Phase 1 Zoning Code Amendments
Salinas City Council – August 18, 2026
Overview
Background
Ordinance summary
Recommended motion
Zoning Code Update Phases
Phase 1: Legal compliance and additional priority items Phase 2: Zoning Code consistency with General Plan Update Phase 3: New Zoning Code
Housing crisis and policy trends
Statewide housing affordability crisis.
Multi-year, multi-law effort to increase housing production.
Housing Element adopted in 2023
Housing compliance changes
Implements actions from the Housing Element for code compliance.
Updates Accessory Dwelling Unit, Density Bonus sections.
Removes subjective findings from housing CUPs and Reasonable Accommodations.
Housing compliance changes
Adds section on SB-9 two-unit developments.
Removes requirements for garage and covered parking.
Updates emergency shelter, supportive housing, and Low Barrier Navigation Center requirements.
Other legal compliance changes
Amends the purpose statement of the Central City Overlay District and use classifications.
For compliance with the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.
Other legal compliance changes
Home Cottage Food and Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations.
As allowed by the County of Monterey.
Optional changes
Single-family driveway width increase.
Removes Conditional Use Permit requirement.
Adds most common conditions of approval as standards.
Optional changes
Accessory office space in Industrial Zoning Districts.
Raise limit to 40-percent of total building square footage before needing a CUP.
Increases flexibility while still encouraging industrial principal uses.
Optional changes
Christmas tree sale lots currently limited to Thanksgiving – December 31.
Proposed change to a period of up to sixty days.
Proposed change also applies to pumpkin patches.
California Environmental Quality Act
“Common-sense” exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines 1506.
Changes are mostly for alignment with State or Federal law and do not provide additional development rights.
Recommended Motion
A motion to find the attached Ordinance exempt as a “common-sense” exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines 15061(b)(3); and adopt the Ordinance amending Chapter 17 Article IV of the Salinas Municipal Code (Housing) and amending various provisions of Chapter 37 of the Salinas Municipal Code (Zoning).