Santa Cruz County Unincorporated
Zoning districts
29 districts, grouped by category.
Overlay
5Airport Combining Zone District
Safety Zone 1—Runway Protection Zone
- Max density
- 0 du/ac
- Permitted uses
- 2
Safety Zone 2—Inner Approach/Departure Zone
- Max density
- 0.05 du/ac
- Permitted uses
- 10
Safety Zone 3—Inner Turning Zone
- Max density
- 0.2 du/ac
- Permitted uses
- 16
Safety Zone 5—Sideline Zone
- Max density
- 0.5 du/ac
- Permitted uses
- 2
Commercial
7Neighborhood Commercial
Community Commercial
Workplace Flex
Commercial Services
Tourist Commercial
Professional-Administrative Office
Visitor Accommodation
Agricultural
2Industrial
3Residential
10Mountain Residential/Noncommercial Agricultural/Resource Conservation
- Max density
- 0.1 du/ac
Pleasure Point Community Design Combining District
Single-Family Residential
Residential Agricultural
Single-Family Ocean Beach Residential
Residential Flexible
Multifamily Residential
Rural Residential
Seascape Beach Estates Combining District
Suburban Residential
- Max density
- 1 du/ac
General provisions
30 rules that bind every district rather than one — sign regulations, parking, floodplain and the rest of the code’s citywide chapters.
On parcels with a net site area of 6,000 square feet or greater, up to a 15 percent increase of the total allowable lot coverage; on smaller parcels, up to a 25 percent increase...
A nonconforming use that is not in use for at least three out of the past five years loses its status as a legal nonconforming use...
Structural alterations to an existing nonconforming structure within a consecutive five-year period that do not constitute reconstruction are permitted upon issuance of a building permit...
A: Less than 5 acres: Width 100', Frontage 60', Front Yard 20'. A: 5 acres or more: Width 300', Frontage 100', Front Yard 20'. Setbacks: Front 20', Side 20', Rear 20'. Max Height: Agricultural Structures 40', Residential Structures 28'.
Where there is more than one structure on a site, the minimum distance between a structure used for human habitation and another structure shall be 10 feet. The minimum distance between dwelling units shall be 10 feet.
The minimum average parcel size in net developable acres for new parcels created in the A Zone District outside the urban services line (USL) shall be within the range of two and one-half to 20 or 10 to 40 acres per dwelling unit
Residential dwellings (<5,000 sf): 1–2 units P/MSP*; 3–10 units ASP; 11–15 units CSP; More than 15 units CSP-PC. Residential dwelling(s) 5,000 square feet or greater CSP. Accessory dwelling unit (ADU) or junior ADU P.
A fence or wall, when required as a screening device, shall be of solid wood or masonry, or other material, modulated and landscaped where appropriate to provide visual relief from continuous wall or fence surfaces. Fencing shall comply with SCCC 13.10.525.
The following uses are included in the A CZP category: crop production; hydroponic farm; livestock production and grazing; apiculture; greenhouses and hoop houses; EHA farmworker housing; indoor/outdoor storage of agricultural equipment with a development area less than 12,000 square feet; class CG licensed cannabis cultivation in an existing legal structure, in an existing legal greenhouse less than 20,000 square feet, outdoors, or in an existing hoophouse; Class 1 or 2 cannabis manufacturing in an existing legal structure less than 2,000 square feet; and Class 1 cannabis transport.
Parks, Recreation and Open Space (OR) Zone District. Uses in the CZP category include open-space uses not involving permanent structures.
The following design criteria shall apply to projects located in the Coastal Zone: (1) Visual Compatibility... (2) Minimum Site Disturbance... (3) Ridgeline Development... (4) Landscaping... (5) ... (6) Front yard averaging... (7) ...
In addition to the criteria above that applies throughout the Coastal Zone, the following design criteria shall also apply to all development proposed outside of the Urban Services Line and the Rural Services Line located in mapped scenic resource areas...
In addition to the criteria above that applies throughout the Coastal Zone, and the criteria above that also applies within rural areas (as applicable), the following design criteria shall also apply to all projects located on blufftops and/or visible from beaches.
The unusual sandstone formations in the Bonny Doon special scenic area shall be preserved. Development located on or within 50 feet of these formations shall be prohibited. Land divisions which would create parcels whose only building site is exposed within the viewshed of an adjacent scenic road shall be prohibited.
Development within the Swanton Road special scenic area that is visible in the viewshed of either Swanton Road or Highway 1 shall be prohibited. Land divisions that would create parcels whose only building site is exposed... shall be prohibited.
The historic structures listed below shall not be demolished... New residential development shall incorporate architectural design features found in the older houses of the community... Development along Davenport's Highway 1 frontage shall conform to the following objectives...
The historic structures listed shall not be demolished; renovations shall respect their historic character; and additions shall be compatible with the original structure... New development in the single-family parts of the Harbor area special community shall incorporate the characteristics of older dwellings in the area.
The historic structure listed below shall not be demolished... New development shall maintain the one- and two-story scale of the area. Along East Cliff Drive clustered landscaping is encouraged.
Development within the boundaries of the Seacliff Village Plan area shall be consistent with the design standards of that plan.
Buildings should be designed to reflect the beachfront character of the esplanade... Landscaping, paving, lighting and traffic control in the Esplanade area shall enhance its potential as an auto/bicycle/pedestrian piazza...
Source documents
The chapters of the adopted code that were retrieved, read and extracted from. Everything above traces back to one of these.
- Chapter 1843 charsRead →
- Chapter 1019.9K charsRead →
- Chapter 1164.5K charsRead →
- Chapter 12114K charsRead →
- Chapter 136.5K charsRead →
- Chapter 147.3K charsRead →
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- Chapter 5113K charsRead →
- Chapter 649.8K charsRead →
- Chapter 727.5K charsRead →
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- Chapter 923.2K charsRead →