MONTEREY COUNTY ZONING

COASTAL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN - TITLE 20

20.24 – AI (CZ) DISTRICT

20.24.010              PURPOSE.

The purpose of this Chapter is to provide for the orderly and balanced development of agriculturally oriented industrial uses that support existing and future agricultural activity.  Further, this Chapter provides a broad spectrum of agricultural industrial uses that contribute to the maintenance of agriculture as a major industry of Monterey County.

20.24.020            APPLICABILITY.

The regulations of in this Chapter shall apply in all "AI" districts and shall be subject to Chapter 20.62 (Height and Setback Exceptions) and Chapter 20.70 (Coastal Development Permits) of this Title.

20.24.030            GENERAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN.

A.        A General Development Plan shall be required prior to the establishment of any development in the Agricultural Industrial district if there is no prior approved General Development Plan and if:

1)            The lot is in excess of 1 acre; or,

2)            The development proposed includes more than one use; or

3)         The development includes any form of subdivision (Title 19, Subdivision Ordinance).

B.         No new development, change or expansion of use, or physical improvements may be approved unless such development, use or expansion is found to be in conformance with an approved General Development Plan and amendments thereto where such plan is required.

C.        General development plans and amendments thereto shall be approved by the Planning Commission.

D.        The plans shall be prepared by the developer and submitted for review and approval prior to or concurrent with approval of any required permits for these developments.  The plans shall address the long range development and operation of the facilities including physical expansion and new development, operational changes, circulation or transportation improvements, alternative development opportunities, environmental considerations, potential mitigation of adverse environmental impacts and conformance to the policies of the local area plan.

E.         The requirement of a General Development Plan or an amendment to a General Development Plan may be waived by the Director of Planning and Building Inspection when, due to the circumstances of the particular situation, there is no potential significant adverse impact from the development and requiring the General Development Plan will not further the purpose of this Chapter.

20.24.040             NONEXEMPT DEVELOPMENT.

The following list shall require a coastal development permit regardless of which category of allowed uses it falls into:

A.            Development which will cause a Significant Environmental Impact;

B.            Development within the Critical Viewshed as defined by Section 20.145.020.V (Big Sur);

C.            Development on slopes of 30% or greater (25% in North County) except as provided for in Section 20.64.230 (C) (2) and (3);

D.            Ridgeline Development;

E.            Development within 100 feet of mapped or field identified environmentally sensitive habitats;

F.            Development with positive archaeological reports;

G.        Land divisions;

H.            Development of new or expanded agricultural operations if 50% or more of the parcel has a slope of 10% or greater; or where the operation is to occur on soils with a high or very high erosion hazard potential, according to the Soil Conservation Service Soil Survey Manual.

20.24.050        PRINCIPAL USES ALLOWED, COASTAL ADMINISTRATIVE PERMIT REQUIRED IN  EACH CASE. (Chapter 20.76) UNLESS EXEMPT (Section 20.70.120)

A.        Change of agricultural industrial uses within a structure provided the new use will not change the nature or intensity of the use of the structure;

B.         Water system facilities including wells and storage tanks serving 14 or fewer service connections, pursuant to Title 15.04, Monterey County Code and replacement of water tanks and wells where no increase in service connections is created. The screening of any tanks and associated structures shall be approved by the Director of Planning and Building Inspection;

C.            Cultivation, cutting and removal of Christmas trees;

D.        One caretaker unit for the purpose of providing on-site security;

E.            Reduction in yard setback requirements provided the proposed reduction is 10% percent or less of the required setbacks;

F.            Accessory structures and uses appurtenant to any principal use allowed provided there is no intensification of the permitted use;

G.        Sale of hay and grain not grown on the premises;

H.        Retail sales which are accessory and incidental to the main uses permitted in this section; provided, that the sales area does not exceed 25% of the floor area;

I.          Water well drilling businesses;

J.          Rentals and sales of irrigation equipment;

K.        Day care centers for use of on-site employees and employees of developments on the same lot or subdivision;

L.            Additions to existing, approved wireless communications facilities pursuant to Section 20.64.310; 

M.            Wireless communications facilities, pursuant to Section 20.64.310;

20.24.060        CONDITIONAL USES ALLOWED, COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT REQUIRED IN EACH CASE. (Chapter 20.70) UNLESS EXEMPT (Section 20.70.120)

A.            Contractors plants and storage yards including garages and sheds for the storage of vehicles, equipment and materials when such contractor is engaged in the servicing of the production of agricultural or horticultural products, including spraying, trimming, fertilizing, smudging, drainage, tree removal, and crop harvesting and marketing, as the principal activity of such plant or storage yard (ZA);

B.            Warehouses for the collection, packaging and distribution of agricultural and horticultural products (ZA);

C.            Wholesale and retail establishments distributing materials and products essential to agriculture and farming operations, except manure (ZA);

D.        Sales and repair services for agricultural equipment (ZA);

E.         Offices accessory to permitted on-site uses not to exceed 25% of the overall floor area of the project (ZA);

F.            Agricultural processing plants (ZA);

G.            Processing for market of poultry, rabbits and small animals, but not including canning, rendering, tanning or reduction of meat or animal products (ZA);

H.            Manufacture of insecticides and pesticides;

I.            Fertilizer plants and yards;

J.            RESERVED;

K.        Public and quasi-public structures and uses and public utility structures and uses (ZA);

L.            Conditional Certificates of Compliance;

M.        Water system facilities including wells and storage tanks serving 15 or more service connections.

N.        Legal nonconforming use of a portion of a structure extended throughout the structure (ZA);

O.        Legal nonconforming use changed to a use of a similar or more restricted nature;

P.         Zoos or zoological gardens for the purpose of raising, maintaining, keeping or exhibiting any wild animal;

Q.        Public and quasi-public uses including churches, parks, playgrounds, public safety facilities, public utility facilities, jails, rehabilitation centers and detention facilities;

R.         Any lots or establishments where alcoholic beverages are served, commercial places of amusement or recreation or any places where live entertainment is provided within 200 feet of the boundary of a residential district (ZA);

S.            Reserved;

T.            Ridgeline development;

U.            Wholesale stores, storage and warehouses for agricultural purposes (ZA);

V.            Chemical laboratories, electronic products and instrument manufacturing for agricultural purposes;

W.       Food processing, fish canning and other uses of a similar character for agricultural purposes;

X.            Propane distributorships, sales and service of appliances and related equipment for agricultural purposes;

Y.            Research laboratories, provided such use does not produce undue odor, smoke, noise or other objectionable effects for agricultural purposes;

Z.            Wholesale distributors of petroleum products, contractors yards, welding shops and other uses of a similar character for agricultural purposes;

AA.            Trucking operations, including office and facilities for repair, servicing, fueling, storage and dispatching of commercial trucks for agricultural purposes;

BB.            Reserved;

CC.      Other agricultural or agricultural industrial uses of a similar character, intensity and density as those listed in this Section determined by the Planning Commission to be consistent and compatible with the intent of this Chapter and the applicable land use plan;

DD.      Animal Hospitals;

EE.            Kennels;

FF.            Employee Housing accessory to a permitted use;

GG.            Subdivisions;

HH.      Lot Line Adjustments.

20.24.070            SITE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS.

A.            Structure Height and Setback Regulations

1.         The maximum structure height is 35 feet unless superseded by a structure height limit noted on the zoning map (e.g.  "AI/(50')" would limit structure height to 50 feet).  Additional height may be allowed subject to a Use Permit (ZA).

2.         Setbacks for development in the AI district are established by the approval of the General Development Plan where such plan is required.

3.         Setbacks for development where a General Development Plan is not required shall be established by the Appropriate Authority through the project review process based on:

a)            surrounding land use;

b)            provision of adequate parking and landscaping;

c)           other site design features.

4.         All minimum setback requirements established by a combining "B" district, setbacks shown on a recorded final map or parcel map, or setback lines shown on a Sectional District map, shall apply.

B.         Building Site Coverage, Maximum 50%, excluding parking and landscaping.

C.        Parking Regulations:  All parking shall be established pursuant to Chapter 20.58.

D.            Landscaping Requirements

All developments allowed shall have landscaping covering a minimum of 10% of the site area subject to a plan approved by the Director of Planning and Building Inspection.  The landscaping shall be in place prior to the commencement of use.

E.         Lighting Plan Requirements

All exterior lighting shall be unobtrusive, harmonious with the local area and constructed or located so that only the area intended is illuminated and off-site glare is fully controlled.  The location, type and wattage of the exterior lighting must be approved by the Director of Planning and Building Inspection prior to the issuance of building permits or the establishment of the use.

F.         Sign Regulations

Signing for all development shall be established pursuant to Chapter 20.60.

20.24.080            SPECIAL REGULATIONS.

A.            Manufacturing and Fabrication Operations

All manufacturing and fabrication operations shall be conducted within structures.  All equipment and material storage areas shall be screened by solid walls, fences, or by adequate plantings of not less than 6 feet in height.

B.            Manufactured Dwelling Units

Manufactured dwelling units meeting the standards of Section 20.64.040 are permitted subject to the requirements of any conventional dwelling unit in this Chapter.

C.        Vehicle Trip Reduction

The following types of development are subject to Section 20.64.250 (Regulations for the Reduction of Vehicle Trips) of this Title:

a)         Any new or expanded commercial, industrial  or tourist oriented development which will employ 50 or more persons; or

b)         Any new or expanded commercial, industrial or tourist oriented development of 25,000 gross square feet or more.