Rolling Hills Zoning, Planning & Building Codes

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

Rolling Hills organizes land use around a compact municipal zoning ordinance titled Title 17 - ZONING that expresses the city's long-standing preference for large‑lot, single‑family residential and limited public‑facility uses. The code is oriented to site‑specific review on steep lots and protects the city's rural/equestrian character while providing two overlay tools for constrained pockets and one targeted housing overlay for the Rancho Del Mar site. Key rules (districts, development standards, review paths, and accessory dwelling unit rules) are codified in Title 17 and implemented through administrative zone clearances, site plan review, and conditional use permits. For building-code technical requirements the city relies on the California standards in the California Building Standards Code as referenced in the municipal code (see § 17.20.120).

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How Rolling Hills's code is organized

• The local zoning ordinance is formally titled Title 17 - ZONING (the "Zoning Ordinance") and opens with general provisions and purpose statements in § 17.04.010 and § 17.04.020.
• Zones and the official zoning map are established in § 17.08.010 and § 17.08.020 (the "Zoning Map is incorporated by reference").
• Definitions and terms live in Chapter 17.12 (definitions such as "parking space," "nonconforming structure," etc.).
• The code is modular: primary zone chapters (e.g., RA‑S), overlay chapters (e.g., OZD‑1 and RDMO), procedures (zone clearance Chapter 17.44), conditional use/variances (Chapter 17.42 and others), and accessory‑dwelling rules (Chapter 17.28) appear as distinct chapters so readers should open the chapter that corresponds to their project type.

Tip: start with the zone listed on the Zoning Map (§ 17.08.020) and then read the zone chapter (for standards) plus the procedural chapters (zone clearance § 17.44, site plan / design review references in Chapter 17.46) to identify approval paths.

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Zoning district families

• The city establishes a small number of district families focused on rural residential uses:
  • RA‑S — Residential Agriculture‑Suburban (divided into RA‑S‑1 and RA‑S‑2, where the suffix indicates minimum net acre lot size). See § 17.08.010.
  • PF — Public Facilities for municipal/public uses. See § 17.08.010.
• Overlay districts:
  • OZD‑1 — Overlay Zoning District‑1, applied to specific small‑lot/steep areas to allow tailored modernization and slightly different standards; see intent & applicability in § 17.17.010–§ 17.17.020.
  • RDMO — Rancho Del Mar Housing Opportunity Overlay Zone, a site‑specific overlay that creates by‑right opportunities and a mixed‑use/housing tool at 38 Crest Road West; see § 17.19.010–§ 17.19.020 and the uses table in § 17.19.030.
• Nonconforming uses and structures are handled in Chapter 17.24 (continuance, repairs, limits) — see § 17.24.010.

(For a quick summary of the city's formal zoning pages see the Rolling Hills Zoning and Land Use menu entries.)

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Citywide development standards

This section summarizes the controlling numeric standards you will most often need; each bullet shows the local controlling section.

• Lot coverage and impervious surface limits (RA‑S): structures ≤ 20% of net lot area; impervious surfaces ≤ 35% of net lot area. See § 17.16.070(A)(1)–(2).
• Maximum disturbed area on RA‑S lots: 40% of the net lot area (with limited exceptions up to 60% under specific slope/conditioning rules). See § 17.16.070(B).
• Setbacks: the RA‑S tables and notes set minimums by subdistrict — e.g., RA‑S‑1 side yards generally 20 ft, and RA‑S‑2 side yards generally 35 ft (exceptions for association easements and OZD‑1 apply); the code points readers to Sections 17.16.040–17.16.130 for the tabular standards. See the development‑standards notes and table references in § 17.16 (table notes).
• Height: the general city limit is one story (no story on top of another) with a peak height limit of 21 ft for primary buildings and up to 23 ft for stables/ barns; exceptions for basements/lofts are listed in § 17.16.080.
• Minimum dwelling size and building pad rules: minimum primary dwelling area 1,300 sq ft and minimum graded building pad 12,000 sq ft (see § 17.16.090 and § 17.16.095).
• Special site requirements: grading and geotechnical reporting are required prior to final grading and must conform to City Building Code (Title 15) slope and cut/fill policies; see § 17.16.220 and § 17.20.120.
• Parking: the city frequently requires parking on a project‑by‑project basis; Table‑based standards appear in overlay chapters (for example RDMO supplies a parking table) and the general parking rules are applied through site plan/conditional approvals — see § 17.20.100, Chapter 17.19 (RDMO parking tables), and the zone chapters.

(See the Rolling Hills Development Standards and Parking pages for related local summaries.)

Design and discretionary considerations

• The code emphasizes individualized, site‑sensitive review: certain numeric standards (setbacks, some parking amounts) are established "on an individual project basis" through site plan review or conditional use permit processes — see § 17.20.080 and § 17.20.100.
• The Overlay Zoning District (OZD‑1) exists precisely to allow calibrated standards where lot size or topography create redevelopment constraints; see § 17.17.010.
• Nonconforming structures and uses have an explicit protection/limitation chapter (Chapter 17.24).

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Specific plans & overlays

• The small, site‑specific overlay most often encountered is the OZD‑1 overlay (Chapter 17.17) which contains location‑specific applicability and standards intended to allow modernization on small/steep lots; see § 17.17.010–020.
• The Rancho Del Mar Housing Opportunity Overlay (RDMO) is statutorily included to implement mixed‑use/affordable housing on a single property (38 Crest Road West). It lists by‑right allowable uses (affordable multi‑family, senior housing, shelter, SRO, daycare, transit facilities, etc.), density and design standards (minimum and maximum densities, 20–24 du/acre ranges in the RDMO table, 2 stories / 28 ft height limit for multifamily in RDMO), and a parking section specific to the overlay. See § 17.19.010–070 (tables and development standards).

For guidance specific to overlays consult the Rolling Hills Overlay Districts page and then the overlay chapter texts in Title 17.

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Building permits & review

High‑level permit paths in Rolling Hills (how a typical project proceeds):

• Administrative Zone Clearance (non‑discretionary): Zone clearance is the nondiscretionary administrative route for smaller projects and certain accessory structures (Chapter 17.44). Activities explicitly listed include small accessory structures, certain additions under size thresholds, reconstruction within existing footprints under notice rules, and creation of ADUs/JADUs as provided in Chapter 17.28. See § 17.44.010–020 and § 17.44.050. Administrative ADU reviews have a statutory timeline in the code; see § 17.44.050(B).
• Site Plan Review / Design Review (discretionary but typical for larger remodels and new homes): Site plan review (Chapter 17.46 referenced throughout Title 17) is the primary discretionary design‑review path; many district standards and exceptions are applied through site plan review. The code repeatedly refers applicants to site plan review when standards must be established project‑by‑project (see, e.g., § 17.20.080, and multiple zone chapters that cross‑reference Chapter 17.46).
• Conditional Use Permits and Variances: For uses that require discretionary approval the applicable chapter is Chapter 17.42 (conditional use permit rules such as transferability are in § 17.42.080) and variances follow the variance/appeal chapters referenced in Title 17.
• Technical Building Permits: after zoning/site approvals the project proceeds to building permits subject to the City's Building Code (Title 15) and the referenced California Building Standards Code. Geotechnical/grading reports and final grading plans are required before final grading plan submittal (see § 17.16.220 and § 17.20.120).

Timing & administrative limits

• Administrative approvals (including ADU administrative review) are subject to a one‑year expiration if permits are not pulled; the City Manager can grant one one‑year extension — see § 17.44.055.
• Written decisions, reasonable‑accommodation procedures, and appeal rights are codified (see Chapter 17.60 for reasonable accommodation and cross‑references to appeal chapters 17.54 and 17.55).

(For the local design/review checklist consult the Rolling Hills Design Review entry and the site plan review chapter referenced in Title 17.)

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State housing law in Rolling Hills

The municipal code incorporates and interacts with California housing law in several explicit ways; where the city defers to state requirements I note the controlling local citation and any gaps:

• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs/JADUs): Rolling Hills has a dedicated ADU chapter and local ADU development standards in § 17.28.060. That section sets local dimensional limits for ADUs, including four‑foot side/rear setbacks, a 30‑foot front setback baseline, a cap that an ADU cannot cause the lot FAR to exceed 45%, a cap that ADU construction cannot cause lot coverage to exceed 50%, minimum open space 50%, and parking rules (generally one off‑street parking space per ADU or per bedroom, with the statutory exceptions listed). See § 17.28.060(C)–(G). The code routes ADU applications through the administrative zone‑clearance process and sets a timeline for administrative review (see § 17.44.020(F) and § 17.44.050(B)).
• Density bonus and affordability incentives: the city expressly adopts state density‑bonus rules consistent with Government Code § 65915 by making the density bonus and related incentives available "in accordance with State law" (Chapter 17.62, § 17.62.020). Projects meeting state criteria can access density bonus incentives through the local process.
• Supportive / transitional housing: the code recognizes supportive and transitional housing as residential uses in accordance with state law; see the amendments referencing state law in Title 17 (examples in Chapter text). See § 17.16.020(B)–(C) and related updates.

What the files do not show (confirm with the City):

• I did not find an explicit local implementation chapter naming SB 9 (ministerial lot splits/duplexes) or an explicit local ministerial SB 9 procedure in the retrieved Title 17 excerpts. The code does include the RDMO overlay and density‑bonus accommodation, but there is no clear SB 9 section in the material reviewed here — verify with the City or Planning Department for current SB 9 implementation. Not found in retrieved materials.
• Local rent‑control or eviction‑control provisions are not evident in the Title 17 excerpts reviewed — rental regulation is typically found in municipal code chapters outside zoning; no rent‑control provisions were located in the retrieved Title 17 materials. Not found in retrieved materials.

For state ADU specifics and conflicts between local and state law consult the state references in the Rolling Hills ADU chapter and the summarized state ADU handbook (local ADU rules must be consistent with California ADU law) — see the Rolling Hills ADUs page and the state's California ADU law.

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Source References

• Rolling Hills Municipal Code — Title 17, ZONING (compiled export). Relevant chapters and sections cited in this overview include § 17.04.010, § 17.04.020, § 17.08.010–§ 17.08.020, Chapter 17.12 (definitions), Chapter 17.16 (RA‑S standards, incl. § 17.16.070, § 17.16.080, § 17.16.090), Chapter 17.17 (OZD‑1), Chapter 17.19 (RDMO), Chapter 17.24 (nonconforming uses), Chapter 17.28 (ADUs; § 17.28.060), Chapter 17.42 (conditional use; § 17.42.080), Chapter 17.44 (zone clearance; § 17.44.010–055), Chapter 17.60 (reasonable accommodation), Chapter 17.62 (density bonus). See the municipal code excerpts provided.

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