MONTEREY COUNTY ZONING

COASTAL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN - TITLE 20

20.16 – RDR (CZ) DISTRICT

20.16.010            PURPOSE.

The purpose of this Chapter is to provide a district to accommodate rural density and intensity uses in the rural and suburban areas of the County of Monterey where adequate services and facilities exist or may be developed to support such development.  It is intended within this Chapter to require adequate on-site facilities and amenities to assure proper, usable and livable development while allowing sufficient design flexibility to provide such development.

20.16.020            APPLICABILITY.

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

20.16.030             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.

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

A.        The first single family dwelling per legal lot of record;

B.            Guesthouses meeting the development standards of Section 20.64.020;

C.        The keeping of pets;

D.            Rooming and boarding of not more than 2 persons;

E.            Accessory structures and accessory uses to any principal use;

F.            Temporary residences, pursuant to Section 20.64.070, used as living quarters during the construction of the first dwelling on a lot;

G.            Cultivation, cutting and removal of Christmas trees;

H.        Small family day care homes conducted within an existing structure;

I.            Licensed residential care homes for aged persons or hospices of not more than 6 persons including any permitted rooming and boarding conducted within an existing structure;

J.          Water system facilities including wells and storage tanks serving up to 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;

K.        Animal husbandry and small livestock farming, provided that not more than 1 horse, mule, cow, or similar livestock shall be kept for each 20,000 square feet of land area;

L.         All agricultural uses on a minimum of ten acres  including crop and tree farming, livestock farming, animal husbandry, apiaries, aviaries, except for those uses requiring a Coastal Development Permit;

M.        Home occupations, pursuant to Section 20.64.090;

N.        Stands for the sale of agricultural products grown on the premises having no permanent electricity, plumbing or paving and where adequate restroom facilities exist on premises, subject to the approval of the Director of Environmental Health;

O.        Crop farming, tree farming, viticulture and horticulture;

P.            Intermittent livestock farming or animal husbandry such as "4-H" projects,

Q.        Senior citizen units meeting the development standards of  Section 20.64.010;

R.         Tract sales or rental offices;

S.         Farm employee housing facility for not more than two families or five single persons;

T.         Second residential units not exceeding the zoning density of the property;

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

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

A.            Additional residential units to a maximum of 4 on any lot, and not exceeding the zoning density of the property;

B.         Public and quasi-public uses including churches, cemeteries, parks, playgrounds, schools, public safety facilities, schools, public utility facilities, but not including uses of a non-residential nature such as jails, rehabilitation centers, detention facilities, or corporation yards;

C.            Commercial kennels (ZA);

D.        Public stables on a minimum of 10 acres (ZA);

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

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

G.        Bed and Breakfast facilities, pursuant to Section 20.64.100;

H.            Commercial and noncommercial wind energy conversion systems;

I.            Caretaker units meeting the development standard of Section 20.64.030 (not in Big Sur);

J.            Ridgeline development;

K.            Conversion of uncultivated land to cultivated agricultural use on land with 15% - 25% slopes (North County Area Plan only);

L.            Agricultural support services (ZA);

M.        Farm worker housing facility;

N.        Farm employee housing facility for more than two families or five single persons;

O.            Keeping and raising of mink (ZA);

P.         Water system facilities including wells and storage tanks serving 15 or more service connections (ZA);

Q.            Reserved;

R.            Assemblages of people, such as carnivals, festivals, races and circuses not exceeding 10 days and not involving construction of permanent facilities (ZA);

S.            Accessory structures and uses prior to establishment of main use or structure (ZA);

T.         Large family day care facilities (ZA);

U.            Agricultural processing plants (ZA);

V.        Frog farms (ZA);

W.            Commercial hog and turkey raising on a minimum of 10 acres (ZA);

X.            Livestock feed yards on a minimum of 20 acres (ZA);

Y.        Animal sales yards on a minimum of 10 acres (ZA);

Z.         Dairies on a minimum of 40 acres (ZA);

AA.            Airports, heliports or landing strips for aircraft;

BB.      Animal hospitals (ZA);

CC.      Poultry farms on a minimum of 5 acres (ZA);

DD.      Sale of hay and grain not grown on the premises, on a minimum of 5 acres (ZA);

EE.       Riding and roping arena operations (ZA);

FF.            Greenhouses either on-site soil dependent or not on-site soil dependent (North County only)

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


HH.      Stands for the sale of agricultural products grown on the premises having permanent electricity, plumbing or paving (ZA);

II.         Cottage industries, pursuant to Section 20.64.095 (ZA);

JJ.            Reserved;

KK.            Creation or use of Transfer Development Credits pursuant to Chapter 20.64.90 of this Ordinance (Big Sur only);

LL.            Conditional Certificates of Compliance;

MM.            Detached structures accessory to any conditional use;

NN.     Other residential or agricultural uses of a similar nature, 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;

OO.     Mobile Home Parks, pursuant to Section 20.64.210;

PP.            Subdivisions;

QQ.     Lot Line Adjustments.

RR.      Wireless communication facilities, pursuant to Section 20.64.310

20.16.060             SITE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS.

A.             Minimum Building Site

The minimum building site shall be 5 acres unless otherwise approved as part of clustered residential development.

B.             Development Density, Maximum

The maximum development density shall not exceed the acres/unit shown for the specific "RDR" district as shown on the zoning map (e.g. "RDR/10" means an "RDR" district with a maximum gross density of 10 acres/unit).

C.            Structure Height and Setback Regulations

The following structure height and setback regulations apply unless superseded by a structure height limit noted on the zoning map (e.g. "RDR/10(24)" would limit structure height to 24 feet), setback requirements when combined with a "B" district, setbacks shown on a recorded final or parcel map, or setback lines on a Sectional District Map. 

In a subdivision where a lot or lots have a designated building envelope, the dwelling unit and accessory structures shall be located wholly within the building envelope.


1.            Main Structures

a)            Minimum Setbacks

Front:     30 feet

Side:       20 feet

Rear:       20 feet

b)           Height

Maximum Height:  30 feet

2.            Accessory Structures (Habitable)

a)            Minimum Setbacks

Front:     50 feet

Side:       6 feet

Rear:       6 feet

b)           Height

Maximum Height:  15 feet

3.            Accessory Structures (Non-habitable)

a)            Minimum Setbacks

Front:     50 feet.

Side: 6 feet on front  one-half of property; 1 foot on rear one-half of property.

Rear:       1 foot

b)           Height

Maximum Height: 15 feet

c) Agricultural windmills and wind machines for crop protection are exempt from the height provisions of this Chapter.


4.         Accessory structures used as barns, stables or farm outbuildings shall not be less than 50 feet from the front of the property or 20 feet from the side or rear property line or 20 feet from any residence on the property.  The maximum height shall be 30 feet.

D.            Minimum Distance Between Structures

Main Structures:  20 feet

Accessory/Main Structure:  10 feet

Accessory/Accessory:  6 feet

E.         Building Site Coverage, Maximum:  25%

F.         Parking Regulations

Parking for all development shall be established pursuant to Chapter 20.58.

G.            Landscaping Requirements

None, except as may be required by condition of approval of a Coastal Administrative or Coastal Development Permit

H.        Lighting Plan Requirements

None, except as may be required by condition of approval of a Coastal Administrative or Coastal Development Permit

I.          Sign Regulations

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

20.16.070             SPECIAL REGULATIONS.

A.            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.

B.         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 residential development of 25 or more units.