Duarte — Zoning

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

The City of Duarte’s zoning rules are contained in the City’s Development Code (Title 19) and are adopted together with an official Zoning Map. The Code establishes base zones (residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, public/open space, and Specific Plan districts), overlay zones (special rules layered on top of a base zone), and objective development standards (setbacks, heights, lot coverage, density) that apply by zone. See the official list of zones in § 19.06.010 and the Zoning Map adoption rule in § 19.06.020.

How Duarte’s Zoning is Organized (key legal anchors)

• Establishment of zones and the table of zoning districts: § 19.06.010.
• Official Zoning Map adoption and rules: § 19.06.020 and map-boundary rules § 19.06.040.
• Residential zones and purposes: § 19.10.010 and accompanying development standards tables in Chapter 19.10 (e.g., lot area, setbacks, height).
• Commercial zone standards (Table 2‑6 and § 19.12.030).
• Institutional zone purpose and uses: § 19.24.010–.020.
• Overlay rules (how overlays interact with base zones): § 19.06.010(C).

Note: zoning controls uses and development standards; separate permit/approval chapters (conditional use permits, planned development permits, variances, appeals) describe exceptions and processes—see § 19.110.020 and related chapters.

District-by-district breakdown

Below are Duarte’s official zone symbols (from Table 1‑1, implemented in the Development Code) with a concise, Duarte-specific summary for each zone: purpose, typical permitted uses, key dimensional standards, and where it typically applies.

• The official list of zones is in § 19.06.010.
• Where a district’s numeric development standards are summarized below, the applicable development standard tables and chapters are in Chapter 19.10 (residential) and Chapter 19.12 (commercial).

Residential zones (overview)

The residential zones implement Very Low to High density General Plan designations and restrict nonresidential uses to those expressly allowed or conditionally permitted. Purpose and permitted uses are stated in § 19.10.010; dimensional standards are in Chapter 19.10 development tables.

R-1 (Single‑Family Residential, 6,500 sf)

• Purpose: Standard single-family neighborhood lots. § 19.10.010.
• Typical permitted uses: Single‑family dwellings (by‑right), accessory uses (including ADUs as accessory per Duarte ADU rules), some small residential care and home‑occupation uses; see the residential use table in Article 2.
• Key dimensional standards (typical): Lot area 6,500 sf, front setback 20 ft (minimum), side 5 ft, height 35 ft / 2 stories; see Chapter 19.10 tables for the R‑1 column. § 19.10.030 and Table entries.
• Where it applies: typical single‑family neighborhoods; some R‑1 parcels north of Sunnydale/ Brookridge are subject to hillside rules § 19.46 (see notes in Chapter 19.10).

R-1A / R-1B / R-1D / R-1E / R-1F (variations of Single‑Family)

• Purpose: Larger or specialized single‑family lots (e.g., R-1B = 10,000 sf, R-1D/E = 20,000 sf with hillside distinctions, R-1F = 80,000 sf). See Table 2‑1 / Chapter 19.10 and notes. § 19.10.030.
• Uses: same as R‑1, with some R‑1D areas subject to hillside standards (Chapter 19.46).
• Key standards: minimum lot areas and setbacks scale up with the suffix (see Chapter 19.10 tables). § 19.10.030.

R-2 (Two‑Family)

• Purpose: Medium‑density two‑unit residential sites. § 19.10.010.
• Uses: Duplexes by right, accessory structures, ADUs per ADU rules. § 19.10.035 (Duplex developments) and ADU section § 19.60.160.
• Key standards: lot area ~8,000 sf, front setback 20 ft, side 5 ft, heights generally 35 ft or 2 stories; see Chapter 19.10 tables.

R-3 / R-4 (Multi‑Family: medium & high density)

• Purpose: R-3 serves medium multi‑family; R-4 serves high-density multi‑family housing and higher intensity residential use. § 19.10.010.
• Uses: multi‑family dwellings, senior housing (often with special density rules), residential care facilities (subject to CUP), and accessory uses.
• Key dimensional standards (Table 2‑4 / chapter 19.10): R‑3 lot area 9,000 sf; R‑4 lot area 10,000 sf; front setback 30 ft; side interior 5 ft (R‑3/R‑4); height R‑3 = 40 ft/3 stories, R‑4 = 50 ft/4 stories. Additional height beyond these may only be allowed by CUP (but cannot exceed specified maxs). See § 19.10 and Table 2‑4.

R‑MH (Mobile Home Residential)

• Purpose: mobile home parks and manufactured housing; density and spacing standards are specialized. See Chapter 19.10 tables for R‑MH.
• Key standards: lower heights and specific lot/unit area rules; see Table 2‑4.

Commercial zones

Commercial standards and permitted uses are primarily in Chapter 19.12 and the commercial development table (Table 2‑6).

C‑G (Commercial – General)

• Purpose: neighborhood and general commercial retail and services. § 19.12.030 and Table 2‑6.
• Typical uses: retail, restaurants (with limitations for shopping center composition), offices, personal services. Limits on eating/drinking percentages in shopping centers apply. § 19.12.040–.042.
• Key standards: min lot area 10,000 sf, FAR max 0.50, height up to 50 ft, front setback 15 ft, abutting residential setbacks 15–20 ft (see Table 2‑6).

**C‑F (Commercial – Freeway) and C‑P (Commercial – Professional)

• Purpose: C‑F accommodates larger freeway‑oriented commercial uses; C‑P supports administrative/professional services. Table 2‑6 contains the distinguishing lot area, width and height rules (e.g., C‑F lot area min 40,000 sf). § 19.12.030.

H (Hospital)

• Purpose: medical campus/hospital uses; regulated as its own commercial/ institutional hybrid. See Table 1‑1 and Chapter 19.24 for institutional interplay. § 19.06.010; § 19.24.010.

Industrial and Other Special Purpose zones

M (Light Manufacturing)

• Purpose: light industrial and R&D uses; standards for parking, setbacks and sign allocation apply per Chapter 19.38 and Chapter 19.42. § 19.06.010; § 19.12.030; Chapter 19.38.

I (Institutional)

• Purpose: private institutional uses (private schools, hospitals, religious assembly) and master‑planned institutional sites. Purpose and master plan requirement in § 19.24.010; permitted uses listed in Table 2‑16 (Chapter 19.24).

P‑F (Public Facility)

• Purpose: public/quasi‑public uses (schools, utilities, public buildings). See Table 1‑1 and corresponding development rules. § 19.06.010.

O (Open Space)

• Purpose: parks, open space and wilderness. See Table 1‑1 for permitted public use allowances. § 19.06.010.

SP (Specific Plan)

• Purpose: areas with a Specific Plan override (City Center, Gold Line Station, Duarte Station, Town Center, City of Hope Specific Plan, etc.). Specific Plans establish their own land use regulations and development standards as adopted. See adopted specific plans list in § 19.22.050 and implementation rules in § 19.22.040.

Quick decision table (most decision‑relevant standards / permitted uses)

(For full numeric matrices—lot area, corner lot widths, rear setbacks, lot coverage—see the development tables in Chapter 19.10 and Chapter 19.12.)

Practical guidance & interpretation notes

• The Zoning Map is part of the Development Code; where a boundary is unclear the Director uses map scale/lot lines to determine the boundary (§ 19.06.040). Always verify the official map and ask the Director for a boundary determination if a lot line appears to be split by a zone.
• Overlay zones (like the Affordable Housing Overlay or Specific Plan overlays) add or supersede rules over the base zone — where the overlay conflicts with the base zone, the overlay controls (§ 19.06.010(C) and AHO rules § 19.26.050).
• Many development standards refer you to cross‑cutting chapters: yard and setback measurement and permitted projections (§ 19.32.020, § 19.32.050), height measurement and exceptions (§ 19.32.040). Confirm which measurement rules apply to your project.
• Parking requirements are determined in the off‑street parking chapter; any change of use must confirm parking allocations on site (see Chapter 19.38). Link to Duarte’s parking guidance for application‑level steps.

First time you see each of these topics in this page you can follow Duarte pages for related application steps: parking, development standards, design review, overlay districts, ADUs, signage, nonconforming uses, variances and exceptions, and landscaping and screening.

Note: zoning controls uses and siting; building code work (Title 24) remains subject to the California Building Standards Code. See California Building Standards Code.

Checklist

An applicant should confirm and assemble at minimum:

• Confirm the parcel’s base zone and any overlay on the official Zoning Map (§ 19.06.010–.020).
• Verify permitted use status (Permitted, Accessory, CUP required) in the Article 2 use tables for the specific zone (see Article 2 / Chapter 19.10 / 19.12).
• Confirm dimensional standards that apply (lot area, setbacks, lot coverage, height) from the relevant development standards table (Chapter 19.10 for residential; Chapter 19.12 for commercial).
• Calculate required parking per Chapter 19.38 and prepare a parking layout if modifying an existing commercial site.
• Determine permit pathway: ministerial, discretionary (CUP, Planned Dev.), or variance (§ 19.110.020, Chapters 19.114, 19.118, 19.126).
• Assess whether project sits in a Specific Plan or Affordable Housing Overlay (may change allowed density and incentives) § 19.22.040–.050; § 19.26.
• If proposing an ADU/JADU, follow the local ADU rules (location limits, deed restriction and owner‑occupancy requirements) § 19.60.160.

Risks & Ambiguities

Information Gaps

• The official, parcel‑level Zoning Map graphic (PDF / map layer) was not included in the retrieved materials. Official map verification should be done with the Community Development counter (Not found in retrieved materials).
• Some specific numeric standards for less-common zones (exact lot/width minima for every R‑suffix or corner cases) are in the full development tables; applicants should consult the full Chapter 19.10 / 19.12 tables for parcel‑level numbers (Verify with the jurisdiction).
• Parcel‑specific exceptions, previously‑issued variances or vested rights are not visible here—these are site‑specific records (Verify with the jurisdiction). (Not found in retrieved materials.)

Plain‑English summary

Duarte’s Development Code divides the city into named zones (R‑1, R‑2, R‑3, R‑4, C‑G, C‑P, C‑F, M, I, P‑F, O, SP, etc.) and sets clear, tabled rules for what you can build where (uses), how big, how tall, and what permits you need; where an overlay or Specific Plan applies it can change those rules — always check the official Zoning Map and the specific chapter for the zone and any overlays before you design a project. § 19.06.010–.020; § 19.10.010; § 19.12.030.

Source References

• City of Duarte Development Code — Zoning Map rules and zone list: § 19.06.010–.020.
• Residential zones, purposes and development tables (R‑1, R‑2, R‑3, R‑4, R‑MH): Chapter 19.10 (see § 19.10.010, § 19.10.030) and Table(s) referenced therein.
• Commercial zones and development table (Table 2‑6): § 19.12.030 and Table 2‑6.
• Institutional zone: § 19.24.010–.020.
• Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) rules and incentives: Chapter 19.26 (e.g., § 19.26.050–.060).
• ADU rules: § 19.60.160.
• Permit categories, CUP/PD/Variance descriptions: § 19.110.020 and related chapters (19.114, 19.118, 19.126).
• Rules on map boundary uncertainty and rights‑of‑way: § 19.06.030–.040.

Retrieved passages

• Duarte Zoning Code (§ 4) High relevance show source text
• Duarte Zoning Code (ARTICLE 1) High relevance show source text
• Duarte Zoning Code (Section 65450) Medium relevance show source text
• Duarte Zoning Code (§ 3) Medium relevance show source text
• CBC § 19.10.040 (Chapter 19.46) Medium relevance show source text
• Duarte Zoning Code (Chapter 19.154) Medium relevance show source text
• Duarte Zoning Code (Chapter 19.06) Medium relevance show source text
• Duarte Zoning Code (Chapter 19.38) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• City of Duarte Development Code — Zoning Map rules and zone list: **§ 19.06.010–.020**. (§ 19.06.010)
• Residential zones, purposes and development tables (R‑1, R‑2, R‑3, R‑4, R‑MH): **Chapter 19.10** (see **§ 19.10.010**, **§ 19.10.030**) and Table(s) referenced therein. (Chapter 19.10)
• Commercial zones and development table (Table 2‑6): **§ 19.12.030** and Table 2‑6. (§ 19.12.030)
• Institutional zone: **§ 19.24.010–.020**. (§ 19.24.010)
• Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) rules and incentives: **Chapter 19.26** (e.g., **§ 19.26.050–.060**). (Chapter 19.26)
• ADU rules: **§ 19.60.160**. (§ 19.60.160)
• Permit categories, CUP/PD/Variance descriptions: **§ 19.110.020** and related chapters (19.114, 19.118, 19.126). (§ 19.110.020)
• Rules on map boundary uncertainty and rights‑of‑way: **§ 19.06.030–.040**. (§ 19.06.030)
• Duarte_ZoningCode.md

• Official Duarte code library