18.28.010 - Purpose of the open space, public, and recreation zoning districts.#

A. Open Space#

The purpose of the Open Space (OS) zoning district is to preserve and enhance open space lands as a limited and valuable resource in Morgan Hill. The OS zoning district is intended to permit limited but reasonable use of open space lands while reducing exposure to geologic hazards, to preserve agricultural land, and to preserve the topographic features that contribute to Morgan Hill's unique identity.

B. Public Facilities#

The purpose of the Public Facilities (PF) zoning district is to provide a location for schools, governmental offices, parks and recreational facilities, fire and police stations, utilities, and other public and quasi-public facilities to serve the community.

C. Sports Recreation and Leisure (SRL)#

The purpose of the SRL zoning district is to provide a location for a variety of private and public or quasi-public land sports, recreation, and leisure uses to serve the community. The SRL zoning district includes two sub-zones:

1. The SRL-A sub-zone which supports lower intensity sports, recreation, and leisure uses that are compatible with nearby agricultural and open space activities; and

2. The SRL-B sub-zone which supports lower and medium intensity sports, recreation, and leisure uses that are generally open in nature.

(Ord. No. 2277 N.S., § 5(Exh. A), 6-6-2018; Ord. No. 2290 N.S., § 5(Exh. A), 11-7-2018)

18.28.020 - Land use regulations.#

A. Open Space and Public Facility Zones.#

1. Permitted Land Uses—General.#

Table 18.28-1 identifies land uses permitted in the Open Space (OS) and Public Facilities (PF) zoning districts.

Table 18.28-1: Permitted Land Uses in the Open Space and Public Facilities Zoning Districts

Key
P	Permitted Use
A	Administrative Use Permit required
C	Conditional Use Permit required
—	Use not allowed

Land Use	OS	PF	Additional Regulations
Residential Uses
Accessory Dwelling Units	P	—	Chapter 18.84
Agricultural Labor Accommodations	P	—
Single-Family Detached Dwellings	P	—
Public and Quasi-Public Uses		—
Cemeteries	C	C
Colleges and Trade Schools	—	C
Community Assembly	—	C
Cultural Institutions	—	P [1]
Day Care Centers	—	C
Emergency Shelters	—	P
Government Offices	—	P
Home Day Care, Small	P	—
Hospitals	—	P
Instructional Services	—	P [1]
Parks and Recreational Facilities	P	P [1]
Public Safety Facilities	C	P
Schools, Public	—	P
Schools, Private	—	C
Commercial Uses
Animal-Related Commercial Uses
Animal Boarding	C	—
Equestrian Centers	C	—
Farmer's Markets	C	C
Plant Nurseries	C [2]	—
Transportation, Communication, and Utility Uses		—
Parking Structures and Facilities	—	P [1]
Utilities, Major	—	C
Wireless Communications Facilities	See Chapter 18.96
Agriculture and Natural Resource Uses
Crop Cultivation	P	—
Animal Raising and Production, Intensive	C	—
Animal Raising and Production, Limited	P	—
Wildlife Refuges	P	—
Other Uses
Accessory Uses	See Chapter 18.44
Home Occupations	See Section 18.92.060
Temporary Uses	See Section 18.92.150

Notes:

[1] A Conditional Use Permit is required if not owned or operated by a governmental agency.

[2] Sales are limited to horticultural products grown on site.

B. Design Permit for Residential Uses in the OS Zone.#

In addition to projects requiring Design Permits pursuant to Section 18.108.040 (Design Permits), the construction of new residential uses requires a Design Permit to verify conformance with Section 18.28.030.B (Performance Standards in OS Zone) and all other applicable requirements.

C. Sports Recreation and Leisure Zones.#

Table 18.28-2 identifies land uses permitted in the SRL-A and SRL-B sub-zones.

Table 18.28-2: Permitted Land Uses in the Sports Recreation Leisure Zoning District

Key
P	Permitted use
C	Conditional Use Permit required
—	Use not allowed

Land Use	SRL-A	SRL-B	Additional Regulations
Residential Uses
Single-family detached dwellings	P [1]	P [1]
All other new residential land uses	—	—
Commercial Uses
Drive-through establishments	—	—
Gas and service stations	—	—
Hotel and motels	—	—
Restaurants	—	—
Retail that is sports-themed or sports/recreation-serving	—	—
Sports, Recreation, and Leisure Uses
Adventure sports facilities, indoor	P	—
Adventure sports facilities, outdoor	P	P
Arts and crafts studios	P	P
Batting cages, indoor	P	—
Batting cages, outdoor	P	P
Bowling alleys	—	—
Campgrounds	—	—
Casinos, card clubs, and gambling facilities	—	—
Cinemas and movie theaters	—	—
Day spas, barbershops, and hair salons	C [2]	—
Equestrian centers	P	P
Golf courses	P [3]	P [3]
Health and fitness clubs and indoor recreation centers oriented to local residents	C [4]	—
Indoor sports centers	P	—
Outdoor sports centers	P	P
Outdoor race tracks for cars, go-karts, or similar use	—	—
Pool and billiards halls	—	—
Recreational vehicle parks	—	—
Sports Fields	P	P
Stadiums	—	—
Swimming pools, indoor	P [5]	—
Swimming pools, outdoor	P [5]	P
Agriculture and Natural Resource Uses
Crop cultivation	P	P
Farmer's market	P	P
Sales of agricultural products grown on site	P	P
Wineries	P	P
Transportation, Communication, and Utility Uses
Wireless communications facilities	See Chapter 18.96
Other Uses
Accessory Uses and Structures	See Chapter 18.44
Home Occupations	See Section 18.92.060
Temporary Uses	See Section 18.92.150

Notes:

[1] Permitted only on a legal lot of record established in the unincorporated area prior to August 1, 2014.

[2] May be permitted with a conditional use permit if ancillary to hotel or motel use.

[3] Golf courses in excess of three holes are prohibited.§

[4] Fitness and exercise facilities ancillary to a primary destination-oriented sports/recreation/leisure use are allowed with a conditional use permit.

[5] Permitted if ancillary to hotel or motel use.

D. Additional Permits.#

In addition to permits identified in Tables 18.28-1 and 18.28-2, development projects in the open space, public, and recreation zoning districts may also require a design permit pursuant to Section 18.108.040 (Design Permits). Modifications to a historic resource may require a historic alteration pursuant to Chapter 18.60 (Historic Resources).

E. Hillside Combining District.#

Development on site with an average slope of ten percent or greater are subject to the requirements of Section 18.30.040 (Hillside Combining District).§

(Ord. No. 2277 N.S., § 5(Exh. A), 6-6-2018; Ord. No. 2290 N.S., § 5(Exh. A), 11-7-2018; Ord. No. 2352, § 4, 4-24-2024)

18.28.030 - Development standards.#

A. General.#

Table 18.28-3 identifies development standards that apply in the public, open space, and recreation zoning districts.

Table 18.28-3: Public, Open Space, and Recreation Development Standards

Standard	OS	PF	SRL-A	SRL-B	Additional Standards
Site Requirements
Lot Area, Minimum	5 acres	None	1 acre	1 acre
Lot Width, Minimum	100 feet		100 ft.	100 ft.
Lot Depth, Minimum	None		150 ft.	150 ft.
Impervious Coverage, Maximum	10% [1]	As required by review authority	None	None
Building Coverage, Maximum	5% [2]		30%	50%
Structure Requirements
Setbacks, Minimum					18.56.030
Front	50 ft.	As required by review authority	30 ft.	20 ft.
Rear	50 ft.		50 ft.	15 ft.
Interior Side	50 ft.		20 ft.	15 ft.
Street Side	25 ft.		30 ft.	20 ft.
Height, Maximum	2 stories or 25 ft.		35 ft.	35 ft.	18.56.020

Notes:

[1] Planning Commission may allow greater impervious surface with a Conditional Use Permit.§

[2] Thirty percent for those existing lots less than 5 acres.

B. Performance Standards in OS Zoning District.#

The following standards apply to all development and land uses in the OS zoning district.

1. Stormwater Runoff.#

In addition to requirements in Chapter 18.140 (Post Construction Stormwater Pollution Prevention), development shall comply with the following standards:

a. Permanent vegetation and improvements capable of carrying stormwater runoff in a safe manner shall be installed to the extent possible before the vegetative cover is removed from the area.

b. Sediment basins, including debris basins, desilting basins, and silt traps, shall be installed, and maintained to reserve sediment from runoff waters of land undergoing development.

2. Public Services and Infrastructure.#

Construction of dwellings for which conditional use permits are required are permitted only if the proposed dwelling units are served by public sewers, public water, and ingress/egress that comply with minimum fire department standards.§ The city may grant exceptions to the public sewer and public water requirements for:

a. Areas that were annexed into the city outside the urban service area with approved private water and septic systems; and

b. Secondary dwellings where a private septic tank disposal system has been approved for the primary dwelling on the same parcel of land.

C. Outdoor Storage in the PF Zone.#

Areas used for outdoor storage in the PF zoning district shall meet the minimum design standards applicable to off-street parking facilities as specified in Section 18.72.060 (Parking Design and Development Standards).

(Ord. No. 2277 N.S., § 5(Exh. A), 6-6-2018; Ord. No. 2290 N.S., § 5(Exh. A), 11-7-2018)