Attachment A
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA
AMENDING TITLE 12, ZONING, BY ADDING A NEW CHAPTER 12-25B TITLED “SMHP SENIOR MOBILE HOME PARK OVERLAY DISTRICT” AND
AMENDING THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP OF THE CITY TO ADD A NEW
SMHP SENIOR MOBILE HOME PARK OVERLAY DISTRICT
WHEREAS, the City desires to amend its Municipal Code to include a “SMHP Senior Mobile Home Park Overlay District”; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the SMHP Senior Mobile Home Park Overlay District is to preserve a significant source of affordable, senior housing by ensuring that senior mobile home parks within the City remain available to senior s and are not converted to allow occupancy by persons of all ages; and
WHEREAS, the proposed Ordinance is consistent with the goals, objectives, and policies of the Santa Maria General Plan and Housing Element, including those related to the preservation of affordable housing and housing opportunities for seniors; and
WHEREAS, on July 1, 2026, the Planning Commission conducted a duly noticed public hearing , as required by Government Code Section 65854, and voted to recommend that the City Council adopt the Senior Mobile Home Park Overlay District; and
WHEREAS, on August 4, 2026 the City Council conducted a duly noticed public hearing, as required by Government Code Section 65854.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Santa Maria, State of California, as follows:
SECTION 1. Title 12, of the Santa Maria Municipal Code is hereby amended to add a new Chapter 12-25B titled “SMHP Senior Mobile Home Park Overlay District”, to read as follows:
Chapter 12-25B SMHP Senior Mobile Home Park Overlay District
Section 12-25B.01 Regulations designated.
The sections of this Chapter constitute the regulations of the SMHP (Senior Mobile Home Park) Overlay District
Section 12-25B.02 Purpose and Intent.
The purpose of the SMHP Overlay District is to preserve and protect existing mobilehome parks intended for occupancy primarily for seniors in order to:
(a) Maintain an affordable housing resource for residents aged 55 and older.
(b) Prevent displacement of senior households due to conversion of age -restricted parks to all-age parks.
(c) Implement Housing Element policies promoting housing choice, affordability, and anti-displacement.
(d) Ensure consistency with the federal Housing for Older Persons Act of 1995 (42 U.S.C Section 3607)
Section 12-25B.03 Applicability.
The SMHP Overlay District applies to all mobile home parks that meet the definition of “Mobile Home Park, Senior” and are rezoned to the SMHP Overlay District as of the effective date of this Ordinance . The City may apply the SMHP Overlay District concurrently with or subsequent to the permitting of any new senior mobile home parks.
Each land use and proposed development within the SMHP Overlay District shall comply with all applicable requirements of the primary zone, in addition to the requirements of this section.
Section 12-25B.04 Signage, advertising, rental agreements and leases.
Signage, advertising, rental agreements and leases for properties w ithin the SMHP Overlay District shall comply with the following:
(a) Signage, advertising, park rules, regulations, rental agreements and leases for units in a mobile home park in the SMHP Overlay District must state that the park is a “Senior Mobile Home Park.”
(b) Any advertisement for a rental or vacancy in the SMHP Overlay District must state that the vacancy is intended for occupancy by at least one person 55 years of age or older.
Section 12-25B.05 Occupancy limitations and rentals.
At least 80 percent of the occupied units in a mobile home park in the SMHP Overlay District must be occupied by at least one person 55 years of age or older.
Section 12-25B.06 Age verification and compliance procedures The City shall ensure that at least 80 percent of the occupied mobile homes in a senior mobile home park are occupied by at least one resident who is 55 years of age or older.
The occupancy verification documentation shall be made available by park owners for inspection by the City upon reasonable notice and request.
(a) At least once every two years owners and operators of senior mobile home parks shall submit documentation confirming that at least 80 percent of all occupied mobile homes are occupied by at least one resident 55 years of age or older to the City of Santa Maria Community Development Department . The owners or
operators of each senior mobile home park shall maintain procedures for verifying the age of park residents.
i. The owner or operator of each senior mobile home park shall provide to the City a certification substantially in the following form:
“I [name] hereby certify that [number of such mobile homes] mobile homes out of a total of [total number] occupied mobile homes located in this mobile home park are occupied by at least one person 55 years of age or older and it is their primary residence. This certification is based on my personal knowledge of the residents, evid ence provided to me in the form of official government documents containing specific information about the current age of the residents, resident affidavits, or age certifications made by residents."
(b) The City shall consider government -issued identification to be reliable documentation of the age of the residents of the senior mobile home park, provided that it contains specific information about current age or date of birth (e.g., driver’s license).
(c) Reliable documentation shall also include a certification in a lease, application, affidavit, or other document signed by any member of the household aged 18 or older asserting that at least one person in the unit is 55 years of age or older.
(d) If the occupant(s) of a particular mobile home refuse or are unable to comply with these age verification procedures, the City may, if it has sufficient evidence, consider the unit to be occupied by at least one person 55 years of age or older.
Such evidence may include:
i. Government records or documents;
ii. Prior forms or applications; or
iii. A statement from an individual who has personal knowledge of the age of the occupants. The individual’s statement must set forth the basis for such knowledge and be signed under penalty of perjury.
(e) No later than 30 days after a request for age verification by a mobile home park owner or operator or an employee or agent of the City, all owners and residents of all mobile homes located, or proposed to be located, within the SMHP Overlay District shall provide to the mobile home park operator the requested age verification documents.
SECTION 2. Title 12, Chapter 12-2, Definitions, Section 12-2.102 of the Santa Maria Municipal Code is hereby amended to revise the definition of “Mobile home park”, to read as follows:
Section 12-2.102 Mobile home park.
“Mobile home park” means any lot or parcel of land where trailer or mobile home sites are rented or leased or offered for rent or lease for one or more house trailers or mobile homes (compare “tourist camp.”).
(a) Mobile Home Park, Senior. A mobile home park where at least 80 percent of the occupied units must be occupied by at least one person 55 years of age or older.
(b) Mobile Home Park, All-ages. A mobile home park where the units are rented or leased to the general public regardless of the ages of the residents or occupants.
SECTION 3. An Amendment to the Official Zoning Map of the City of Santa Maria is hereby approved adding a new Zone District identified as “SMHP Senior Mobile Home Park Overlay District” as shown on Attachment B of the Council Agenda Report dated August 4, 2026, incorporated herein by reference.
SECTION 4. This Ordinance has been reviewed for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and the CEQA guidelines, and the City’s environmental procedures and has been found to be exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (common sense exemption) of the CEQA guidelines. The City Council finds that there is no possibility the passage of this Ordinance amending the zoning code will have a significant effect on the environment because the changes are administrative in nature and do not approve specific development projects. Any future development projects utilizing the provisions of this Ordinance will be subject to separate environmental review under CEQA, as applicable, based on their specific characteristics, location, and potential impacts. Thus, the ordinance itself does not foreseeably result in construction activities or physical changes to the environment, either directly or indirectly.
SECTION 5. The City Council finds that the proposal is in accordance with the provisions of the General Plan of the City, that the proposed modifications are required for the public necessity, convenience, and general welfare , and that in the case of the zone change, the area is afforded the servies and facilities appropriate for the zone proposed. If any part or provision of this chapter, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of the chapter, including the application of that part or provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected thereby and shall continue in full force and effect. To this end, the provisions of this ordinance are severable.
SECTION 6. The Chief Deputy City Clerk is hereby authorized to make minor changes herein to address clerical errors, so long as substantial conformance of the intent of this document is maintained. In doing so, the Chief Deputy City Clerk shall consult with the City Manager and City Attorney concerning any changes deemed necessary.
SECTION 7. This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect thirty days after its passage.
Within fifteen days following its passage, the City Clerk shall cause this Ordinance to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in accordance with State Law; or when
deemed necessary due to the length or complexity of the Ordinance, cause a summary of the Ordinance to be prepared and published at least five days prior to the City Council meeting at which the proposed Ordinance is to be adopted. If a summary is published at least five days prior to the City Council meeting at which the proposed Ordinance is to be adopted, then within fifteen days after adoption of the Ordinance the City Clerk shall publish a summary of the Ordinance with the names of those City Council Members voting for and against the Ordinance and shall post a certified copy of the full text of such adopted Ordinance along with the names of those City Council Members voting for and against the Ordinance.
INTRODUCED at a regular meeting of the City Council held on the 4th day of August 2026, and PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting held on the ________ day of ___________ 2026, by the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAINED:
ATTEST:
Chief Deputy City Clerk
Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_______________________________
City Attorney
APPROVED AS TO CONTENT:
_______________________________
Department Director
_______________________________
City Manager