COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Chenin Dow, Community Development Director
DATE: August 4, 2026
SUBJECT: Introduction of an Ordinance Amending Title 12 - Zoning, to Establish a “SMHP Senior Mobile Home Park Overlay District”, Adding Related Definitions, and Amending the Official Zoning Map of the City.
Description:
The City Council will consider introducing an Ordinance amending Title 12 - Zoning to establish Chapter 12-25B titled “SMHP Senior Mobile Home Park Overlay District” , and adding definitions for “Mobile Home Park, Senior” and “Mobile Home Park, All-ages”, and amending the official Zoning Map of the City to add a new SMHP Senior Mobile Home Park Overlay District.
Environmental Notice: The proposed Zoning Text Amendments qualify for an Exemption pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) State Guidelines.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Waive first reading and introduce an Ordinance 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; and
2. Set for adoption said Ordinance at the next regular City Council meeting.
BACKGROUND:
Mobile home parks within the City of Santa Maria provide an essential source of affordable housing, particularly for fixed -income senior residents. Five parks in the City currently operate as age -restricted communities intended for occupancy by persons 55 years of age and older pursuant to the federal Housing for Older Persons Act (HOPA) and state fair housing regulations. This ordinance is designed to en sure long -term protection of senior -serving mobile home parks and prevent unreviewed conversion to all-age use. The Planning Commission reviewed this item at a Study Session on May 21, 2026. The Planning Commission was supportive of the proposed Ordinance, and the item was scheduled for a Planning Commission hearing on July 1, 2026, where it was recommended for approval to the City Council.
2 DISCUSSION:
The proposed Ordinance would establish a new SMHP Overlay District applicable to the five existing Senior Mobile Home Parks in the City and to any future Senior Mobile Home Parks that are established. The existing senior mobile home parks include Rancho Buena Vista, Casa Grande, Casa Del Rio, La Maria, and Trailerancho. The SMHP Overlay is intended to functi on as a Zoning Overlay with requirements regulating occupancy standards, certification and reporting, and prohibition of the conversion of senior mobile home parks to all age parks.
Key components of the proposed ordinance include:
Preservation of Senior Communities: Formally designates senior mobile home parks to maintain long-term availability as affordable housing for older adults. Occupancy Standards: Requires that at least 80 percent of occupied mobile home units be occupied by at least one person 55 years of age or older, consistent with HOPA requirements.
Biennial Certification: Requires biennial age verification and compliance certification by park owners or operators to confirm continued compliance with federal and state senior housing requirements.
Disclosure Requirements: Mandates that park rules, leases, advertising, and signage clearly identify the property as a Senior Mobile Home Park. Conversion Protection: Prohibits conversion to all -age status without a City - initiated or owner -requested rezoning process, which includes mandatory public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council. The definition of Mobile Home Park is proposed to be amended to add definitions for “Mobile Home Park, Senior” and “Mobile Home Park, All-Ages”. The official zoning map for the city is proposed to be amended to add the SMHP Overlay district designating the five existing senior mobile home parks in the city as SMHP.
The proposed SMHP Overlay would not impose new rent control or management restrictions, nor will the City regulate individual tenancy decisions or residency eligibility.
Park owners and operators remain responsible for compliance with applicable federal and state housing laws. It simply provides a transparent mechanism for the City to monitor and support compliance.
Additionally, the Ordinance directly aligns with the findings and policies of the City's Housing Element . Policies 2.1 and 4.1 specifically encourage strategies to ma intain affordability controls on housing options within the community, and to plan for and support the development and preservation of senior housing, accessibility, and service needs of the elderly population . Data from the Housing Element’s Housing Needs Assessment highlights that seniors are a designated special -needs population who face heightened housing insecurity because they are more likely to live on fixed incomes while requiring 3 higher levels of care. Specifically, 60 percent (3,405 households) of senior households in Santa Maria are lower-income (earning 80 percent of Area Median Income or less), and 40 percent are currently housing cost-burdened.
By formally establishing the overlay framework, the City can ensure that mobile home parks, which represent a vital segment of Santa Maria's naturally occurring affordable housing stock, are preserved to meet these documented low-income senior needs.
ATTACHMENT(S)
A. Ordinance
B. City of Santa Maria Official Zoning Map with SMHP Overlay