Monrovia — Land Use

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the Monrovia Municipal Code (Title 17) says about land use: what uses are allowed in each zoning district, where numeric limits are explicit in the code, and where the code delegates decisions to conditional-use, design-review, or specific-plan processes. For regulations the code does not state in the retrieved materials I note the gap and where to verify. For the City’s general zoning map and district names see Monrovia Zoning.

Links you will hit in the text below: the city’s zoning overview, the development standards, the parking rules, the design review process, the overlay districts (Specific Plan / South Myrtle / West Huntington), the city ADU rules, and the statewide California Building Standards Code (Title 24). Use these when the code text points you to a standards chapter or state code.

District-by-district breakdown (what the code says)

The Monrovia Municipal Code establishes the zoning districts listed in § 17.04.030; every district below is named there. All statements below are tied to the cited Monrovia code sections (the code uses a use-table method: permitted uses are shown in tables in the title; conditional or minor/major CUP processes are required where the tables indicate). For full use lists see the zone-specific tables and the Chapter that publishes use tables.

Notes on reading this breakdown:

• Where the ordinance text gives explicit numeric standards (FAR, density, minimum lot area, max heights) I list them and cite the controlling §. If the snippets did not include numeric standards for a district, I flag that as "Not found in retrieved materials" and point to where to confirm (typically the Development Standards chapter). Verify parcel-specific restrictions with the City.
• Many permitted/conditional uses are listed in zone use tables; those tables are the controlling source for whether a use is P (permitted), C (major CUP), or Cm (minor CUP). See the HCD example table cited below.

RF (Residential Foothill)

• Purpose: low-density hillside/residential; name and district established in § 17.04.030.
• Typical permitted uses: single-family residential, accessory uses (see code use tables in Title 17). Permitted/conditional flags come from the use tables.
• Key dimensional standards: hillside-specific limits (two-story maximum in some hillside contexts and lot-width based height caps) appear in the Hillside/foothill standards; the code establishes lot-width/height rules and building separation requirements in the residential standards (example: lot-width-based maximum heights and story limits are shown in § 17.?? — numeric height table excerpt recovered in the code). Where the file excerpts show explicit height tables and separation for RF, see § 17.16.050 and § 17.??; verify with the Development Standards. Not found in retrieved materials for every numeric value — Verify with the jurisdiction.

RE (Residential Estate)

• Purpose: large-lot residential as named in § 17.04.030.
• Typical permitted uses: estate single-family and accessory uses per the use tables.
• Key dimensional standards: Not found in retrieved materials for specific yard/setback numbers — see the Development Standards chapter for explicit setbacks and lot area minimums and verify with the City. Link: Monrovia Development Standards.

RL (Residential Low Density)

• Purpose: neighborhood single-family/residential per § 17.04.030.
• Typical permitted uses: single-family homes, accessory uses (including home occupations subject to limitations in § 17.44.100)
• Key dimensional standards: Not found in retrieved snippets — verify setbacks, lot coverage and height in the development standards.

RM (Residential Medium Density variants: RM4000, RM3500, RM3000, RM2500; RM/RH combos)

• Purpose: medium-density multi‑family housing designations; listed in § 17.04.030.
• Typical permitted uses: multi-family residential, supportive and transitional housing subject to the same limitations as comparable dwelling types in the use tables. See the use-table legend and zone tables.
• Key dimensional standards: multi-family specific setbacks, density limits and multiple-family development standards are contained elsewhere in Title 17; specific numeric standards for each RM subzone were not fully present in the retrieved excerpts. Verify with the Development Standards and the applicable zone table. Not found in retrieved materials for many numeric items.

RH (Residential High Density)

• Purpose: high-density multi-family housing (see § 17.04.030).
• Typical permitted uses: multi-family residential; development in NC zone that is multi-family must follow RH multi-family standards (the code explicitly cross-refers NC multi-family to RH rules).
• Key dimensional standards: see multi-family development standards in Title 17; numeric values not completely recovered in the excerpts — verify with the City.

NC (Neighborhood Commercial)

• Purpose: small-scale commercial serving nearby residents (named in § 17.04.030).
• Typical permitted uses: mixed retail and services; multi-family allowed as specified (the code cross-references multi-family standards in RH for NC). Use-table entries control whether a given business is P/C/Cm.
• Key dimensional standards: street‑level requirements and façade/setback rules vary by corridor/overlay; see specific plan overlays or neighborhood sections. Not all numeric setbacks found in retrieved materials.

HCD (Historic Commercial Downtown)

• Purpose: downtown commercial/historic zone with explicit permitted-use table. § 17.14.020 contains a street-level vs non-street-level use table for HCD and detailed legends.
• Typical permitted uses: indoor retail, restaurants, financial institutions, cultural exhibits, limited administrative/professional at street level (only certain professional uses at street level per table footnotes). See the HCD table for P / C / Cm designations.
• Key dimensional standards: The HCD table contains use-specific triggers (e.g., new construction/additions over 10,000 sq ft or occupant load of 30+ may require a conditional use permit). See § 17.14.020 for those thresholds.

CRS / RCC (Retail Corridor Commercial / Retail Corridor Subregional)

• Purpose: retail corridor commercial classifications (see § 17.04.030 and supplemental corridor sections).
• Typical permitted uses: ground-floor retail, restaurants and commercial services; mixed-use allowed where designated by the RCM zone rules. See corridor-specific rules in § 17.16.050.
• Key dimensional standards: for the West Huntington Drive Corridor the code sets a maximum FAR of 2.0 with surface parking and up to FAR 3.0 where parking is structured/subterranean (RCC); buildings are encouraged to face Huntington Drive; a typical 10 ft front setback is described (can be reduced by the DRC). See § 17.16.050 for both RCC and RCM rules.

RCM (Retail Corridor Mixed Use)

• Purpose: mixed retail and residential along retail corridors. § 17.16.050 provides the RCM rules.
• Typical permitted uses: ground-floor retail required along Huntington Drive; residential allowed behind or above, but residential is not permitted on parcels fronting Huntington Drive under the RCM rules.
• Key dimensional standards: FAR 2.0 with surface parking; residential density up to 54 dwelling units per acre where residential is allowed; minor deviations to lot-size/dimensions may be permitted if consistent with the corridor plan. See § 17.16.050.

O/RD/LM (Office / Research & Development / Light Manufacturing)

• Purpose: business, office, R&D and light manufacturing uses (listed in § 17.04.030).
• Typical permitted uses: offices, R&D, light manufacturing and support uses; full use table entries show which industrial or institutional uses are permitted or conditional. See the use tables in the Title.
• Key dimensional standards: Not found in retrieved material for specific setbacks/FAR — verify with the Development Standards.

BE (Business Enterprise)

• Purpose: business-oriented zone for varied commercial uses (listed in § 17.04.030).
• Typical permitted uses and dimensional standards: See the use tables and Development Standards; not all numeric standards were present in the file snippets.

M (Manufacturing)

• Purpose: heavier industrial and manufacturing uses (see § 17.04.030).
• Typical permitted uses: manufacturing, warehouses, limited outdoor storage subject to conditional-use controls (see Chapter 17.44 special-purpose rules like hazardous waste and tanks). Example rules: above-ground fuel tanks require a CUP and are prohibited in residential zones (see § 17.44.080).
• Key dimensional standards: Not found in retrieved materials for all numeric standards — confirm in the Development Standards and use tables.

P / QP (Public / Public-Quasi Public)

• Purpose: public and quasi-public uses (listed in § 17.04.030).
• Typical permitted uses: governmental services, parks, utilities; many public uses are listed as permitted in zone use tables.

PD / SP (Planned Development / Specific Plan and Planned Development)

• Purpose: parcels developed under a PD or Specific Plan overlay; the SP overlay is used in certain corridors (e.g., South Myrtle Specific Plan overlay). See the South Myrtle / Specific Plan rules in § 17.16.050 and related overlay chapters.
• Typical permitted uses and standards: PD/SP areas are governed by the approved specific plan; in the South Myrtle/South Myrtle Old Town Extension the code requires a Specific Plan and zone change to SP and sets minimum project sizes, densities (e.g., 54 units/acre max residential density under the Specific Plan Overlay) and FAR caps (FAR 2.0 for non-residential), with detailed building height/setback tables for Myrtle frontage. See § 17.16.050 and the Specific Plan overlay discussion.

ANF (Angeles National Forest Zone)

• Purpose: applied to privately owned parcels inside the City that are also inside the Angeles National Forest boundary. § 17.18.010 defines the ANF zone purpose.
• Typical permitted uses: Utility distribution facilities are listed as permitted uses; certain uses (vacation cabins, utility operations facilities) are allowed only with a Conditional Use Permit. See § 17.18.010 (B)–(C).
• Key dimensional standards (explicit in code): Minimum lot area = 80 acres; maximum density = 1 dwelling unit per 80 acres; maximum structure size = 800 sq ft and maximum ridge height = 12 ft (these limits do not apply to utility distribution facilities). See § 17.18.010 (E)–(G).

Quick reference table — some decision-relevant numbers and where they are stated

How permitted uses and approvals work (practical guidance)

• The code implements the use-table model: check the zone’s use table to see whether a use is P (permitted), C (major conditional use permit), or Cm (minor conditional use permit). The use-table legend and the zone-specific tables are the primary source for allowed uses. See the HCD example table in § 17.14.020 for the formatting and footnotes used throughout Title 17.
• If a table marks a use as C or Cm, the code prescribes review authority and the findings the approving body must make (minor CUP findings § 17.52.200; major CUP findings § 17.52.290). The Commission or DRC can set conditions to protect neighborhood character.
• Many corridor zones (e.g., RCC, RCM) have additional special development rules (FAR, orientation to Huntington Drive, front setbacks) written into § 17.16.050; read those corridor subsections before sizing a mixed-use project.
• Design compatibility and neighborhood notification thresholds (which trigger design review) are defined by construction category (e.g., new two-story SFR, additions) and by the DRC/Commission rules; see the neighborhood compatibility review criteria and notice radii.

Practical pointers:

• For a commercial business, first consult the zone’s use table. If the business is marked P you still must meet development standards (setbacks, parking, signage). If the business is C/Cm, plan for a CUP hearing and the associated public-noticing timeline. See the parking chapter for required stall counts.
• For projects in the South Myrtle or West Huntington corridors, check the Specific Plan/overlay rules (overlays can change allowable uses, FAR, and frontage rules). See the Specific Plan overlay text in § 17.16.050.

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy)

• Confirm the parcel’s zoning designation on the City zoning map and the district name in the code (see Monrovia Zoning).
• Consult the zone use table for the parcel’s zone to determine if the proposed use is P, C, or Cm.
• If the use is C or Cm, prepare a CUP application addressing the findings in § 17.52.200 (minor) or § 17.52.290 (major).
• Run required development standards: setbacks, height, lot coverage, FAR/density (check Monrovia Development Standards). If in a corridor or overlay, apply corridor-specific rules (e.g., § 17.16.050 for West Huntington and South Myrtle).
• Confirm parking requirements in the parking chapter (use-specific ratios in § 17.24.060).
• Determine whether the project triggers neighborhood compatibility design review or Historic Preservation review; follow the notification and posting requirements.
• If proposing ADUs, follow the local ADU chapter and applicable state ADU law; some ADU dimensional rules are explicit (e.g., detached ADU height 16 ft, 4 ft rear/side setback in the retrieved excerpts). See the ADU chapter and state ADU law.

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

Monrovia’s Title 17 uses zone-specific tables plus a handful of corridor and overlay rules to say what you can build where; the code explicitly sets a few numeric standards in those corridor and special zones (for example, RCM/RCC FAR and RCM density, and the ANF minimum lot area and tiny-structure limits) while most day-to-day permitted/conditional uses come from the zone use tables and the Development Standards — check the use table for your zone, the corridor overlays if your parcel is on Myrtle or Huntington, and be ready for a conditional-use or design-review process if the table flags your use as conditional.

Source References

• Monrovia Municipal Code — Title 17, Comprehensive Zoning Law; Districts established in § 17.04.030.
• § 17.18.010 (Angeles National Forest zone: permitted uses, conditional uses, 80‑acre minimum, density and maximum structure size/height).
• § 17.14.020 (HCD zone use table — street-level vs non-street-level uses; CUP triggers).
• § 17.16.050 (West Huntington Drive Corridor / Retail Corridor Commercial and Retail Corridor Mixed Use — FAR, setbacks, orientation, RCM residential density).
• Use tables and legend for permitted/conditional uses (zone use tables and meanings: P, C, Cm) — see use-table material in Title 17.
• Conditional Use Permit findings and procedures: § 17.52.200 (minor CUP findings) and § 17.52.290 (major CUP findings).
• Parking requirements and ratios (nonresidential/residential examples): § 17.24.060 (parking table examples).
• ADU provisions excerpt (examples: detached ADU height 16 ft, 4 ft side/rear setback for detached ADU; JADU rules): ADU chapter excerpts.
• Signage and related sign standards excerpt (neon/window signs, freestanding sign CUP triggers): Title 17 signage excerpts.

Retrieved passages

• Monrovia Zoning Code (section shall) High relevance show source text
• CFC § 17.44.070 (Chapter 17.32.) High relevance show source text
• CFC § 17.44.060 (§ 17.44.060) High relevance show source text
• Monrovia Zoning Code (§ 17.52.170) High relevance show source text
• Monrovia Zoning Code (§ 17.52.290) High relevance show source text
• Monrovia Zoning Code (CHAPTER 17.04) High relevance show source text
• Monrovia Zoning Code (§ 8) High relevance show source text
• Monrovia Zoning Code (§ 17.44.103.) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Monrovia Municipal Code — Title 17, Comprehensive Zoning Law; Districts established in **§ 17.04.030**. (Title 17)
• **§ 17.18.010** (Angeles National Forest zone: permitted uses, conditional uses, **80‑acre** minimum, density and maximum structure size/height). (§ 17.18.010)
• **§ 17.14.020** (HCD zone use table — street-level vs non-street-level uses; CUP triggers). (§ 17.14.020)
• **§ 17.16.050** (West Huntington Drive Corridor / Retail Corridor Commercial and Retail Corridor Mixed Use — **FAR**, setbacks, orientation, RCM residential density). (§ 17.16.050)
• Use tables and legend for permitted/conditional uses (zone use tables and meanings: P, C, Cm) — see use-table material in Title 17. (Title 17.)
• Conditional Use Permit findings and procedures: **§ 17.52.200** (minor CUP findings) and **§ 17.52.290** (major CUP findings). (§ 17.52.200)
• Parking requirements and ratios (nonresidential/residential examples): **§ 17.24.060** (parking table examples). (§ 17.24.060)
• ADU provisions excerpt (examples: detached ADU height **16 ft**, 4 ft side/rear setback for detached ADU; JADU rules): ADU chapter excerpts. (chapter excerpts.)
• Signage and related sign standards excerpt (neon/window signs, freestanding sign CUP triggers): Title 17 signage excerpts. (Title 17)
• Monrovia_ZoningCode.md

• Official Monrovia code library