Article 28 — EQ Equestrian Overlay District (Inland)

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

Sections:

  • 2801 Specific Purposes 2802 Applicability 2803 Zoning Map Designator 2804 Allowable Modifications to Development Standards 2805 Land Use Regulations 2806 Development Regulations 2807 Project Review 2808 Alteration of Standards to Permit Development Consistent with General Plan

2801 Specific Purposes

The specific purposes of the EQ Equestrian Overlay District are to:

  • A. Provide for recreational opportunities by establishing an equestrian trail network around Guajome Regional Park and the San Luis Rey River within the Guajome Neighborhood Planning Area.

  • B. Provide appropriate design standards and criteria for the keeping and protection of horses on private property.

  • C. Create, enhance, and protect the equestrian and rural atmosphere within the overlay area by integrating open space areas and urban areas with horse trails.

  • D. Achieve a visually pleasing and compatible relationship between buildings and accessory structures, horse trails, open space and planting areas, and the natural environment by providing appropriate buffers between equestrian and non-equestrian uses.

2802 Applicability

This Article shall apply to all development projects except as otherwise provided for in this Section.

  • A. Exemptions for Existing Developed Residential Lots. Alterations, enlargements or replacement of legally existing structures or construction of additional permitted structures on parcels legally existing and held in single ownership on the effective date of the ordinance adopting this Article shall be exempt from this District, provided all other base district regulations are met, and further provided that no structure shall be

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sited in such a way as to preclude the establishment of a horse yard area on an adjoining lot.

  • B. Exemption for certain lawfully existing undeveloped parcels. Notwithstanding anything in this Article to the contrary, building permits for single family residential structures and permitted accessory structures on undeveloped lots legally existing on the effective date of the ordinance adopting this Article may be issued without compliance with the provisions of this Article except for the provisions relating to dedication of trails and further provided that if three or more contiguous undeveloped lots have common ownership then before the issuance of any building permits for any of those lots, the owner shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the City Planner, or Planning Commission on appeal, that sixty percent of the lots will be developed in compliance with the development regulations of this article and all lots comply with the requirements for trails.

  • C. Commercial Developments. Commercial developments permitted by the underlying zoning may be approved subject only to requirements for provision of trails established by this Article.

2803 Zoning Map Designator

Adoption of an EQ Overlay District shall be by amendment to the Zoning Map. The EQ Overlay District may be combined with any underlying base district. The EQ District boundaries shall be shown on the Zoning Map by adding the designator "EQ" to the base district designation.

2804 Allowable Modifications to Development Standards

Development regulations of the underlying base district shall be modified by the designation of an EQ Overlay District to accomplish the stated purposes of the EQ Overlay. Where conflict occurs between the provisions of the EQ Overlay District and base district regulations or any other section of the Zoning Ordinance, the EQ Overlay District shall control.

2805 Land Use Regulations

Land use regulations shall be those of the base district with which the EQ Overlay District is combined, unless modified by the EQ Overlay District. The following permitted animal and related uses shall apply and shall govern where conflicts arise with other sections of the Zoning Ordinance:

  • A. A maximum of two (2) horses are allowed for each residential lot containing a minimum of seventy-two hundred (7,200) square feet of useable horse yard area. One additional horse is allowed for each thirty-six hundred (3,600) square feet of useable

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horse yard area, not to exceed a maximum of four (4) horses per lot, unless a Conditional Use Permit is approved by the City Planner to exceed four (4) horses.

  • B. Accessory structures, including barns, sheds, corrals or other similar structures are permitted, provided that all requirements of the underlying base district and this Article as to location are met, except accessory structures for equestrian use may maintain a zero rear-yard setback, but also must maintain all other yard requirements (corner sideyard, front-yard and corner-clear zone).

2806 Development Regulations

Development regulations shall be those of the base district with which the EQ Overlay District is combined, unless modified by the EQ Overlay in which case the EQ Overlay shall apply. The following additional review criteria and regulations shall apply and shall govern where conflicts arise.

  • A. All residential development projects shall be required to demonstrate that a minimum of eighty-five (85) percent of the total number of lots are in compliance with the development standards of the EQ Overlay District, unless the development project qualified for an exemption under Section 2802 B or C. The complying lots shall be shown on the tentative map and specifically designated on the final map.

sidential development projects shall be required to demonstrate that a minimum of eighty-five (85) percent of the total number of lots are in compliance with the development standards of the EQ Overlay District, unless the development project qualified for an exemption under Section 2802 B or C. The complying lots shall be shown on the tentative map and specifically designated on the final map.

  • B. Minimum Horse Yard Area. Each residential lot within the "EQ" Overlay District shall have a minimum required horse yard area for the stabling and servicing of two (2) horses consisting of seventy-two hundred (7200) square feet of useable area. Useable area for horse yards shall be defined as an area with no slopes greater than 10 to 1. Residential projects shall demonstrate that the horse yard is able to site the following horse facilities exclusive of side and rear yard setbacks. Vehicular access (Section 2806 B.5) shall be allowed to utilize required setback areas.

    1. A minimum of two (2) 24 foot by 24 foot pens.

    2. A minimum area of 150 square feet for hay and tack storage.

    3. A minimum area of 250 square feet for waste storage.

    4. A minimum 50 foot diameter lunge (exercise) area.

    5. Vehicular access for hay delivery and horse trailers.

  • C. Projects with a base district designator of RS or RM may provide 2,500 square feet of common useable open space per unit for equestrian use or facilities as an alternative to providing a minimum horse yard area on each individual lot as required in Section

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2806(B).

  • D. Equestrian Trails. All lots within a subdivision shall provide public equestrian trails a minimum of ten (10) feet in width, in accordance with the following standards:

    1. Trails shall be designed in accordance with the City Engineering Design Manual. Trails shall be a minimum of eight (8") inches thick D.G. or turf acceptable by the City Engineer, a minimum of seven (7) feet in width, on both sides of all streets, with fencing on both sides of the horse trail. The remaining parkway shall be adjacent to the six-inch curb. All trails shall continue across driveways with threequarter (3/4) inch crushed rock, 4 inches in depth or turf acceptable by the City Engineer. Rear trail access may be substituted for trails in front of the lots, where feasible, subject to the approval of the City Planner.

    2. Fencing design details shall be depicted on landscape plans with the maximum height not to exceed forty-two (42") inches. Fencing shall be constructed of wood or other materials consistent in appearance to wood. Materials shall be specified on the landscape plans, subject to the approval of the Planning Commission. A four (4') foot wide break in the fencing adjacent to a street shall be required for all lineal distances in excess of 150 feet and at all corners.

    3. Maintenance of trails and fencing shall be performed by a homeowners' association or other acceptable means.

  1. Warning signs shall be required on trails to warn trail users of hazardous conditions on the trail, and to warn motorists of locations where a trail crosses a roadway. Signing on trails/roadways shall be placed far enough in advance of the hazard that the trail user/motorist has time to slow down and maneuver.

  • E. Ratio of Lot Depth to Lot Width. The ratio of lot depth to lot width shall be allowed to exceed 2.5:1 within the EQ Overlay District to allow for additional lot depth for corrals, stables, and other similar structures.

  • F. Locational Requirements. No horse shall be stabled within forty (40) feet of any window or door of any on or off-site building used for human habitation. Additionally, all structures, including barns and stables, shall comply with the setback requirements of the base zoning district. Corrals shall maintain a minimum side and rear yard setback of five (5) feet and a front yard setback of twenty-five (25) feet.

  • G. Siting of Residential Structures. A fully dimensioned site plan depicting all adjacent lots and existing structures is required of all proposed residential structures and additions demonstrating compliance with the locational requirements of the EQ Overlay District. Structures shall not be sited in such a way as to preclude a horse from being

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located on a lot.

  • H. Architectural Compatibility. Primary exterior material shall be brick, stone, exterior cement (stucco), concrete or wood, and all exterior building finishes shall be painted in colors that are compatible with the surrounding structures and landscape. Architectural styles should be reflective of the country and rural atmosphere of the area and surrounding development.

  • I. Buffer Requirement. All projects within the EQ Overlay District shall be required to maintain a minimum buffer of thirty (30) feet, exclusive of rear or side yard setback, in the form of a trail, street, or open space easement where the project abuts nonequestrian, residential properties.

2807 Project Review

All development projects within the EQ District requiring the approval of the Planning Commission or the City Planner shall be reviewed for compliance with the design criteria and development regulations of this Article. Prior to the issuance of a building permit for any structure within the EQ District, the City Planner shall determine whether the structure conforms with the requirements of this Article or is exempt from compliance.

2808 Alteration of Standards to Permit Development Consistent with General Plan.

If upon review of a properly submitted application for development of property within the EQ District, it becomes apparent that strict application of the design criteria and development standards of this Article, either alone or in conjunction with the design criteria and development standards of any other Article of the Zoning Ordinance, may preclude development at or near the base density consistent with the provisions of the Oceanside General Plan, the Planning Commission, or City Council on appeal or call for review, after a public hearing, may grant one or more exceptions or alterations to the design criteria or development standards of this Article, or such other Article which acting in conjunction with this Article creates the development preclusion, to the extent necessary to permit development at a density consistent with the General Plan, and further provided that the general and specific purposes of this Article are achieved. When applying the provisions of this section to a development project, the determination of whether development at or near the base density consistent with the General Plan may be precluded shall be based upon a consideration of the entirety of all adjacent property owned in whole or in part by the applicant and located within the boundaries of the EQ District.

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