Pacific Grove Zoning, Planning & Building Codes

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

Pacific Grove’s zoning and development rules are codified in Title 23 — Zoning of the Pacific Grove Municipal Code; Title 23 ties the zoning rules directly to the General Plan and the city’s Local Coastal Program (LCP) and explains the code’s purposes and limits. Title 23 establishes the city’s district list, how the zoning map is adopted, permit types, and review authorities that decide design and discretionary actions. § 23.04.010 and § 23.12.010 are the starting points for reading the code.

How Pacific Grove's code is organized

• The zoning rules live in Title 23 (Zoning); the code statement of purpose and relationship to the General Plan and LCP is at § 23.04.010.
• The list of zone districts is set out at § 23.12.010 and the official zoning map is adopted by reference at § 23.12.020; rezones happen only by ordinance. § 23.12.030 requires all uses and buildings to conform to the title.
• Permit types, the review authorities (Director, Zoning Administrator, Site Plan Review Committee, Architectural Review Board, Historic Resources Committee, Planning Commission, City Council) and the “who decides what” table are in Table 23.70.012‑1 / § 23.70.012; processing rules are in Chapter 23.72.

(If you want to start with the city’s online menu for code topics, see Pacific Grove Zoning.)

Zoning district families

The code names and commonly used district families are explicit and must be read as written in the municipal code. Key district families you will see throughout Title 23 include:

• Residential: R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-3‑M (motel/hotel special classification) — the district list is at § 23.12.010 and R-1 permitted uses are illustrated at § 23.16.020.
• Commercial / Mixed-use: C-1, C-1‑T, C‑D (Downtown), C‑FH (Forest Hill), C‑2, C‑V (Visitor) — district descriptions and commercial standards appear in Chapter 23.31 and § 23.31.020.
• Industrial / Other: I (Restricted Industrial), O (Open Space), U (Unclassified), plus combining districts such as B or H (combining overlays) all appear in the district list at § 23.12.010.

Special / site-specific districts: Pacific Grove uses site-specific rules where appropriate — for example the C‑V‑ATC (American Tin Cannery) zoning is established in § 23.31.025 and carries its own coverage, height and public-access standards.

Citywide development standards (high‑level)

When reading the code for a parcel you’ll typically check: district development standards (height, setbacks, coverage), table footnotes, then the citywide chapters governing site features and parking.

• Height and coverage: Residential chapters state numeric caps. For example, several residential chapters reference maximum height and coverage rules such as maximum main‑building height of 30 feet and maximum building coverage 50% for typical single‑family districts; see § 23.24.030 and § 23.24.050 for those rules and related lot‑area rules.
• Lot area / lot width: Minimum site area and minimum widths for residential lots (and corner‑lot exceptions) appear in the district chapters — e.g., § 23.24.040 (minimum lot size rules for typical R districts).
• Setbacks and articulation: Many district chapters and the LCP implementation language require setbacks be applied to protect public views and pedestrian scale; front setbacks of 8 ft (generally) and special rules (e.g., 15 ft on Ocean View Boulevard) are referenced in the code’s district tables and LUP standards — see the district development tables and the Ocean‑front standards. § 23.31.040 and related district notes summarize these stepbacks and front‑setback minimums.
• Lot/site coverage limits and special coastal-area caps — district and LCP language frequently set both “building coverage” and broader “site coverage” caps (examples: building coverage capped at 50%, site coverage at 60% in residential LUP policy text). See the residential design standards in the LCP implementation passages and § 23.24.050.
• Parking: Pacific Grove’s off‑street parking rules are codified (single‑family parking exemptions for very small lots, specific per‑unit counts for multi‑family, and special rules allowing tandem/compact/shared parking); see the parking chapter references § 23.26.090 for single‑family parking tables and the parking standards summarized in the development standards tables (see § 23.64.190 cross references). For mixed‑use or non‑residential parking dimensions and reduced‑parking options, see the commercial parking rules in Chapter 23 (e.g., parking space dimensions and compact‑space rules).

(If you want to jump to the city’s rule summary for site rules and numbers, see Pacific Grove Development Standards and Pacific Grove Parking.)

Design and discretionary review — practical orientation

• How design review is structured: Table 23.70.012‑1 lays out which projects are decided administratively and which go to the Architectural Review Board (ARB), Historic Resources Committee (HRC), Planning Commission, or City Council; § 23.70.012/Table 23.70.012‑1 is the quick lookup for the decisionmaker.
• Architectural review criteria: The ARB’s standards and criteria (including reference to the city’s Architectural Review Guidelines) and the requirement that architectural permits in the coastal zone be processed are in § 23.70.060 and companion sections. The Site Plan Review Committee (SPRC) is charged with review of multifamily, commercial and industrial site plans (§ 23.70.050).
• Administrative vs. discretionary permits: Many smaller changes are handled administratively (staff approvals or minor administrative use permits) under § 23.70.030; larger changes, use permits, variances and rezonings go to the Planning Commission or Council per the decision table. The code lists administrative permit categories and administrative variance thresholds (e.g., minor setback reductions up to 20% under administrative variance rules). § 23.70.030 and related findings are essential reading.

(Link the word "design review" here to the city design review menu.)

Specific plans, overlays, and area rules

• Specific site districts and special‑area rules: the code includes site‑specific zoning such as C‑V‑ATC (American Tin Cannery) — § 23.31.025 — with tailored allowances for hotel uses, higher site coverage where public amenities are provided, and tailored height exceptions.
• Combining / overlay districts: the code explicitly recognizes “combining” districts (B or H overlays) in § 23.12.010 and maps overlays via the zoning map; these are the mechanism for overlays and site‑specific conditions. (See Pacific Grove Overlay Districts for a menu view.)
• Historic preservation overlay and review: Historic resources and the Historic Resources Committee procedures (inventory, demolition/relocation standards, findings and minimum maintenance obligations) are in Chapter 23.76 (see § 23.76.100 for relocation and § 23.76.110 for minimum maintenance). Historic permits may trigger concurrent architectural review. (See Pacific Grove Historic Preservation for details.)

Note: the Local Coastal Program (LCP) implementation language is woven into the district chapters and imposes coastal‑resource design requirements (public access, dune protection, view preservation) that modify standard numerical rules in coastal areas; much of that language appears in the district/LUP design standard passages in Title 23.

Building permits & the review / approval path — short guide

• Pre‑check: consult the district chapter for the parcel’s zoning (see § 23.12.010 and the zoning map § 23.12.020) and the decision table § 23.70.012 to identify the required permits.
• Filing & processing: Chapter 23.72 describes completeness, concurrent processing, and pre‑application meetings for complex or coastal/sensitive projects. § 23.72.030 recommends a preapplication meeting for complex projects.
• Ministerial building permit path: where a project is allowed ministerially (for example many ADUs that meet the objective ADU standards), the ADU chapter authorizes a building‑permit pathway without discretionary review; see Chapter 23.80 and § 23.80.040(a) through § 23.80.060 for ADU approvals, timing, size, height and parking rules.
• Discretionary path: Use permits, variances, major architectural permits, rezonings and coastal development permits follow the public notice/hearing and appeal rules in Chapters 23.70–23.74; required findings for discretionary approvals are listed in those chapters (e.g., § 23.70.050–080).

If you need a permit decision and the director/Zoning Administrator issues an administrative decision, the code provides short appeal/call‑up windows (see § 23.70.030 and Chapter 23.74).

State housing law in Pacific Grove (how statewide rules interact here)

• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs / JADUs): Pacific Grove implements state ADU law through Chapter 23.80. The chapter explicitly states its purpose to comply with Government Code 65852.2/65852.22, allows ministerial approvals for ADUs that meet objective standards, sets size and height caps (detached ADU up to 1,200 sq ft, attached ADU up to 50% of primary dwelling or 1,000 sq ft), and prescribes parking/fee rules (no parking required if within 1/2‑mile of transit; impact‑fee exemptions under certain size thresholds). See § 23.80.010, § 23.80.040, § 23.80.060, and § 23.80.070.
• Density bonus: Pacific Grove adopts a local density bonus program to implement state density bonus law; see Chapter 23.79 (purpose and implementation tied to Government Code § 65915).
• SB 9 / lot splits & ministerial housing reforms: The uploaded municipal code excerpt does not show an explicit SB 9 (two‑unit/lot‑split) local implementing ordinance by § citation; Title 23 does require subdivision compliance with Title 24 (Subdivisions) and references State law for statutory provisions. Verify current SB 9 implementation with the city (not found in retrieved materials here).
• Rent control or tenant‑protection ordinances: no rent‑control provisions were found in the Title 23 materials retrieved; confirm via the city’s municipal code or Community Development/Housing pages for any separate Chapter outside Title 23. (Not found in retrieved materials.)

(See Pacific Grove ADUs for the local ADU menu and California ADU law / California Building Standards Code for the statewide building rules that apply to permitted construction.)

Information Gaps (what I could not confirm from the provided files)

• Explicit SB 9 implementation text (ministerial lot splits / two‑unit ordinance) is not present in the retrieved Title 23 excerpts — confirm with the city for a local ordinance or checklist (Not found in retrieved materials).
• Any stand‑alone local rent‑control chapter (Title other than 23) was not located in the supplied files; to determine whether Pacific Grove has rent ordinances or tenant protections, check the full municipal code or the city’s housing pages (Not found in retrieved materials).
• The LCP implementation text is included in places in Title 23 excerpts but the city’s full certified LCP documents and figure maps (used to interpret coastal height/view constraints) are not attached here; for coastal projects consult Community Development and the certified LCP.

Source References

• Pacific Grove Municipal Code, Title 23 (Zoning): purpose and applicability § 23.04.010 and applicability § 23.04.020.
• District list and zoning map: § 23.12.010, § 23.12.020, and compliance § 23.12.030.
• R‑1/R‑family residential standards and minimums: § 23.16.020, § 23.24.030, § 23.24.040, § 23.24.050.
• Commercial/industrial districts and special C‑V‑ATC rules: § 23.31.020 and § 23.31.025.
• Permit types, review authorities & Table 23.70.012‑1: § 23.70.012 and related permit procedure sections § 23.70.030, § 23.70.040, § 23.70.050, § 23.70.060.
• Permit filing & pre‑application rules: Chapter 23.72 / § 23.72.030.
• ADU chapter: Chapter 23.80 — purpose § 23.80.010, approvals § 23.80.040, size/height/parking § 23.80.060, fees § 23.80.070.
• Parking and off‑street standards: § 23.26.090 (single‑family table) and parking standards referenced in tables/footnotes (§ 23.64.190 reference).
• Historic preservation rules: Chapter 23.76 (relocation § 23.76.100, maintenance § 23.76.110).