CHAPTER A
CITY OF CORONADO
LAND USE ELEMENT
ADOPTED
November 11, 1986
REVISED
August 6, 1996
November 4, 2003
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City of Coronado
Land Use Element
Foreword
Required since 1955 by the State of California, the land use element has the broadest scope of the mandated elements. By its definition in Government Code Section 65302(a), it covers most of the concerns in the other elements and plays a central role in synthesizing all land use issues, constraints, and opportunities.
GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 65302(A): A land use element which designates the proposed general distribution and general location and extent of the uses of the land for housing, business, industry, open space, including agriculture, natural resources, recreation, and enjoyment of scenic beauty, education, public buildings and grounds, solid and liquid waste disposal facilities, and other categories of public and private uses of land. The land use element shall include a statement of the standards of population density and building intensity recommended for the various districts and other territory covered by the plan. The land use element shall also identify areas covered by the plan which are subject to flooding and shall be reviewed annually with respect to such areas.
The “Public Utilities” portion of this element was developed in 1985 for the City by Sunland Planning Systems. The City of Coronado wishes to acknowledge the assistance provided by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) in preparing the maps for the remaining portions of this element.
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City of Coronado
Land Use Element
Table of Contents
Pages
Foreword II-A1
Table of Contents II-A2
List of Figures II-A3
Land Use Goals II-A4
Land Use and Zones Concepts II-A5
Categories of Residential Land Use II-A5
Categories of Non-Residential Land Use II-A10
Coronado Cays Specific Plan II-A13
Orange Avenue Corridor Specific Plan II -A13
Non-Conforming Uses II-A14
Special Use Permits and Various Exceptions II-A14
Sphere of Influence and State and Federal Lands II-A15
Flood Prone Areas II-A16
Public Utilities II-A19
Water and Sewer II-A19
I. Water II-A19
II. Sewers II-A23
Telephone, Cable Television, Electric and Gas II-A27
III. Telephone II-A27
IV. Cable Television II-A29
V. Electric II-A29
VI. Gas II-A30
Conclusion II-A30
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City of Coronado
Land Use Element
List of Figures
Pages
Figure 1 Coronado Land Use Vicinity Map II-A6
Figure 2 Coronado Land Use Plan: Village/Shores II-A7
Figure 3 Coronado Land Use Plan: Cays II-A8
Figure 4 Flood Prone Area Map II-A17
Figure 5 (Water) Truck Lines II-A22
Figure 6 Sanitary Sewer System II-A25
Figure 7 Percent of Storm Water Runoff by II-A26
Types of Development
Figure 8 Storm Sewers II-A27
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Land Use Goals
The Coronado City Council declares that the following land use goals reflect and govern the policies and actions of the City of Coronado:
1. That adjoining land uses should be compatible and sensitive to one another;
2. That sufficient alternative land use opportunities should be allowed within the City to permit Coronado to be a viable, healthy, and nearly self-contained community;
3. That the residential character and village ambiance of the City should be maintained and enhanced;
4. That the intensity of land use, as evidenced by permitted land uses or residential density, should be established in a manner to encourage a vibrant diverse community by allowing a variety of life styles and housing opportunities;
5. That preservation of historic structures and neighborhoods should be encouraged;
6. That protection or enhancement of environmentally sensitive land areas should be encouraged when the sum total of the tangible and intangible public benefits* of such preservation or enhancement is greater than the public benefits of development;
7. That private property rights, as established by law, should be respected and preserved;
8. That the sum total of the tangible and intangible public benefits* derived from public land should be maximized; and
9. That the “built-out” nature of Coronado should be acknowledged by maintaining identical land uses for the City in the Coronado Municipal Code, General Plan and Local Coastal Program.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * For example, tangible public benefits would include increased City government revenues, new public facilities, et cetera, while intangible public benefits would include view corridors, more visually pleasing environment, et cetera.
Land Use and Zones Concepts
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The land use goals could be attained through various methods such as the City’s Capital Improvement Program, public education, public incentives or disincentives, et cetera. The designation of geographical areas for specific land uses is a regulating method which this Land Use Element most directly addresses.
Both the Coronado General Plan Land Use Maps (Figures 1, 2 and 3 on pages II-A6, II-A7 and II-A8) and the Zoning Map geographically designate land uses. The City Council has determined that since the City is nearly completely developed, each area of the City should have the same land use depicted for it on the General Plan and Zoning Maps.
Each land use (zone) designation establishes the type of land uses permitted and the development standards to which these land uses must conform. The intensity of land use is controlled and varied between and within zones through the various design standards and permitted development densities of the zones. Numerous aspects of development can be regulated and vary by zone (e.g., height, setbacks, structural coverage, floor area ratio, required amount of landscaping or parking, et cetera). The following two sections outline the distinctions between the land use objectives of each zone.
Categories of Residential Land Use
The residential land use categories are expressed in terms of density maximums - that is, up to 8 dwellings per net acre, up to 12 dwellings per acre, etc. Implied in this approach is a City policy prerogative which simply says that all residential development in any specific category may be built as desired by the residents, as long as the density does not exceed a certain upper limit.
- Very Low Density Residential: Up to 8 dwelling units per acre (i.e., R-1A Zone) - This category is intended to preserve the character of existing neighborhoods by assuring that reconstruction and replacement activities are totally compatible with the current very low-density residential patterns of the neighborhoods.
While this designation typically denotes neighborhoods composed of detached single-family dwellings, occupying separate lots, in certain areas of this land use designation, duplex construction or construction of a second detached single-family dwelling is permissible on lots that are at least twice the size of the minimum lot size for this land use designation.
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Coronado Land Use Plan: Village / Shores
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Coronado Lanud Use Plan: Cays
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- Low Density Residential: Up to 12 Dwelling Units Per Acre (i.e., R-1B Zone) - This category is intended to preserve the character of existing neighborhoods by assuring that reconstruction and replacement activities are totally compatible with the current low-density residential patterns of the neighborhoods. While this designation typically denotes neighborhoods composed of detached single-family dwellings, occupying separate lots, duplex construction or construction of a second detached single-family dwelling is permissible on lots that are at least twice the size of the minimum lot size for this land use designation.
- Medium Density Residential: Up to 28 Dwelling Units Per Acre (i.e., R-3 Zone) - This category is intended to provide medium density residential opportunities typified by apartment or condominium development, interspersed with lower density duplex and single-family dwellings.
- High Density Residential: Up to 40 Dwelling Units Per Acre (i.e., R-4 Zone) - This category is intended to provide high density residential opportunities typified by apartment or condominium development. Due to the location of this land use area on Orange Avenue (a broad, major artery), hotels, motels or professional office use may be permitted, on a case by case basis, per the Special Use Permit process. - Very High Density Residential: Up to 47 Dwelling Units Per Acre (i.e., R-5 Zone) - This category denotes the Coronado Shores Condominium development consisting of ten sixteen-story condominium buildings and accessory residential and club facilities. - Residential-Planned Community Development (i.e., R-PCD Zone) - This residential category would normally require deviation from the usual applications of zoning regulations and standards regarding lot size, yard requirement, structural coverage, building bulk, et cetera, and permit accessory community services to include recreational, commercial and maintenance facilities. Development in this residential category requires a Precise Development Plan (PDP) that would specify the type and number of dwelling units, provisions for utility services, open space, population estimates, et cetera.
- Residential-Special Care Development (i.e., R-SCD Zone) - This category permits limited residential special care facilities located in close proximity to hospital services. Such facilities are intended to provide the ambulatory elderly a care and housing opportunity within the community that addresses their unique needs and facilitates their continued participation in community activities. This category also permits supportive special services or facilities, solely for resident use or care that Attachment 8
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conform to the permitted use of the zone and convalescent hospitals generally for the nonambulatory elderly. - Planned Community Development (i.e., Planned Community Development [Overlay] Zone)-
The purpose of this zone is similar to the “Residential-Planned Community Development Zone”, and also requires development of a “Precise Development Plan”.
Under controlled conditions, this zone can be located anywhere in Coronado with a Special Use Permit. However, the height, density and landscaping development standards of the underlying zone must apply to PCD development.
- Housing Element Opportunity Site Overlay -
The “Housing Element Opportunity Site Overlay” designation facilitates housing production on opportunity sites identified in the Housing Element. This designation allows a maximum density of 40 dwelling units per acre as specified in the Zoning Code.
Categories of Non-Residential Land Uses
The following land use categories are either primary designations or overlay designations and accordingly are reflected on the Coronado Zoning Map as either Zones or Overlay Zones. There are only three commercial land use designations for the City:
Commercial, Commercial Recreation, and Hotel-Motel.
- Commercial Zone (i.e. C zone) -
The Commercial Zone is located within the Orange Avenue Corridor Specific Plan and encompasses two distinct commercial areas. The southern district commonly referred to as “downtown” includes a node of activity along or near Orange Avenue between the 800 block up to the Hotel del Coronado. The northern district sometimes referred to as “uptown” generally includes the 100 block of Orange Avenue, C Avenue and northern side of B Avenue. It also includes properties along the southern side of First Street and northern side of Second Street between B Avenue and the alley direct behind Orange Avenue on the west side.
The Commercial zone provides for medium-intensity commercial uses that serve community-wide and visitor needs in a pedestrian-friendly environment. Allowed uses include community services, education, cultural and religious uses; eating and drinking establishments; light industrial/repair services; personal and professional service uses; recreation/entertainment; retail commercial; vehicle related uses, and unique uses such as pedi-cabs and horse-drawn carriages. The zone provides for the highest quality building design. Regulations in this district promote attractive commercial and civic structures with Attachment 8
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appropriate scale, and well-designed parking, with human scale and a pedestrian-friendly character, including efficient internal access, ingress and egress, and amenities such as plazas, courtyards and attractive streetscapes.
- Commercial Recreation (i.e., Commercial Recreation Zone) - Commercial recreation areas are intended to accommodate a variety of wateroriented facilities which are usually owned and operated by private enterprise. Such activities include restaurants, tourist attractions, boating facilities, specialty shops, and in some cases office facilities to accommodate operations management personnel.
The General Plan designates two areas for commercial recreation uses:
1. The Glorietta Bay frontage between the golf course/tennis court areas, extending southeasterly to the present City Hall. A number of activities occur in this area currently, including the Coronado Playhouse and the Coronado Women’s Club.
2. A small commercial recreation site is designated on San Diego Unified Port District land between First Street and the bay at the foot of “B’” Avenue and is improved with the Coronado Ferry Landing. It is believed that this is an appropriate reuse for the area, and its role as part of the water-oriented environment should provide to be an asset to the City, especially in view of its proposed relationship with nearby higher density residential development. A portion of this is occupied by a small boat yard.
If operation of this boat yard should cease, then this land should be converted to more appropriate Commercial Recreation uses.
- Hotel and Motel (i.e., Hotel-Motel Zone) -
Hotel and motel areas are intended to accommodate all types of transient residential facilities, including the following:
1. Hotel and motel rooms.
2. Convenience and specialty shopping facilities, oriented primarily to the tourist trade.
3. Entertainment and restaurant facilities.
4. Convention and special meeting and assembly facilities.
5. Recreation and spa facilities oriented primarily to the hotel/motel operations.
Hotel/motel facilities are designated on the Plan in three areas:
1. At the southerly termination of the downtown area on Orange Avenue, dominated by the Hotel del Coronado;
2. On San Diego Unified Port District property near the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge (“The Park at Coronado Hotel” to be operating by 1988); and Attachment 8
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3. On San Diego Unified Port District property in the Coronado Cays (the “Crown Isle Hotel” to be operating by 1988).
- Open Space (i.e., Open Space Zone) -
This category provides for the protection and preservation of open space areas within the City which are unique due to natural resources, visual amenities, public safety purposes, or recreational opportunities. This category is further addressed in the Open Space Element.
- Civic Use (i.e., Civic Use Zone) -
The “Civic Use” designation denotes non-Federal, public or semi-public ownership of land that is not otherwise designated “Open Space” utilized for the provision of public services (e.g., City Hall, Public Works Yard, sewer pump stations, facilities for public utilities, Coronado Hospital, et cetera).
- Military (i.e., Military Zone) -
The purpose of the “Military” classification is to identify those properties within the City under Federal control and available exclusively for military operations, housing, personnel recreation, and similar ancillary military facilities, or for environmental habitat preservation.
- Civic Use Overlay Zone –
The “Civic Use Overlay” overlays the “High Density Residential” land use designation on two parcels located at the northwest corner of 6th Street and Orange Avenue.
The parcels are legally defined as lots 1, 2, 3 & 4 of Block 108 Map 376. The purpose of this overlay is to permit the continued operation or future expansion of public facilities on the site.
- Parking (i.e., Parking Overlay Zone) -
The “Parking” category overlays the “medium Density Residential” land use designation on a few locations within a half block of Orange Avenue. The sole purpose of this designation is to permit construction of parking facilities for “Central Commercial” land uses.
- Tidelands Overlay (i.e., Tidelands Overlay Zone).
The purpose of the Tidelands Overlay designation is to specify additional development criteria for certain unique properties which are administrated by the City of Coronado, the Coronado Unified School District or the San Diego Unified Port District. - Wildlife Preserve (i.e., Wildlife Preserve [Overlay] Zone) - Attachment 8
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This category covering the City South of the Coronado Cays is intended to help protect valuable and unique environmental resources by specifying additional advisory development criteria for certain unique properties within the City of Coronado but under the land use jurisdiction of other governmental agencies. This category is further described in the Local Coastal, Conservation and Water Use Elements. - Scenic Highway (i.e., Scenic Highway Modifying Zone) - This overlay category is explained and depicted in the Scenic Highway Element. - Coronado Cays Specific Plan -
The Coronado Cays is a planned residential community under development on the Silver Strand in the Southerly portion of Coronado. The Coronado Cays is surrounded by bay and State beach. The development was governed by a Special Use Permit issued by the City in 1968, and later superceded by the Coronado Cays Specific Plan adopted in 2001.
The plan details land uses and regulations. This Specific Plan permits multiple family, townhouse and detached single family residential construction not to exceed an average density for the total project of 10.89 dwelling units per acre. The Specific Plan also permits in certain sites “Limited Commercial” or “Hotel-Motel” type uses. Figure 3 on Page II-A8 depicts the development plan for the Coronado Cays.
- Orange Avenue Corridor Specific Plan -
In 2002, the City’s commitment to preserve and enhance Downtown Coronado resulted in the City’s decision to develop a specific plan for the Orange Avenue Corridor.
The Plan includes policies that will serve as guidance to decision makers, and the regulatory development standards and design criteria intended to maintain Coronado’s “village” character. The Specific Plan reflects a vision to be implemented over a 20-year period and therefore may be amended over time to reflect the City’s most current vision for the area.
The Orange Avenue Corridor Specific Plan area stretches from First Street in the north and continues to Adella Avenue in the south. In addition to Orange Avenue, the project area also includes some blocks adjacent to Orange Avenue at both its north and south ends. Two commercial areas are included in the Specific Plan – the southern Downtown area and the northern Uptown area (adjacent to the historic Ferry Landing).
The Orange Avenue Corridor also encompasses a multi-family residential area and civic and open space uses along Orange Avenue such as Spreckels Park, and the Library.
The Orange Avenue Corridor Specific Plan is established through the authority granted to the City of Coronado by California Government Code, Title 7, Division 1, Chapter 3, Article 8, Sections 65450 through 65457 (specific plans). The plan provides background information; policy direction; and zoning, land use, and design criteria regulations for properties within the Orange Avenue Corridor Specific Plan.
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Non-Conforming Land Uses
Land uses that are non-conforming to the underlying land use designation are not inappropriate per se. Under controlled conditions, with a Special Use Permit, a “Planned Community Development” incorporating a mix of residential and non-residential uses, may be approved for any portion of the City’s “village” area. The appropriateness of an existing or proposed non-conforming use should be tested by how well the use enables the City to attain the best mix of the Land Use Goals detailed on page II-A4.
Those commercial uses located currently in non-commercial areas should not be subjected to pressure for removal. Rather, they should be encouraged to exhibit a high level of maintenance and a restraint in activity commensurate with the necessity to be a good neighbor with surrounding development. Such currently existing uses should be allowed to remain in their existing locations.
However, this approach should not be construed as an encouragement for new commercial construction in areas designated for residential use. The primary purpose in specifying the acceptability of continuing existing non-residential uses is because there is only a limited number of such instances, and because of their relative isolation it is believed they will not create a detrimental impact on the community.
Special Use Permits and Variance Exceptions
To some degree, Variances and Special Use Permits allow exceptions to the land uses and development standards expressed for specific locations in the General Plan Policy Document, Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map. The sole purpose of any variance is to prevent discrimination, and no variance can be granted which would have the effect of granting a special privilege inconsistent with the limitations upon other properties in the vicinity and zone in which such property is situated. Since California state law prohibits granting a “use variance”, variances only can be granted for development standards such as setbacks, height, structural coverage, et cetera. Variances can only be granted when, because of special circumstances applicable to the property including size, shape, topography, location or surroundings, the strict application of the City’s regulations deprives a property of privileges enjoyed by other property in the vicinity and under the identical land use classification. Variances may be granted upon such conditions and limitations as the Planning Commission or City Council deem necessary to achieve the City’s land use goals.
The “Special Use Permit” process may be used to authorize creation and maintenance of specific uses of buildings, structures or land subject to specific conditions imposed because of: 1) Unusual or special characteristics of such use; or 2) The need to give special consideration to the proper location of such uses in relation to adjacent uses, the development of the community and the various elements of the General Plan. Uses Attachment 8
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requiring a Special Use permit possess special characteristics as to make impractical their being included automatically in any class of land use.
Sphere of Influence and State and Federal Lands (See Figure 1) Coronado City limits encompass the following State and Federal lands:
Federal Lands California State Lands
North Island Naval Air Station (portion) Silver Strand State Beach U.S. Naval Amphibious Base City Beach along Ocean Blvd.
U.S. Naval Communication StationSilver Strand Training Complex San Diego Unified Port District Lands
U.S. Post Office State Beach leased to Naval Amphib Base U.S. Naval Land leased to State for State Beach
U.S. Naval Beaches Licensed to City of Coronado
While these State and Federal lands are not under the land use jurisdiction of the City, the City has placed advisory land use designations on some of these areas. The City of Coronado sphere of influence is the Coronado peninsula and the bay and ocean waters off the peninsula within the municipal boundaries of the City. All land within the Coronado Sphere of Influence under jurisdiction of the Federal government and utilized for military purposes is designated “Military” for military and/or environmental habitat preservation purposes.
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