Sierra Madre — Overlay Districts

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

Overlay districts in Sierra Madre modify or add rules on top of the base zoning to implement site-specific plans, special uses, or citywide policy priorities. The city's Title 17 ZONING establishes several overlays, including the R-E (Residential Entrepreneurial) Overlay Zone, the RHO (Religious Housing Overlay) Zone, the Kensington Specific Plan Overlay Zone, the British Home Specific Plan Overlay Zone, and the central core area provisions. Each overlay either enumerates permitted uses or requires that development follow an adopted specific plan; in many cases development standards default to the underlying zone unless the overlay says otherwise. See the city's official zoning text in § 17.04.010 and the Title 17 organization for context .

Note: this page stays strictly within what Sierra Madre's Title 17 says about overlays (no building-code / Title 24 technical rules). For procedural tools you will likely use, see Sierra Madre's pages on design review, parking, and development standards.

District-by-district breakdown

R-E Overlay Zone (Residential Entrepreneurial Overlay)

• Purpose: Permit limited small-business / professional uses compatible with residential neighborhoods while maintaining residential character. See § 17.32.010 for the adopted permitted-use list .
• Typical permitted uses: accountants, attorneys, brokers, medical/dental practitioners and similar small professional/service offices, subject to a minor conditional use permit for those listed as requiring one (e.g., many of the professional/service uses listed in § 17.32.010) .
• Key development controls: signage rules (name plates up to 2 sq ft; one identification sign up to 12 sq ft, unlit) are specifically allowed in the R‑E zone § 17.32.010 . Other dimensional standards (setbacks, height, lot coverage) are governed by the underlying zone unless the R‑E chapter says otherwise — the code does not restate comprehensive dimensional tables for R‑E in the retrieved materials (Not found in retrieved materials).
• Where it applies: referenced explicitly in multiple place-based rules (e.g., some conditional-use rules refer to the "R‑E overlay zone") — see § 17.28.060 for uses requiring conditional/ minor conditional use permits and its R‑E-specific clause .

Practical tip: If your parcel shows R‑E on the zoning map, expect to prepare materials showing compatibility with nearby residences and to request a minor conditional use permit for certain businesses per § 17.28.060 and § 17.32.010 .

RHO Overlay Zone (Religious Housing Overlay)

• Purpose: Provide a tailored overlay to allow housing development on properties affiliated with religious institutions while applying density and affordability rules specific to the overlay. See § 17.39.020–.050 for uses, affordability, and design-review requirements .
• Typical permitted uses: multifamily dwellings developed as religious housing at densities 20–42 dwelling units per acre; accessory buildings and uses typical to multifamily developments; transitional and supportive housing; residential care facilities subject to the same standards as dwellings (§ 17.39.020(A–E)) .
• Key development controls:
  • Density: minimum 20 / maximum 42 du/acre (compute lot area as the portion developed for housing) § 17.39.020(A) .
  • Affordability obligations: at least one-half of units must be affordable to lower‑income households unless an alternate for-sale mix is used; affordable unit standards reference the affordable housing chapter § 17.39.030(A–D) .
  • Design process: preliminary design review is required for all developments under this overlay § 17.39.050(A–B); other design-review and entitlement steps are described in the overlay text § 17.39.050 .
• Where it applies: the RHO overlay text is a discrete overlay chapter; project eligibility, substitution of institutional-occupied areas from density calculations, and exemptions for existing entitlements are stated in § 17.39.040 .

Practical tip: RHO projects carry explicit affordability requirements and a mandatory preliminary design review — budget for an affordability covenant and the design package early. See the city's development standards and parking pages when assembling submittals.

Kensington Specific Plan Overlay Zone

• Purpose: Require development within the defined Kensington area to follow the adopted Kensington Specific Plan for certain institutional/residential care uses. The overlay adoption is recorded at § 17.41.010 with development rules at § 17.41.020 .
• Typical permitted uses: rest homes, guest homes, convalescent facilities, assisted‑living facilities, and similar institutions as described in the Kensington Specific Plan § 17.41.020 .
• Key development controls: development must follow the Kensington Specific Plan; where a proposed use is not one of the institutional categories, the underlying zone's requirements prevail § 17.41.020 . The specific plan document (47 pages) contains the detailed standards; the overlay chapter notes the specific plan is on file with the city clerk § 17.41.020 .
• Where it applies: the overlay lists specific lots in the city at § 17.41.010 .

Practical tip: Always pull the Kensington Specific Plan itself (on file with the city) because the overlay chapter defers the detailed standards to that plan § 17.41.020 .

The British Home Specific Plan Overlay Zone

• Purpose: Place a small cluster of lots under a specific-plan overlay requiring development consistent with the British Home Specific Plan (institutional residential uses). See § 17.42.010–.020 .
• Typical permitted uses: rest homes, guest homes, convalescent facilities, assisted‑living facilities and similar institutions as defined in the British Home Specific Plan § 17.42.020 .
• Key development controls: developments within this overlay must conform to the British Home Specific Plan; to the extent a development is not a listed institutional use, the underlying zone's standards control § 17.42.020 .
• Where it applies: the overlay explicitly lists the lots included in § 17.42.010 .

Practical tip: As with Kensington, the British Home overlay defers technical standards to the specific plan on file; obtain that plan before designing or applying § 17.42.020 .

Central Core Area provisions (Title 17 chapter related)

• Purpose and priority: the central core area chapter was added by initiative and contains rules that apply to new construction in the central core area and that may supersede conflicting provisions elsewhere. See § 17.35.060–.080 for the amendment adoption, map inclusion, and priority statement .
• Where it applies: a map of the central core area must be attached to the zoning map and general plan land‑use map § 17.35.070; the chapter's provisions apply to all new construction in the central core area § 17.35.080 .
• Key controls: the chapter establishes that certain major changes (height, density increases, or transfer/sale of rights-of-way) are treated specially; the chapter text should be consulted for the definitions and any voter-approval provisions § 17.35.060 et seq. .

Practical tip: If your project is in the downtown/central core, pull the central core map referenced in § 17.35.070 and read the chapter early — it can change which rules apply to height and density § 17.35.070–.080 .

Key decision-relevant standards and permitted uses (table)

Checklist

• Confirm whether the parcel is within an overlay on the official zoning map (pull the zoning map / central core map per § 17.35.070) .
• If in Kensington or British Home overlays, obtain the applicable specific plan on file with the city and design to that plan § 17.41.020 / § 17.42.020 .
• For RHO projects, prepare an affordability plan/ covenant and meet density limits (20–42 du/acre) and submit a preliminary design‑review application § 17.39.020–.050 .
• For R‑E commercial‑in‑residential uses, check whether the proposed use needs a minor conditional use permit per § 17.28.060 and § 17.32.010 .
• Prepare required design, parking, and landscaping submittals consistent with the city's design review, parking, and landscaping and screening rules; consult relevant chapters of Title 17 (e.g., design‑review and 17.68 parking rules) .
• If the overlay or specific plan requires covenants or recorded agreements (common for affordability or mitigation), assemble legal language and plan for recordation; see ministerial conditions in § 17.58.090 for covenants tied to ministerial design review .
• Verify whether your project interacts with Historic Preservation rules or Nonconforming Uses chapters (Chapter 17.82 and 17.56) — these can change permitability or require mitigation .

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

If your Sierra Madre parcel is in an overlay, the overlay either lets additional uses happen (the R‑E and RHO overlays do this) or requires site development to follow a separate specific plan (the Kensington and British Home overlays). Read the overlay chapter that applies to your parcel and fetch any referenced specific plan — overlays often add use or affordability rules and usually rely on the underlying zone for raw dimensional standards unless the overlay explicitly replaces them § 17.32.010; § 17.39.020–.050; § 17.41.020; § 17.42.020 .

Source References

• Sierra Madre Title 17 — ZONING (print export): Title header and general provisions § 17.04.010 .
• R‑E Overlay Zone: permitted uses, signs and minor CUP language § 17.32.010 .
• Cross‑reference to conditional/minor conditional permit rules mentioning R‑E: § 17.28.060 .
• RHO Overlay Zone: permitted uses (density), affordability, exemptions and preliminary design review — § 17.39.020; § 17.39.030; § 17.39.040; § 17.39.050 .
• Kensington Specific Plan Overlay Zone: adoption and development regulations § 17.41.010; § 17.41.020 .
• British Home Specific Plan Overlay Zone: adoption and development regulations § 17.42.010; § 17.42.020 .
• Central core area chapter (map and priority for new construction): § 17.35.060; § 17.35.070; § 17.35.080 .
• Design‑review and ministerial design review rules referenced by overlays: Chapter 17.58 and 17.59 (ministerial design review eligibility and conditions) — see § 17.58.090 and § 17.59.020 for examples of required covenants/eligibility conditions .
• Parking and off‑street parking general requirements referenced by housing and overlays: Chapter 17.68 (e.g., § 17.68.060) .
• Nonconforming uses rules (may affect overlay parcels): Chapter 17.56 (purpose and continuance), e.g., § 17.56.010 .

Retrieved passages

• Sierra Madre Zoning Code (Chapter 17.22.) High relevance show source text
• Sierra Madre Zoning Code (§ 2) High relevance show source text
• Sierra Madre Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Sierra Madre Zoning Code (§ 2) High relevance show source text
• Sierra Madre Zoning Code (Section 17.08.020) High relevance show source text
• Sierra Madre Zoning Code (§ 2) Medium relevance show source text
• Sierra Madre Zoning Code (Chapter 17.93.) Medium relevance show source text
• Sierra Madre Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Sierra Madre Title 17 — ZONING (print export): Title header and general provisions **§ 17.04.010** . (Title 17)
• **R‑E Overlay Zone**: permitted uses, signs and minor CUP language **§ 17.32.010** . (§ 17.32.010)
• Cross‑reference to conditional/minor conditional permit rules mentioning R‑E: **§ 17.28.060** . (§ 17.28.060)
• **RHO Overlay Zone**: permitted uses (density), affordability, exemptions and preliminary design review — **§ 17.39.020; § 17.39.030; § 17.39.040; § 17.39.050** . (§ 17.39.020)
• **Kensington Specific Plan Overlay Zone**: adoption and development regulations **§ 17.41.010; § 17.41.020** . (§ 17.41.010)
• **British Home Specific Plan Overlay Zone**: adoption and development regulations **§ 17.42.010; § 17.42.020** . (§ 17.42.010)
• Central core area chapter (map and priority for new construction): **§ 17.35.060; § 17.35.070; § 17.35.080** . (§ 17.35.060)
• Design‑review and ministerial design review rules referenced by overlays: Chapter **17.58** and **17.59** (ministerial design review eligibility and conditions) — see **§ 17.58.090** and **§ 17.59.020** for examples of required covenants/eligibility conditions . (§ 17.58.090)
• Parking and off‑street parking general requirements referenced by housing and overlays: Chapter **17.68** (e.g., **§ 17.68.060**) . (§ 17.68.060)
• Nonconforming uses rules (may affect overlay parcels): Chapter **17.56** (purpose and continuance), e.g., **§ 17.56.010** . (§ 17.56.010)
• SierraMadre_ZoningCode.md

• Official Sierra Madre code library