Monterey County Unincorporated, CA Zoning Ordinance#
CHAPTER 21.02 - GENERAL PROVISIONS#
CHAPTER 21.04 - ZONING ADMINISTRATOR#
CHAPTER 21.06 - DEFINITIONS#
CHAPTER 21.08 - ESTABLISHMENT AND DESIGNATION OF ZONING DISTRICTS#
21.08.010 - Designation of districts.#
The districts established and into which the County is divided are designated as follows and shall not be used as combining districts.
| Designation | District Name |
|---|---|
| HDR | High Density Residential |
| MDR | Medium Density Residential |
| LDR | Low Density Residential |
| RDR | Rural Density Residential |
| MU | Mixed Use |
| LC | Light Commercial |
| HC | Heavy Commercial |
| VO | Visitor Serving/Office |
| AI | Agricultural Industrial |
| LI | Light Industrial |
| HI | Heavy Industrial |
| F | Farmlands |
| RG | Rural Grazing |
| PG | Permanent Grazing |
| RC | Resource Conservation |
| PQP | Public/Quasi-Public |
| O | Open Space |
| SP | Specific Plan |
| CP | Community Plan District |
(Ord. 5000 § 1, 2005)
(Ord. No. 5153, § 1, 2-23-2010; Ord. No. 5435, § 2, 8-12-2025)
21.08.020 - Combining regulations.#
In addition to the districts mentioned in Section 21.06.010, certain combining districts are established and are designated as follows:
| Designation | District Name |
|---|---|
| B | Building Site District |
| D | Design Control District |
| S | Site Plan Review District |
| VS | Visual Sensitivity District |
| A | Limited Agricultural District |
| HMP | Industrial Hemp District |
| UR | Urban Reserve District |
| RAZ | Residential Allocation District |
| HR | Historical Resources District |
| Z | Street Improvements District |
| RES | Regulations for Parking and Use of Major Recreational Equipment Storage Seaward Zone |
(Ord. No. 5314, § 2, 7-23-2019)
21.08.030 - Establishment of districts.#
A. The designations, locations, and boundaries of districts are set forth on the Sectional District Maps showing the Zoning Plan.
B. The districts and certain combinations are established as the designation. The locations, and boundaries thereof are set forth and indicated on Sectional District Maps. Section 20.0 is the Index to the Sectional District Maps, each of which is designated by the number 21, followed by a dash and numeral. Each Sectional District Map shows the designations, locations, and boundaries of certain of districts. The maps and all notations, references, data, and other information shown on the maps are a part of this Title.
C. Uncertainty of Boundaries. If uncertainty exists as to the boundaries of any zoning district shown on the Sectional District Maps, the following rules shall apply:
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Boundaries indicated as approximately following the center lines of alleys, lanes, streets, highways, streams, rivers, drainage channels, other watercourses, railroads, or other identifiable boundary lines shall be construed to follow such center lines.
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Boundaries indicated as approximately following lot lines, city or county limits, or extraterritorial boundary lines shall be construed as following such lines, limits, or boundaries.
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Where a public alley, lane, street, or highway is officially abandoned, the zoning regulations applicable to the abutting property on each side of the center line shall apply up to the center line of such vacated or abandoned alley, lane, street, or highway on each respective side thereof.
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Should any uncertainty remain as to the location of a zoning district boundary or other feature shown on the Sectional District Maps, the location shall be determined by the Director of Housing and Community Development.
D. Absence of Zoning. In the event a parcel of land has no zoning district assigned to it, or the assigned zoning district is from a jurisdiction other than the County of Monterey, regulation of land uses on the parcel shall be governed by the relevant General Plan, Area Plan, or Community Plan land use designation and related policies. The Director of Housing and Community Development shall subsequently determine and assign the most appropriate zoning district to the relevant parcel.
(Ord. No. 5435, §§ 3, 4, 8-12-2025)
21.08.040 - Effect of establishment of districts.#
A. Except as otherwise provided in this Title:
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No structure shall be erected and no existing structure shall be moved, altered, added to or enlarged, nor shall any land, structure, or premises be used, designated or intended to be used for any purpose, or in any manner other than is included among the uses hereinafter listed as permitted in the district in which such structure, land, or premises is located;
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No structure shall be erected, reconstructed or structurally altered to exceed in height the limit herein after designated for the districts in which such structure is located;
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No structure shall be erected, altered, enlarged, or rebuilt, except in conformity to the setback, building site area and structure location regulations hereinafter designated for the district in which such structure is located;
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No setback or other space provided about any structure for the purpose of complying with provisions of this Title shall be considered as providing a setback for a structure on any other building site;
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No use shall be established, expanded, altered, changed or otherwise modified except as provided for in the terms of this Title.
B. No governmental unit whether City, County, District, State or Federal shall be exempt from the provisions of this Title.
21.08.050 - Index to sectional district maps.#
This Section consists of an Index Map to Sectional District Maps which show the Zoning Plan, being parts of this Title under the provisions of Section 21.08.030 and shall constitute Section 21.08.050 of this Title.
21.08.060 - Sectional district maps.#
This Section shall consist of a series of Sectional District Maps which show the Zoning Plan, being parts of this Title under the provisions of Section 21.08.030, and are for example designated SECTIONS 1, 2, 3 … OF THE ZONING PLAN OF THE COUNTY OF MONTEREY.
(Ord. No. 5314, § 2, 7-23-2019; Ord. No. 5327, § 2, 4-28-2020; Ord. No. 5435, § 5, 8-12-2025)