Appendix A: Land Use Definitions
LAND USE CATEGORIES
Patterns and symbols, defined on the map legend, are used on the Land Use Map to identify land use categories, the road system, major land features and significant public and private facilities. The following is a description of each land use category:
RESIDENTIAL
This designation identifies Aareas suitable for residential dwellings, and is divided into five nine sub‐categories based on dwelling unit density, which is and expressed as the number of dwellings permitted on each acre. Maximum residential yield is calculated by multiplying the maximum dwelling unit density by the size of the lot in acres, excluding any public rights‐of‐way, in fee or as an easement, other access easements, and easements for creeks and other waterways, or lot area as further defined in the Municipal Code. Accessory dwelling units continue to be permitted as required by State and local laws.
Community Vision 2040 does not define whether the dwellings are to be owned or rented by their inhabitants or whether they are to be attached or detached.
Very Low Density: Intensity is based on applying one of four slope‐density formulas— Foothill Modified, Foothill Modified l/2 Acre, Semi‐Rural 5 acre, or Foothill 5‐20 acre ‐ for each site. This classification is intended to protect environmentally sensitive areas from extensive development and to protect human life from hazards related to flood, fire and unstable terrain.
Low Density: Sites have an established maximum density between 1‐5 and or 1‐6 units (Rancho Rinconada) on each acre and may have a required minimum density. This category is intended to promote a suburban lifestyle of detached single‐family homes.
Planned residential communities can be incorporated into this category if the development form is compatible with adjoining residential development. Duplexes with accessory dwelling units (up to a maximum of four total units) may be permitted per the City’s Housing Element and Municipal Code regulations to support “missing middle” housing types.
Low/Medium Density: Sites have an established density between 5.01‐10 units per acre and may have a required minimum density. This category accommodates more intensive forms of residential development while still being compatible with the predominant single‐family detached residential neighborhood. This development can be successfully incorporated into a single‐family environment.
Medium Density: Sites have an established maximum density between 10.01‐20 units per acre and may have a required minimum density. This category is intended for smaller‐ scale provides greater opportunity for multiple‐family residential developments, including duplexes, and townhome/rowhouse development in a planned environment.
In addition to high‐demand housing types, such as townhomes, tThis density range provides opportunities for the development of “missing middle” housing types and allows for a gradual transition from existing usually results in traffic volumes and buildings that are not compatible with single‐family residential neighborhoodsuses to higher‐density development. These developments should be located on the edges of single‐family residential communities where utility services and street networks are adequate to serve the increased densities of this category.
Medium/High Density: Sites have an established maximum density between 20.01‐35 units per acre and may have a required minimum density. This category promotes a wide range of housing choices including triplexes/fourplexes, or other multiple‐family dwellingsresidential and townhome development, or a mix thereof. The zoning for the site specifies whether townhomes are permitted to develop with townhomes, with the TH combining district established in the Municipal Code. The intensity requires that the category beis used in corridors with access to services and transit. The development may result in structures with three or four levels and underground parking. This category offers opportunity for housing choice, especially for people who want a more urban environment.
High Density: Greater than Sites have an established maximum density between 35.01‐ 50 units per acre and may have a required minimum density. This category is intended for primarily, promotes a wide range of housing choices in multiple‐family dwellingsresidential development, with some sites, zoning permitting, having the ability to also develop with a small townhome component to allow varied housing choices. The zoning for the site specifies whether townhomes are permitted, with the TH combining district established in the Municipal Code. The intensity requires that the category beis used only at locations with adequate utility services or transit or both. The development may result in structures with three or four levels and underground parking. This category offers maximum wide opportunity for housing choice, especially for people who want a more urban environment.
High/Very High Density: Sites have an established maximum density between 50.01‐65 units per acre and may have a required minimum density. This category promotes a wide range of housing choices in primarily multiple‐family or mixed‐use residential developments in urban environments. In some cases, zoning may permit a small component of townhome development to provide varied housing choices with the TH
combining district established in the Municipal Code. The category is used only at locations with adequate utility services, transit, or both.
Very High Density: Sites have an established maximum density between 65.01‐80 units per acre and may have a required minimum density. This category offers extensive opportunity for housing choice, especially for people who want a more urban environment. The category is used only at locations with adequate utility services, transit, or both.
Highest Density: Sites have an established maximum density between 80.01‐95 units per acre and may have a required minimum density. This category offers maximum opportunity for housing choice, including workforce housing. The category is used only at locations with adequate utility services located adjacent to an office campus environment.
COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL
This designation allows primarily commercial uses and secondarily residential uses or a compatible combination of the two. Commercial use means retail sales or service establishments with direct contact with customers and a sales floor/serving area, businesses, and limited professional offices, andservice establishments with direct contact with customers. This applies to commercial activities ranging from neighborhood convenience stores to regionally oriented specialty stores. Retail stores that would be a nuisance for adjoining neighborhoods or harmful to the community identity would be regulated by the commercial zoning ordinance and use permit procedure. Retail stores do not include businesses that function as a warehouse, provide only pick‐up and drop‐ off services, and/or do not offer direct services or sale of goods.
Smaller commercial parcels in existing residential areas may be needed to provide local neighborhood serving retail; otherwise, they may be redeveloped at residential densities compatible with the surroundingsidentified in the land use map.
The residential density for each sub‐category is identified below. 100% residential development is allowed on sites with a General Plan land use designation of Commercial/Residential, if at least 40% of the total units are affordable, with at least 20% of the total units affordable to lower income households. Residential development is subject to the numerical caps and other policies described in the development priorities tablesFigure LU‐2 and the land use map. In the event of a conflict between Figure LU‐2 and the land use map, the residential density would be the greater of the two.
Commercial/Residential Low/Medium Density: This category allows mixed‐use development with commercial uses and an established maximum residential density
between 5.01‐10 units per acre by site, in addition to possibly having a required minimum residential density. Development in this category promotes low to medium intensity residential development within walking distance to local/neighborhood serving commercial uses.
Commercial/Residential Medium Density: This category allows mixed‐use development with commercial uses, and an established maximum residential density between 10.01‐20 units per acre by site, in addition to possibly having a required minimum residential density. Development in this category should promote housing choices for “missing‐middle” housing and smaller‐scale multiple‐family residential, combined with commercial development. The intensity allows for a gradual transition from existing single‐family residential uses to higher‐density development.
Commercial/Residential Medium/High Density: This category allows mixed‐use development with commercial uses and an established maximum residential density between 20.01‐35 units per acre by site, in addition to possibly having a required minimum residential density. Development in this category promotes commercial development combined with a range of housing choices for people who want a more urban environment, with either multiple‐family residential or townhome development, or a mix thereof. In some cases, zoning may permit a small component of townhome development to provide varied housing choices with the TH combining district established in the Municipal Code. The intensity requires that the category generally be used in corridors with access to services and transit.
Commercial/Residential High Density: This category allows mixed‐use development with commercial uses, and an established maximum residential density between 35.01‐ 50 units per acre by site, in addition to possibly having a required minimum residential density. Development in this category is intended primarily for multiple‐family residential. In some cases, zoning may permit a component of townhome development to provide varied housing choices with the TH combining district established in the Municipal Code. The intensity requires that the category be used only at locations with adequate utility services or transit or both. This category offers a wide opportunity for housing choice, especially for people who want to live in an urban environment.
Commercial/Residential High/Very High Density: This category allows mixed‐use development with commercial uses, and an established maximum residential density between 50.01‐65 units per acre by site, in addition to possibly having a required minimum residential density. Development in this category promotes commercial development with a wide range of housing choices in primarily multiple‐family residential development. In some cases, zoning may permit a small component of townhome development to provide varied housing choices with the TH combining
district established in the Municipal Code. The intensity requires that the category be used only at locations with adequate utility services, transit, or both.
Commercial/Residential Very High Density: This category allows mixed‐use development with commercial uses, and an established maximum residential density between 65.01‐80 units per acre by site, in addition to possibly having a required minimum residential density. Development in this category offers maximum opportunity for housing choice, especially for people who want a distinctly urban environment. The intensity requires that the category be used only at locations with adequate utility services, high‐quality, transit, or both.
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL
Neighborhood Commercial is a subset of the Commercial land use designation. This category includes retail activities, personal services, and limited commercial offices that serve primarily the residents of adjacent neighborhoods. Residential living units may shall only be allowed as upper floor uses or behind the permitted non‐residential component of live/work units.
MONTA VISTA NEIGHBORHOOD LAND USE DESIGNATION
Residential: The Monta Vista neighborhood has three four density ranges, which allow flexibility in allowing single family, duplex and/or multi‐family housing types. The four density ranges establish the maximum residential density for sites located in each of the designations and are identified on the General Plan Land Use map.