Part 1 — General

The purpose of this chapter is to establish the procedures required for the administration of this title and to set forth the basic responsibilities of the officials and bodies charged with its administration. (Ord. 1156-03 C-M, eff. May 22, 2003)

(a) In their interpretation and application, the provisions of this title shall be the minimum requirements for the promotion of the public health, safety, morals, convenience and general welfare and shall be construed broadly to promote the purposes for which they are adopted.

(1) Public provisions. This chapter is not intended to interfere with, abrogate, or annul any other chapter, rule or regulation, statute or other provision of law except as specifically provided herein. Where any provision of this chapter imposes restrictions different from those imposed by any other chapter, rule or regulation of the City, or other provision of law, the provision which is more restrictive or imposes higher standards shall control.

(2) Private provisions. Private easements, covenants, conditions and restrictions of record are not enforced by the City except as may be specifically provided by agreement with the City of Watsonville.

(b) If any part or provision of this chapter or its application to any person or circumstances is adjudged invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, the judgment shall be confined in its operation to the part, provision, or application directly involved in the controversy in which the judgment shall be rendered and it shall not affect or impair the validity of the remainder of this chapter or its application to other persons or circumstances. The Council hereby declares that it would have enacted the remainder of this chapter even without any such part, provision, or application which is judged to be invalid.

Part 15: Rounding of Quantities 14-10.1500 Rounding of quantities.

(Ord. 1156-03 C-M, eff. May 22, 2003)

740

(Watsonville Supp. No. xx, 10-25)

14-10.103

The provisions of this title shall not be construed as abating any action now pending under, or by virtue of, prior existing land development laws, or as discontinuing, abating, modifying, or altering any penalty accruing or about to accrue, or as affecting the liability of any person, firm, or corporation, or as waiving any right of the City under any chapter or provision existing at the time of adoption of these regulations, or as vacating or annulling any rights obtained by any person, firm, or corporation, by lawful action of the City except as shall be expressly provided for in this chapter. (Ord. 1156-03 C-M, eff. May 22, 2003)

(a) Approved development.

(1) Development to which an application for Design Review, Use Permit, Variance, Parcel Map, Tentative Subdivision Map, or Final Subdivision Map has been finally approved and which approval remains valid on the effective date of this title shall remain valid unless such approval expires by the terms of the approval or in accordance with Part 12 of this chapter (commencing with Section 14-10.200). Development which has been granted approval may be built in accordance with the development standards in effect at the time of approval, provided that the approval is valid at the time Building Permits are issued and that the approval complies with any time limits imposed pursuant to this title; further provided that any subsequent applications for a development permit required by this title prior to issuance of and including a Building Permit and Certificate of Occupancy shall be processed in accordance with the procedures established by this title for the processing of such development permit.

(2) No provision of this title shall require any change in the plans, permit expiration, construction or designated use of any structure for which a Build-

ing Permit has been issued prior to the effective date of this title or any subsequent amendment.

(3) Any re-application to review an expired development permit must meet the standards in effect at the time of re-application.

(b) Projects in process. Development for which an application for a development permit has been accepted as complete, but which has not been granted final approval by the appropriate designated official prior to the effective date of this title, shall be subject to the land use regulations, standards for approval, and other requirements in effect at the time the application was deemed complete provided that any subsequent application for a development permit required by this title prior to issuance of and including a Building Permit and Certificate of Occupancy shall be processed in accordance with the procedures established by this title for the processing of such development permit. If approved, the development may be built in accordance with the development standards in effect at the time of application, provided that any Design Review filed subsequent to the issuance of a Special Use Permit or re-application for an expired permit must meet the standards for approval in effect at the time of application. This provision shall not apply to any application for a General Plan amendment or Zoning Code amendment.

(c) New applications. If no application for a development permit has been accepted as complete and the development has received no more than approval of a General Plan Map amendment or a Zoning Map amendment prior to the effective date of this title, pending and subsequent applications for development approval shall be subject to all requirements, standards and procedures set forth in this title. (Ord. 1156-03 C-M, eff. May 22, 2003)

In the event this title requires interpretation, the Zoning Administrator may make the interpretation or refer the matter to the Planning Commission for action, except as otherwise provided. (Ord. 1156-03 C-M, eff. May 22, 2003)

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(Watsonville Supp. No. xx, 10-25)

14-10.106

The Zoning Administrator may authorize a use not specifically listed within a zoning district if it is determined that the use is similar to other uses permitted in the zoning district provided that the use is not specifically listed in another zoning district, pursuant to Part 3 of this chapter. (Ord. 1156-03 C-M, eff. May 22, 2003)

The Zoning Administrator, upon a written request, or the Planning Commission upon referral by the Zoning Administrator, may determine whether a use not specifically listed as a use that is principally permitted or specially permitted in a particular zoning district of the City based on similarity of the use to uses already listed in accordance with the following:

(a) Where the term “similar uses permitted by Zoning Administrator determination” is mentioned within any zone district, it shall be deemed to mean other uses which, in the judgment of the Zoning Administrator as evidenced by a written decision, are similar to and not more objectionable to the general welfare than those uses specifically listed in the same district.

(b) The Zoning Administrator may refer a determination on an unlisted use to the Planning Commission.

(c) The Zoning Administrator or the Planning Commission shall not determine that a use is permitted in a zone when the use is specifically first listed as permissible in a zone district allowing more intensive uses.

(d) The procedures of this chapter shall not be substituted for the amendment procedure as a means of adding new uses to the list of permitted or specially permitted uses.

(e) The Planning Commission may, on its own motion or at the request of any affected party, reconsider and change a written decision regarding uses previously determined by the Planning Commission or Zoning Administrator.

may be appealed to the Planning Commission pursuant to Part 11 of this chapter. The Planning Commission’s determination regarding conformance of a use to a zone district may be appealed to the Council, pursuant to Part 11 of this chapter. (Ord. 1156-03 C-M, eff. May 22, 2003)

Application for a determination on an unlisted use shall be made in writing to the Zoning Administrator and include a detailed description of the proposed use and any other information as may be required to facilitate review of the request, along with the required fee as established by resolution. (Ord. 1156-03 C-M, eff. May 22, 2003)

The Zoning Administrator shall prepare a report which will address the following and submit copies to the applicant, Planning Commission, and City Council:

(a) Comparison of the proposed use to the type and intensity of other uses principally permitted or conditionally permitted in the same zone district;

(b) Evaluation of the purpose and intent of that zone district;

(c) Review of the General Plan to compare the proposed use characteristics with the applicable goals and objectives.

(Ord. 1156-03 C-M, eff. May 22, 2003)

The Zoning Administrator, or Planning Commission upon referral by the Zoning Administrator, shall base the decision upon the following findings:

(a) The use in question is of a similar type and intensity to other principally, administratively, or specially permitted uses in the same zone district.

(b) The use in question meets the purpose and intent of the district in which it is proposed.

(c) The use in question meets and conforms to the applicable policies and maps of the General Plan. (Ord. 1156-03 C-M, eff. May 22, 2003)

(f) The Zoning Administrator’s determination regarding conformance of a use to a zone district

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(Watsonville Supp. No. xx, 10-25)

14-10.111

The Zoning Administrator may grant reasonable accommodations from the requirements of this title as established in Chapter 14-11, Reasonable Accommodation, that may be necessary to ensure equal access to housing for an individual with a disability when the strict application of those standards would make it impractical for an individual with a disability to have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling unit.

(§ 2(3) (Exh. A), Ord. 1481-25 (CM), eff. October 9, 2025)