Chapter 17.14 — R-3 RESIDENTIAL HIGH DENSITY DISTRICT

The R-3 district is designated in certain areas primarily for high-density residential uses of a multiple dwelling nature and the community services appurtenant thereto. The regulations for this district are designated to stabilize and protect the essential characteristics of the district, to promote and encourage, insofar as compatible with the intensity of land use, a suitable environment for family life.

(Prior code Appendix B § 404(A); Ord. 001-2024, 2/20/2024)

Uses permitted are as follows:

• A. Single-family dwellings or mobilehomes which meet the definition of a single-family dwelling stated in Section 17.02.040, but not including tents or recreational vehicles;

• B. Duplexes, triplexes;

• C. Multiple dwellings, dwelling groups, rooming and boarding houses, lodges, clubs, rest homes;

• D. Accessory dwelling units;

• E. Home occupation (Section 17.44.040);

• F. Building and uses clearly accessory or incidental to any permitted use;

• G. Adult day care homes;

• H. Employee housing (agricultural) that complies with California Health and Safety Code Sections 17008, 17021.5, and the other applicable provisions of the Employee Housing Act of California Health and Safety Code Section17000 et seq.;

• I. Family day care home;

• J. Residential care facility, small;

• K. Residential care facility, large;

• L. Supportive housing (Section 17.44.180);

• M. Transitional housing (Section 17.44.180). (Prior code Appendix B § 404(B); Ord. 589 § 2, 2002; Ord. 009-2015 § 2; Ord. 011-2018 § 3; Ord. 007-2020 § 4; Ord. 001-2024, 2/20/2024)

Uses permitted, provided the conditions for a use permit as set forth in Section 17.66.070 are fulfilled:

• A. Lodges, fraternal organizations and clubs, except those operated as a business for profit;

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City of Rio Vista, CA § 17.14.030

RIO VISTA CODE

§ 17.14.060

• B. Automobile parking lots when appurtenant to any permitted use in the district, or when adjacent to any C or M district;

• C. Nursing home, rest home;

• D. Park, playground, museum;

• E. Commercial recreation facilities as indicated on general plan map;

• F. Mobilehome parks;

• G. Public and semi-public buildings, including, but not limited to, fire stations, schools, churches, libraries, hospitals, community and civic centers;

• H. Convalescent and other 24-hour care facilities;

• I. Nursery school, pre-school, and day care center. (Prior code Appendix B § 404(C); Ord. 589 § 2, 2002; Ord. 001-2024, 2/20/2024)

• A. One and one-half parking spaces per dwelling unit shall be provided. When the computation determining the number of required parking spaces results in requirements of a fractional space, any fraction shall require one additional parking space.

• B. Parking spaces located between the principle building(s) and the fronting street shall be covered and shall be designed and situated as to preclude unrestricted view of the vehicles from the street or fully enclosed.

• C. Parking spaces not visible from the fronting street shall be screened from the view of the surrounding residential properties as provided in Section 17.44.120.

• D. Screening required in subsections B and C of this section shall consist of fences, shrubs, and/or bushes whose normal growth is not less than about five feet in height.

• (Prior code Appendix B § 404(D); Ord. 001-2024, 2/20/2024; Ord. 018-2025, 7/15/2025)

Maximum building height: main building: 35 feet; accessory buildings: 15 feet. (Prior code Appendix B § 404(E); Ord. 001-2024, 2/20/2024)

Minimum footage:

• A. Corner Lots. Average width: 70 feet; minimum width at front property line: 50 feet, except that on a cul-de-sac street or irregular lots, minimum width at the front property line shall be 35 feet on the bulb end, or irregular front of street.

• B. Interior Lots. Average width: 60 feet; minimum width at front property line: 50 feet, except that on a cul-de-sac street, or irregular lots, minimum width at the front property line shall be 35 feet on the bulb end, or irregular front of street.

• C. Lot Proportion.

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City of Rio Vista, CA

ZONING

§ 17.14.060

§ 17.14.100

1. Average depth: 90 feet.

2. Maximum ratio lot depth to lot width: 2 1/2: 1. In determining the minimum lot area, all public utility transmission line easements shall be excluded for the purpose of computing land areas, even though such easements are included in the subdivision design.

(Prior code Appendix B § 404(F); Ord. 001-2024, 2/20/2024; Ord. 018-2025, 7/15/2025)

Minimum yards:

• A. Front yard: 15 feet.

• B. Side yard: a total of 20 feet with a minimum of five feet on any one side.

• C. Rear yard: 15 feet.

(Prior code Appendix B § 404(H); Ord. 001-2024, 2/20/2024)

• A. In case the buildings of the group are so located on the lot that the rear of the building which faces the street is faced by the front of a building to the rear (i.e., in a front to back series) no such building shall be closer than 25 feet to any other building and the side yard providing access shall not be less than 10 feet.

• B. In case the buildings of the group are so located on the lot that the rears thereof abut upon one side yard and the fronts thereof abut upon the other side yard (i.e., in a single row side to side series), the side yard providing access shall have a width of not less than 15 feet.

• C. In case the buildings of a group are so located on the lot that the rears thereof abut upon each side yard and the fronts thereof face a court, (i.e., in a double row side to side series) the court shall have a width of not less than 25 feet.

• D. In no case shall any separate buildings of the group be closer to any other building of the group than a distance of 12 feet.

• E. No building in any group shall be so located on the lot that the rear thereof abuts on any street line.

• F. Distances required between buildings on the same lot and as yards and courts for dwelling groups shall be increased by two feet for each story that the height of any building or dwelling group exceeds two stories.

(Prior code Appendix B § 404(I); Ord. 001-2024, 2/20/2024)

Maximum permitted lot coverage by all structures: 60%. (Prior code Appendix B § 404(J); Ord. 001-2024, 2/20/2024)

Site and architectural approval pursuant to Chapter 17.60 shall be required for all new structures

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City of Rio Vista, CA

RIO VISTA CODE

§ 17.14.100

§ 17.14.120

and exterior improvements to existing structures. (Prior code Appendix B § 404(K); Ord. 628 § 1, 2007; Ord. 001-2024, 2/20/2024)

The relationship to abutting alley shall be as provided by Section 17.12.120, R-2 district. (Prior code Appendix B § 404(L); Ord. 001-2024, 2/20/2024)

Minimum landscape requirements shall be as provided by Section 17.44.130. (Prior code Appendix B § 404(M); Ord. 001-2024, 2/20/2024)

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City of Rio Vista, CA