Local zoning · Del Mar

Del Mar — Land Use

Land Use under the Del Mar local zoning and planning code, with the controlling citations.

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Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the Del Mar Zoning Ordinance (Title 30) actually says about land use: which activities are allowed in each zone, which require a Conditional Use Permit, and the most decision-relevant dimensional standards. For a general introduction to city planning rules, see the Del Mar zoning & planning overview. The material below quotes the local code by section (the controlling § is shown) and interprets it in plain English; where the code is silent, the text notes that the item was Not found in retrieved materials. For standards (setbacks, lot coverage, FAR) see the city's development standards; for parking, see the city's parking rules.

(This page stays strictly within Del Mar zoning/planning ordinance content — building-code details live in the California Building Standards Code and are outside this page's scope.)

How to read this page

  • Bolded terms are what readers scan for (zones and numeric standards).
  • The first mention of related city topics is linked inline to the site pages referenced by the city menu (parking, design review, overlays, ADUs, development standards, Del Mar Zoning, etc.). Use those pages to follow up on procedural or technical chapters.

District-by-district breakdown

Below are the Del Mar base zones and the code sections that define their purpose, allowed uses, conditional uses, and the key numeric limits an applicant will care about.

R1-40 (Single-Family Residential)

  • Purpose / where it applies: Low-density single-family areas intended to preserve open, uncrowded character. See § 30.10.010 and boundary statement § 30.10.020.
  • Typical permitted uses: A single dwelling unit per lot; Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Junior ADUs when they meet Chapter 30.91 requirements; Small Community Care Facility; two-unit residential under Chapter 30.93. See § 30.10.030.
  • Accessory uses: Garages, limited room rental, home occupations, pets, recreational facilities; ADUs governed by Chapter 30.91. See § 30.10.040.
  • Key dimensional standards (examples): minimum lot size 5,000 sq ft, vehicle garage limits, and front/rear/side yard standards listed in the chapter (see § 30.10.070 and related subsections). For specific numeric front/rear setbacks and height limits, verify the underlying subsection in Chapter 30.10.

R1-5 (Lower-lot single-family / smaller-lot R-1)

  • Purpose / where it applies: Single-family on smaller lots (described in § 30.14.010–.020).
  • Typical permitted uses: Single dwelling unit; ADUs / JADUs per § 30.91; Small Community Care Facility; Two-Unit Residential Development per Chapter 30.93. See § 30.14.030–.040.
  • Key dimensional standards (explicit): Front yard 20 ft, rear yard 20 ft, interior side yard 5 ft, street side 10 ft, height 22 ft, FAR 30% or 2,000 sq ft (whichever greater), max lot coverage 45% or 3,000 sq ft (whichever greater). See § 30.14.070.
  • Notes: Properties in the Bluff, Slope, and Canyon Overlay may have a lower height limit (e.g., 14 ft in that overlay unless higher height is found consistent with overlay standards) — see the chapter text for the overlay cross-reference (§ 30.14.080).

R-2 (Low/medium density multiple-family)

  • Purpose / where it applies: Permits duplexes and small multi-family forms where appropriate (see § 30.20.010–.020).
  • Typical permitted uses: Single-family and multi-family dwellings consistent with density rules; accessory uses; ADUs per Chapter 30.91. See § 30.20.030–.040.
  • Conditionally allowed uses: Large family day care and large community care facility may be allowed subject to Conditional Use Permit and parking/circulation conditions (see § 30.20.045).
  • Design review: All development in R2 is subject to the city's design review rules (see § 30.20.060).
  • Parking: See Chapter 30.80 for parking requirements; the R2 chapter explicitly defers to that chapter.

RM-East (Medium-density mixed residential — East)

  • Purpose: Allows higher residential density in the RM-East planning area (see § 30.16.010).
  • Typical permitted uses: Single-family, duplex, multiple dwelling units up to the density cap; ADUs per Chapter 30.91. See § 30.16.030–.045.
  • Conditionally allowed uses: Large family day care and large community care facilities subject to spacing, fenced play area, parking, and circulation plan requirements (see § 30.16.045).
  • Key dimensional standards: density up to 17.6 du/net acre, minimum lot size 5,000 sq ft, front yard 10 ft, rear 10 ft, interior side 5 ft, street side 10 ft, height 26 ft, FAR 45%, lot coverage 60% (see § 30.16.070).

RM-West (Medium-density mixed residential — West)

  • Purpose: Allows single-family and duplex development in established two-family areas (see § 30.17.010).
  • Typical permitted uses: Single dwelling, ADU (but JADU not permitted in RM-West), duplexes on qualifying lots, churches with CUP, Small Community Care Facilities; accessory uses per the chapter. See § 30.17.030–.040.
  • Conditionally allowed uses: Large family day care and large community care facilities subject to the chapter's spacing and parking conditions (§ 30.17.045).
  • Key dimensional standards: density up to 17.6 du/net acre, setbacks: front 10 ft, rear 10 ft, interior side 5 ft, street side 10 ft, height 26 ft, FAR 45%, max lot coverage 60%. See § 30.17.070.
  • Special rules: Lot-line buildings, adjusted front yard on Ocean Front, and joint lot coverage rules for commonly owned substandard lots are spelled out in § 30.17.080.

RM-Central

  • Purpose: Medium-density residential with design standards intended to preserve village character (§ 30.18.010).
  • Typical permitted uses: Similar to other RM zones: single-family, duplex, multiple units, ADUs per Chapter 30.91, accessory uses. See § 30.18.030–.045.
  • Conditionally allowed uses: Large family day care and large community care facilities subject to the spacing/parking/circulation plan conditions (§ 30.18.045).
  • Key dimensional standards: density up to 12.5 du/net acre, min lot size 7,000 sq ft, front yard 20 ft, rear yard 20 ft, interior side 5 ft, height 26 ft, FAR 30%, max lot coverage 45%. See § 30.18.070.

RM-South

  • Purpose / uses: Similar mixed residential allowances with accessory uses and conditional uses enumerated; see § 30.19.010–.045.
  • Conditionally allowed uses: Again the day care/community care spacing and parking rules apply under § 30.19.045.
  • Design review and parking: All development is subject to design review and parking rules in Chapter 30.80 (see § 30.19.060–.050).

RC (Residential-Commercial / Transition Zone)

  • Purpose: Intended as a transition between commercial and residential activities; caps commercial floor area to 40% of total floor area and requires at least 60% residential floor area when housing mixed uses (§ 30.21.010–.030).
  • Typical permitted uses: Any use allowable in the R2 zone (provided at least 60% of floor area is R2 use), and primary uses allowed in CC up to 40% of floor area; accessory uses include garages, off-street parking, ADUs per Chapter 30.91. See § 30.21.030–.040.
  • Key dimensional standards: Density ≤ 12.5 du/net acre, min lot size 7,000 sq ft, front setback 20 ft, rear 0 ft, interior side 5 ft, street side 10 ft, height 26 ft, FAR 30%, max lot coverage 55%. See § 30.21.070.
  • Design review: All RC development is subject to the Design Review Board (§ 30.21.060).

CC (Central Commercial)

  • Purpose: The city’s village-center retail/restaurant/pedestrian zone; emphasizes pedestrian orientation (§ 30.22.010).
  • Typical permitted uses: Retail, restaurants, personal services, offices, and visitor-serving uses that serve residents and tourists (§ 30.22.030).
  • Design review: Development in CC is subject to design review to maintain village character and pedestrian emphasis. See § 30.22.060.

VC (Visitor Commercial)

  • Purpose: Low-intensity visitor-serving uses such as hotels and motels, preserving coastal vistas and low-rise character (§ 30.26.010).
  • Typical permitted uses: Hotels, motels, boardinghouses/lodginghouses, kitchen facilities rules for manager/guest units; accessory dining limited to one-third of floor area when accessory to a hotel use (§ 30.26.030–.040).
  • Dimensional rules and parking: Lot size minimums and parking requirements appear in the VC chapter; off-street parking is required per Chapter 30.80 (§ 30.26.050, .070).

Overlay zones and special chapters (high-level)

  • Beach Overlay Zone (B-OZ): Governs shoreline parcels; permitted uses are the underlying-zone uses but overlay regulations prevail in a conflict. Development seaward of overlay lines is strictly controlled and Shoreline Protection Permits are required for protective structures (§ 30.50.030, 30.50.050).
  • Bluff, Slope and Canyon Overlay (BSC-OZ): Adds stricter building/relief rules; note that some implementing ordinance provisions are not eligible for relief via the variance process (see the chapter footnote and § 30.52.010 onward).
  • Housing Element Implementation Overlay: Allows some sites to be developed “by-right” at higher density (20–25 du/ac) subject to overlay standards and administrative CDP procedures (§ 30.92.040 and related).
  • Coastal development permits and appeals: The Coastal chapter sets CDP conditions, posting/expiration, and appealability (see Chapter 30.75 — e.g., § 30.75.150–.190).

(For more detail on overlays see the Del Mar Overlay Districts page.)

Quick reference table — selected decision-relevant items

Zone Typical allowed (by-right) uses Key numeric limits (examples) Code reference
R1-40 Single dwelling; ADUs; small care facilities Min lot 5,000 sf; see development standards in chapter § 30.10.030–.040
R1-5 Single dwelling; ADU / JADU Front 20 ft, Rear 20 ft, Height 22 ft, FAR 30% or 2000 sf § 30.14.070
R-2 Multi-family, duplexes; ADUs Conditional uses: large day care / community care per standards § 30.20.030–.045
RM-East / RM-West / RM-Central / RM-South Higher-density residential forms; ADUs Densities and setbacks vary: e.g., RM-East 17.6 du/ac; RM-Central 12.5 du/ac; setbacks 10–20 ft, height 26 ft § 30.16.070, 30.17.070, 30.18.070, 30.19.xx
RC Mixed residential/commercial (residential-majority) Commercial ≤ 40% of floor area; height 26 ft, FAR 30% § 30.21.030, 30.21.070
CC Village retail/restaurant/office Pedestrian orientation; design review § 30.22.010–.060
VC Hotels, motels, visitor services Two-story/low-rise emphasis; min lot 6,000 sf in some areas § 30.26.010–.070
Beach Overlay Underlying uses only; stricter shoreline controls Overlay rules prevail; shoreline protections and permits required § 30.50.030–.060

Notes: Parking requirements are set in Chapter 30.80 and are invoked across many zone chapters; design review is similarly invoked by many zone chapters (see each zone's design review subsection). For accessory dwelling-specific rules see Chapter 30.91 (ADUs). See the city's development standards page for the tables used during permit review.

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy)

  • Confirm base zone for the parcel and applicable overlay zones (e.g., Beach Overlay, BSC-OZ) — see the zone map and the overlay chapter citations § 30.10–30.26, § 30.50–30.52.
  • Confirm the proposed use is a permitted use or identify which Conditional Use Permit is required (§ 30.10.x – 30.26.x as applicable).
  • Verify dimensional standards (setbacks, height, FAR, lot coverage) in the applicable zone chapter (e.g., § 30.14.070, § 30.21.070, § 30.17.070).
  • Demonstrate compliance with parking (Chapter 30.80) and prepare a circulation/parking plan if required for conditional uses like large day care or community care facilities (§ 30.20.045, 30.16.045, etc.).
  • Submit to the Design Review Board where required (zone chapters typically require design review — see each zone’s Design Review subsection). See Del Mar Design Review.
  • If the property is in the coastal zone or within appealable areas, determine whether a Coastal Development Permit or administrative CDP is required and whether the decision is appealable to the Coastal Commission (Chapter 30.75).
  • For ADUs, follow Chapter 30.91 and state ADU law where applicable; consult the Del Mar ADUs page for streamlined ADU rules.
  • Check for Overlay-specific prohibitions/requirements (Beach Overlay overrides base zone in conflict; Shoreline Protection Permits for structures in shoreline area). § 30.50 and § 30.51.

Risks & Ambiguities

Issue Why it matters What to verify
Overlay precedence (Beach, BSC-OZ) Overlay provisions explicitly prevail over conflicting base-zone rules — can change heights, allowed development, or variance eligibility (§ 30.50.030; BSC-OZ footnote). Verify which overlay(s) map to the parcel and read overlay chapters word-for-word; confirm whether a variance is possible (some overlay provisions are not variance-eligible).
Coastal appealability Some administrative CDPs in overlay zones may be appealable to the Coastal Commission — appeals are time-limited and affect timelines (Chapter 30.75). Confirm whether the parcel lies in the appealable area (between first public road and sea, within 300 ft of beach or mean high tide, or within 100 ft of wetlands).
Commercial percentage limits in RC RC restricts commercial floor area to no more than 40% of total floor area; projects that shift proportions can trigger permit or redesign needs (§ 30.21.030). Measure proposed floor-area by use and confirm commercial/residential split complies.
Parcel-specific standards not captured here Code chapters sometimes include site-specific exceptions (e.g., Camino del Mar west side height limits in RM). Local text matters. Verify the exact lot-level rules in the chapter text and city zone map; consult staff for parcel-specific interpretations.
Parking and circulation for conditional uses Conditional uses (large daycare/community care) require onsite parking and Traffic Engineer signoff; failing to address this early can stall approval (§ 30.16.045, 30.20.045). Confirm the parking standard from Chapter 30.80, and meet circulation plan requirements.

Plain-English Summary

Del Mar’s Title 30 spells out what you can do on a parcel by naming the base zone (R1-40, R1-5, R-2, RM zones, RC, CC, VC, etc.), listing allowed uses and conditional uses, and then giving numeric limits (setbacks, height, FAR, coverage). Overlays (Beach, Bluff/Slope/Canyon, Housing Implementation) can change or override those base rules and often require special permits. Always check the exact chapter for your parcel and expect design review and parking rules to apply in most cases. See the city's Del Mar Zoning landing page for maps and the development standards and parking rules for the technical tables.

Source References

  • Del Mar Municipal Code — Title 30 (Zoning) — R1-40 provisions: § 30.10.030–.040
  • R1-5 development standards: § 30.14.070
  • R-2 permitted/conditional uses: § 30.20.030–.045
  • RM-East: § 30.16.045 and development standards § 30.16.070
  • RM-West: § 30.17.030–.045, development standards § 30.17.070 and special rules § 30.17.080
  • RM-Central: Allowable uses and standards § 30.18.045, § 30.18.070
  • RM-South conditional use text: § 30.19.045
  • RC zone purpose, allowable uses, standards: § 30.21.010, § 30.21.030, § 30.21.070
  • CC zone purpose and uses: § 30.22.010, § 30.22.030–.060
  • VC zone uses and development standards: § 30.26.010–.070
  • Beach Overlay Zone: § 30.50.010–.060 (overlay precedence and shoreline protections)
  • Shoreline protection and related permit criteria: § 30.51.040–.060
  • Housing Element Implementation Overlay and administrative CDP rules: § 30.92.040 and related subsections
  • Coastal Development Permit procedures, conditions, appeals: Chapter 30.75 (e.g., § 30.75.150–.190)

Also consult these site pages (first mentions linked above for further procedural detail):

Information Gaps

  • Exact numeric development standards for some R-2 subsections and some CC/VC height specifics are Not found in retrieved materials in the excerpts available here; verify with the full chapter text or the city's Zoning map. (We cited the sections that appeared in the retrieved files; where a particular numeric item was not visible in the snippets, the item is flagged above as "Verify with the jurisdiction".)
  • The full text of Chapter 30.80 (parking ratios) was referenced by chapters but the chapter text was not included in the retrieved snippets; consult Chapter 30.80 directly. Not all parking ratios could be listed here.

Sources

Retrieved passages

  • Del Mar Zoning Code (§ 30) High relevance
  • Del Mar Zoning Code (§ 26) High relevance
  • Del Mar Zoning Code (§ 21) High relevance
  • Del Mar Zoning Code (Chapter 30.61) High relevance
  • Del Mar Zoning Code (Section 1596.70.) High relevance
  • Del Mar Zoning Code (Section 30.91.040.) High relevance
  • Del Mar Zoning Code (§ 22) High relevance
  • Del Mar Zoning Code (Section 30.91.040) High relevance

Cited sections

Frequently asked questions

What can I build on an R-1-40 lot in Del Mar?

In R1-40 you may build one primary single-family dwelling per building site, and you can add an Accessory Dwelling Unit if it meets Chapter 30.91 requirements; small community care facilities and two-unit development under Chapter 30.93 are also identified as allowable. See § 30.10.030–.040.

What are Del Mar's setback requirements for R1-5?

The R1-5 chapter explicitly lists front yard 20 ft, rear yard 20 ft, interior side 5 ft, street side 10 ft, and a height limit of 22 ft; FAR and lot coverage standards are also in § 30.14.070. Verify special overlay exceptions in § 30.14.080.

Do I need design review in Del Mar for a new house or addition?

Most base zones include a “Design Review” subsection requiring Design Review Board approval for development in that zone; for example, R2, RC, and multiple RM zones state that all development is subject to design review (see the design review paragraphs in the applicable zone chapter, e.g., § 30.20.060, § 30.21.060). Check the applicable zone chapter early and consult the Del Mar Design Review page.

When is a Conditional Use Permit required for day care or community care facilities?

Large family day care and large community care facilities are typically allowed only with a Conditional Use Permit and must meet spacing, fenced play area, onsite parking, and Traffic Engineer/Planning Director circulation-plan approval requirements; see the conditional-use subsections in the RM and R zones (e.g., § 30.16.045, § 30.20.045, § 30.17.045).

Does the Beach Overlay change what I can build on a shoreline parcel?

Yes. The Beach Overlay Zone states that permitted uses are those of the underlying zone but the overlay regulations prevail in case of conflict; construction within the shoreline protection area is limited and shoreline protective devices require specific permits and findings (§ 30.50.030–.060).

How does the RC zone treat mixed residential/commercial floor area?

The RC zone functions as a transition zone: it requires at least 60% of floor area be residential uses allowable in R2, and commercial uses shall not exceed 40% of total floor area; accessory uses and ADUs are subject to Chapter 30.91. See § 30.21.030–.040.

Are there Del Mar rules that cannot be varied by a variance?

Yes. Some provisions in the Del Mar Local Coastal Program Implementing Ordinances (for example, in the Bluff, Slope and Canyon Overlay Zone and the Beach Overlay Zone) are explicitly not subject to variance relief; see the chapter footnotes and specific overlay language (BSC-OZ and BOZ footnotes).

If my project reduces dwelling units, is there a fee?

If a development causes a net reduction in dwelling units, the project may be conditioned to pay the City's Housing Reduction Mitigation Fee; the RC and other residential chapters discuss this fee and exemptions (e.g., § 30.21.090). Verify the applicable chapter for your zone.

Where are parking requirements for zones defined?

Zone chapters typically defer to Chapter 30.80 for off-street parking requirements; when a conditional use (like a large day care) is proposed, the code usually requires an onsite parking plan and Traffic Engineer review (see any zone’s "Parking Requirement" subsection, e.g., § 30.20.050, § 30.21.050).

What does the Housing Element Implementation Overlay change about approvals?

On sites covered by the Housing Element Implementation Overlay, development that meets the overlay criteria may be permitted at 20–25 du/net acre and can proceed under an administrative Coastal Development Permit subject to the overlay's rules (see § 30.92.040).

Do ADUs follow different Del Mar rules?

ADUs are allowed in most residential zones but must comply with Chapter 30.91 (the city’s ADU rules); many zone chapters explicitly reference that ADUs are permitted subject to Chapter 30.91 (see R1-40, R1-5, R2, RM chapters). For state linkage, consult California ADU law if needed. ---

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