August 19, 2025
TO: City Council
REQUESTED BY: Travis Randel, Deputy City Manager, Development Services APPROVED BY: Robert A. Johnson, City Manager
SUBJECT: Introduction of Ordinance No. 25-07
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council introduce Ordinance No. 25-07 entitled:
An Ordinance of the City of San Jacinto Amending Section
10.16.210 (Commercial Vehicles) of Chapter 16 (Parking and Traffic Control) of Title 10 (Vehicles and Traffic) of the San Jacinto Municipal Code, Relating to the Regulation of Commercial Vehicle Parking and the Establishment of a Limited Exemption for Historic Commercial Vehicles.
BACKGROUND:
On May 6, 2025, the City Council considered a staff report regarding the potential for a narrowly tailored exemption to the City’s existing restrictions on commercial vehicle parking in residential areas. The report was prompted by several recent public comments as well as an ongoing Code Enforcement case involving a property on Ramona Boulevard where historically registered commercial vehicles—specifically vintage semi-truck cabs—were being stored on-site. While the enforcement case served as a catalyst for the discussion, the Council’s deliberation was centered on broader, citywide policy considerations.
Under current municipal code provisions—specifically Section 10.16.210 of Title 10 (Vehicles and Traffic)—the parking or storage of commercial vehicles in or adjacent to residential areas is prohibited, with limited exceptions for temporary loading or unloading. These provisions apply regardless of a vehicle’s age, use, or DMV registration status. In particular, the Municipal Code does not currently define or recognize “historic commercial vehicles” as a distinct category, and no exemption or accommodation exists for vehicles registered under the California DMV’s Historic Vehicle program.
Public commenters have argued that such vehicles, while technically commercial in classification, serve a fundamentally different function when registered as historic: they are not used for daily hauling or business purposes but are instead restored, preserved, and operated for cultural and exhibition purposes. In supporting this position, several speakers pointed to cities like Chino that have adopted ordinances allowing historic commercial vehicles to be stored on larger residential or rural properties under strict conditions.
Following Council discussion, staff was directed to return with an ordinance modeled in part on the City of Chino’s approach, but adapted to reflect San Jacinto’s unique development patterns, parcel sizes, and neighborhood context. Council direction emphasized that any exemption must include robust safeguards to prevent incompatible uses in standard residential zones and must ensure protection of neighborhood character, visual aesthetics, and land use compatibility.
DISCUSSION:
The proposed ordinance represents a comprehensive update to Section 10.16.210 of the San Jacinto Municipal Code. It preserves the City’s baseline prohibition on the parking or storage of commercial vehicles in or adjacent to residential districts, with limited exceptions for temporary loading and unloading, but introduces a new exemption that specifically authorizes the storage of certain historic commercial vehicles under defined circumstances.
The exemption is available only to vehicles that are properly registered with the California Department of Motor Vehicles as Historic Commercial Vehicles and display the appropriate license plates. To ensure that such vehicles are stored in a manner consistent with community expectations and rural land use patterns, the exemption is limited to properties located in the Residential Rural (RR) zoning district. This zone was selected because of its larger lot sizes, lower density, and greater capacity to accommodate larger vehicles without materially impacting surrounding parcels.
To be eligible, parcels must consist of at least one acre of land, and only one historic commercial vehicle may be stored per acre. Vehicles must be parked a minimum of fifty feet from any property line that abuts another residential parcel and must not be visible from any public rightof-way. The ordinance prohibits storage in front yards, setback areas, and street-side yards, and allows temporary driveway parking only under very limited circumstances for maintenance or transport preparation.
Vehicles stored under this provision may not be used for habitation, business operations, or storage of goods. Inoperative or unrestored vehicles are permitted only if undergoing active, continuous restoration, with a one-vehicle limit and a maximum restoration period of one year.
All vehicles must be screened from public view to the maximum extent feasible, and the City reserves the right to inspect the site for compliance. To further support enforcement, all eligible vehicles must be registered with the City’s Community Development Department and be accompanied by documentation of DMV registration, parcel size, and a site plan showing the vehicle location.
The proposed ordinance was developed with an emphasis on enforceability, fairness, and compatibility. It strikes a balance between the interests of vintage vehicle collectors and the community’s broader interest in maintaining the residential character of neighborhoods. The ordinance does not alter development standards under Title 17 and therefore does not require Planning Commission review.
In addition to creating the historic commercial vehicle exemption, staff also used this update as an opportunity to clarify and refine the definition of “commercial vehicle” within the Municipal Code. The existing definition was so broad that it technically encompassed certain larger personal-use pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles, and similar vehicles owned and operated by individuals for non-commercial purposes. This created both enforcement challenges and unnecessary restrictions for residents whose vehicles do not pose the kinds of land use, aesthetic, or operational impacts that the ordinance was intended to address.
The revised definition draws a clearer distinction between true commercial vehicles and larger personal-use vehicles. Under the updated language, a “commercial vehicle” is defined primarily by its design, manufacture, or use for transporting goods, tools, equipment, or passengers for hire or in furtherance of a business enterprise. Key characteristics include the presence of commercial markings, specialized equipment or modifications, or a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) above a specified threshold. Personal-use trucks or SUVs without such markings or equipment are excluded, even if they exceed standard passenger vehicle dimensions.
The updated definition also recognizes the practical needs of small and home-based businesses by carving out specific allowances for certain smaller commercial vehicles that do not create the same impacts as large trucks or heavy equipment. These include service vans and pickup trucks used for trades such as HVAC, plumbing, electrical work, landscaping, pest control, appliance repair, and mobile locksmithing, provided they meet established size, noise, and appearance standards and are operated in compliance with the City’s home occupation regulations.
By tightening the definition, the ordinance better aligns regulation with the original policy intent, reduces unnecessary enforcement actions, and provides residents with greater clarity about what types of vehicles are subject to regulation. This approach supports the City’s goals of protecting neighborhood character, promoting fairness in enforcement, and recognizing the contribution of small business operators to the local economy.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
While the subject ordinance is not a public hearing item, staff, as a courtesy, provided a copy of the draft ordinance to the property owner whose code enforcement case initiated the discussion of a potential amendment. The property owner submitted written feedback, which is included as an attachment to this report.
The comments express concern that the draft ordinance is overly restrictive compared to how other personal or recreational vehicles—such as RVs, boats, and horse trailers—are regulated, and suggest several substantive changes. These include eliminating the requirement for City registration, removing associated fees, increasing the allowable number of historic commercial vehicles per acre, modifying parking surface requirements to allow parking on dirt, reducing screening expectations, and eliminating inspections.
Staff has carefully reviewed each of these suggestions. The City Council, when directing staff to prepare the amendment, specifically requested that it include a registration process. While staff initially considered an annual registration process similar to a business license, the proposed ordinance utilizes the City’s existing Zoning Clearance procedure set forth in the Development Code. This approach achieves the same purpose—verifying eligibility, location, and compliance—without creating a new regulatory framework or requiring annual renewals. The Zoning Clearance process is already subject to a City Council approved fee, established through the User Fee Study, to cover the staff time necessary to review applications, supporting documents, and site conditions.
With respect to vehicle quantity, the ordinance is intended to allow for incidental and hobby use of historic commercial vehicles in the Residential Rural zone, not to enable large-scale storage.
Increasing the allowance from one vehicle per acre to two would double the permitted capacity.
In the case of the commenting property owner, whose two parcels total nearly 4.5 acres, this change would expand the limit from four vehicles to eight, which is inconsistent with the Council’s intent to maintain the residential character of the area.
Regarding parking surfaces, the City does not permit parking of vehicles on dirt. The ordinance requires vehicles to be parked or stored on a paved surface or an alternative all-weather surface approved by the Community Development Director or designee. Acceptable surfaces include concrete, asphalt, or other engineered materials capable of supporting the vehicle’s weight without rutting, erosion, or environmental degradation. Gravel or similar materials may be considered for approval if they meet these performance standards, and would need to be specified in the Zoning Clearance application.
For screening and inspections, the ordinance requires that vehicles be screened from public view to the maximum extent feasible, which may be achieved through buildings, landscaping, fences, or walls. Inspections are a necessary enforcement tool to ensure ongoing compliance with the conditions of approval. The Zoning Clearance process explicitly authorizes such inspections, which are essential to preserving the balance between allowing historic commercial vehicles as a hobby and protecting the surrounding neighborhood’s character.
Based on this review, staff finds that the concerns raised are addressed within the proposed framework, and that the ordinance as presented already reflects the policy direction given by the City Council. Therefore, staff does not recommend any changes to the draft ordinance in response to these comments.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The proposed ordinance has been reviewed in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Staff recommends that the City Council finds that the ordinance is not subject to CEQA under Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines because it will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and does not constitute a “project” as defined by CEQA.
In addition, the ordinance qualifies for the “common sense” exemption under CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), as it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility the activity may have a significant effect on the environment. The ordinance does not authorize new development, grading, or construction, nor does it modify land use designations, zoning entitlements, or density. Instead, it creates a narrowly tailored exemption for a limited number of historic commercial vehicles on qualifying residential rural parcels, along with clarifying updates to the definition of “commercial vehicle.”
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact to the General Fund resulting from the adoption of this ordinance. The processing of vehicle registrations and any associated site plan reviews will be handled by existing Community Development staff as part of routine operations. Any code enforcement related to violations of this section would similarly be addressed within the City’s current enforcement framework.
ATTACHMENTS:
Ordinance No. 25-07
Exhibit "A" - Redline Strikeout
May 6 2025 City Council Staff Report
Comments on Historic Vehicle Parking Ordinance