Santa Monica Municipal Code § 9.07.010 Purpose

The purposes of the "Single-Unit Residential" District are to:

A. Provide for single-unit housing on individual parcels at densities of one unit plus one accessory dwelling unit and one junior accessory dwelling unit to suit the spectrum of individual lifestyles and space needs and ensure continued availability of the range of housing opportunities necessary to meet the needs of all segments of the community consistent with the General Plan and State law.

B. Preserve and protect the existing character and state of the City's different residential neighborhoods and the quality of life of City residents against potential deleterious impacts related to development—traffic, noise, air quality, and the encroachment of commercial activities.

C. Ensure adequate light, air, privacy, and open space for each dwelling.

D. Avoid overburdening public facilities, including sewer, water, electricity, and schools by an influx and increase of people to a degree larger than the City's geographic limits, tax base, or financial capabilities can reasonably and responsibly accommodate.

E. Ensure that the scale and design of new development and alterations to existing structures are consistent with the scale, mass, and character of the existing residential neighborhood.

F. Provide sites for institutional, residential, and neighborhood serving uses such as day care, parks, and community facilities.

G. Promote the rehabilitation and long-term maintenance of existing buildings and structures.

(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§ 1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015; amended by Ord. No. 2536CCS § 14, adopted February 28, 2017; Ord. No. 2649CCS § 4, adopted September 8, 2020; Ord. No. 2742CCS § 2, adopted April 11, 2023)

Table 9.07.020 prescribes the land use regulations for Single-Unit Residential District. The regulations for each district are established by the 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.

"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.

TABLE 9.07.020: LAND USE REGULATIONS—SINGLE-UNIT RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS

(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§ 1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015; amended by Ord. No. 2536CCS § 15, adopted February 28, 2017; Ord. No. 2649CCS § 5, adopted September 8, 2020; Ord. No. 2742CCS § 2, adopted April 11, 2023; Ord. No. 2792CCS, 10/8/2024)

Table 9.07.030 prescribes the development standards for the Single-Unit Residential (R1) District. Additional regulations, including incentives for the retention of existing homes, are denoted with Section numbers throughout the table. Specific R1 District design review criteria is located directly following the table:

TABLE 9.07.030: DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS—SINGLE-UNIT RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT

A. Architectural Review.

1. Proposed development in the R1 Single-Unit District shall not be subject to architectural review if it conforms to the development standards set forth above except as follows:

a. The Architectural Review Board shall review any proposed duplex pursuant to Section 9.55.140.

b.

i. The Architectural Review Board shall review proposed development that is located on a parcel with a grade differential of 12.5 feet or more between the front and rear parcel lines, and associated with the following:

(1) New residential building; or

(2) A 50% or greater square foot addition to an existing dwelling unit.

ii. A proposed structure may be approved if its size, mass, and placement are found to be compatible with improvements in the immediate neighborhood.

2. The Architectural Review Board shall review and may approve proposed development that does not conform to the development standards set forth above as follows:

a. The Architectural Review Board shall review any proposed addition of 500 square feet or less that is regarded as a third story that is located on a parcel with a grade differential of 12.5 or more between the front and rear parcel lines. The Architectural Review Board may approve such an addition if the following findings of fact are made:

i. The street frontage and overall massing are compatible with the existing scale and neighborhood context;

ii. The addition does not enlarge the first-story of the existing residence such that a nonconforming condition is expanded; and

iii. The properties in the immediate neighborhood will not be substantially impacted.

b.

i. The Architectural Review Board shall review the following:

(1) Any proposed new structure on a parcel that is more than 45 feet in width that does not comply with the minimum aggregate side setback but that is set back a minimum of 10% of parcel width on each side,

(2) Any proposed addition to an existing structure on a parcel 50 feet or more that does not comply with the minimum aggregate side setback but that is set back a minimum of 10% of parcel width on each side,

(3) Any proposed two-story structure that does not conform to the standard set forth above for additional minimum stepbacks for upper stories,

(4) Any proposed structure that does not conform to the standards for subterranean garages and basements set forth in Table 9.07.030, Chapter 9.28 (Parking), and Section 9.52.020.0230 of this Code,

(5) Any proposed individual upper story balcony, terrace, deck, first-story roof deck, or similar outdoor space that does not conform to the standard set forth above,

(6) Any proposed structure with garage doors that face the public street, are located within the front half of the parcel, and: (i) are not set back from the primary façade facing the public street a minimum of 5 feet, or (ii) are more than 16 feet in width, or

(7) Any proposed structure that includes a first-story porch or second-story balcony that: (i) is open on at least three sides, (ii) has a height of no more than 14 feet, including parapets and railings, (iii) projects into the minimum front setback, and (iv) exceeds 50% of the front building width as measured at the front façade.

ii. The Architectural Review Board may approve a design modification set forth in this subsection if the following findings of fact are made:

(1) There are special circumstances or exceptional characteristics applicable to the property involved, including size, shape, topography, surroundings, or location of the existing improvements or mature landscaping on the site,

(2) Granting the design modification will not be detrimental or injurious to the property or to improvements in the general vicinity and district in which the property is located,

(3) Granting the design modification will not impair the integrity and character of surrounding context, or impact the light, air, open space, or privacy of adjacent properties,

(4) If the design modification includes a modification or addition to a building on the City's Historic Resources Inventory, the modification or addition is compatible with the building's historic architectural character, does not result in the removal of historic building features, and is consistent with the Secretary of the Interior Standards for Rehabilitation, and

(5) The design modifications comply with the criteria set forth in Section 9.55.140.

(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§ 1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015; amended by Ord. No. 2520CCS § 9, adopted June 14, 2016; Ord. No. 2524CCS § 2, adopted July 28, 2016; Ord. No. 2536CCS § 2, adopted February 28, 2017; Ord. No. 2624CCS § 3, adopted November 12, 2019; Ord. No. 2628CCS § 2, adopted January 28, 2020; Ord. No. 2649CCS § 6, adopted September 8, 2020; Ord. No. 2742CCS § 2, adopted April 11, 2023; Ord. No. 2792CCS, 10/8/2024; Ord. No. 2814CCS, 5/27/2025)