Santa Barbara County Municipal Code Ch. 35.423 Residential Zones

This Chapter lists the land uses that may be allowed within the residential zones established by Section 35.404.020 (Zoning Map and Zones) that are applied to property in Montecito, determines the type of planning permit required for each land use, and provides basic standards for site layout and building size.

The purposes of the individual residential zones and the manner in which they are applied within the Montecito Community Plan area are as follows:

A. R-1/E-1 (One-Family Residential) zone. The R-1 and E-1 zones are applied to areas appropriately located for family living at a reasonable range of population densities, consistent with sound standards of public health, safety, and welfare. This zone is intended to protect the residential characteristics of an area.

B. R-2 (Two-Family Residential) zone. The R-2 zone is applied to areas appropriate for multiple residential development in the form of two-family dwellings (duplexes) and to maintain a residential character similar to that of one-family neighborhoods. This zone is intended to ensure the compatibility of duplex development with surrounding multiple and one-family dwellings and neighborhoods.

C. DR (Design Residential) zone. The DR zone is applied to areas appropriate for one-family, two-family and multi-family dwellings. This zone is intended to ensure comprehensively planned and well-designed residential development, while allowing flexibility and encouraging innovation and diverse design, and encouraging clustering of structures to preserve significant natural, scenic, and cultural resources of a site.

D. PRD (Planned Residential Development) zone. The PRD zone ensures the comprehensively planned development of large acreage within designated Urban areas that are intended primarily for residential use. The intent of this zone is to:

1. Promote flexibility and innovative design of residential development, to provide desirable aesthetic and efficient use of space and to preserve significant natural, scenic, and cultural resources of a site;

2. Encourage clustering of structures to preserve open space;

3. Allow for a diversity of housing types; and

4. Provide recreational opportunities for use by both the residents of the site and the public.

(Ord. No. 5277, § 5, 1-27-2026)

A. General permit requirements. Table 2-4 (Allowed Land Uses and Permit Requirements for the Residential Zones) identify the uses of land allowed by this Development Code in each residential zone, and the planning permit required to establish each use, in compliance with Section 35.420.030 (Allowable Development and Planning Permit Requirements).

B. Requirements for certain specific land uses. Where the last column ("Specific Use Regulations") in the tables includes a Section number, the referenced Section may affect whether the use requires a Land Use Permit, Development Plan, or Conditional Use Permit and/or may establish other requirements and standards applicable to the use.

C. Development Plan approval required. Except as provided below, Development Plan approval in compliance with Section 35.472.080 (Development Plans) is required as follows:

1. R-1/E-1 and R-2 zones. Development Plan approval is required for a structure that is not otherwise required by this Development Code to have discretionary permit approval, and is 20,000 or more square feet in gross floor area, or is an attached or detached addition that together with existing structures on the same lot will total 20,000 square feet or more in gross floor area.

2. DR zone. Development Plan approval is required for all development, including grading, except for one, one-family dwelling and its accessory uses and structures on a single lot unless required in compliance with Subsection C.1 above.

a. Such one-family dwellings, including those subject to Subsection C.1 above, shall be developed in compliance with the development standards applicable to the R-1/E-1 zone provided in Section 35.423.050 (Residential Zones Development Standards).

3. PRD zone. Development Plan approval is required for all development, including grading.

D. Design Review required. Design Review may be also required prior to the approval of a planning permit for a structure, or an addition to or an alteration of, an existing structure in compliance with Section 35.472.070 (Design Review).

E. Accessory structures and uses. Each use allowed by Table 2-4 (Allowed Land Uses and Permit Requirements for Residential Zones) may include accessory structures and uses that are customarily incidental to the primary use, provided that the uses and structures are in compliance with all applicable requirements of this Development Code, including standards for specific uses and structures in Chapter 35.442 (Standards for Specific Land Uses).

Key to Zone Symbols

Notes:

(1) See Division 35.10 (Glossary) for land use definitions.

(2) Non-commercial only.

Key to Zone Symbols

Notes:

(1) See Division 35,10 (Glossary) for land use definitions.

(2) Limited to student housing facilities located in an area where such facilities are to be used by students of a permitted educational facility.

(3) A change of use to a large or small family day care home, serving children, is exempt from zoning permits. An application to construct a new structure to be used as a large or small family day care home, serving children, is subject to the same standards and permit requirements as a proposal to construct a residential structure in the same zone.

(4) Day care centers serving up to and including fifty (50) children may be permitted with a Land Use Permit in compliance with Section 35.472.110 (Land Use Permits).

Key to Zone Symbols

Notes:

(1) See Division 35.10 (Glossary) for land use definitions.

(2) Shall comply with the requirements of the PU zone; see Table 2-11 (Special Purpose Zones Development Standards) and Section 35.425.050 (PU Zone Standards).

(3) Does not include electrical transmission lines outside the jurisdiction of the County.

(4) Not applicable to facilities constructed by the County.

(5) May include paramedic services associated with a fire station.

(Ord. No. 5169, § 3, 11-29-2022; Ord. No. 5203, § 2, 2-13-2024; Ord. No. 5277, § 5, 1-27-2026)

A. Minimum lot size.

1. Minimum area and width. Each lot in a proposed subdivision shall comply with the minimum lot area and width requirements in Table 2-5 (Minimum Lot Size). Area requirements are gross or net as noted; minimum lot widths are gross or net, as noted.

2. Minimum depth. Minimum lot depth shall be determined by the review authority through the subdivision approval process.

Table 2-5 - Minimum Lot Size

Notes:

(1) The DR zoning map symbol is accompanied by a number that specifies the allowable number of units per gross acre, see Table 2-7 (DR Zone Maximum Density).

(Ord. No. 5277, § 5, 1-27-2026)

A. General development standards. Development within the residential zones shall be designed, constructed, and established in compliance with the requirements in Table 2-6 (Residential Zone Development Standards) and all applicable standards in Division 35.3 through Division 35.6 of this Development Code.

Table 2-6 - Residential Zone Development Standards

Table 2-6 - Residential Zone Development Standards - Continued

B. Accessory storage of materials. Storage accessory to the principal structure or use on the site on which the storage is located is subject to the following standards. A Land Use Permit in compliance with Section 35.472.110 (Land Use Permits) is not required to establish accessory storage except when 1) this Subsection B requires a permit for a specific type of storage, or 2) the storage involves construction of a new structure or alteration of an existing structure that is not exempt from a planning permit in compliance with Section 35.420.040 (Exemptions from Planning Permit Requirements), or 3) the accessory storage in not in compliance with Section 35.420.040 (Exemptions from Planning Permit Requirements). However, other permits may be required in compliance with Chapter 17 (Solid Waste Services), Chapter 19 (Junk Yards and Dumps) and Chapter 23 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic) of the County Code. Nothing in this Subsection 35.423.050.B shall be construed as preventing the enforcement or implementation of the provisions of Chapter 17 (Solid Waste Services), Chapter 19 (Junk Yards and Dumps) and Chapter 23 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic) of the County Code.

1. Building materials and equipment used in a construction project.

a. The following storage of building materials and equipment used in a construction project is allowed on residentially zoned lots. Storage of building materials and equipment include stockpiles of construction materials, tools, equipment, and building components assembly operations.

(1) Same or adjacent lot. The storage of building materials and equipment used in a construction project on the same lot on which the construction is occurring or on a lot adjacent to the lot on which the construction is occurring provided:

(a) There is a valid building permit or planning permit in effect for the construction project; and

(b) When storage is proposed on a lot adjacent to the lot on which the construction is occurring, the planning permit application for the construction project shall also include the adjacent lot and shall describe the storage proposed to occur on the adjacent lot.

(2) Construction related to an approved Development Plan. The storage of building materials and equipment used in a construction project where concurrent development is occurring on several lots at the same time in compliance with an approved Development Plan or other planning permit or building permit that allows construction activities to occur on several lots that are proximate to one another.

b. The storage of building materials and equipment not allowed by Subsection B.1.a, above, or B.2, below, is considered a Contractor Equipment Storage Yard which is not allowed in residential zones.

2. Outdoor storage of miscellaneous materials. The storage of miscellaneous materials including articles, building materials not associated with the construction of a structure for which there is an valid planning or building permit), equipment, junk, motor vehicle parts, scrap or tools outside of a fully enclosed or fully screened structure is subject to the following requirements.

a. Area occupied by stored materials.

(1) Stored materials shall be limited to the following maximum area, based upon the lot area of the lot.

(2) No more than 100 square feet of the maximum allowed area of storage shown in the table above may be devoted to the storage of junk, including scrap material, salvage material or used material held for recycling, reuse or resale.

b. Maximum height of stored materials. Five feet.

c. Screening required. Except for stacked, cut firewood for on-site domestic use only, the outdoor storage of miscellaneous materials shall be enclosed within a six-foot high solid wood fence or masonry wall. The fence or wall shall be located in close proximity to the materials being stored so as to effectively screen the storage area.

d. Location of storage. Storage of miscellaneous materials shall not be located within required front setback or side setback areas in compliance with Section 35.423.050 (Residential Zones Development Standards).

e. Modification of standards allowed with a Conditional Use Permit. The storage of miscellaneous materials that does not comply with the standards contained in Subsection a. through d. of Subsection B.2, above, may be allowed in compliance with a Conditional Use Permit approved in compliance with Section 35.472.060 (Conditional Use Permits).

f. Noncompliance deemed a violation of this Development Code. As of June 1, 2012, storage of miscellaneous materials that does not comply with the standards contained in Subsections a. through d. of Subsection B.2, above, or is not allowed by a Conditional Use Permit approved in compliance with Section 35.472.060 (Conditional Use Permits) as allowed by Subsection B.2.e, above, shall be considered a violation of this Development Code and subject to enforcement and penalties in compliance with Chapter 35.498 (Enforcement and Penalties).

C. Motor vehicle assembly, dismantling, maintenance, repair, restoration, etc. The assembling, disassembling, modifying, repairing, restoration, servicing, wrecking or otherwise working (hereinafter referred to as "work" within the meaning of this Subsection C) on a motor vehicle is allowed only in compliance with the following standards. This Subsection C. shall not apply to occasional minor maintenance such as changing belts, hoses, oil and spark plugs. Nothing in this Subsection C shall be construed as preventing the enforcement or implementation of the provisions of Chapter 17 (Solid Waste Services) or Chapter 19 (Junk Yards and Dumps) or Chapter 23 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic) of the County Code.

1. Work is restricted to vehicles that are registered with the California Department of Motor Vehicles to a person residing on the lot on which the work occurs. Residing on a lot does not include transient occupancies where the occupancy is for a period of less than 30 days.

2. Vehicle dismantling shall not occur outside of a fully enclosed or fully screened structure and such vehicles shall not be kept, parked or stored outside of a fully enclosed or fully screened structure or on parking spaces required in compliance with Section 35.436.050 (Required Number of Spaces: Residential Uses).

3. Any storage of vehicle parts located outside of a fully enclosed or fully screened structure shall be in compliance with Subsection B (Accessory storage of materials), above, and shall not be located on parking spaces required in compliance with Section 35.436.050 (Required Number of Spaces: Residential Uses).

4. Work associated with the preparation for sale of vehicles or vehicle parts for sale is not allowed.

5. Modifications to standards allowed with a Conditional Use Permit. Work that does not comply with the standards contained in Subsections C.1 through C.4, above, may be allowed in compliance with a Conditional Use Permit approved in compliance with Section 35.472.060 (Conditional Use Permits).

6. Noncompliance deemed a violation of this Development Code. As of June 1, 2012, any motor vehicle assembly, dismantling, maintenance, repair, restoration, etc that does not comply with the standards contained in Subsections C.1 through C.4, above, or is not allowed by a Conditional Use Permit approved in compliance with Section 35.472.060 (Conditional Use Permits) as allowed by Subsection C.5, above, shall be considered a violation of this Development Code and subject to enforcement and penalties in compliance with Chapter 35.498 (Enforcement and Penalties).

(Ord. No. 5277, § 5, 1-27-2026)

Proposed development and new land uses within the DR zone shall comply with the following standards, in addition to those in Section 35.423.050 (Residential Zones Development Standards).

A. Maximum density. The number of dwelling units on a lot shall not exceed the maximum specified by Table 2-7 (DR Zone Maximum Density) for each DR zoning designation shown in Table 2-7 (DR Zone Maximum Density).

Table 2-7 - DR Zone Maximum Density

B. Open space. Open space, unoccupied by main or accessory structures not directly related to the open space amenities, storage, parking areas, public or private streets, driveways, and loading areas, shall be provided in accordance with the following standards.

1. Minimum amount of open space. A minimum of 300 square feet of open space shall be provided per dwelling unit. The required open space shall be provided as common or private open space in conformance with the standards of this section.

2. Configuration.

a. Private Open Space. Private open space typically consists of balconies, decks, patios, yards, and other similar areas outside the residential unit that are exclusively used by occupants of the specific unit and their guests.

b. Common Open Space. Common open space typically consists of recreational areas, landscaped areas, patios, swimming pools, barbeque areas, playgrounds, turf, or other such improvements as are appropriate to enhance the outdoor environment of the development and may be used by all occupants of the development.

3. Minimum Dimensions.

a. Private Open Space.

(1) Ground Level. Private open space located on the ground level (e.g., yards, decks, patios) shall be a minimum of eight feet in length and eight feet in width.

(2) Above Ground Level. Private open space located above ground level (e.g., balconies) shall be a minimum of six feet in length and six feet in width.

b. Common Open Space. Common open space areas shall be a minimum of 15 feet in length and 15 feet in width, and must include at least one area of a minimum of 50 feet in length and 50 feet in width. The minimum dimensions must be uninterrupted by walkways with the primary purpose of providing access to and between buildings, parking areas, or other site features.

4. Usability. A surface shall be provided that allows convenient use for outdoor living and/or recreation. Such surface may be any practicable combination of lawn, garden, flagstone, wood planking, concrete, or other serviceable surfacing. Slope shall not exceed 10 percent.

5. Accessibility.

a. Private Open Space. The space shall be accessible to only the individual residential unit it serves and shall be accessible by a doorway to a habitable room or hallway.

b. Common Open Space. The space shall be accessible to all dwelling units within the development.

C. Title to open space area. Title to the common open space, common recreational facilities, common parking areas, and private streets shall be held by a non-profit association of all homeowners within the project area, or any other individual or entity on such reasonable terms and conditions as the Director may prescribe to ensure the preservation and maintenance of common areas. The reasonable terms and conditions may include restricting the rights to develop the property to the uses described in the approved Development Plan for the project. The preservation and maintenance of all common open space, common recreational facilities, common parking areas, and private streets shall be the obligation of the individual or entity holding title to these areas.

(Ord. No. 5277, § 5, 1-27-2026)

Proposed development and new land uses within the PRD zone shall comply with the following standards, in addition to those in Section 35.423.050 (Residential Zones Development Standards).

A. Minimum zone area. Rezoning to apply the PRD zone shall require that the site shall be a minimum of one acre provided that this minimum land area is adequate to meet the requirements of the PRD zone.

B. Development Standards. Except as specifically approved in the Development Plan, development shall comply with the development standards for the DR Zone in Section 35.423.060 (DR Zone Standards). Standards related to density in Section 35.423.060.A (Maximum Density) do not apply as the maximum allowed density in the PRD Zone is as specified in the Land Use Element.

C. Requirements of the Comprehensive Plan. Additional site specific requirements for property designated for Planned Development (PD) on the Land Use Element Maps may be set forth in the text of the Comprehensive Plan.

D. Streets. Streets may be public or private; provided that all private streets shall be constructed to County standards, and adequate provisions shall be made in the codes, covenants and restrictions to ensure the adequate maintenance of private streets. The standards for any onsite improvements (streets, walks, drainage, and utilities) may be modified for a planned residential development by the County upon recommendation from the Public Works Department. Street design shall relate to the function of the street and, particularly in hillside areas where no on-street parking is necessary or permitted, street widths may be reduced. Innovation in street and walkway design, the use of cul-de-sacs and loop streets, and reduction of grading for streets is encouraged. Vehicular access to individual lots or units shall generally be only from project streets.

E. Homeowners' Association. At the time of submittal of a Development Plan, the applicant shall file a description of the proposed organization of the Homeowners' Association including conditions, covenants, and restrictions that will govern the Association. The description shall include the following provisions:

1. The Homeowners' Association shall be established before the homes are sold;

2. Membership shall be mandatory for each home buyer and any successive buyer;

3. The Association shall be responsible for liability insurance, property taxes, and maintenance of common open space and recreational and other common facilities;

4. Homeowners shall pay their pro rata share of all costs of the Association and the assessment levied by the Association can become a lien on the property; and

5. The Association shall be able to adjust the assessment to meet changed needs.

(Ord. No. 5277, § 5, 1-27-2026)