Ventura County Municipal Code Art. 1 Authority, Purpose, and Application of Chapter

This Chapter is adopted pursuant to the authority vested in the County of Ventura by the State of California, including, but not limited to, the Government Code and the Public Resources Code. This Chapter shall be known as the "Zoning Ordinance for the Coastal Zone."

(Ord. No. 4451, § 9, 12-11-2012; Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

The text, use matrix, and zoning maps of this Chapter constitute the comprehensive zoning plan and regulations for the unincorporated coastal zone of the County of Ventura. This Chapter is adopted to protect and promote the public health, safety, and general welfare; and to provide the environmental, economic, and social advantages that result from an orderly, planned use of resources; and to protect public and private property, wildlife, marine fisheries, and other ocean resources, and the natural environment, by protecting the ecological balance of the coastal zone and preventing its destruction and deterioration. This Chapter shall implement the objectives and policies of Ventura County's General Plan including the LCP Land Use Plan.

(Am. Ord. 4378—1/29/08; Ord. No. 4451, § 9, 12-11-2012; Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

This Chapter applies to all development undertaken and proposed be undertaken by persons (including the County, any utility, any federal, state, or local government, or any special district or agency thereof) in the unincorporated portions of the coastal zone of Ventura County, except as provided for elsewhere in this Chapter.

(Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

Many types of development not usually found in a zoning ordinance are regulated by the ordinance from which this Chapter is derived in addition to those uses specified herein. Examples of such developments are: subdivisions; fill and deposition of dredged materials; public works projects; changes in intensity of the use of water or access thereto; and grading.

(Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

All standards and conditions stated in this Chapter are considered to be minimums only. Any decision-making body has the right to impose more restrictive standards or conditions than those stated in this Chapter for any permit involving a discretionary decision.

(Ord. No. 4451, § 9, 12-11-2012; Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

(a) The operation of medical cannabis dispensaries, and the manufacturing, processing, storage or sales of medical cannabis or medical cannabis products. This prohibition does not apply to the delivery and transport of medical cannabis and does not apply to uses by a qualified patient or primary caregiver for which a permit is not required pursuant to Business and Professions Code section 19319. The definitions in Business and Professions Code section 19300.5 shall apply to this subparagraph.

(b) The cultivation of medical cannabis as those terms are defined in Business and Professions Code section 19300.5 for which a license is required pursuant to Health and Safety Code section 11362.777.

(Add Ord. 4055—2/1/94; Ord. No. 4451, § 9, 12-11-2012; Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

If any portion of this Chapter is held to be invalid, that holding shall not invalidate any other portion of this Chapter.

(Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

The LCP for Ventura County consists of this Chapter and the certified Coastal Land Use Plan for the coastal zone. Both documents shall be used when analyzing development requests. Many policy statements found only in the Land Use Plan will, nevertheless, have a significant impact on development decisions. If there is a conflict between policy statements in the Land Use Plan, and uses or standards in this Chapter, or just between standards in this Chapter, the most restrictive requirement shall take precedence.

(Ord. No. 4451, § 9, 12-11-2012; Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

The authority to make a determination on a claim of vested rights within the coastal zone rests with the Coastal Commission.

(Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

The provisions of this Chapter shall be held to be the minimum requirements for the promotion of the public health, safety, and welfare. If ambiguity arises concerning the appropriate classification or particular use within the meaning and intent of this Chapter, or if ambiguity exists with respect to matters of height, setback, or area requirements, it shall be the duty of the Planning Director to ascertain all pertinent facts and make a determination on said ambiguity.

(Ord. No. 4451, § 9, 12-11-2012; Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

In order to classify, regulate, restrict and segregate the uses of land and buildings; to regulate the height and size of buildings; to regulate the area of setbacks and other open spaces around buildings; and to regulate the density of population, the following classes of use zones are established along with their abbreviations and minimum lot areas. Alternative minimum lot areas may be established pursuant to Section 8171-9.1 et seq. Minimum lot area requirements are expressed in "gross" area for land uses and structures. The minimum lot area for subdivision purposes is expressed in "net" area for parcels of less than ten (10) acres, and "gross" area for parcels of ten (10) acres or more.

*See Section 8175-2 for specifics.

(Am. Ord. 4055—2/1/94; Ord. No. 4451, § 9, 12-11-2012; Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

Lot areas larger than the minimum specified by the Coastal Land Use Plan and this Chapter may be determined by a suffix number following the base zone designation on a given zoning map. The application of said suffixes shall be consistent with the Area Plan for the coastal zone and Article 5 of this Chapter. All other requirements of the base zone contained in this Chapter shall apply to the respective zone designated by a suffix. The suffix numbers shall only be assigned in 1,000-square-foot increments for lots less than one (1) acre in area (i.e., CRE-30 means: Coastal Rural Exclusive, 30,000-square foot minimum lot size), and in increments of one (1) acre for lots of one (1) acre or larger area (i.e., CRE 5Ac means: Coastal Rural Exclusive, five-acre minimum lot size). The application of suffix numbers shall not create lot areas smaller than the minimum area specified for the various base zones established by Section 8171-9. Where no suffix number appears, it is understood that the minimum lot area specified in Section 8171-9 for that zone shall apply.

(Am. Ord. 4055—2/1/94; Ord. No. 4451, § 9, 12-11-2012; Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

A designator suffix shall be assigned to each CRPD zone. The suffix shall indicate the maximum number of dwelling units per gross acre (excluding dedications for major thoroughfares and flood control channel rights-of-way), followed by the letter "U"; for example, CRPD-25U shall mean a maximum of twenty-five (25) dwelling units per acre. The designator suffix may be any number between 1U and 30U. A CRPD zone without a designator suffix shall allow a maximum of thirty (30) dwelling units per acre. The maximum density permitted for any property in the CRPD zone shall be established on the basis of LCP Land Use Plan compatibility, topography, orderly development principles, and infrastructure available to serve the development.

(Am. Ord. 4055—2/1/94; Ord. No. 4451, § 9, 12-11-2012; Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

The Board of Supervisors hereby adopts the Ventura County Coastal Zoning Maps as the official zoning maps pursuant to the following findings:

(Ord. No. 4451, § 1, 12-11-2012; Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

8171-10.1 - Prior to the enactment of Ordinance 3654 in 1983, amending this Chapter of the Ventura County Ordinance Code, a zone classification was established on all land in the coastal zone in the unincorporated area of the County of Ventura. Said comprehensive zoning was affected by ordinance and included in the Ventura County Zoning Maps, Coastal Codification, that were contained in the previous Coastal Zoning Ordinance, Article 9, Section 8179 and graphically depicted on portions of the Ventura County Assessor map books 8, 60, 80, 138, 183, 188, 206, 231, 234, 694, 700 and 701.

Zoning designations, locations, and boundaries are set forth and indicated in the "Ventura County Coastal Zoning Maps," which are referenced in Article 9, Section 8179.

Adoption of the Ventura County Coastal Zoning Maps does not change the zone classification of any land. In the event of any error in the transmission of the zoning classifications from the previous zoning maps to the new Coastal Zoning Maps, the zone classification of the land as shown on the 1983 certified zoning maps, as amended, shall prevail, and the new coastal zoning maps shall be changed to correct the error.

The Ventura County Coastal Zoning Maps are on file in the office of the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors.

(Ord. No. 4451, § 1, 12-11-2012; Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

Where uncertainty exists as to the boundaries of any zone district, indicated in the Ventura County Coastal Zoning Maps, the following rules of construction shall apply:

(Am. Ord. 4378—1/29/08; Ord. No. 4451, § 1, 12-11-2012; Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

Where such zone boundaries are indicated as approximately following street and alley lines or lot lines, such lines shall be construed to be such boundaries.

(Ord. No. 4451, § 1, 12-11-2012; Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

Where a zone boundary divides a lot, the locations of such boundaries, unless indicated by dimensions, shall be determined by the use of GIS tools and/or datasets.

(Am. Ord. 4378—1/29/08; Ord. No. 4451, § 1, 12-11-2012; Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

Where a public street or alley is officially vacated or abandoned, the zoning regulations applicable to abutting property on each side of the center line of the vacated or abandoned street or alley shall apply to the property located within the vacated or abandoned street or alley.

(Ord. No. 4451, § 1, 12-11-2012; Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

The Planning Director shall resolve uncertainties as to zone district boundary locations, and any challenge to his determination shall be resolved as provided in Section 8181-9.1. Any uncertainty as to the location of the coastal zone boundary shall be referred to the Coastal Commission for resolution in accordance with coastal zone maps adopted by the State legislature.

(Ord. No. 4451, § 1, 12-11-2012; Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

Terms not defined in this Chapter shall be interpreted as defined in conventional dictionaries in common use.

(Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

Information erroneously presented by any official or employee of the County does not negate or diminish the provisions of this Chapter pertaining thereto.

(Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

The singular includes the plural, and the plural includes the singular.

(Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

Whenever a number of days are specified in this Chapter, or in any permit, condition of approval, or notice issued, or given as set forth in this Chapter, such number of days shall be deemed to be consecutive calendar days, unless otherwise specified.

(Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021)

Whenever application of this Chapter results in required parking spaces or other standards being expressed in fractions of whole numbers, such fractions are to be rounded to the next higher whole number when the fraction is 0.5 or more, and to the next lower whole number when the fraction is less than 0.5, except that a) calculation for the number of permitted animals shall be in accordance with Article 5; b) quantities expressing areas of land are to be rounded only in the case of square footage, and are not to be rounded in the case of acreage; and c) calculations under Section 8175-6 shall be rounded in accordance with Government Code section 65915 et seq.

(Ord. No. 4586, 10-19-2021; Ord. No. 4640, § 1, 12-17-2024; Ord. No. 4656, § 1, 12-16-2025)