Local zoning · Rolling Hills Estates

Rolling Hills Estates — Parking

Q: Are there rules for landscaping around parking lots?

Yes — most districts require a planted edge (commonly 6 ft ) between parking and the sidewalk, and many require 20% of the total surface parking area to be landscaped; tree size and spacing requirements are set in the district tables and Chapter 17.59 . See § 17.28.040 , § 17.30.040 , and Ch. 17.59 .

Parking under the Rolling Hills Estates local zoning and planning code, with the controlling citations.

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Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the Rolling Hills Estates Title 17 (Zoning) ordinance requires about parking — off‑street automobile parking, loading/pick‑up areas, parking lot design and screening, and how minimum parking is set by district and use. The ordinance establishes a citywide off‑street parking chapter and then ties parking ratios and dimensional rules into the district development standards (tables such as Table 28‑B / 28‑C and Table 30‑B / 30‑C). See the applicability rule in § 17.40.010 for when parking counts are triggered.

Note: this page strictly interprets the local zoning rules (Title 17). Building code (Title 24) requirements for accessible stalls, ramping, and stall dimensions are outside zoning and must be checked separately with the California Building Standards Code.

Key citywide rules (what controls parking, generally)

Off‑street parking requirements apply when a main building is erected or when the use is intensified (addition of floor area, seats, dwelling units) — § 17.40.010.
Required parking counts for specific uses are set in the zoning district development tables (e.g., Table 28‑B / Table 28‑C for CLMU / residential mixed‑use and Table 30‑B / Table 30‑C for CGMU / commercial mixed‑use). See each district chapter for the applicable table reference (for example, § 17.28.040 and § 17.30.040).
Loading and dedicated pick‑up/drop‑off stalls are required for many commercial/mixed‑use projects and are dimensioned and located by district standards (examples below). See district chapters for where the loading rules live (e.g., § 17.28.040(d) for CLMU and § 17.30.040(g) for CGMU).
Parking lot landscaping, setbacks and screening (planted edges, minimum landscape percentages, street trees) are mandatory around surface lots and structures; the common landscaping rules are in the district development standards and Chapter 17.59.

(First occurrence links: "parking" → Rolling Hills Estates Zoning; "development standards" → Rolling Hills Estates Development Standards; "design review" → Rolling Hills Estates Design Review; "overlay" → Rolling Hills Estates Overlay Districts; "ADUs" → Rolling Hills Estates ADUs; "California Building Standards Code" → California Building Standards Code)

District‑by‑district breakdown — what the ordinance actually requires

The city’s zoning districts are listed in § 17.04.020. Below are the districts most relevant to parking rules and the specific zoning sections/tables that set parking/loading rules for each. Where the code gives a table, I summarize the most commonly referenced ratios; always verify with the table in the cited § because some uses have sub‑rules.

A — A (Agricultural)

Purpose & typical uses: farms, ranches, accessory buildings, limited public uses. § 17.16.020 lists permitted uses.
Parking: Farmworker housing special rule — two off‑street spaces per single‑family unit; group quarters: one space per three beds. Off‑street parking must meet Chapter 17.40 standards. § 17.16.020(D)(2) and § 17.40.010.
Dimensions / application: see Chapter 17.40 and Chapter 17.59 (landscaping) for surfacing and setback/landscape requirements.

Residential districts — R‑A‑E, R‑A‑20, R‑A‑15, R‑A‑10, R‑P‑D

Purpose & typical uses: single‑family and planned developments. (District descriptions: § 17.06 and various district chapters.)
Parking: Single‑family lots typically rely on private garages/driveways; multi‑family and residential mixed‑use parking minimums are in Table 28‑C / Table 28‑B. Typical residential ratios shown in Table 28‑C: studio/1‑bed = 1 space, 2–3 bedroom = 2 spaces, guest parking 1 space per 3 units. See § 17.28.040 and Table 28‑C.
Dimensional standards affecting parking layout: required yard setbacks and parking‑to‑property line landscaping appear in Table 28‑C (e.g., primary street surface parking setback 10 ft in some zones, interior side yard adj. single family 20 ft) — see § 17.28.040.

Residential Planned Development — R‑P‑D

Purpose: project‑level planned residential design with its own site plan standards. Off‑street parking requirements default to the underlying residential standards unless otherwise set by the approved plan; see § 17.18.040. Verify required guest and employee parking with the approved RPD plan.

Commercial Limited Mixed‑Use — CLMU

Purpose & uses: limited commercial and ground‑floor mixed uses; permitted uses listed in Table 28‑A and development standards in § 17.28.020 / § 17.28.040.
Parking: Non‑residential uses follow Table 28‑B; residential/mixed projects use Table 28‑C. Common commercial baseline: general retail/service — 1 space per 200 sq ft (unless another rate listed); restaurants and other specific uses have their own ratios in the tables. See § 17.28.040 and Tables.
Loading & design: CLMU requires that loading/unloading spaces be enclosed on three sides and appear as architectural extensions; minimum loading width/height language appears in the CLMU development standards — see § 17.28.040(d)(i). Landscaping and a minimum planted edge of six feet between parking and sidewalk are required for surface lots.

Commercial General Mixed‑Use — CGMU

Purpose & typical uses: broader commercial/mixed‑use with more intensive retail, offices, and multi‑story development. Rules are in § 17.30.020 / § 17.30.040 and Table 30‑B/30‑C.
Parking: Non‑residential uses referenced to Table 30‑B (rates similar in spirit to Table 28‑B but tailored to CGMU scale). For larger shopping centers there are special ratios (e.g., shopping centers >100,000 sf use 1 space per 220 sf). § 17.30.040 and the tables govern.
Loading: CGMU loading minimums are explicit: the code states the minimum required loading area may not be less than 10 ft wide by 25 ft long with unobstructed height not less than 14 ft, and must be accessible from street/highway/alley (see § 17.30.040(g)). Larger retail must provide loading to accommodate the largest vehicle allowed by the Vehicle Code.
Landscaping / setbacks: surface parking requires a 6‑ft landscaping setback along street‑facing edges and 20% of surface parking area landscaped in many CGMU rules; see § 17.30.040 and Chapter 17.59.

Commercial Office / Recreation — C‑O, C‑R

Parking: See the district use tables; many office and service uses default to the general parking rule or have use‑specific ratios (e.g., financial institutions — 1 space per 150 sf; see the non‑residential tables). Check the table that applies to the parcel’s district (Table 28‑B or 30‑B depending on zone).

Institutional — I

Typical uses: schools, government buildings, public utilities. Parking rules for assembly uses (theaters, auditoriums) call for 1 parking space per 5 fixed seats or 1 per 40 sq ft for movable seats (see § 17.40.020(a)) — applicable within institutional development.

Overlays: H, L, W (Horse, Landmark, Workforce Housing)

Overlays do not generally change the parking ratios themselves but can modify development standards, design review triggers and allow exceptions. Always check the applicable overlay chapter (listed in § 17.04.020) and the specific district table to see if parking or setbacks are modified.

Quick reference table — common parking ratios (zoning tables)

Use	Required parking (zoning summary)	Code reference
Residential units (MF) — studio / 1BR	1 space per unit	Table 28‑C via § 17.28.040
Residential units — 2–3 BR	2 spaces per unit	Table 28‑C via § 17.28.040
Guest parking (MF)	1 space per 3 units	Table 28‑C via § 17.28.040
Retail / general commercial	1 space per 200 sq ft (general rule unless table lists otherwise)	Table 28‑B/30‑B via § 17.28.040 / § 17.30.040
Restaurants (large)	1 space per 200 sq ft of seating + 1 per 2 employees (min 10 spaces)	Table entries in commercial tables via § 17.30.040
Hotels	1 space per room + required spaces for public areas; 1/2 space per employee on largest shift	Table note via the commercial parking tables
Service station / minor auto repair	Multiple elements (e.g., 2 spaces per working bay, 1 space per service vehicle, 1 covered space per serviced vehicle)	Table entries via § 17.30.040
Warehousing / storage	1 space per 1,000 sq ft (minimum one per employee on largest shift)	Table entries via district tables
Loading areas (minimum dims)	District rules: 10 ft × 25 ft × 14 ft clear OR district may require 12 ft × 14 ft depending on precise standard — check district chapter.	CLMU: § 17.28.040(d)(i); CGMU: § 17.30.040(g).

Always read the zoning table entry for the exact use: many entries carry qualifiers (minima, employee rules, shopping‑center adjustments, or conditional use shifts) — see the table row for your specific use in Table 28‑A/B/C or Table 30‑A/B/C in the district chapter.

Design, screening, landscaping and lot layout specifics

Surfacing: off‑street lots must be paved to city specifications with appropriate bumper guards; when adjacent to residential districts a masonry fence may be required; see § 17.40.040 and district standards.
Landscaping setback and minimum landscaped portion of surface parking: many district tables require a 6 ft planted edge or 10 ft primary‑street setback depending on district and minimum 20% of surface parking area in landscaped planting; at least one tree per 200 sq ft of fronting planting is commonly required — see district standards and Chapter 17.59. § 17.28.040, § 17.30.040, and Chapter 17.59.
Parking structures facing streets must be screened by landscaping or decorative elements approved by the director. See § 17.28.040 and § 17.30.040.
Loading areas must be designed to look integrated with buildings (often enclosed on three sides) and be accessible from the street or alley. See the district precise plan / design review language in § 17.28.040(d)(i) and § 17.30.040(d)(i).

Bicycle parking and EV charging

The Title 17 zoning code excerpts retrieved do not contain a clear, citywide bicycle‑parking schedule or minimum requirements. I did not find a district table row that prescribes short‑term vs. long‑term bicycle parking minimums. Not found in retrieved materials — verify with the planning department or the city’s bicycle/parking design handout.
EV charging: the CLMU/CGMU tables note EV charging is allowed as an ancillary use and larger projects reference the California codes and green building standards; specific EV stall counts tied to parking capacity are not consistently codified in Title 17 text retrieved. Not found in retrieved materials — verify with the jurisdiction and check the city's or state green building requirements.

Checklist — what an applicant must satisfy (zoning side)

Confirm the parcel’s zoning district per the official zoning map and consult the district development table (Table 28‑B/28‑C or Table 30‑B/30‑C) that applies. § 17.04.020; § 17.28.040; § 17.30.040.
Prepare an off‑street parking table for the project showing required vs. proposed stalls by use (retail, office, residential, employees, guest). § 17.40.010; Table 28/30.
Locate loading/pick‑up areas consistent with district loading rules (dimensions/access) and demonstrate enclosure/screening if required. Cite § 17.28.040(d)(i) or § 17.30.040(g) depending on district.
Show parking lot landscaping, planted edge widths, and tree counts per Chapter 17.59 and the district table. § 17.28.040; § 17.30.040; Ch. 17.59.
If proposing a parking structure, show screening elevational treatments per director approval language. § 17.28.040 / § 17.30.040.
If modifying a site with an approved precise plan of design, include the change for planning commission review. § 17.58.050.

Risks & Ambiguities

Issue	Why it matters	What to verify
Bicycle parking minimums not explicit in Title 17	Projects may miss required bike parking and fail plan check	Confirm bike parking standards with planning staff; zoning file search did not show a citywide bicycle schedule. Not found in retrieved materials.
Accessible parking and stall dimensions	ADA/Title 24 (accessible parking) can dictate number/size of stalls beyond zoning counts	Confirm accessible stall counts and dimensions with building department / Title 24; zoning defers to Building Code. See California Building Standards Code.
Loading dimension variability across districts	Some district chapters state 12 ft × 14 ft for loading; another clause gives 10 ft × 25 ft × 14 ft — ambiguity can change driveway needs	Verify which district section applies to your property (CLMU vs CGMU) and use the specific district clause: § 17.28.040(d)(i) and § 17.30.040(g).
Project‑specific parking modifications	Planning commission may require more parking or allow reductions for conditional uses	For conditional uses or precise plan projects, expect site‑specific parking conditions; confirm with planning staff and review § 17.30.040(i) / conditional use rules.
Electric vehicle (EV) charging counts	State and green building codes may mandate EV readiness beyond zoning	Check city resolutions and state green building or Title 24 requirements; not detailed in retrieved Title 17 excerpts. Not found in retrieved materials.

Plain‑English summary

The Rolling Hills Estates zoning code requires off‑street parking and loading per the use tables in each zoning district and the citywide off‑street parking chapter. Residential units follow Table 28‑C (e.g., 1 space for studio/1BR, 2 spaces for 2–3BR), commercial uses use the commercial tables (typical retail 1 per 200 sq ft), and district chapters set loading sizes, landscaping, and screening rules; consult the exact table and district section that applies to your parcel (verify with the planning department).

Source References

Title 17 — Zoning, general (short title, intent): § 17.02.005 / § 17.02.010.
Zoning districts list (district names / overlays): § 17.04.020.
Off‑street parking applicability and program: § 17.40.010 (Chapter 17.40—Off‑Street Parking).
Theaters/auditoriums parking: § 17.40.020.
Parking lot design and surfacing: § 17.40.040.
Residential & mixed‑use development standards and parking (Table 28‑C summary): § 17.28.040 / Table 28‑C.
Commercial mixed‑use development standards and loading minimums (Table 30‑B/30‑C and § 17.30.040(g)): § 17.30.040(g).
CLMU parking, loading enclosure and screening language: § 17.28.040(d)(i).
Parking definitions, sizing of an automobile parking space: § 17.02.455.
Landscaping requirements for parking: Chapter 17.59 and district standards § 17.28.040 / § 17.30.040.
Precise plan/plan modification triggers for parking changes: § 17.58.050.
California Building Standards Code (for accessible stalls and clearance requirements; zoning defers to building code): California Building Standards Code.

Information Gaps

Measured, citywide bicycle‑parking minimums and short‑ vs long‑term definitions are not located in the retrieved Title 17 excerpts. Not found in retrieved materials. Verify with planning staff or design handouts.
Clear internal cross‑references in the tables for EV charging stall counts and EV readiness are not present in the Title 17 excerpts shown. Not found in retrieved materials. Verify with the planning/building departments and any city resolutions.
Some districts contain slightly different loading minimum language (10×25×14 vs. 12 ft widths) — confirm the precise clause that applies to your parcel (district‑specific sections referenced above).

Sources

Retrieved passages

CBC § 17.40.140 (Chapter 17.59.) High relevance
Rolling Hills Estates Zoning Code (Section 17.30.040) High relevance
Rolling Hills Estates Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance
Rolling Hills Estates Zoning Code High relevance
Rolling Hills Estates Zoning Code (Section 21155) Medium relevance
Rolling Hills Estates Zoning Code (§ 1804) Medium relevance
Rolling Hills Estates Zoning Code (chapter shall) Medium relevance
Rolling Hills Estates Zoning Code (Section 17.28.040.) Medium relevance
CBC § 17.40.140 (Chapter 17.59.) Medium relevance
Rolling Hills Estates Zoning Code (Section 17.28.060.) Medium relevance
Rolling Hills Estates Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance
Rolling Hills Estates Zoning Code (§ 1804) Medium relevance
Rolling Hills Estates Zoning Code (Title 17) Medium relevance
Rolling Hills Estates Zoning Code Medium relevance
Rolling Hills Estates Zoning Code (Chapter 17.39.) Medium relevance
Rolling Hills Estates Zoning Code (Section 17.30.040.B) Medium relevance
Rolling Hills Estates Zoning Code (Chapter 17.56.) Medium relevance
Rolling Hills Estates Zoning Code (Chapter 17.56) Medium relevance
Rolling Hills Estates Zoning Code (Title 17) Medium relevance
Rolling Hills Estates Zoning Code (Chapter 17.68.) Medium relevance

Cited sections

Official Rolling Hills Estates code library

Frequently asked questions

What triggers off‑street parking requirements in Rolling Hills Estates?

Off‑street parking requirements attach when you erect a main building or intensify an existing use (add dwelling units, seats, or floor area). The applicability rule is in § 17.40.010 (Chapter 17.40 — Off‑Street Parking).

How many parking spaces do I need for a two‑bedroom apartment?

Under the residential mixed‑use table (Table 28‑C) the code shows two spaces for two‑ and three‑bedroom units; guest parking is one space per three units. See § 17.28.040 and Table 28‑C.

What is the retail parking ratio in Rolling Hills Estates?

Retail and many general commercial uses typically default to 1 parking space per 200 sq ft unless a specific table entry lists otherwise; consult the district table that applies (Table 28‑B or Table 30‑B) in the applicable district chapter (§ 17.28.040 or § 17.30.040).

Do I need a loading bay and how large must it be?

Yes — many commercial and mixed‑use projects must provide loading/unloading. District language requires loading areas to be enclosed and integrated architecturally; CGMU specifically lists a minimum loading area not less than 10 ft wide × 25 ft long × 14 ft high in § 17.30.040(g); some CLMU language references minimum widths/heights consistent with the district precise plan language — check the district clause that applies to the property.

Are there rules for landscaping around parking lots?

Yes — most districts require a planted edge (commonly 6 ft) between parking and the sidewalk, and many require 20% of the total surface parking area to be landscaped; tree size and spacing requirements are set in the district tables and Chapter 17.59. See § 17.28.040, § 17.30.040, and Ch. 17.59.

Where does bicycle parking get regulated in the City code?

A clear, citywide bicycle‑parking schedule was not found in the supplied Title 17 excerpts. The zoning tables and district chapters reviewed do not lay out short‑term vs long‑term bicycle parking minimums; verify with the planning department or any additional city design standards. Not found in retrieved materials.

Does Title 17 set accessible parking stall sizes?

Title 17 establishes required parking counts but defers stall dimensions and ADA/Title 24 accessibility specifics to the building code. For accessible parking stall sizes, number and signage, consult the California Building Standards Code (Title 24) and coordinate with building plan check.

Can the Planning Commission change minimum parking on a per‑project basis?

Yes. For conditional uses or precise plan projects the Planning Commission can require parking in excess of the minimums or approve deviations based on site‑specific analysis. See the district notes and conditional use/precise plan procedures in § 17.30.040(i) and Chapter 17.68.

Are parking structures allowed as off‑site parking?

The code allows parking structures located off‑site for the use they serve provided they are within 150 feet of the use (see § 17.40.030(B)). Confirm location and access with planning staff.

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