Chapter 26C — COASTAL ZONING RESOURCE DISTRICTS

This chapter is adopted to promote and protect the public health, safety, peace, comfort, convenience, and general welfare. It is also adopted for the following specified purposes:

(a)

To ensure that the Coastal Act of 1976 (Division 20 of the Public Resources Code) is implemented in accordance with the coastal program of Sonoma County.

(b)

To provide for the orderly and beneficial land use of the coastal zone of Sonoma County.

(c)

To protect the character and social and economic stability of agricultural, residential, commercial, industrial, and other communities within the coastal zone of Sonoma County.

(d)

To protect the public safety and welfare by regulating the location and uses of all structures and land.

(e)

To protect and conserve the scenic, recreational and natural resource characteristics of the county.

(f)

To provide for the orderly and timely processing of development projects as anticipated by the California Permit Streamlining Act. Development projects do not include rezonings, plan amendments or other applications accompanied by a request for a rezoning or plan amendment.

(Ord. No. 5318 § 1, 2001.)

(a)

The coastal zoning ordinance hereby establishes the CC combining district pursuant to the Coastal Act of 1976. All lands within the coastal zone are hereby and shall be zoned CC, in combination with the applicable zoning districts below. Rezonings do not become effective until certified by the coastal commission. All development in the coastal zone shall be subject to the requirements of this ordinance and the coastal administrative manual.

(b)

The coastal zoning ordinance also establishes various districts within the coastal zone of the county and designates lawful permitted uses, and uses which may be approved through the use permit process. Within these districts (1) it shall be unlawful to erect, construct, alter or maintain certain buildings or to carry on certain trades or occupations or to conduct certain uses of land or buildings, (2) the height and bulk of future buildings shall be limited, and (3) certain open areas shall be required around future buildings. The various districts also consist of appropriate regulations to be enforced in such district, all as set forth in this chapter.

(c)

Principal permitted uses:

The Coastal Act requires definition of principal permitted uses which, clearly carry out the intent and purpose of each zoning district utilized in the coastal zone. Any development that is not designated as a principal permitted use is appealable to the coastal commission.

Principal permitted uses are those uses listed under the heading "Uses permitted subject to site development and erosion control standards" within each zoning district, with the following exceptions:

LIA Land Intensive Agriculture: Sec. 26C-20(c);l

LEA Land Extensive Agriculture: Sec. 26C-30(c)

DA Diverse Agriculture: Sec. 26C-40(c)

RRD Resources and Rural Development: Sec. 26C-50(c)

RRDWA Resources and Rural Development (Ag Preserve): Sec. 26C-60(c)

TP Timber Production: Sec. 26C-70(c)

AR Agriculture and Residential: Sec. 26C-80(c)

RR Rural Residential: Sec. 26C-90(d), (e)

R1 Low Density Residential: Sec. 26C-100(c)

R2 Medium Density Residential: Sec. 26C-110(c), (d)

Notwithstanding the above, additional dwellings beyond one single-family dwelling on parcels zoned LIA, LEA, DA, RRD, RRDWA, TP, and AR are not considered to be principal permitted uses and are appealable to the Coastal Commission pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 30603.

(d)

In conformance with the open space and public safety elements of the general plan, the county of Sonoma declares that the following articles of this chapter constitute its open space zoning pursuant to Government Code Section 65910:

Article XX F1 Floodway Combining District

Article XXI F2 Floodplain Combining District

Article XXVII B Districts