Alhambra — Land Use

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the Alhambra Zoning Code (Title 23) actually says about land use: which uses are allowed where, where conditional review is triggered, and how overlay/specific plans interact with base zoning. The controlling ordinance is the Alhambra Zoning Code (Title 23); use tables in § 23.04.020, § 23.05.020, § 23.06.020, and related sections as the primary source for permitted/conditional uses and district rules .

Note: this page stays strictly on land‑use rules in the zoning/planning ordinance (not building codes, tenant law, or Title 24). Where the code refers to additional development rules (setbacks, FAR, height) those are summarized from the relevant development‑standards tables; parcel‑specific determinations still require verification with the City.

How the code organizes land use

• The city codifies land use by base zoning districts and overlays/specific plans. The Zoning Code is expressly tied to the General Plan: proposals must be consistent with the General Plan as mandated by § 23.01.040 .
• Base district use permissions are provided in district-specific land use tables (e.g., TABLE 23.04.020, TABLE 23.05.020, TABLE 23.06.020, TABLE 23.07.020) and use‑specific standards are in Chapter 23.22 .
• Overlays (including Planned Development -PD) and Specific Plans can change permitted uses or add site‑specific standards; see § 23.11.020–§ 23.11.050 for PD rules and § 23.08.020 for Specific Plans .

District-by-district breakdown

Note: each district below lists purpose/typical permitted uses, key decision-relevant standards (summarized), and where that district normally applies in the city. All referenced ordinance locations are cited.

Residential districts — RL, RM, RH

• Purpose & general rule: residential living at differing densities; permitted uses and limits are set in § 23.04.020 (Table 23.04.020). Multi‑unit housing, single‑unit detached, accessory dwelling units, group residential, care facilities, and limited neighborhood commercial uses are handled here with P/M/C rules depending on subtype .
• Typical permitted uses (summary): Single‑unit detached (P), Multi‑unit dwelling (P or P with note), Accessory dwelling units (see § 23.22.040) (ADU rules referenced) . Family day care permitted in residential zones as residential uses (§ 23.22.140) .
• Key dimensional standards: development standards for residential districts are cross‑referenced in the table and related development standards sections (see Table 23.04.020 references to § 23.04.030 for standards). Parcel‑specific setbacks and lot coverage are set in the development standards sections (verify with the code for exact numbers; some standards are in the development standards tables) .
• Where it applies: typical single‑family and lower‑density multifamily neighborhoods; use the zoning map and § 23.04.020 for permitted/conditional rules .

Practical note: accessory dwelling units are governed by the ADU rules and statewide ADU law; the code references ADUs in administrative procedures (see the ADU entry in review authorities) — consult the local ADU section and state law for ministerial entitlements (see § 23.31.070/ADU reference) . For municipal ADU guidance, see the Alhambra ADUs page linked below.

Commercial / Mixed‑use districts — CBD, EMC, CMU, AC

• Purpose & general rule: allow a range of commercial, office, and mixed residential uses. Land uses and whether they are permitted, conditional, or need a minor use permit are listed in § 23.05.020 (Table 23.05.020) .
• Typical permitted uses: Retail (P), Banks (P), Offices (P), Mixed‑use multiunit dwellings (P in many cases); some uses like on‑site alcohol service are conditional (CUP) and drive‑throughs may be prohibited depending on the subzone — see Table 23.05.020 for specifics .
• Key dimensional standards (decision‑relevant): maximum FAR up to 3.0 in CBD, 2.0 in many other commercial districts; maximum heights up to 75 ft in CBD (reduced near residential); build‑to / zero front setback requirements in core districts; see Table 23.05.030 / § 23.05.030 for numeric FAR, height, setbacks and build‑to rules .
• Where it applies: downtown core and commercial corridors; specific subdistricts (CBD, EMC, CMU, AC) each have different intensity limits — consult § 23.05.020 and § 23.05.030 for uses and standards .

Practical note: the commercial tables explicitly incorporate state housing laws for affordable and mixed‑income housing; some multifamily or affordable housing is a permitted use when state requirements are met (see notes in TABLE 23.05.020) .

Employment / Industrial districts — PO, I

• Purpose & general rule: business park, office, and industrial uses. Land uses and permit levels appear in TABLE 23.06.020 (see § 23.06.020); multi‑unit residential is generally conditional (C) in employment zones unless specific exceptions or state law apply .
• Typical permitted uses: Office, light manufacturing, public works/utilities (P); heavier vehicle/freight uses may require Minor or Conditional Use Permits (M/C) depending on the use .
• Key dimensional standards: development standards for employment districts are summarized in the same chapter and in the development standards tables; check TABLE 23.06.020 for use permissions and the corresponding development standards table for numeric limits .
• Where it applies: industrial and office parks, business corridors.

Public & Semi‑Public districts — PF, OS

• Purpose & general rule: parks, public facilities, institutional uses. Use table is TABLE 23.07.020 (see § 23.07.020) listing schools, government offices, parks, clinics, hospitals and the permit status in PF and OS .
• Typical permitted uses: Government offices (P), Parks and recreation (P), Clinics (P), while hospitals and some institutions may be conditional depending on specifics .
• Key dimensional standards: maximum FAR in PF is 1.5 and in OS 0.2; height limits 40–55 ft depending on adjacency to residential; setbacks and minimum distances between buildings are specified in TABLE 23.07.030 / § 23.07.030 .

Overlay and special districts — Planned Development -PD, Specific Plans

• Planned Development Overlay: identified by suffix -PD on the zoning map and governed by § 23.11.020–§ 23.11.060; PD rules control land use in the PD area and a PD Plan is required to authorize uses other than existing ones .
• Specific Plans: where a specific plan is adopted it governs uses and standards inside its boundaries; where the specific plan is silent, the Title controls as described in § 23.08.020 .
• Historic, sign, landscaping overlays and other overlays are referenced elsewhere in the code; overlay rules can supersede or supplement base district uses — consult the overlays chapter and the Alhambra Overlay Districts page for local overlay names and mapping (verify the site map and overlay map) .

Quick decision table — common uses (highly referenced)

(Always confirm the exact P/C/- markers in the full table for the specific district; tables are located in § 23.04.020, § 23.05.020, § 23.06.020, and § 23.07.020) .

How permits and review work for land use changes

• Uses listed as "P" are ministerial (subject to administrative review where required) or allowed by‑right; uses listed "C" or "CUP" require a conditional use permit under Chapter 23.34, with the Planning Commission often the review authority (see Table 23.30.070 for review authorities) .
• Administrative and minor review: many by‑right changes still require administrative review under § 23.32.010; the Director is review authority for administrative/minor decisions unless referred to the Commission .
• Design review and design standards: design review procedures are established (see design review chapter referenced in the summary of review authorities); design review may be required for new buildings in commercial/mixed zones — consult the Design Review chapter and the Alhambra Design Review procedural page .
• Use‑specific standards: Chapter 23.22 contains supplemental standards that apply wherever a listed use is proposed (e.g., family day care, farmer’s markets, firearms sales) and frequently add locational/operational conditions beyond the base table permissions (see § 23.22.010 and the specific use sections) .

Practical cross‑links: check parking and loading requirements (they affect whether a use is feasible) and applicable development standards during project scoping — see the city's Parking rules and the Alhambra Development Standards pages linked below.

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy before a land‑use approval)

• Confirm the property's base zoning district on the City zoning map and read the applicable land‑use table (TABLE 23.04.020 / § 23.04.020, TABLE 23.05.020 / § 23.05.020, etc.) .
• Verify consistency with the General Plan per § 23.01.040 and with any Specific Plan covering the site (§ 23.08.020) .
• Determine whether the proposed use is listed as P, M, C, or “-” in the district table; if “C”, prepare a CUP application under Chapter 23.34 and use review authorities table § 23.30.070 to see decision body and appeal path .
• Comply with use‑specific standards in Chapter 23.22 (e.g., § 23.22.140 for family day care; § 23.22.150 for farmer’s markets) .
• Check development standards (FAR, height, setbacks) in the applicable development standards table (e.g., § 23.05.030, § 23.07.030), and identify whether design review is required (Design Review chapter, review authorities table) .
• Confirm parking and loading requirements (verify local parking chapter and whether exceptions apply); coordinate with the Public Works and Planning for any right‑of‑way improvements (link to Alhambra Parking) — verify exact standards with the City.
• If in an overlay, PD, or Specific Plan area, obtain/confirm the PD Plan or Specific Plan rules (§ 23.11.030 / § 23.08.020) and applicable conditions .
• Submit required application (administrative review, minor use permit, CUP, or PD) with required plans/narrative; the Director may require additional materials per § 23.32.040 .

Links you will need while doing the checklist (first natural mention links in the text above): Alhambra Zoning & Planning overview, Alhambra Zoning, Alhambra Development Standards, Alhambra Parking, Alhambra Design Review, Alhambra Overlay Districts, Alhambra Historic Preservation, Alhambra ADUs, California Building Standards Code.

• Alhambra zoning & planning overview: /us/california/alhambra
• Alhambra Zoning: /us/california/alhambra/zoning
• Alhambra Development Standards: /us/california/alhambra/development-standards
• Alhambra Parking: /us/california/alhambra/parking
• Alhambra Design Review: /us/california/alhambra/design-review
• Alhambra Overlay Districts: /us/california/alhambra/overlay-districts
• Alhambra Historic Preservation: /us/california/alhambra/historic-preservation
• Alhambra ADUs: /us/california/alhambra/adu
• California Building Standards Code (Title 24): /us/california/building-codes

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English Summary

Alhambra’s Zoning Code (Title 23) lists what uses are allowed in each named district — like RL, RM, RH for housing, CBD/EMC/CMU/AC for commercial, PO/I for employment, and PF/OS for public uses — in district land‑use tables. Uses are marked permitted (P), conditional (C), or prohibited; conditional uses need a CUP and many uses also have extra standards in Chapter 23.22. Overlays and Specific Plans can change the rules for a property, so always confirm the parcel’s base zone, overlays, and applicable specific plan and follow the steps (administrative review, design review, CUP) laid out in the code .

Information Gaps

• The retrieved materials include the land‑use tables and many specific‑use rules, but the full, single‑page numeric development standards (all setback/lot coverage numbers for each residential district) were not fully present in the excerpts — check § 23.04.030 and the development standards chapter for exact numeric standards. Not found in retrieved materials.
• Complete parking chapter language and parking ratios per use are not fully present in the retrieved excerpts — verify with the City's parking chapter and the Planning Division. Not found in retrieved materials.
• Text of some referenced sections (for example the full ADU text at § 23.22.040) was referenced in tables but not fully printed in the retrieved snippets; confirm the full section for ministerial ADU requirements. Verify with the jurisdiction.

Source References

• Alhambra Zoning Code (Title 23) — Chapter and section locations cited throughout (e.g., § 23.01.010, § 23.01.040) .
• TABLE 23.04.020: Land Use Regulations — Residential Zoning Districts (§ 23.04.020) .
• TABLE 23.05.020: Land Use Regulations — Commercial & Mixed‑Use Districts (§ 23.05.020) .
• TABLE 23.06.020: Land Use Regulations — Employment Districts (§ 23.06.020) .
• TABLE 23.07.020 / 23.07.030: Public and Semi‑Public Uses and Development Standards (§ 23.07.020, § 23.07.030) .
• Chapter 23.22: Standards for Specific Uses (use‑specific rules; e.g., § 23.22.140 family day care; § 23.22.150 farmer’s markets) .
• Chapter 23.11: Planned Development Overlay (PD) rules (§ 23.11.020–§ 23.11.060) .
• Chapter 23.08: Specific Plan Districts (§ 23.08.020) .
• Chapter 23.19: Nonconforming Uses (Ch. 23.19) .
• Review authorities and procedures (Table 23.30.070 and Chapter 23.32 — administrative review) (§ 23.30.070, § 23.32.010–§ 23.32.060) .
• Source snapshot / code library origin: codelibrary.amlegal.com (Alhambra Zoning Code compilation) .

Retrieved passages

• Alhambra Zoning Code (§ 23.11.020) High relevance show source text
• Alhambra Zoning Code (Section numbers) High relevance show source text
• Alhambra Zoning Code (Chapter 23.35) High relevance show source text
• Alhambra Zoning Code (§ 23.05.020) Medium relevance show source text
• Alhambra Zoning Code (§ 23.04.020) Medium relevance show source text
• Alhambra Zoning Code (Section numbers) Medium relevance show source text
• Alhambra Zoning Code (§ 23.22.250) Medium relevance show source text
• Alhambra Zoning Code (§ 23.22.140) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Alhambra Zoning Code (Title 23) — Chapter and section locations cited throughout (e.g., **§ 23.01.010**, **§ 23.01.040**) . (Title 23)
• TABLE 23.04.020: Land Use Regulations — Residential Zoning Districts (**§ 23.04.020**) . (§ 23.04.020)
• TABLE 23.05.020: Land Use Regulations — Commercial & Mixed‑Use Districts (**§ 23.05.020**) . (§ 23.05.020)
• TABLE 23.06.020: Land Use Regulations — Employment Districts (**§ 23.06.020**) . (§ 23.06.020)
• TABLE 23.07.020 / 23.07.030: Public and Semi‑Public Uses and Development Standards (**§ 23.07.020**, **§ 23.07.030**) . (§ 23.07.020)
• Chapter 23.22: Standards for Specific Uses (use‑specific rules; e.g., **§ 23.22.140** family day care; **§ 23.22.150** farmer’s markets) . (Chapter 23.22)
• Chapter 23.11: Planned Development Overlay (PD) rules (**§ 23.11.020–§ 23.11.060**) . (Chapter 23.11)
• Chapter 23.08: Specific Plan Districts (**§ 23.08.020**) . (Chapter 23.08)
• Chapter 23.19: Nonconforming Uses (**Ch. 23.19**) . (Chapter 23.19)
• Review authorities and procedures (Table 23.30.070 and Chapter 23.32 — administrative review) (**§ 23.30.070**, **§ 23.32.010–§ 23.32.060**) . (Chapter 23.32)
• Source snapshot / code library origin: codelibrary.amlegal.com (Alhambra Zoning Code compilation) .
• Alhambra_ZoningCode.md

• Official Alhambra code library