Where is a single-family home allowed in Costa Mesa?

Find your lot's zone on the city zoning map, then read its row. Every status below was read from the Costa Mesa Municipal Code use tables (read October 2026). Base zones only. General information, not legal advice — check with the city before you apply.

Zones where a single-family home can go

Costa Mesa's code calls this use “1. Single-family dwellings (single housekeeping units)”. Each row links to the use table it comes from. A zone marked “see note” has a condition in the code, for example upper floors only or a larger lot.

Zone	Status	Code
R1	Allowed — see note Note 4: For the purposes of this table, the symbols in the non-shaded areas shall have the following meaning: C—Conditional Use Permit; MC—Minor Conditional Use Permit; P—Permitted; •— Prohibited; and S—Special Use Permit.	Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX
R2-MD	Allowed	Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX
R2-HD	Allowed	Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX
R3	Allowed	Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX
PDR-LD	Allowed — see note Note 1 (zone heading): Uses proposed in this zone are subject to verification of consistency with the adopted master plan. Uses not specified in the master plan, could be allowed, subject to the review process indicated in this matrix, if the proposed use is determined to be compatible with the adopted master plan. Residential uses shall not be permitted on any site or parcel of land on which residential uses are expressly prohibited by the general plan.	Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX
PDR-MD	Allowed — see note Note 1 (zone heading): Uses proposed in this zone are subject to verification of consistency with the adopted master plan. Uses not specified in the master plan, could be allowed, subject to the review process indicated in this matrix, if the proposed use is determined to be compatible with the adopted master plan. Residential uses shall not be permitted on any site or parcel of land on which residential uses are expressly prohibited by the general plan.	Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX
PDR-HD	Allowed — see note Note 1 (zone heading): Uses proposed in this zone are subject to verification of consistency with the adopted master plan. Uses not specified in the master plan, could be allowed, subject to the review process indicated in this matrix, if the proposed use is determined to be compatible with the adopted master plan. Residential uses shall not be permitted on any site or parcel of land on which residential uses are expressly prohibited by the general plan.	Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX
PDR-NCM	Allowed — see note Note 1 (zone heading): Uses proposed in this zone are subject to verification of consistency with the adopted master plan. Uses not specified in the master plan, could be allowed, subject to the review process indicated in this matrix, if the proposed use is determined to be compatible with the adopted master plan. Residential uses shall not be permitted on any site or parcel of land on which residential uses are expressly prohibited by the general plan.	Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX
PDC	Allowed — see note Note 1 (zone heading): Uses proposed in this zone are subject to verification of consistency with the adopted master plan. Uses not specified in the master plan, could be allowed, subject to the review process indicated in this matrix, if the proposed use is determined to be compatible with the adopted master plan. Residential uses shall not be permitted on any site or parcel of land on which residential uses are expressly prohibited by the general plan.	Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX
PDI	Allowed — see note Note 1 (zone heading): Uses proposed in this zone are subject to verification of consistency with the adopted master plan. Uses not specified in the master plan, could be allowed, subject to the review process indicated in this matrix, if the proposed use is determined to be compatible with the adopted master plan. Residential uses shall not be permitted on any site or parcel of land on which residential uses are expressly prohibited by the general plan.	Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX
I&R-MLT	Allowed — see note Note 1 (zone heading): Uses proposed in this zone are subject to verification of consistency with the adopted master plan. Uses not specified in the master plan, could be allowed, subject to the review process indicated in this matrix, if the proposed use is determined to be compatible with the adopted master plan. Residential uses shall not be permitted on any site or parcel of land on which residential uses are expressly prohibited by the general plan.	Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX

Zones where it is not allowed

AP, CL, C1, C2, C1-S, TC, MG, MP, I&R, I&R-S, P.

What else applies

Boarding houses, ADUs and mobile home parks are separate rows. R1 cell is printed 'P4'.
State law: State law lets most single-family lots add an ADU and a JADU (California ADU law) and a second home or a lot split under SB 9 (Gov. Code § 65852.21).
Not covered here: Zones in specific plan areas: 13-30(f) sends readers to the specific plan text.; Mixed-use overlay in an urban plan area: 13-30(g) sends readers to the urban plan text (overlay, not a base zone).; Unlisted uses: 13-30(d) says an unlisted use is reviewed by the development services director; with no substantial similarity it needs a conditional use permit. So a missing row is not 'prohibited'; the '•' cells are.; Unlisted uses: 13-30(d) says an unlisted use is reviewed by the development services director; with no substantial similarity it needs a conditional use permit. So a missing row is not 'prohibited'; the '•' cells are.. Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.

Other uses in Costa Mesa

Who this affects

HomeownersBuyersReal estate agentsSmall developers

Frequently asked questions

Can I have a single-family home in the AP zone in Costa Mesa?

No. Costa Mesa's use table does not allow it in AP (Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX).

Can I have a single-family home in the R1 zone in Costa Mesa?

Yes, with a condition. Costa Mesa's use table lists it as allowed in R1 (Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX). The code adds a condition: “For the purposes of this table, the symbols in the non-shaded areas shall have the following meaning: C—Conditional Use Permit; MC—Minor Conditional Use Permit; P—Permitted; •— Prohibited; and S—Special Use Permit.”