Earlier editions: 2026-09
Title 17 — ZONING ORDINANCE (1983 CODE)\
Pismo Beach Municipal Code Ch. 17.16 Special Purpose Zoning Districts
Pismo Beach Municipal Code · 2026-10 edition · updated 2026-10-03 · Pismo Beach
Cite as: Pismo Beach Municipal Code Chapter 17.16 · Text as of 2026-10-03
17.16.010 Purpose of chapter.¶
This Chapter regulates development and new land uses in the special purpose zoning districts established by Section 17.06.020 (Zoning Districts Established).
17.16.020 Purposes of special purpose zoning districts.¶
The purposes of the individual special purpose zoning districts and the manner in which they are applied are as follows.
A. OS (Open Space) District. The OS zoning district is intended for areas with significant natural resources, environmentally sensitive habitats, and/or scenic views to be protected. These areas include: hillsides, waterways, coastal and hillside view corridors, public beaches, and parks. Open space lands are not intended to be intensively developed with buildings or other structures. The OS zoning district is consistent with the open space land use classification of the general plan/local coastal plan.
B. PF (Public Facilities) District. The PF zoning district is applied to areas appropriate for public and semi-public land uses. Allowable land uses may include: parks and other public facilities, schools, public parking lots and garages, and government offices. The PF zoning district is consistent with the Public and Semipublic land use classification of the general plan/local coastal plan.
17.16.030 Special purpose district land uses and permit requirements.¶
Table 2-7 identifies the uses of land allowed by this Zoning Code in each special purpose zoning district, and the land use permit required to establish each use, in compliance with Section 17.06.040(B), (Zoning District Regulations).
Note: where the last column in the table ("See Standards in Section") includes a Section number, the regulations in the referenced section apply to the use; however, provisions in other sections of this Zoning Code may also apply.
TABLE 2-7 ALLOWED USES AND PERMIT REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIAL PURPOSE ZONING DISTRICTS
| PERMIT REQUIREMENT BY DISTRICT | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| LAND USE (1) | PF | OS | See standards in Section: |
| PERMIT REQUIREMENT BY DISTRICT | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| LAND USE (1) | PF | OS | See standards in Section: |
| RECREATION, EDUCATION & PUBLIC ASSEMBLY USES | |||
| Community centers | P | ||
| Nature preserve interpretive facilities | CUP | ||
| Parks and playgrounds | P | CUP | |
| Residential recreational facilities | P | ||
| Schools | P | ||
| RESIDENTIAL USES | |||
| Home occupations | CUP | 17.38.070 | |
| Residential accessory uses and structures | CUP | 17.38.150 | |
| Short-term rentals and homestays | P | 17.09 | |
| Single-family dwellings | CUP | ||
| SERVICE / COMMERCIAL USES | |||
| Ambulance services | CUP | ||
| Day care facilities | P | 17.38.050 | |
| Parking facilities/ |
P | ||
| Public buildings | P | ||
| Public utility or safety facilities | P | ||
| Telecommunications facilities | CUP | 17.38.040 |
KEY TO PERMIT REQUIREMENTS
| Symbol | Permit Requirement | Procedure is in Section: |
|---|---|---|
| P | Permitted use--Zoning Clearance required. (2) | 17.42.020 |
| MUP | Conditional use--Minor Use Permit required. (2) | 17.42.050 |
| CUP | Conditional use--Conditional Use Permit required. (2) | 17.42.050 |
| Use not allowed. (See 17.02.020.D regarding uses not listed.) |
Notes:
(1) See Article V for definitions of each of the land uses listed.
(2) Site Plan and Architectural Review may also be required; see Section 17.42.030.
(Ord. O-2018-007 § 3, 2018)
17.16.040 Special purpose district general development standards.¶
Subdivisions, new land uses and structures, and alterations to existing land uses and structures, shall be designed, constructed, and/or established in compliance with the requirements in Table 2-8, in addition to any other applicable requirements of this chapter, and the development standards in Article III (Site Planning and General Development Standards).
TABLE 2-8 SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICT GENERAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
| Requirement by Zoning District | ||
|---|---|---|
| Development Feature | OS | PF |
| Requirement by Zoning District | ||
|---|---|---|
| Development Feature | OS | PF |
| Minimum lot size (1) | Determined through subdivision review process | Determined through subdivision review process |
| Residential density (2) | 1 unit per parcel | N.A. |
| Setbacks required | Minimum setbacks required. See Chapter 17.22 for setback measurement, allowed projections into setbacks, and exceptions to required setbacks. | Minimum setbacks required. See Chapter 17.22 for setback measurement, allowed projections into setbacks, and exceptions to required setbacks. |
| Front | 20 ft. | 20 ft. |
| Sides (each) | Determined by Conditional Use Permit approval | Determined by Conditional Use Permit approval |
| Rear | ||
| Blufftop | 25 ft. from the top of the bluff for parcels subdivided before 1-23-81; as determined by geologic study elsewhere. See Chapter 17.32 (Ocean Fronting Development). | 25 ft. from the top of the bluff for parcels subdivided before 1-23-81; as determined by geologic study elsewhere. See Chapter 17.32 (Ocean Fronting Development). |
| Site coverage (3) (5) | Up to 60%; or 5,000 sq. ft. of the parcel, whichever is less | 80% |
| Floor Area Ratio (FAR) | 0.60, or up to 2,000 sq. ft., whichever is less | 2.0 |
| Open space (minimum) | As required by Conditional Use Permit | As required by Conditional Use Permit |
| Height limit | Maximum allowed height of structures, except where a Height Limitation (HL), or View Considerations (V) overlay district applies (Sections 17.18.040, and 17.18.060, respectively). See also Chapter 17.20 (Height Measurement and Exceptions). | Maximum allowed height of structures, except where a Height Limitation (HL), or View Considerations (V) overlay district applies (Sections 17.18.040, and 17.18.060, respectively). See also Chapter 17.20 (Height Measurement and Exceptions). |
| Residences | 15 ft. from site grade | N.A. |
| Other structures | N.A. | 25 ft. from site grade |
| Landscaping (4) | Determined by Conditional Use Permit for the approved use. | 10% of site area |
| Parking and loading | As required by Chapter 17.34 (Parking and Loading) | As required by Chapter 17.34 (Parking and Loading) |
| Signs | As required by Chapter 17.36 (Signs) | As required by Chapter 17.36 (Signs) |
Notes:
(1) Minimum area and width for parcels proposed in new subdivisions.
(2) Maximum number of dwelling units allowed for each specified unit of land. No more than sixty percent or five thousand sq. ft. of the site, whichever is less, shall be utilized for residential uses including buildings, parking, landscaping, gardening, outdoor living area, or other uses.
(3) Maximum percentage of site area that may be covered with structures. See the definition of site coverage in Article VI (Definitions).
(4) Minimum area of landscaping required, in compliance with Chapter 17.30 (Landscaping).
(5) Landscaping, in excess of the site coverage limitation, may be permitted for all open space properties located on the narrow strip of land between Shell Beach Road and Highway 101 (within the Sunset Palisades and South Palisades Planning Area) subject to the following requirements:
a. For properties where residences currently exist, the owner shall be required to obtain approval of a zone clearance for any landscaping improvements that are proposed to extend beyond the site coverage limitation.
b. A request for a landscaping square footage exception may also be applied for as part of the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) application for new single family residences in this area.
c. The landscape plan shall be designed consistent with the requirements of Chapter 17.30.
d. The landscaping shall be maintained such that it does not extend up into the view corridor of Highway 101.
e. Any application proposing an exception to the open space landscaping requirements, thru the zone clearance process, shall be noticed at least ten calendar days prior to the City's decision on the application. Notification materials shall be submitted to the City, which includes the following:
(1) One set of mailing labels with first and last names and addresses of property owners with Assessor's Parcel Numbers (APN's), for all property within three hundred feet of the subject site.
(2) One set of mailing labels made out of occupant, with Assessor's Parcel Numbers (APN's) for all property within three hundred feet of the subject site.
(Ord. O-2010-005 § 2, 2010: Ord. 03-04 § 2 (Exh. B (part)), 2003)
17.16.050 Special development standards for conditional uses in the OS district.¶
A. Purpose and Applicability. This district is intended to protect natural open space and environmentally sensitive habitats by only allowing minimal development on parcels in these areas. Examples of uses conditionally permitted include: greenbelts for the protection of scenic resources, facilities for wildlife habitat, groundwater retention basins, erosion control measures, and passive recreational uses.
B. Minimum Resource Protection Standards. Protection of sensitive resources in this district shall conform to the resource management guidelines established for siting and designing projects in an environmentally sensitive manner, as required by the California Coastal Act, Public Resources Code Sections 30233, 30236, and 30240.
C. Additional Development Standards. The following development standards apply to specific areas and land uses within the OS zoning district in addition to the provisions of Section 17.16.040 (Special Purpose District General Development Standards).
- Butterfly Habitat.
a. Limitation on Use. Development proposed at the State Park property shall not alter or remove the butterfly habitat in any manner, except where the development is intended to correct a serious threat to human life or property.
b. Setbacks. All proposed development shall be located a minimum of fifty feet from the butterfly habitat area.
Stream or Riparian Corridors. Proposed development and new land uses within stream or riparian corridors shall be subject to the criteria provided by general plan/LCP policies CO-14 and CO-21.
Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas. No development shall be allowed within an environmentally sensitive habitat area identified by the general plan/LCP.
Pismo Marsh. Any development or new land uses proposed within the Pismo Marsh area shall be subject to general plan policies CO-23 through CO-27.
Get a plain-English answer with a citation back to this text.
Ask AI about this code