Watsonville Municipal Code Part 15 CO—Office District

The purpose of the Office District is to provide for concentrations of nonretail business and professional offices at locations where intensive service use of land is desirable and to serve appropriate land adjacent or close to hospitals and clinics for related medical offices and services.

(Ord. 506-80 C-M, eff. September 11, 1980)

The following uses require an Administrative Review Permit:

(Ord. 506-80 C-M, eff. September 11, 1980, as amended by Ord. 1153-03 C-M, eff. April 24, 2003)

The incidental services listed in this section are intended primarily to serve occupants and patrons of the permitted uses when conducted and entered from within the building provided there is no display or advertising visible at or beyond the property lines.

(Ord. 506-80 C-M, eff. September 11, 1980, as amended by § 1, Ord. 658-84 C-M, eff. December 13, 1984)

(a) The following uses require an Administrative Use Permit:

(b) The following uses require a Special Use Permit:

(c) Any lot or portion thereof being lawfully used for any of the purposes enumerated in this section when such property is first classified in a zone wherein such use is not permitted by right or when the use is prohibited by this or any future amendment to this title, shall nonetheless be deemed to be an approved site for such permitted conditional use, which may be continued thereon. The conditions included in any district ordinance, Conditional Use Permit or Variance which authorized such use shall also continue in effect. However, when a substantial change of mode or character of the operation of such property occurs, continuation of such use shall require approval by means of a Conditional Use Permit which permit may be granted notwithstanding that the pre-existing nonconforming use is otherwise not permitted by right or is a prohibited use within the zone.

(d) As used herein, the phrase “substantial change of mode or character of operation” shall include, but not be limited to: a transfer of ownership of any type of regulatory license required specifically for that use; a pattern of conduct in violation of any City, State or Federal regulation, ordinance or statute; or a cessation of use for a period of six (6) months or more or as set forth in Section 14-25.030.

(e) Any permitted use operating pursuant to a Conditional Use Permit as required by this section shall require approval de novo of a Conditional Use Permit upon a substantial change of mode or character of operation of such property.

(Ord. 506-80 C-M, eff. September 11, 1980, as amended by § 2, Ord. 658-84 C-M, eff. December 13, 1984, § 1, Ord. 1135-02 C-M, eff. September 10, 2002, § 1, Ord. 1369-18 (CM), eff. October 11, 2018, and § 1, Ord. 1405-20 (CM), eff. July 23, 2020)

The following uses are specifically prohibited within the CO Office District:

(§ 1, Ord. 1135-02 C-M, eff. September 10, 2002)

The following regulations shall be observed in the Office District for the use proposed, except as otherwise provided in this title or as modified by Conditional Use Permit:

(a) Minimum lot area and dimensions.

(b) Minimum yard setback requirements.

(c) Maximum building height and lot coverage.

(Ord. 506-80 C-M, eff. September 11, 1980, as amended by § 2(3) (Exh. A), Ord. 1481-25 (CM), eff. October 9, 2025)

All portions of the yard not used for access drives, yard storage, or parking shall be landscaped and provided with adequate sprinklers or appropriate automatic irrigation devices.

(Ord. 506-80 C-M, eff. September 11, 1980)