional approval or at an alternate time specified as a condition of approval unless:

    1. A grading permit has been issued and grading has been substantially completed and/or a building permit has been issued and construction diligently pursued; or

    2. An occupancy permit has been issued; or

    3. The approval is extended pursuant to the provisions of Article 1, Section 150 (Time Extensions of Discretionary Applications) ; or

    4. In cases where a PD Plan and Development Plan is approved concurrently with a Tentative Map, and a Final Map or Parcel Map is recorded, the PD Plan and Development Plan shall be effective for an additional 24 months from the date of recordation of the Final Map or Parcel Map.

An approved PD Plan and Development Plan may specify a development staging program exceeding two years, provided the development staging program is reviewed and approved by the Planning Commission and the City Council as a part of the PD Plan and Development Plan.

(Bold/underlined/italicized or stricken text indicates City Council adopted revisions, in effect in inland areas only. California Coastal Commission certification of a LCPA for coastal zone properties is currently pending.)

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C. Time Extension. The Commission may extend a PD Plan and Development Plan

  • for a period or periods not to exceed a total of three years, if it finds the time extension is consistent with the purposes of this article. Application for a time extension shall be made in writing to the City Planner not less than 30 days or more than 90 days prior to expiration. Denial of a request for time extension of a PD Plan shall be subject to appeal, as prescribed in Article 46.

  • D C . Changed Plans. A request for changes in conditions of approval of a PD Plan and Development plan, or a change to the PD Plan and Development plan that would affect a condition of approval, shall be treated as a new application. The City Planner may waive the requirement for a new application if the changes requested are minor, do not involve substantial alterations or addition to the plan or the conditions of approval, and are consistent with the intent of the project's approval or otherwise found to be in substantial conformance. An application for approval of a new PD Plan and Development Plan or for a revision of a PD Plan and Development Plan shall be considered by the Planning Commission at a public hearing with notice given as prescribed for a Development Plan in Article 43.

1708 Status of Specific Plan

A Specific Plan adopted by resolution of the City Council shall be administered as prescribed by the Council, consistent with the Government Code, Section 65450 et. seq.

1709 Zoning Map Designation

A PD district shall be noted by the designation "PD," followed by the number of the PD district based on order of adoption.

1710 Building Permits

Proposed structures or alterations must be consistent with the adopted PD Plan or Specific Plan, and the Development Plan for the issuance of building permits.

(Bold/underlined/italicized or stricken text indicates City Council adopted revisions, in effect in inland areas only. California Coastal Commission certification of a LCPA for coastal zone properties is currently pending.)

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