Temple City — Zoning

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

Temple City's zoning ordinance is codified as Title 9 ZONING REGULATIONS and establishes base zones, overlay (special-use) zones, permitting categories, and development rules that implement the General Plan. The Zoning Map is adopted by reference and district rules (use tables, setbacks, heights, FAR, density) control what is allowed where; verify exact parcel boundaries with the city because the director resolves map uncertainty. See the city's zoning overview for context. § 9-1A-1; § 9-1B-2

Notes on internal links used below: this page will mention parking, development standards, design review, overlay districts, ADUs, and the California Building Standards Code (Title 24) where they relate to zoning — follow the links to those topic pages for procedural or technical code topics that are handled elsewhere on the city site. Temple City zoning & planning overview Temple City Development Standards Temple City Parking Temple City Design Review Temple City Overlay Districts Temple City ADUs California Building Standards Code

The remainder of this page summarizes the City’s actual zone-by-zone rules (purpose, typical permitted uses, and the decision‑relevant numeric standards). All quoted numeric rules are sourced to the controlling ordinance section cited after the rule.

How to read this: each district subsection below gives (1) purpose; (2) typical permitted uses; (3) the key dimensional limits you need to decide whether a project is allowed as‑of‑right — check the cited § in the ordinance for full tables and use lists.

R-1 (Low‑Density Residential)

• Purpose: Primary single‑family residential zone, up to 6 du/acre; maintains conventional suburban patterns and low-rise houses. § 9-1G-10
• Typical permitted uses: single‑family dwellings, accessory structures, ADUs/JADUs (as accessory) and limited home occupations; other uses (daycare, small community uses) listed in Table 9-1G-2. § 9-1G-11
• Key dimensional standards (high‑priority for site planning):
  • Minimum lot area: 7,200 sq ft for newly created lots. § 9-1G-12
  • Front setback: 20 ft (first and second floor minimum; front setback is the average of adjacent houses, not less than 20 ft). § 9-1G-12
  • Side setbacks: 5 ft or 10% of lot width (first story, interior lot); second‑story combined minimum 15–20 ft depending on lot type. § 9-1G-12
  • Rear setback: 15 ft (first floor) and 20 ft (second floor). § 9-1G-12
  • Height: principal structure top plate limits vary by lot width (examples: <75 ft lot width **28 ft** max plate; >75 ft 32 ft) and accessory buildings 15 ft. § 9-1G-12
  • FAR / max floor area: baseline 0.35 FAR for buildings >18 ft (maximum 3,300 sq ft dwelling with garage allowances and incentives). § 9-1G-12
• Where it applies: mapped low‑density residential neighborhoods; consult the official Zoning Map (map adopted by reference). § 9-1B-2

Practical note: most single-family projects, ADUs, and urban dwellings in R-1 are governed by the objective standards in § 9-1G-12 and by the state ADU law (see Temple City ADU page) — city cannot impose owner‑occupancy and has ADU-specific cross‑references. § 9-1T-13; state law considerations: Not found in retrieved materials — consult the ADU link above and state law links for conflicts.

R-2 (Medium‑Density Residential)

• Purpose: Mix of single‑family, duplexes, and small multi‑unit buildings up to 12 du/acre. § 9-1G-20
• Typical permitted uses: duplexes, small multifamily, ADUs, some institutional uses; see Table 9-1G-7. § 9-1G-21
• Key standards:
  • Lot size (new): 7,200 sq ft. § 9-1G-22
  • Max density: 12 du/acre. § 9-1G-22
  • Front setback: 20 ft (first and second floor). § 9-1G-22
  • Side setbacks: first floor 5 ft, second floor average 10 ft (not less than 5 ft). § 9-1G-22
  • Height: typically 2 stories/local table limits (see Table 9-1G-8). § 9-1G-22

R-3 (High‑Density Residential / Multi‑Family)

• Purpose: Multi‑family housing up to 36 du/acre, generally two to three stories; intended for apartments, condominiums, townhomes. § 9-1G-30
• Typical permitted uses: multi‑family housing, condominiums, certain institutional uses; accessory structures and ADUs per accessory rules. Table 9-1G-11 lists permitted uses. § 9-1G-31
• Key standards (Table 9-1G-12):
  • Maximum density: 36 du/acre. § 9-1G-32
  • Lot size (new): 10,000 sq ft (for newly created lots). § 9-1G-32
  • Setbacks: first‑floor front 20 ft; second‑floor front 30 ft in some adjacency contexts; interior side 5 ft first story; rear setbacks vary by adjacency (e.g., 15 ft rear when adjacent to R-1). § 9-1G-32
  • Height: 3 stories or 40 ft maximum (whichever is less) for principal structures (subterranean parking exceptions noted). § 9-1G-32
  • Maximum lot coverage: 50% for all buildings in most cases. § 9-1G-32

Practical guidance: multifamily projects must check density bonus rules and state multifamily provisions; the code flags SB and density‑bonus interactions in its FAR notes. § 9-1G-32; related density bonus procedures under Article C.

NC (Neighborhood Commercial)

• Purpose: Small‑scale retail/service serving nearby residential areas; compatibility with adjacent homes is emphasized and strip centers designed primarily for cars are discouraged. § 9-1I-1(A)
• Typical uses: neighborhood retail, personal services, small offices — uses and permit labels appear in Table 9-1I-2. § 9-1I-2
• Standards: design and dimensional standards target pedestrian scale and residential compatibility; conditional use permit required for drive‑throughs, late hours, or live entertainment. § 9-1I-2(B)

DC (Downtown Core)

• Purpose: Pedestrian‑oriented downtown along Las Tunas Drive; buildings located close to the street; driveway or curb cuts on Las Tunas discouraged. § 9-1I-1(B)
• Typical uses: retail, restaurants, services, vertical mixed‑use (commercial ground floor, residential above). § 9-1I-1(B)
• Standards: frontage and active‑use requirements (e.g., on Las Tunas Drive/Temple City Boulevard a percentage of street frontage must be non‑residential) and design standards are in the commercial design chapter. § 9-1I-1; Table notes in 9-1H-3

LTC (Las Tunas Commercial)

• Purpose: Mixed commercial uses supportive of residents and the Downtown Core but allowing building setbacks to accommodate landscaping/public space. § 9-1I-1(C)
• Typical uses: medical/professional offices, personal services, retail. § 9-1I-1(C)
• Standards: form‑based design guidance with setbacks and landscaping expectations in the commercial design standards. § 9-1I-1(C)

MU‑L (Mixed‑Use Low) and MU‑M (Mixed‑Use Medium)

• Purpose: Encourage mixed residential and retail/office in walkable formats. MU‑L encourages neighborhood‑serving horizontal mixed‑use up to 20 du/acre; MU‑M encourages more compact vertical mixed‑use and densities up to 40 du/acre (MU‑M references R‑3 standards for multifamily). § 9-1H-1
• Typical uses: retail, offices, restaurants, multi‑family housing; mixed‑use permit charts show which uses are permitted, conditional, or not allowed (Table 9-1H-2). § 9-1H-2; Table 9-1H-2
• Key numeric standards (Table 9-1H-3):
  • Density: MU‑L 10–20 du/acre; MU‑M 20–40 du/acre (multi‑family uses reference R‑3). § 9-1H-3 (Table 9-1H-3)
  • FAR: MU‑L mixed‑use up to 1.5 FAR; MU‑M mixed‑use up to 2.0 FAR; commercial‑only FAR caps are different. § 9-1H-3
  • Lot coverage: ranges (e.g., MU‑L mixed‑use 50–80%; MU‑M 60–90%). § 9-1H-3
  • Front setbacks: MU‑L 15–25 ft, MU‑M 5–10 ft (with notes that no parking is allowed in setback and cafe/public plazas may be allowed). § 9-1H-3
  • Building height: MU‑L up to 3 stories / 45 ft, MU‑M up to 4 stories / 60 ft; accessory structure heights also specified. § 9-1H-3

Practical guidance: any mixed‑use project that includes drive‑throughs, late‑hours operations, or live entertainment requires a conditional use permit. § 9-1H-2(B)

I (Industrial / Manufacturing)

• Purpose: Industrial/manufacturing uses and related facilities; land‑use table and permit requirements are in the industrial article and Table 9-1J-2. § 9-1B-1; Table 9‑1B‑1; industrial chapter.
• Typical uses: industrial, manufacturing, warehouse, and limited heavy commercial; some uses require a CUP and location restrictions (for example, non‑storefront delivery‑only cannabis retail is allowed in I with a CUP and explicit locational distance limits). See § 9‑1T‑22 for noted examples. § 9-1T-22; Table references

I/OS (Institutional and Open Space)

• Purpose: Public institutions, parks, and open space; zone corresponds to Institutional, Parks, Open Space designations. Table 9-1B-1 maps I/OS to the General Plan. § 9-1B-1; Table 9‑1B‑1

PD (Planned Development) — Special / Planned Development Zone

• Purpose: The PD designation allows site‑specific regulations and tailored zoning through an adopted Planned Development Plan that becomes the property's zoning rules; intended for higher‑quality, unified development that may depart from strict code standards. § 9-1L-1; § 9-1L-3
• Key rules:
  • Minimum site area for PD rezoning: 1 acre. § 9-1L-2(D)
  • PD adoption requires an ordinance that incorporates the PD Plan and establishes the allowed uses and development standards for the site; the PD Plan controls over other base zone provisions where it conflicts. § 9-1L-3(A–C)
  • Major site plan review is required before building permits for PD projects; PD Plans may specify phasing and trigger points for later reviews. § 9-1L-2(F); § 9‑1L‑3(E)

Quick reference table — decision‑relevant numeric standards (select items)

(For full tables and nuanced adjacency rules consult the cited ordinance tables and the official Zoning Map.)

Checklist

• Confirm the parcel's base zone and any overlay(s) on the official Zoning Map (map adopted by reference). § 9-1B-2
• Verify whether the proposed use is a permitted use, accessory, or requires a Conditional Use Permit in the district's use table. (See Table 9-1G-2, 9-1G-11, 9-1I-2, 9-1H-2, etc.) § 9-1G-11; § 9-1I-2; § 9-1H-2
• Confirm dimensional compliance: lot size, setbacks, lot coverage, FAR, and height (use the district’s development standards table, e.g., § 9-1G-12 for R‑1, § 9-1G-22 for R‑2, § 9-1G-32 for R‑3, § 9-1H-3 for MU zones). § 9-1G-12; § 9-1G-22; § 9-1G-32; § 9-1H-3
• Determine whether site plan review or design review is required and follow that process. See Major/Minor Site Plan Review and Temple City Design Review. § 9-1C-5; Major Site Plan Review rules
• Confirm off‑street parking requirements and curb/driveway constraints per the parking rules and the district; consult Temple City Parking. (If proposing ADU, review ADU parking exemptions on the ADU page and state law.) § (see district parking cross‑refs)
• If property is in an overlay, review the overlay standards because overlays override base zone rules. § 9-1B-1(C)
• If a PD rezoning is desired, prepare a Planned Development Plan (PD Plan) and note PD minimum site area 1 acre; PD Plan becomes the controlling zoning for that parcel once adopted. § 9-1L-2(D); § 9-1L-3(A–C)

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English Summary

Temple City's Title 9 zoning spells out the city's zoning map and individual districts (for example R‑1, R‑2, R‑3, NC, DC, LTC, MU‑L, MU‑M, I, I/OS, and PD) and gives use tables, setbacks, heights, density, lot size, and FAR limits that control what you can build — read the district table that applies to your parcel and check overlays because overlay rules override base zone rules. See § 9-1B-2, § 9-1G-12, § 9-1G-22, § 9-1G-32, and § 9-1H-3 for the core standards.

Source References

• Title 9, Article A, Title and Purpose: § 9-1A-1 (Title 9 Zoning Regulations).
• Zoning Map adoption and boundary rules: § 9-1B-2, § 9-1B-4.
• Zones list and mapping (Table 9-1B-1): Table 9-1B-1 (zones: R-1, R-2, R-3, NC, DC, LTC, MU-L, MU-M, I, I/OS, PD). § 9-1B-1; Table 9-1B-1.
• R‑1 district: designation, uses, and standards — § 9-1G-10, § 9-1G-11, § 9-1G-12 (Table 9-1G-3).
• R‑2 district standards: § 9-1G-20, § 9-1G-21, § 9-1G-22 (Table 9-1G-8).
• R‑3 district standards: § 9-1G-30, § 9-1G-31, § 9-1G-32 (Table 9-1G-12).
• Mixed‑Use districts and tables: § 9-1H-1, § 9-1H-2, Table 9-1H-3 (development standards for MU‑L, MU‑M).
• Commercial district designations and rule that drive‑throughs/late hours/live entertainment require CUP: § 9-1I-1, § 9-1I-2.
• Planned Development (PD) rules and PD Plan requirements (minimum site area, adoption by ordinance): § 9-1L-1, § 9-1L-2, § 9-1L-3.
• Site plan review and procedural authorities (Major/Minor Site Plan Review summaries): Article C and site plan review sections. § 9-1C-5 and Major Site Plan Review text.
• ADU cross‑references and ADU program references (local ADU article): see § 9-1T-13 and ADU related notes.

If you want, I can pull the exact use table rows for a single parcel or an address (show whether a specific use is Y/C/A/N in your parcel’s base zone) and produce a one‑page permit checklist tailored to that parcel — tell me the address and whether you’re proposing new construction, an ADU, a commercial conversion, or an entirely new use.

Retrieved passages

• Temple City Zoning Code (Article C) High relevance show source text
• Temple City Zoning Code (chapter will) High relevance show source text
• Temple City Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Temple City Zoning Code (Article C) High relevance show source text
• Temple City Zoning Code (Article C) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 66314 (§ 66314) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 66321 (§ 66321) High relevance show source text
• Temple City Zoning Code (chapter to) High relevance show source text
• Temple City Zoning Code (section 9-1L-3.) High relevance show source text
• Temple City Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Temple City Zoning Code (ARTICLE L.) High relevance show source text
• Temple City Zoning Code (section 9-1C-5-B) High relevance show source text
• Temple City Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Temple City Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Temple City Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Temple City Zoning Code (§ 65913.11) Medium relevance show source text
• Temple City Zoning Code (Section 65913.4.) Medium relevance show source text
• Temple City Zoning Code (section also) Medium relevance show source text
• Temple City Zoning Code (section also) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Title 9, Article A, Title and Purpose: **§ 9-1A-1** (Title 9 Zoning Regulations). (Title 9)
• Zoning Map adoption and boundary rules: **§ 9-1B-2**, **§ 9-1B-4**. (§ 9-1B-2)
• Zones list and mapping (Table 9-1B-1): **Table 9-1B-1** (zones: **R-1**, **R-2**, **R-3**, **NC**, **DC**, **LTC**, **MU-L**, **MU-M**, **I**, **I/OS**, **PD**). § 9-1B-1; Table 9-1B-1. (§ 9-1B-1)
• R‑1 district: designation, uses, and standards — **§ 9-1G-10**, **§ 9-1G-11**, **§ 9-1G-12** (Table 9-1G-3). (§ 9-1G-10)
• R‑2 district standards: **§ 9-1G-20**, **§ 9-1G-21**, **§ 9-1G-22** (Table 9-1G-8). (§ 9-1G-20)
• R‑3 district standards: **§ 9-1G-30**, **§ 9-1G-31**, **§ 9-1G-32** (Table 9-1G-12). (§ 9-1G-30)
• Mixed‑Use districts and tables: **§ 9-1H-1**, **§ 9-1H-2**, **Table 9-1H-3** (development standards for **MU‑L**, **MU‑M**). (§ 9-1H-1)
• Commercial district designations and rule that drive‑throughs/late hours/live entertainment require CUP: **§ 9-1I-1**, **§ 9-1I-2**. (§ 9-1I-1)
• Planned Development (PD) rules and PD Plan requirements (minimum site area, adoption by ordinance): **§ 9-1L-1**, **§ 9-1L-2**, **§ 9-1L-3**. (§ 9-1L-1)
• Site plan review and procedural authorities (Major/Minor Site Plan Review summaries): Article C and site plan review sections. § 9-1C-5 and Major Site Plan Review text. (Article C)
• ADU cross‑references and ADU program references (local ADU article): see **§ 9-1T-13** and ADU related notes. (§ 9-1T-13)
• TempleCity_ZoningCode.md

• Official Temple City code library