Chapter 9.14 — OCEANFRONT DISTRICT

The purposes of the "Oceanfront" District are to:

• A. Maintain and enhance the beach area as an important visitor-serving destination with lodging, restaurants, shopping, and recreation that support it as a regional, national, and international tourist destination.

• B. Preserve the unique scale, character, and uses along the Ocean Front Walk and on the Santa Monica Pier.

• C. Protect the existing residential mix in the area while providing for coastal-related, lodging, dining, recreation, and shopping needs of tourists and others in the oceanfront area. Conditionally permit other uses such as office, new residential, and cultural uses.

• D. Avoid the deleterious effects of uncontrolled growth and preserve the unique and diverse character of the Santa Monica oceanfront by limiting the proliferation of excessive hotel, motel, and large restaurant development in the oceanfront area.

(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§ 1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015)

Table 9.14.020 prescribes the land use regulations for the Oceanfront District. The regulations for each district are established by letter designations listed below. These designations apply strictly to the permissibility of land uses; applications for buildings or structures may require discretionary review.

"P" designates permitted uses. Uses not listed in Table 9.14.020 may be permitted upon a determination by the Director, or designee, that the use is similar to, and not more intrusive or disruptive than, uses permitted in the District. Factors to be considered in making this determination shall include, but are not limited to, maximum parking requirements, operational characteristics, and prior determinations on similar uses.

"L(#)" designates limited uses, which are permitted by right, provided they comply with specific limitations listed at the end of the table. "CUP" designates use classifications that are permitted after review and approval of a Conditional Use Permit.

"MUP" designates use classifications that are permitted after review and approval of a Minor Use Permit. " — " designates uses that are not permitted.

Land uses are defined in Chapter 9.51 , Use Classifications. Use classifications and sub-classifications not listed in the table are prohibited. Accessory uses are permissible when they are determined by the Zoning Administrator to be necessary and customarily associated with and appropriate, incidental, and subordinate to, the principal uses and which are consistent and not more disturbing or disruptive than permitted uses. The table also notes additional use regulations that apply to various uses. Section numbers in the right-hand column refer to other sections of this Article.

(click here to view the full table)

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Specific Limitations:

• (1) Limited to theaters for live performances.

• (2) Existing large-scale commercial, entertainment, and recreation facilities existing as of the date of the ordinance codified in this Section, are permitted. Any new large-scale commercial, entertainment, and recreation facilities require approval of a Conditional Use Permit.

• (3) Bars and nightclubs are only permitted on the Pier, on Oceanfront Walk, and within hotels.

• (4) Limited to establishments with no more than 2,500 sq. ft. of floor area.

• (5) Office uses on the ground floor street frontage may not exceed 25% of the parcel width or 1,000 sq. ft. whichever is less.

• (6) Permitted if all objective planning standards set forth in Government Code Section 65914.900 are met.

• (7) Permitted by-right with approval of an alcohol exemption permit in compliance with Section 9.31.040 . Otherwise, an MUP is required.

(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§ 1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015; amended by Ord. No. 2536CCS § 20, adopted February 28, 2017; Ord. No. 2606CCS § 7, adopted April 9, 2019; Ord. No. 2649CCS § 18, adopted September 8, 2020; Ord. No. 2726CCS § 7, adopted October 25, 2022; Ord. No. 2742CCS § 2, adopted April 11, 2023; Ord. No. 2792CCS, October 8, 2024; Ord. No. 2814CCS, May 27, 2025; Ord. No. 2829CCS, September 30, 2025; Ord. No. 2850CCS, March 10, 2026)

Table 9.14.030 prescribes the development standards for the Oceanfront District. Additional regulations are denoted with Section numbers in the right-hand column or with individual letters in parentheses. Section numbers refer to other Sections of this Article, while individual letters in parentheses refer to subsections that directly follow the table.

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• A. Pedestrian-Oriented Design. New development shall incorporate the following design elements into the street-facing facades at the ground floor level:

  1. Articulated facades at the ground floor street frontage, which may include, but not necessarily require, such measures as indentation in plane, change of materials in a complimentary manner, sensitive composition and juxtaposition of openings and solid wall and/or building frame and projecting elements such as awnings and marquees to provide shade and shelter.

  2. Ground-Floor Street Frontages. The finished ground floor level shall not exceed 18 inches lower or higher than the finished grade of the adjacent sidewalk.

  3. Sloped Ground-Floor Street Frontages. On parcels with a grade change of 10% or more along the length of the parcel line adjacent to a street frontage, the finished ground floor level shall not exceed 18 inches lower or 3 feet higher than the finished grade of the adjacent sidewalk.

  4. Alternatives to the requirements of this Section 9.14.030(A) may be approved if the Review Authority finds that the proposed use has unique operational characteristics with which providing the required windows and openings is incompatible, and street-facing building walls will exhibit architectural relief and detail and be enhanced with landscaping in such a way as to create visual interest at the pedestrian level.

• B. Build-To Line, Nonresidential Uses. Except on Pacific Coast Highway between northern City limits and Santa Monica Pier, buildings with nonresidential uses on the ground floor shall be constructed no farther than 10 feet from the street facing parcel line(s) for 70% of linear street frontage. This requirement may be waived or modified subject to a discretionary approval upon finding that:

  1. Entry courtyards, plazas, entries, outdoor eating and display areas, or other uncovered areas designed and accessible for public use are located between the build-to line and building, provided that the buildings are built to the edge of the courtyard, plaza, or dining area; and

2. The building incorporates an alternative entrance design that creates a welcoming entry feature facing the street.

• C. Exterior Lighting. Exterior lighting should provide for a secure nighttime pedestrian environment by reinforcing entrances, public sidewalks and open areas with a safe level of illumination which avoids off-site glare.

• D. Side Setback. The side setback shall be determined in accordance with the following formula, except for parcels of less than 50 feet in width for which the side setback shall be 10% of the parcel width but not less than four feet:

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For parcels located along the Pacific Coast Highway between the Santa Monica Pier and the north City limits, at least 25% of the side elevation above 14 feet in height shall provide an additional 4-foot average setback from the minimum side setback.

• E. Daylight Plane Adjacent to Residential Uses. Buildings shall not extend above a plane starting at 30 feet in height directly above the parcel line abutting any residentially-zoned parcel in residential use, or where there is an alley, the centerline of the alley, and from that point, extending in at a 45-degree angle from vertical toward the interior of the site. The 30-foot height measurement shall be taken from the same reference grade as determined for the subject site pursuant to Section 9.04.050 .

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FIGURE 9.14.030.FE: DAYLIGHT PLANE ADJACENT TO RESIDENTIAL USES—OCEANFRONT DISTRICT

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• F. View Corridors. For parcels located along the Pacific Coast Highway between the Santa Monica Pier and the north City limits, any structure with 70 feet or more of frontage parallel to the Pacific Coast Highway shall provide an unobstructed view corridor between Pacific Coast Highway and the ocean. The view corridor shall be a minimum of 20 continuous feet in width measured from the parcel line abutting and parallel to Pacific Coast Highway and shall remain unobstructed by any structure or portion thereof.

• G. Landscaping. The following landscaping requirements apply.

  1. Setback Areas Adjoining Streets. All visible portions of a required setback area adjoining a street that are not used for driveways or walks shall consist of planting areas, landscape, or pedestrian amenities.

  2. Interior Setback Areas. At least 50% of each required interior side setback area and rear setback area shall be planting area having a minimum width of 7.5 feet adjoining a side or rear parcel line. The width of a required planting area may be reduced to 3 feet in one side or rear setback area adjoining a driveway, and a nonresidential accessory structure may occupy a portion of the planting area in a rear setback area.

At least 50% of each required interior side setback area and rear setback area shall be planting area having a minimum width of 7.5 feet adjoining a side or rear parcel line. The width of a required planting area may be reduced to 3 feet in one side or rear setback area adjoining a driveway, and a nonresidential accessory structure may occupy a portion of the planting area in a rear setback area.

(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§ 1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015; amended by Ord. No. 2524CCS § 4, adopted July 28, 2016; Ord. No. 2576CCS § 5, adopted June 12, 2018; Ord. No. 2649CCS § 19, adopted September 8, 2020; Ord. No. 2726CCS § 8, adopted October 25, 2022; Ord. No. 2742CCS § 2, adopted April 11, 2023; Ord. No. 2792CCS, 10/8/2024; Ord. No. 2814CCS, 5/27/2025)