Santa Barbara Zoning, Planning & Building Codes

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

Santa Barbara’s land-use rules are codified primarily in the municipal zoning chapters that begin with Chapter 28.10 (the City's zone table) and the Title/chapters that implement zone-specific rules, development-plan approval, coastal review, and special districts. The code organizes districts into residential, commercial, industrial and special/overlay families (for example R-1, R-2, R-3/R-4, PUD, P-D, and specific plan zones) and delegates design control to the Architectural Board of Review and the Historic Landmarks Commission where applicable. The code also contains citywide standards (setbacks, height limits, lot coverage, and parking) and procedural chapters (development plan approval, conditional use/land use permits, and coastal permit review). For navigation start at the zones table in § 28.10.001 and then follow the chapter cross‑references (development plans in Chapter 28.85, parking in Chapter 28.90, overlays/coastal in Chapter 28.44) for the detailed rules.

How Santa Barbara's code is organized

• The City lists the official zone classifications and the chapter that governs each zone in the Zones table at § 28.10.001; use that table to find the governing chapter for any base zone (for example R-1 → Chapter 28.15, R-2 → Chapter 28.18, R-3/R-4 → Chapter 28.21).
• "Specific plans" are handled under Chapter 28.08 and must be prepared and adopted per state specific-plan law; building permits inconsistent with an adopted specific plan are prohibited unless an exception is granted by the Community Development Director under § 28.08.020.
• Citywide technical standards and cross‑cutting rules live in dedicated chapters you will consult repeatedly:
  • Development plan approval and related procedures: Chapter 28.85 (referenced throughout the code) — see the cross-references in chapters such as § 28.37.131 and others.
  • Parking is centralized in Chapter 28.90 and is referenced by zone chapters for required spaces.
  • Coastal/overlay rules are in Chapter 28.44 (Coastal Overlay / Coastal Development Permit procedures).
  • Design control and historic-review standards are in Title 22 (Architectural Board of Review, Historic Landmarks Commission, Hill­side Design District sections) and are cross‑referenced from zone chapters.

Zoning district families

Santa Barbara separates common district types into chapters; below are the primary families and where to find the controlling rules:

• Single‑family residential (R-1 / A / E) — base rules for one‑family residence zones are in Chapter 28.15; these chapters set the basic use permissions and reference citywide standards (setbacks, open‑space expectations, signs, and parking).
• Two‑family (R-2) — the R-2 zone is the two‑family residential chapter; it defines allowed uses and the character of the zone in § 28.18.010.
• Multiple‑family / mixed residential (R-3 / R-4) — see Chapter 28.21 for limited multiple‑family and hotel/multiple residence standards; nonresidential uses in these chapters are explicitly regulated (setbacks double for nonresidential uses, lot coverage limits) under § 28.21.085.
• Commercial/Planned (C‑P, P‑D, PUD) — commercial planned zones (for larger footprints) and planned development types are governed by chapters such as 28.39 (P‑D Planned Development) and 28.36 (PUD Planned Unit Development). The code requires development plans and allows the Planning Commission to tailor height, setbacks and conditions under § 28.39.130 and § 28.36.010.
• Specific plan zones (SP‑#) — the City has adopted specific plan chapters (example: SP‑7 Riviera Campus Specific Plan with permitted uses listed at § 28.47.010). Specific plans are administered under the specific plans procedures of Chapter 28.08.
• Overlay and special districts — the code uses overlay/special districts (for coastal regulation, Goleta Slough, Hazardous Waste Management Facility overlays, Hillside Design District) and makes overlay review mandatory where mapped; see the Coastal Overlay procedures and the Goleta Slough reference in § 28.44 and related overlay cross‑references.

Citywide development standards (high level)

• Where to look: setbacks, coverage and nonresidential limits are stated inside each zone chapter and via cross‑references to citywide rules (notably § 28.15.085 for regulations that apply to nonresidential buildings).
• Setbacks:
  • Nonresidential building setbacks are commonly set at double the residential setback for the base zone per § 28.15.085(A).
  • PUDs and planned developments may replace the base setbacks with PUD‑specific setbacks; for example, § 28.36.075 requires PUD front setbacks at least twice the base front setback and interior setbacks of no less than 40 ft.
• Height:
  • P‑D zone height is limited to a maximum three stories / 45 feet under § 28.39.050, but the Planning Commission may further limit height when approving a development plan.
  • PUDs are generally limited to two stories, with special provisions for hillside step‑downs under § 28.36.050.
• Floor area / lot coverage:
  • Many zones set lot coverage and floor‑area rules or cross‑reference parking and coverage chapters; nonresidential lot coverage is limited to 25% of the lot in some residential zones per § 28.15.085(B). Calculation of allowable net floor area for smaller lots is set out format‑wise in the code (see the net floor area table and associated calculation rules).
• Parking:
  • Parking requirements are consolidated in Chapter 28.90 and referenced in zone chapters; typical residential projects reference Chapter 28.90 for required spaces and many zone chapters include cross‑references to Chapter 28.90 for off‑street parking and loading. For practical parking rules and where they are required, see the zone‑level references to Chapter 28.90 and the parking chapter itself.
  • For PUDs, parking standards within the PUD chapter require at least 2 spaces per dwelling unit and additional uncovered spaces for multi‑unit PUD projects as specified in § 28.36.100.

(If you want a focused read on parking rules, see the city’s parking chapter; see the code cross‑references to Chapter 28.90.) Santa Barbara Parking

Design, historic review, and discretionary review

• Design control bodies: The Architectural Board of Review (ABR) and the Historic Landmarks Commission (HLC) review projects as required by Title 22 (for example, architectural approval and review cross‑references in zone chapters such as § 28.15.085(C) and § 28.39.115).
• When design review applies: many zone chapters require ABR or HLC approval for nonresidential buildings and for projects inside historic districts (El Pueblo Viejo), and Title 22 sets the review thresholds (see the ABR/HLC cross‑references used in zone chapters).
• How discretionary review is layered: the Planning Commission, Staff Hearing Officer, and ABR/HLC coordinate depending on the permit type — the zone chapter will point you to the procedural chapter (for example § 28.36.010 refers to Chapter 28.94 for conditional use procedure).

For the design review rules and thresholds consult the code sections in Title 22 first. Santa Barbara Design Review

Specific plans & overlays (citywide context)

• Specific Plans: Procedures for preparing, adopting and administering specific plans are in § 28.08.010 and exceptions to permit issuance if inconsistent with a Specific Plan are at § 28.08.020. Adopted specific-plan chapters are then published as SP chapters (for example SP‑7 Riviera Campus in Chapter 28.47).
• Coastal Overlay and Coastal permits: the Coastal Overlay Zone review and coastal permit procedures (including appealability distinctions and Staff Hearing Officer vs Planning Commission roles) are set out in Chapter 28.44 and related coastal LCP procedures; accessory dwelling units in the coastal zone have special processing notes (ministerial review in some instances consistent with Government Code 65852.2). See § 28.44. cross‑references.
• Other overlays: Goleta Slough Reserve Zone, HWMF overlays and Hillside Design Districts are documented in the code and trigger specific application or permitting requirements (see the Goleta Slough reference and the Hillside Design District cross references).

For mapped overlays and their effects see the City’s overlay menu. Santa Barbara Overlay Districts

Building permits & review: practical path

• Where to start: identify the base zone chapter (use § 28.10.001) to learn allowed uses and referenced standards, then check for overlays, specific plan constraints, and whether the project triggers Development Plan Approval (Chapter 28.85), a Conditional Use Permit (Chapter 28.94), or Coastal Permit (Chapter 28.44).
• Ministerial vs discretionary:
  • Some projects are ministerial (building permit level) — for example the two‑unit residential development provisions require a building permit and state the City shall ministerially approve or disapprove a complete building permit application that complies with local objective standards under § 28.80.180.
  • Most larger commercial or special projects will require Development Plan Approval (see Chapter 28.85) or conditional/land use permits (see Chapter 28.94), with public noticing and Planning Commission or Staff Hearing Officer hearings as required by the procedural chapters. See § 28.36.010 for the PUD submittal/conditional use link.
• Coastal projects: coastal permit procedures (Chapter 28.44) set appeal rights and may require additional notice to the Coastal Commission for Local Coastal Program amendments; in many coastal cases the decision body is the Staff Hearing Officer or Planning Commission depending on appealability.

If you are preparing drawings the City’s building review will also check compliance with the California building code framework — see the statewide standards at the California Building Standards Code. California Building Standards Code

State housing law in Santa Barbara — how it interacts with the local code

• Accessory dwelling units (ADUs): Santa Barbara’s code processes ADUs in the context of coastal rules and ministerial review in many cases; the coastal‑overlay provisions say that ADU additions or ADUs on lots with existing multiple units in the coastal zone are reviewed by the Staff Hearing Officer without a public hearing consistent with Government Code 65852.2 (see the coastal ADU processing notes).
• Two‑unit residential / SB 9‑style ministerial provisions: the City implemented a two‑unit residential development chapter (Chapter 28.80) that sets objective development standards, parking, setbacks and ministerial building‑permit processing language. The City will ministerially approve or disapprove a complete building permit application for two‑unit residential development per § 28.80.180 and details objective standards and parking in §§ 28.80.070–28.80.100.
• Density bonus / affordable housing incentives: the code allows density bonuses in certain contexts — planned unit development rules note an exception that up to a 25% density bonus may be allowed for affordable units when consistent with the density‑bonus provisions referenced at § 28.87.400. See those cross‑references when pursuing bonus units.
• Rent control / tenant protections: Santa Barbara’s municipal zoning code principally governs land use and development approvals; specific rent regulations or tenant protection programs (if any) are found in other municipal chapters or state law — the zoning code cross‑references affordability requirements for certain SP zones (for example affordability requirements in § 28.46.075 for SP‑5). For rent regulation specifics verify with City housing/finance code chapters or Planning/Housing staff.

For local ADU procedural detail see the City’s ADU chapter and the state ADU statutes. Santa Barbara ADUs California ADU law

Practical orientation — how to use the code for a project

1. Identify the property’s base zone via the zoning map and cross‑check § 28.10.001 to find the controlling chapter.
2. Read the base‑zone chapter (for example § 28.15 for one‑family, § 28.18 for R‑2, § 28.21 for R‑3/R‑4) for permitted uses and cross‑references to parking (Chapter 28.90), signs (Title 22, Chapter 22.70), and architectural review triggers.
3. Check overlays and the Local Coastal Program (Chapter 28.44) and any specific plan chapters that apply (Chapter 28.08 and the SP chapter). If the project is in the coastal zone, review § 28.44 for appealability and the appropriate decision body.
4. Determine whether the project is ministerial (building permit level) or discretionary. For two‑unit projects the code provides a ministerial building‑permit pathway under § 28.80.180; for PUDs, large nonresidential buildings, and many commercial projects refer to Development Plan Approval (Chapter 28.85) or conditional use procedure (Chapter 28.94, as referenced in § 28.36.010).
5. Address design review and historic review triggers in Title 22; where ABR or HLC approval is required the zone chapters explicitly state that requirement (for example § 28.15.085(C) and § 28.39.115).

If you want a quick map‑to‑chapter cheat sheet, start at § 28.10.001 to find the chapter number for the base zone and then open that chapter for use tables, development standards and review triggers.

Information Gaps / Verify with the jurisdiction

• This overview relies on the City zoning chapters and the code excerpts retrieved; for line‑by‑line numeric development standards for every single zone (exact front/rear/setback feet in each residential sub‑zone, zone‑by‑zone FAR tables, or the full ABR thresholds in Title 22) consult the full chapters as published by the City or confirm with Community Development staff. Specific section cross‑references cited above point you where to look.

Source References

• Santa Barbara municipal zoning chapters and chapter table; see § 28.10.001 and related chapters cited above.
• Planned Unit Development (PUD) chapter and PUD standards: § 28.36.001 et seq.
• Planned Development (P‑D) zone and Development Plan / uses: § 28.39.001 and § 28.39.130.
• Specific Plan procedures and SP chapters (e.g., SP‑7 Riviera Campus): § 28.08.010, § 28.08.020, § 28.47.010.
• Coastal Overlay / Coastal permit procedures and ADU processing notes: Chapter 28.44 (see the ADU paragraph and public hearing rules).
• Two‑unit residential development and objective ministerial standards: Chapter 28.80 (see § 28.80.070–§ 28.80.200 and § 28.80.180).
• Nonresidential development standards (setbacks, lot coverage, architectural approval): § 28.15.085 and similar zone sections.
• Parking chapter cross‑references: Chapter 28.90 as cited within zone chapters for required spaces.