Title 24

Part 7B.1 — R-T(B)/PER – MOTEL RESIDENTIAL PERFORMANCE OVERLAY

Santa Cruz Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · ingested 2026-07-07 · Santa Cruz

24.10.617.1 PURPOSE.

The purpose of the Motel Residential Performance Overlay district is to establish and control uses to ensure development which protects neighborhood integrity while supporting appropriate uses. The goal of the RTB/PER District is to limit the future development of hotel or motel rooms in the district, but to allow ancillary hotel support facilities as well as additional residential development. (Ord. 2000-18 § 9 (part), 2000).

24.10.617.2 USE PERMIT REQUIREMENT.

The overlay district allows all of the uses identified in the underlying RTB zone with the exception that new motel or hotel rooms will not be allowed.

The following uses are allowed in the overlay district subject to a Special Use Permit and a Design Permit, in compliance with the Design Guidelines of the Beach and South of Laurel Comprehensive Area Plan.

a. Indoor and outdoor recreation facilities and other facilities related to existing hotel or motel facilities.

b. Bed-and-Breakfast Inns. (Ord. 2000-18 § 9 (part), 2000).

24.10.617.3 DISTRICT REGULATIONS.

  1. General.
1.
General.
Provision Dwelling Unit Type
1-Family Detached **Duplex ** **3 or More Units ** Other Uses
a.
Maximum height of buildings
• Principal buildings (feet) 30 30 36 36
• Accessory buildings (feet) 15 15 15 15
b.
Minimum lot area (net) (square feet)
5,000 5,000 8,000 8,000
c.
Minimum lot area (net) per dwelling
unit (square feet)
5,000 2,500 1,450
d.
Minimum lot width (feet)
50 50 65 65
e.
Usable open space per dwelling unit
(square feet)
400

2. Setback Requirements.

a. The minimum front yard setback shall be fifteen feet or one foot of setback for each three feet of height, or portion thereof, of a structure, whichever is greater; except that the front yard may be reduced to not less than six feet for a portion not to exceed fifty percent of the building frontage, providing that a total of ten square feet of front yard is provided for each lineal foot of total lot frontage. Such reduction of front yard depth shall not be permitted on a corner lot, within twelve feet of any side street lot line.

b. The minimum rear setback shall be ten feet, or one foot of setback for each three feet of height, or portion thereof, of a structure, whichever is greater.

c. The minimum side yard setback shall be five feet for the first story and one foot of setback for each three feet of height, or portion thereof, of structure, whichever is greater, for the second story and above.

d. There shall be no side yard required for townhouses on interior lots except there shall be a minimum side yard setback at the interior end of a townhouse group of five feet or one foot of setback for each three feet of height, or

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24.10.618

portion thereof, of a structure, whichever is greater.

e. The minimum exterior side yard setback shall be eight feet, or one foot of setback for each three feet of height, or portion thereof, of a structure, whichever is greater.

f. Minimum Distance Between Buildings on the Same Lot. Between main buildings, six feet or one foot of setback for each two feet of height of the tallest building, or portion thereof, whichever is greater; between main buildings and one-story accessory buildings, six feet; between accessory buildings, six feet; distance between accessory dwelling units and other buildings shall be consistent with standards set forth in Chapter 24.16, Part 2.

g. For any attached or detached garage or carport fronting on a front or exterior side property line, the setback shall be twenty feet from said property line.

  1. Other Requirements. Other regulations which may be applicable to site design in this zone are set forth in General Site Design Standards, Part 2, Chapter 24.12, and the Design Guidelines of the Beach and South of Laurel Comprehensive Area Plan. In addition, development on sites located within the district which fronts on West Cliff Drive shall conform to design standards governing development on West Cliff.

  2. Siting.

roof form articulation as specified within the design guidelines.

e. All required front setback areas shall be landscaped in accordance with the standards or the design guidelines.

  1. All new development adjacent to a “CON – Neighborhood Conservation District” overlay zone shall comply with Section 24.10.4060 standards for new construction on sites abutting overlay district boundaries, to ensure compatibility with the established district.

(Ord. 2024-17 § 18, 2024; Ord. 2015-11 §§ 9, 17, 2015; Ord. 2000-18 § 9 (part), 2000).