Arcadia Zoning, Planning & Building Codes

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

Arcadia’s local zoning rules are codified as the City of Arcadia Development Code (Article IX, Division and Use of Land), which sets the legal framework for what can be built, where, and how the city reviews projects (§ 9101.01.010) . The Code is implemented to carry out the General Plan, to regulate uses, design, and environmental review and to establish both citywide standards and area-specific regimes such as specific plans and overlays (§ 9101.01.020; § 9101.01.060) . This page summarizes how the Code is organized, the principal zoning families in Arcadia, the main development standards you will see (setbacks, heights, FAR, parking), the major specific plans and overlays that control special areas, the permit/review pathway, and how California housing law (ADUs, urban lot splits/SB 9-style two-unit provisions, and density bonus) is folded into local rules (§ 9102.13.010; § 9103.01.010) .

How Arcadia's code is organized

• The local zoning/zoning-adjacent regulations are published as the City of Arcadia Development Code and titled in the Code as Article IX, Chapter 1; the formal short title is the Development Code (§ 9101.01.010) .
• Division structure: Division 1 covers enactment, definitions and relationships to state law and CEQA; Division 2 contains Zones, Allowable Uses, and Development Standards (the district tables and per‑zone development rules), Division 3 sets Regulations Applicable to All Zones (site-planning, measuring floor area, setbacks), Division 7 and 9 contain permit procedures and definitions respectively (§ 9101.01.020; § 9103.01.010; Division 2 headings) .
• If a property lies inside an adopted Specific Plan, the Specific Plan governs uses and standards first; where silent, the Code fills gaps and the Director determines applicability (§ 9102.13.020–.040) .

Zoning district families

Arcadia separates districts into families with their own purpose statements and tables of allowed uses; the Code names them explicitly:

• Residential family: R-M (Residential Mountainous), R‑0 (Very Low Density Residential), R‑1 (Low Density Residential), R‑2 (Medium Density Residential), and R‑3 (High Density Residential); each is defined and described in the Development Code and their development standards are collected under the Residential Zones Division (§ 9102.01.010) .
• Commercial/Industrial family: C‑O, C‑G, C‑R, C‑M, M‑1 and related commercial zones with specific tables for allowed uses and development standards (see the Allowed Uses and Development Standards tables for commercial/industrial zones) (§ 9102.03.030) .
• Special-purpose zones: S‑1 (Special Use / Santa Anita Racetrack) for racetrack and event activities and other special‑use zones with tailored permitted‑use tables (§ 9102.07.010–.020) .
• Specific Plan (SP) zones (e.g., SP‑SA1 (Hale Medical Center), SP‑SP (Seabiscuit Pacifica), SP‑ALC (Arcadia Logistic Center)) are mapped and carry their own parcel‑level regulations; once adopted, they govern properties within their bounds (§ 9102.13.050) .
• Overlays: Arcadia uses several overlays such as the Downtown Mixed Use Overlay (DMU), P (Vehicle Parking) overlay, Race Track Event Overlay, and height overlays (H/special) that modify permissible forms and standards on underlying zones (§ 9102.11.070–.080; § 9102.03.030) .

(For a quick entry to the citywide standards, see the Arcadia Development Standards page linked below; for parking rules see the Arcadia Parking page.)

Citywide development standards

Arcadia’s code separates general measurement rules (how to measure floor area, height, and setbacks) from zone‑specific numeric standards so you can find the objective rules and the table numbers.

• Measurement rules: floor area and FAR measurement rules and exclusions (e.g., certain garage areas) are explained under measuring floor area and FAR (§ 9103.01.030) .
• Residential basic form standards: typical single‑family zone minimums and maximums are set in the Residential Zone tables — e.g., front setbacks commonly 25 ft, side setbacks commonly 10 ft, rear setbacks commonly 10 ft, maximum heights set per zone (examples include 30 ft or 16 ft for various accessory structures) — these numeric standards and the supporting exceptions are administered under the Residential Zones subsection and its tables (§ 9102.01.030; § 9102.01.100; Subsection references in the Residential tables) .
• Commercial/industrial form standards: commercial zones carry tabled standards such as maximum FAR 0.5, front setbacks as low as 0 ft (in some commercial subzones) and maximum heights up to 85 ft in C‑R with H overlay; additional rules apply when commercial abuts residential (e.g., a 45‑degree encroachment plane) (§ 9102.03.030; § 9102.03.040) .
• Parking: off‑street parking and loading standards (vehicle dimensions, required spaces by use, screening, and where parking is prohibited) are centralized in the Off‑Street Parking and Loading division (§ 9103.07) .
• Site design and landscape: common site planning rules, landscape/irrigation, lighting and refuse area rules are in Division 3 and the condominium/subdivision standards (e.g., on irrigation and lighting) (§ 9103.01.010–.110) .
• Objective vs. discretionary: the Code differentiates objective numeric standards (used for ministerial or objective review) from discretionary design criteria (used in design review and conditional permitting) (§ 9103.01.010; references to objective design standards) .

(Direct link to the Arcadia Development Standards is placed on the first mention of development standards.)

Specific plans & overlays

• Specific Plans: Arcadia lists adopted Specific Plans by SP code and map designation and states that an adopted Specific Plan governs development within its boundary and may supersede or supplement the Development Code (§ 9102.13.010–.050) . Examples include SP‑SA1 (Hale Medical Center), SP‑SP (Seabiscuit Pacifica), and SP‑ALC (Arcadia Logistic Center) (§ 9102.13.050) .
• Overlays: Arcadia maintains multiple overlays that change form, allowed uses, or review path for underlying zones — notably the Downtown Mixed Use Overlay (DMU) that facilitates denser residential development when affordable units are provided, and the P (Vehicle Parking) Overlay that allows stand‑alone parking uses subject to the off‑street parking rules (§ 9102.11.080; § 9102.11.070) .
• Event and special overlays: the Race Track Event Overlay and the S‑1 Special Use zone for Santa Anita regulate temporary events, crowding buffers, and a 100‑ft restriction near residences for equipment or structures (§ 9102.07.020; § 9102.07.030) .

(See the Arcadia Overlay Districts page linked on the first mention of overlays.)

Building permits & review

• Permit hierarchy: Arcadia separates ministerial building and grading permits (which follow objective Code and Title 24 rules) from discretionary approvals (conditional use permits, variances, design review, planned development permits) and identifies the required application routes in Division 7 (§ 9107.03 and related sections) .
• Design review: most projects that change building form or add structures require Site Plan and Design Review per the Code’s design‑review rules and objective design standards; the Code defines design review and points to Section § 9107.19 for procedures and criteria (§ 9107.19; definitions) . (First mention of design review is linked.)
• Planned Development and discretionary adjustments: large or flexible projects (Planned Development Permits) have minimum site area thresholds and must be approved before building permits are issued; PD permits can modify many development standards except that density increases beyond maximums require state density‑bonus compliance (§ 9107.15.020–.060) .
• Administrative modifications, variances, and conditional approvals: the Code provides administrative modification pathways and formal variance/conditional use processes for deviations from numeric standards, with specified noticing and findings (§ 9107.05; § 9107.09) .
• Practical permit sequence: the City will require a complete planning entitlement or ministerial clearance that demonstrates compliance with the Development Code (including parking, landscaping, refuse, and other site standards) before issuing Building Permits, and some discretionary approvals (e.g., Planned Development) explicitly precede building or grading permits (§ 9107.15.020.C; § 9103.01.010) .

(For building‑code technical compliance, Arcadia enforces the California Building Standards Code; the first mention of the state building code is linked as required.)

State housing law in Arcadia

Arcadia’s Development Code incorporates and cross‑references state housing statutes and contains local rules that implement state ADU and two‑unit/urban‑lot‑split provisions while preserving local objective standards where allowed.

• ADUs and JADUs: the Code subjects accessory dwelling units to local ADU provisions and points to a specific ADU subsection; the Code also flags that ADUs are addressed by objective standards elsewhere in the residential division (§ 9102.01.080) . (First mention of ADUs is linked.)
• Urban lot splits / two‑unit projects: Arcadia has a local urban lot‑split / two‑unit framework that sets clear local limits and objective rules — e.g., resulting units on an urban lot split are limited to no more than two units per resulting lot, individual unit size caps (commonly ≤ 800 sq ft and ≥ 500 sq ft), one parking space per new primary dwelling subject to Government Code § 65852.21 exceptions, and height/setback limits for the new unit(s) (e.g., one story / 16 ft for some two‑unit projects) (§ 9102.01.160 subsections; references to Government Code parking rules are included in the local text) .
• Density bonus and affordable incentives: the Code references state density‑bonus law as the mechanism for density increases beyond zone maximums and provides local incentives (for example, in the Downtown Mixed Use Overlay the city allows by‑right residential development when a threshold of affordable units is provided), tying local concessions to state law (§ 9103.15 [Density Bonuses]; § 9102.11.080.D) .
• Parking and ADUs: Arcadia follows the state parking preemption approach in several places — for urban lot split two‑unit projects the Code applies one off‑street parking space per new primary dwelling and references Government Code exceptions for when parking may be waived (§ 9102.01.160; references to Government Code § 65852.21 appear in the two‑unit project rules) .
• Rent control and eviction limits: a search of the retrieved Development Code text did not show an Arcadia municipal rent‑control ordinance in Article IX; confirm with City clerk or municipal code if you need an authoritative statement on rent and eviction controls (Not found in retrieved materials) (Verify with the jurisdiction) (Not found in retrieved materials) .

Practical orientation: where to look first

• To confirm what zone a parcel is in and any SP/overlay that applies, consult the Zoning Map and the Specific Plan listings and read the SP designation text — see § 9102.13.050 for the list of adopted SPs and § 9102.11 for overlay maps and rules (§ 9102.13.050; § 9102.11.080) .
• For numeric dimensional rules (setbacks, lot coverage, height) check the zone’s table in Division 2 and then the Division 3 measuring rules and exemptions (§ 9102.01 tables; § 9103.01.030) . (A link to Arcadia Parking and Arcadia Design Review appear on first mention of those topics above.)
• For any discretionary project expect a required application completeness review, public notice/hearing steps for Commission/Council review (as applicable), and an explicit finding set tied to the permit type in Division 7 (§ 9107.03; § 9107.15.050–.060) .

Information Gaps / Verify with the City

• The retrieved Development Code excerpts do not show a standalone municipal rent‑control or tenant protection chapter; if you require a definitive answer on rental regulations or eviction moratoria, confirm with Arcadia’s City Clerk or Municipal Code online (Not found in retrieved materials) .
• For the full numeric tables (Table 2‑# entries) and the exact current Zoning Map PDF, use the official City/Planning Department web resources or Municode hosting to ensure you have the latest amendments (the Code excerpts reference recent Ordinances and dates) (§ 9102.03.030; ordinance notes) .

Source References

• City of Arcadia Development Code (Article IX, “Development Code” / Division 1 et seq.), Arcadia Municipal Code excerpts used in this summary including § 9101.01.010; § 9101.01.020; § 9102.01.010; § 9102.03.030; § 9102.11.070–.080; § 9102.13.010–.050; § 9103.01.030; § 9103.07; § 9107.15; § 9107.19 — Arcadia Development Code excerpts .
• Additional specific Code excerpts cited for ADU/two‑unit/urban lot split rules and parking references (§ 9102.01.080; § 9102.01.160; Gov. Code references embedded in local text) — Arcadia Development Code excerpts .