Del Rey Oaks Zoning, Planning & Building Codes

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

Del Rey Oaks’s land-use law is contained in the city's zoning title (commonly referenced as Title 17, Zoning) and is adopted as the "Zoning Ordinance of the City of Del Rey Oaks." The code establishes the citywide district structure, development standards, overlays, and review procedures that guide what may be built and where. The ordinance sets basic administration and map rules in § 17.04.010–§ 17.04.040 and the citation/short title in § 17.04.140 . Read this page first for orientation to the code, then follow the chapter/§ pointers to the rules that control a specific project.

How Del Rey Oaks's code is organized

• Title and chapters: zoning rules are codified under Title 17 (the City’s zoning title). The code groups general provisions, districts, overlays, special chapters (design review, ADUs, cannabis, signs, emergency shelters), and administration across chapters such as Ch. 17.04 (General Provisions), Ch. 17.36 (General Use Regulations), Ch. 17.56 (Design Review), Ch. 17.70 (Accessory Dwelling Units) and others; see § 17.04.010, § 17.36.010, § 17.56.010, § 17.70.010 for chapter entries and purposes .
• Zoning map and boundaries: the ordinance incorporates a map and specifies rules for interpreting district lines at § 17.04.030–§ 17.04.040 (map integration and boundary rules) .
• Administrative permits and enforcement: the code requires zoning permits and use/conditional permits and sets the process rules in § 17.04.060–§ 17.04.080; enforcement and penalties are in § 17.04.130 .
• Where to find major rules quickly: district-specific use tables and standards are in each district chapter (for example, R‑1 chapter contains § 17.08.020–§ 17.08.040), design review rules are in § 17.56.010–§ 17.56.030 and ADU rules are collected in Ch. 17.70 (see § 17.70.010 et seq.) .

(If you prefer a shortcut view before reading the code, start on the city’s zoning menu.)

Zoning district families

Del Rey Oaks uses letter/number district labels and separate overlay chapters. The principal district families are spelled out at § 17.04.020: R-1, R-2, D, and C (and subtypes such as C-1) . Key chapters:

• R-1 (Single‑Family Residential) — Chapter 17.08. Permitted principal uses include one‑family dwellings, parks, and home occupations (subject to use permits where noted), building height limit: 30 ft (§ 17.08.030), and minimum lot area 6,000 sq ft with a table of maximum building footprints and FAR by lot size in § 17.08.040(B); garage and auxiliary housing rules are in § 17.08.090–§ 17.08.100 .
• R-2 (Multiple‑Family Residential) — Chapter 17.12. R‑2 permits R‑1 uses plus multi‑family types; rear yard minimum 15 ft and building‑to‑building separation standards (e.g., 15 ft between main buildings) are in § 17.12.080–§ 17.12.090 .
• D (“Garden Type” Apartment / Controlled‑Density) — Chapter 17.16. The D district controls multi‑family densities and design; density allowances run 5 units/acre up to 18 units/acre for developments allowed by CUP, and property standards (parking, lot area, yards, open space) are in § 17.16.030–§ 17.16.040 (including parking rates: 1.75 spaces per small unit; 2 spaces for 3‑bedroom+ in § 17.16.040(C)(1)) .
• C / C‑1 (Commercial) — Chapter 17.24. Commercial property development and performance standards (yard measurement, parking formulas, screening, underground utilities in specific C‑1 areas) live in § 17.24.040–§ 17.24.050; parking rates for commercial uses (e.g., 1 space/300 sf for offices, 1/500 sf for retail) are specified there .
• ST (Special Treatment) — Chapter 17.28. Large‑parcel, plan‑driven standards apply (minimum sites of 5 acres typically; site plan controls and flexible setback/height rules) § 17.28.030–§ 17.28.060 .
• Overlay and special zones: the city adds overlays for visitor accommodation (Visitor Commercial Overlay — Ch. 17.32, performance and parking rules in § 17.32.060), an Affordable Housing Overlay (AH‑OZ / AF‑OZ provisions at § 17.90.030 and related subsections), and recently adopted chapters for cannabis (Ch. 17.60) and emergency shelters (Ch. 17.80); each overlay has its own permitted uses and standards (see § 17.32.030–§ 17.32.060, § 17.60.050, § 17.80.030, § 17.90.030) .

(See the city’s overlay districts menu for a quick map-driven view.)

Citywide development standards

Del Rey Oaks mixes district‑level objective yard/height/FAR tables with specific chapter rules and overlay exceptions.

• Height limits: R‑1 and similar residential districts generally cap principal buildings at 30 ft or 2–3 stories depending on the zone (§ 17.08.030, 17.24 for commercial) while AH‑OZ overlay projects may allow up to 35 ft / 3 stories where specified (§ 17.08.030; § 17.17/17.90 provisions) .
• Setbacks and yards: front/side/rear yard rules appear in each district chapter; R‑1 front/side/rear and R‑2 rear yard minimums appear in § 17.08.040–§ 17.08.070 and § 17.12.080 respectively; the code defines how front yards are measured in § 17.24.040(C)(1) and has general yard definitions in § 17.04.150 .
• Lot coverage and FAR: R‑1 has a table of maximum building footprints and FAR by lot size in § 17.08.040(B) (e.g., on a 6,000 sq ft lot the table lists 40% maximum footprint / F.A.R. 45%), and overlays (AH‑OZ) may allow modified coverage (e.g., maximum 50% coverage with development incentives described in § 17.90.030) .
• Parking: Del Rey Oaks sets use‑specific parking ratios in district chapters (for commercial, see § 17.24.050; for D and ST zones see § 17.16.040(C) and § 17.28.090 which cross‑references § 17.16.040(C)). ADU parking exceptions are codified in the ADU chapter (see below). For a quick municipal summary see the parking menu .
• Signs, landscaping, and nonconformities: sign controls are in Ch. 17.59 (including nonconforming sign rules at § 17.59.060), landscaping/screening requirements appear in district and design rules, and nonconforming uses are governed by Ch. 17.40 (e.g., § 17.40.010 explains continuation and cessation rules) .

(If you need the city's specific numeric development tables, open the development standards page, then jump to the district chapter cited above.)

Design / discretionary review

• The Planning Commission serves as the design review board; design review is mandatory for the types of development listed in § 17.56.030 (projects that require variances, use permits, or building permits for new structures or exterior structural changes). The design review board evaluates height, bulk, setbacks, materials, roof pitch, signage, landscaping and parking as part of its scope (§ 17.56.010–§ 17.56.030) .
• Design permits may also be a step for projects seeking development incentives or relaxed standards in overlays (for example Affordable Housing overlay incentives require design permit findings and Council approval as described in § 17.90.030 and related subsections) .

(Read more through the city’s design review page — the code text to consult is Ch. 17.56.)

Specific plans & overlays

• Visitor Commercial Overlay: Ch. 17.32 creates a Visitor Commercial Overlay with its own permitted uses, performance standards, and parking rules including a 50% parking reduction for certain auxiliary hotel-related uses (§ 17.32.030–§ 17.32.060) .
• Affordable Housing / AH‑OZ and AF‑OZ: the Affordable Housing Overlay framework and incentives (fee waivers, density averaging, limited reductions to setbacks/coverage via design permit) are described in the overlay provisions (see the AH/AF overlay text and § 17.90.030 and related subsections for incentives and findings) .
• Special Treatment (ST) districts: plan‑level standards for large parcels are in Ch. 17.28 and provide flexible height/setback/site conditions subject to approved overall plot plans (§ 17.28.030–§ 17.28.060) .

(For a map or quick selection by type, see the city overlay districts menu.)

Building permits & review (practical permit path)

1. Zoning clearance / zoning permit required: the code requires a zoning permit for buildings and alterations in any district (§ 17.04.060) and that applications include a plot plan showing compliance with Title 17 standards .
2. Determine permit level: check the district chapter for permitted uses and whether your change is administrative (zoning permit), requires a use or conditional use permit (see § 17.04.070–§ 17.04.080), or needs a variance (see the variance chapter cross‑references in the code) .
3. Design review: if the project triggers design review per § 17.56.030 (new buildings, exterior structural remodeling, or any project requiring a variance/use permit), the Planning Commission will review design and make approval conditioned on adopted criteria (see § 17.56.010–§ 17.56.030) .
4. Building permits / concurrent review: building permits are issued after zoning and design approvals; building code compliance follows the California Building Standards Code (Title 24) — the zoning title explicitly defers to the uniform building code where necessary (see § 17.04.160) . For building code rules, consult the California Building Standards Code.
5. Appeals and enforcement: Planning Commission decisions are appealable to City Council within set deadlines (see permit chapters and § 17.60.070 for example appeal timing language in the cannabis chapter; appeals rules are embedded throughout Title 17) .

If the project is an ADU, read the ADU chapter first — ADU reviews are subject to the objective ADU standards in Ch. 17.70 and time limits and fee rules in § 17.70.060–§ 17.70.070 . See the ADU primer on the city ADUs menu for a user‑focused checklist.

State housing law in Del Rey Oaks

Del Rey Oaks has integrated state ADU and housing law into local rules; the code cites state statutes where relevant and implements state‑required limits:

• ADUs / JADUs: Del Rey Oaks codified accessory units in Ch. 17.70. The chapter aligns with California ADU law and contains objective standards including ADU location options, height limits (single‑story detached ≤ 16 ft) and maximum unit sizes (studio/1‑bed up to 1,000 sq ft; 2+ bedroom up to 1,200 sq ft; JADU up to 500 sq ft), setbacks (generally 4 ft side/rear for new ADUs; no setback needed when converting existing accessory structure), and parking rules (limited parking requirements and specific exemptions) — see § 17.70.010, § 17.70.030–§ 17.70.060 for the governing text and numeric standards .
• ADU fees and impact fees: ADU fee rules are in § 17.70.060 (impact‑fee exceptions under certain square‑foot thresholds and proportional fees for larger ADUs) .
• Density bonus & affordable housing: the Affordable Housing Overlay and incentives reference state housing goals and the Housing Accountability Act; approvals and incentives must be consistent with state law (§ 17.90.030 cross‑references Government Code requirements and the Housing Accountability Act) .
• Emergency shelters and other state compliance: Del Rey Oaks adopted Ch. 17.80 to establish emergency‑shelter standards and comply with state law requirements for shelters (§ 17.80.010–§ 17.80.030) .
• Note on SB 9 and other parcel‑split/state‑driven changes: the Title 17 text makes many procedural references to state statutes but for fast‑moving state tools (SB 9 duplex/lot‑split rules, density bonus changes), consult the city planner; the code’s ADU chapter does implement state ADU rules concretely (§ 17.70.010 references Government Code § 65852.2 and § 65852.22) and the city defers to state law where applicable . For a plain state digest, consult California housing laws and California ADU law.

(Technical cross‑reference: the Code emphasizes that where Title 17 conflicts with the Uniform/State Building Code, the more restrictive rule applies — see § 17.04.160.)

Practical orientation — where to look first

• Zoning district and permitted uses: start at § 17.04.020 and the chapter for the district (e.g., Ch. 17.08 for R‑1) .
• Development standards (setbacks, heights, FAR, lot coverage): check the district chapter tables such as § 17.08.040(B) for R‑1 and § 17.16.040 for D zone standards; overlays may modify these standards in their respective sections (e.g., § 17.90.030 for AH‑OZ incentives) .
• Parking specifics: consult the district chapter parking tables and the ADU chapter for ADU exceptions (§ 17.24.050; § 17.16.040(C); § 17.70). For a user summary, use the city parking page .
• Design and discretionary review: read § 17.56.010–§ 17.56.030 and factor design review into project timeline early; see the design review menu entry for process notes .
• Signs, nonconforming uses, variances: signs are in Ch. 17.59, nonconforming uses in Ch. 17.40, and variance/administrative procedures are discussed across Title 17 (look at § 17.40.010 and chapters that require use permits) .

Information Gaps / Where to verify with the city

• Zoning map PDFs and parcel‑level zoning: the municipal code text references a zoning map (§ 17.04.030–§ 17.04.040), but you will need the official map (GIS or PDF) from the City to confirm a parcel’s district or overlay boundaries .
• Fees, application forms, and current processing timelines: Title 17 references fees (and fee waivers in overlays), but up‑to‑date fee schedules and submittal checklists are maintained by the City’s Building/Planning counter (confirm with City staff) — see ADU fee rules § 17.70.060 for the ordinance principle .

Source References

• Del Rey Oaks Municipal Code, Title 17 (Zoning), including:
  • General provisions & map rules: § 17.04.010–§ 17.04.040
  • R‑1 district rules and site tables: Ch. 17.08 — § 17.08.020, § 17.08.030, § 17.08.040
  • R‑2 district yards and separation: § 17.12.080–§ 17.12.090
  • D district density and parking: § 17.16.030–§ 17.16.040
  • Commercial / C‑1 development and parking: § 17.24.040–§ 17.24.050
  • Visitor Commercial Overlay: Ch. 17.32 — § 17.32.030–§ 17.32.060
  • Special Treatment (ST) districts: Ch. 17.28 (site plan and acreage rules)
  • Design review: Ch. 17.56 — § 17.56.010–§ 17.56.030
  • ADUs: Ch. 17.70 — § 17.70.010; ADU numeric/parking/setback rules within Ch. 17.70; § 17.70.060–§ 17.70.070
  • Cannabis rules: Ch. 17.60 — § 17.60.030–§ 17.60.070
  • Nonconforming uses: Ch. 17.40 — § 17.40.010
  • Sign regulations: Ch. 17.59 — § 17.59.060–§ 17.59.070

(These excerpts were taken from the Del Rey Oaks Title 17 file provided for this review; always confirm the current ordinance and map with City Planning staff before filing.)