zoneoptics
Merced, California · General provision

20.10.010(B), 20.10.020(A), 20.10.030(A)

Shopping CenterAll Merced districts0

Dimensional standards

lot requirementsSTREETSTREETbuildable areaFront 20 ftRear 20 ftSide 20 ftStreet side 20 ftMIN LOT AREA5 acMAX HEIGHT35 ft / 3 storiesMAX LOT COVERAGE50%MAX DENSITY24 du/acMAX IMPERVIOUS70%
Plan view of the district’s stated lot requirements. Solid line: the property line. Dashed: the setback lines the ordinance imposes; a building must stay inside the tinted envelope. Drawn from the figures extracted below — illustrative, not a survey.

Lot

Minimum lot areaMinimum lot areaThe smallest parcel on which the district allows anything to be built.
217,800 sq ftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000. (5 acacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.)

Density

Maximum density
24 du/acredu/acreDwelling units per acre — the number of homes allowed on each acre of land.

SetbacksSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.

FrontSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.
20 ft
RearSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.
20 ft
SideSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.
20 ft
Street sideSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.
20 ft

Height & bulk

Maximum heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.
35 ft
Maximum storiesStoreysHabitable floor levels. Whether a basement or attic counts is defined by the local code.
3
Maximum lot coverageLot coverageThe share of a lot that buildings may cover, as a percentage.
50%
Maximum impervious coverageImpervious coverageThe share of a lot covered by anything water cannot soak through — roofs, drives, patios.
70%
Minimum landscaping
15%

Housing

Single-familySingle-family dwellingOne dwelling unit on its own lot, usually detached from its neighbours.
prohibitedProhibitedNot allowed in the district at all, short of rezoning or a variance.
Two-family
conditionalConditional useAllowed only after a discretionary approval — usually a public hearing and a board vote.
Three-family
conditionalConditional useAllowed only after a discretionary approval — usually a public hearing and a board vote.
Four-plus family
conditionalConditional useAllowed only after a discretionary approval — usually a public hearing and a board vote.

Parking

Minimum spacesMinimum parkingThe number of off-street spaces a development must provide before it may open.
1

Uses

Permitted by right2

Conditional / special use9

Prohibited19

Extracted standards

2 individual requirements pulled out of this section’s prose, each with the sentence it came from.

Landscaping & trees

  • Minimum landscaped area15 pct

    Minimum landscaped area: 15%

Parking

From the ordinance

The C-SC zoning district provides areas for grocery stores, supermarkets, and other retail establishments selling groceries to serve local residents as well as the larger regional market. The C-SC districts shall have a minimum area of five (5) acres.
20.10.010(B), 20.10.020(A), 20.10.030(A)

Parking requirements

{
  "general": "1 space per 300 sqft of gross floor area"
}