MUO
Dimensional standards
Density
Height & bulk
- Minimum landscaping
- 2%
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
- by_right
- Three-family
- by_right
- Four-plus family
- by_right
Servicing
- Geographic extent
- Applies to land zoned C-1 or C-2 when MUO overlayOverlay districtA second set of rules laid over the base district, adding requirements without replacing it. is applied
Uses
Permitted by right6
Accessory1
Extracted standards
52 individual requirements pulled out of this section’s prose, each with the sentence it came from.
Fencing & walls
- Maximum fence heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.6 ft
a six-foot tall solid masonry wall shall be provided
Other
- Entrances clearly defined
Residential and non-residential entries shall be clearly defined features of front façades
- Facade materials consistent on all facades
All façade materials and colors ... used on the street-facing façade shall be used on all other building façades
- Front setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line. when abutting single-familySingle-family dwellingOne dwelling unit on its own lot, usually detached from its neighbours.15 ft
A 15-foot setback is required when abutting single family residential uses to match front yard setback
- Ground floor articulation required
A substantial horizontal articulation of the façade shall be applied at the top of the first story
- Ground floor commercial required on arterial streets
Commercial uses are required on the ground floor adjacent to arterial streets and at all corners adjacent to arterial streets
- Landscape buffer along shared lot line
A landscape buffer shall also be provided along the shared lot lines
- Landscaping plan required
A landscaping plan for all common open areas shall be submitted with the other plans
- Maximum blank facade length20 ft
Building facades without the use of windows or doors shall not span a continuous horizontal length greater than 20 feet
- Maximum rooftop open spaceOpen spaceLand a development must leave unbuilt, sometimes required to be usable or planted. heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. above max heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.16 ft
Rooftop open space features and vertical projections such as sunshade and windscreen devices, open trellises, and landscaping shall not exceed 16 feet in height beyond the maximum permitted height
- Maximum wall length without articulation50 ft
At least one projection or recess shall be provided for every 50 horizontal feet of wall
- Minimum commercial floor area percentage25 pct
Overall commercial floor area shall be a minimum of 25 percent of the project's total gross floor area
- Minimum commercial tenant depth30 ft
All commercial tenant spaces on the ground floor shall have a minimum depth of 30 feet
- Minimum common open spaceOpen spaceLand a development must leave unbuilt, sometimes required to be usable or planted. dimension15 ft
Any common open space shall measure at least 15 feet in length in any direction
- Minimum landscaped area in common open spaceOpen spaceLand a development must leave unbuilt, sometimes required to be usable or planted.25 pct
A minimum of 25 percent of the total area of the common open space shall be landscaped
- Minimum common open spaceOpen spaceLand a development must leave unbuilt, sometimes required to be usable or planted. per unit100 sqftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.
Common (min.) 100 sq ft
- Minimum corner wrap distance30 ft
the non-residential use shall turn (wrap around) the corner for a distance of at least 30 feet, or at least 50 percent of the building façade, whichever is less
- Minimum number of façade materials2 count
The street-facing façade shall use at least two different façade materials and colors
- Minimum coverage per façade material20 pct
each covering a minimum of 20 percent of the street-facing façade
- Minimum ground floor cornice heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.18 in
This element shall be no less than 18 inches tall
- Minimum pedestrian-oriented commercial percentage60 pct
the non-residential component of a mixed-use project shall contain at least 60 percent pedestrian-oriented commercial uses
- Minimum private open spaceOpen spaceLand a development must leave unbuilt, sometimes required to be usable or planted. per unit60 sqftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.
Private (min.) 60 sq ft for mixed-use
- Minimum residential floor area percentage50 pct
Residential uses shall occupy a minimum of 50 percent of the project's total gross floor area
- Minimum number of street trees1 count
All new development projects shall provide a minimum one 15-gallon, native canopy tree within a street facing setback
- Minimum transparencyGround-floor transparencyThe share of a ground-floor street wall that must be windows rather than blank surface. for commercial ground floor50 pct
Windows and openings facing streets shall constitute a minimum of 50 percent of street-facing building faces for commercial ground-floor uses
- Minimum transparencyGround-floor transparencyThe share of a ground-floor street wall that must be windows rather than blank surface. for commercial upper floors40 pct
Windows and openings facing streets shall constitute a minimum of 40 percent of street-facing building faces for commercial upper-floor uses
- Minimum transparencyGround-floor transparencyThe share of a ground-floor street wall that must be windows rather than blank surface. for residential ground floor30 pct
Windows and openings facing streets shall constitute a minimum of 30 percent of street-facing building faces for residential ground-floor uses
- Minimum transparencyGround-floor transparencyThe share of a ground-floor street wall that must be windows rather than blank surface. for residential upper floors20 pct
Windows and openings facing streets shall constitute a minimum of 20 percent of street-facing building faces for residential upper-floor uses
- Open spaceOpen spaceLand a development must leave unbuilt, sometimes required to be usable or planted. no parking encroachments
Open space areas shall have no parking, driveway, or right-of-way encroachments
- Open spaceOpen spaceLand a development must leave unbuilt, sometimes required to be usable or planted. on same parcel
Such open space shall be located on the same parcel as the dwelling units for which it is required
All required open space shall be usable
- Pedestrian access from adjacent street
Pedestrian access from the adjacent street public right-of-way shall be incorporated
- Private open spaceOpen spaceLand a development must leave unbuilt, sometimes required to be usable or planted. privacy
Private open space(s) attached to residential units shall be designed to avoid direct visibility into the interiors of adjacent units
- Roll down gates on exterior prohibitedProhibitedNot allowed in the district at all, short of rezoning or a variance.
Roll down security gates or fencing may not be on the exterior of buildings
- Screening required for multi-story near single-familySingle-family dwellingOne dwelling unit on its own lot, usually detached from its neighbours.
When a multi-story building is proposed and the second story or above is located within 50 feet of the side or rear yard of a single-family lot, screening measures should be applied
- Security barrier visibility75 pct
Open grill design security systems shall be primarily transparent with not less than 75 percent visibility from the street
- Security barriers interior only
Any security barriers installed on the windows or the doors of the premises shall be installed only on the interior of the building
- Separate entrances for residential and non-residential
When non-residential and residential uses are located in the same building, separate exterior pedestrian entrances, elevators and lobbies shall be provided for each use
- Side/rear setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line. when abutting non-residential10 ft
A 10-foot setback is required if proposed or existing uses will abut existing or proposed non-residential uses
- Solid roll-down security doors prohibitedProhibitedNot allowed in the district at all, short of rezoning or a variance.
Solid roll-down security doors are prohibited unless part of a vehicle loading bay
- Street-facing entrances accessible during business hours
Street-facing primary entrances for non-residential uses shall be accessible to the public during business hours
- Street tree size15 gallons
15-gallon native canopy tree
- Top floor articulation required
Buildings or portions of buildings which are three stories in height or taller shall also provide articulation for the top story
- Windows required for light
Street-facing façades of all buildings shall incorporate windows and openings providing light to adjacent spaces, rooms, and uses
Parking
- Minimum landscape buffer strip between parking and right-of-way5 ft
A minimum five-foot landscape buffer strip shall be provided between a parking lot and public right-of-way
- Minimum landscaped area in parking lot2 pct
A minimum of two percent of parking lot area shall be landscaped
- Parking lot canopy tree ratio0.25 trees_per_space
Parking lot canopy trees shall be provided at the ratio of one tree for every four parking spaces
- Parking reduction for mixed-use allowed
A reduction in off-street parking requirements may be granted pursuant to division 3 of article V
- Parking reduction near transit
Pursuant to Government Code § 65863.2, the required off-street vehicular parking may be waived for certain projects within one-half mile distance of public transit
- Parking structure screening features
Shall incorporate wrapped residential uses or retail businesses with shopping windows viewable from the sidewalk along the ground floor, or two or more of the listed features
- Parking structure screening required
Any parking structure ... shall incorporate wrapped residential uses or retail businesses ... or two or more features
- Surface parking location
Surface parking shall be located on the interior side or rear of the site to the greatest extent practicable
From the ordinance
MUO mixed use overlay zone... density 20-35 du/acre, height 45 ft, coverage 80%