1 City Council Meeting: July 14, 2026 Santa Monica, California ORDINANCE NUMBER _____ (CCS)
(City Council Series)
AN EMERGENCY INTERIM ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF SANTA MONICA TO ESTABLISH STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES OF
APPROVAL FOR LIGHT FLEET-BASED SERVICE FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES
AND CREATE A USE CLASSIFICATION FOR LIGHT FLEET-BASED SERVICE FOR
AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES
WHEREAS, recent development proposals have introduced high volume fleet maintenance operations for autonomous vehicles; and
WHEREAS, these uses introduce land use impacts not fully addressed by existing regulations; and
WHEREAS, documented key concerns include, but are not limited to: (1) Queuing and staging in the public right-of-way; (2) Obstruction of emergency access routes; (3) Noise and lighting impacts on nearby residential areas; and (4) Lack of operational accountability for fleet dispatch systems; and
WHEREAS, based on prior documented occurrences, additional impacts may arise due to concentrated arrival surges, limited driveway capacity, and the duration autonomous vehicles remain on-site; and
WHEREAS, continuous 24-hour operations further exacerbate these concerns by introducing nighttime queuing, noise, and light intrusion during sensitive hours, as evidenced by over 140 complaints associated with certain existing facilities used for fleet management; and
WHEREAS, this emergency ordinance provides a framework that introduces a new use classification for fleet-based services for autonomous vehicles, and objective 2 operational standards to mitigate impacts from this emerging land use, and a process for review and approval of such uses; and
WHEREAS, the emergency ordinance provides a limited discretionary review process for projects that cannot comply with the enumerated operational standards; and WHEREAS, this emergency ordinance is consistent with the City’s local authority to address land use and public safety impacts involving autonomous vehicle fleet operations; and
WHEREAS, several applications for high-intensity fleet maintenance operations for autonomous vehicles have necessitated the immediate need for the City to address these land use impacts; and
WHEREAS, adoption of this Emergency Interim Zoning Ordinance is necessary to preserve public peace, health, safety and welfare as it will allow the City to address land use impacts and public safety associated with fleet maintenance operations for autonomous vehicles.
NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 9.31.165, Light Fleet-Based Service for Autonomous Vehicles, is hereby added and shall read as follows:
9.31.165 Light Fleet-Based Service for Autonomous Vehicles A. Purpose and Applicability. The purpose of this Section is to set forth specific standards for Light Fleet-Based Service for Autonomous Vehicles, as defined by Section
9.51.020(D)(6.5), in order to mitigate impacts to public right-of-way, impacts on adjacent 3 residentially zoned property, and documented adverse impacts upon public health or safety.
B. Location. Light Fleet-Based Service for Autonomous Vehicles shall be permitted in the General Commercial (GC), Industrial Conservation (IC), and Transit Adjacent (TA) Zoning Districts, subject to ministerial approval or a Minor Use Permit as set forth in subsection (C), below.
C. Procedure.
1. Minor Use Permit Required. A Minor Use Permit shall be required in accordance with Chapter 9.41, unless the proposed use has received a Light-Fleet Based Service for Autonomous Vehicles Zoning Conformance Permit and complies with the operational conditions set forth in Section D. A Minor Use Permit application shall be submitted to the City in compliance with Chapter 9.41, except that the Minor Use Permit shall be reviewed based only on the following findings:
a. The proposed use is conditionally allowed within the applicable Zoning District.
b. The proposed use is consistent with the General Plan and any applicable specific plan.
c. The proposed use will not detrimentally affect nearby neighborhoods, considering the distance of the proposed use to residentially-zoned parcels and other existing light fleet-based services for autonomous vehicles.
2. Ministerial Approval. Applications for Light Fleet-Based Service for Autonomous Vehicles Zoning Conformance Permits meeting the requirements of Section D shall be reviewed and approved administratively in accordance with Section 9.37.160. 4 D. Light Fleet Based Service for Autonomous Vehicles Zoning Conformance Permit. Applicants for Light Fleet Based Service for Autonomous Vehicles shall be eligible for a Light Fleet Based Service for Autonomous Vehicle Zoning Conformance Permit if such permit is approved in writing by the Director and the applicant agrees in writing to comply with all of the following criteria and operational conditions:
1. Dispatch Coordination Plan
a. Prior to permit issuance, the applicant shall submit a Parking and Loading Operations Plan with a fleet dispatch coordination component that indicates when dispatching and vehicle arrivals will be slowed, held, or suspended for review and approval by the Mobility Division. The plan shall demonstrate how vehicle arrivals will be managed to prevent queuing in the public right-of-way. b. The plan shall coordinate dispatch timing with internal site circulation and shall include, at a minimum, procedures for managing arrival rates, monitoring site occupancy in real time, and preventing vehicle staging when the facility is at capacity.
c. Operation of the facility shall be conducted in accordance with the approved plan.
2. Prohibition on Off-site Queuing and Emergency Vehicle Access Clearance a. Queuing.
i. Fleet vehicles shall not queue, stage, or idle in the public rightof-way, including adjacent alleys, or nearby residential streets. ii. All queuing must be accommodated within the site. Vehicles shall circulate off-site if the facility is at capacity. 5 iii. If vehicles already en route to the site must delay or circulate in order to comply with the approved arrival-rate and occupancy management strategy, such circulation shall not occur within a half mile of the site.
b. Adjacent alleys.
i. Adjacent alleys shall not be used for routine vehicle staging or queuing and may only function as an emergency overflow relief (“safety valve”) to preserve required clearance and prevent obstruction of highervolume streets. ii. Any temporary use of the alley for this purpose shall maintain the required 11-foot clear path at all times and shall be actively managed by on-site personnel.
3. Minimum Clearance.
a. At all times, a minimum 11-foot clear width shall be maintained in all alleys and access ways consistent with all applicable provisions of the Santa Monica Municipal Code and fire access standards.
b. Vehicles shall not stage, queue, or idle in a manner that obstructs emergency vehicles or essential services on any adjacent public right-of-way.
4. Emergency Operations. Operations shall be conducted such that emergency access is continuously maintained without reliance on ad hoc vehicle repositioning or delayed manual intervention.
5. Limit to total vehicles served. The total number of vehicles on-site shall not exceed the number of available parking spaces on-site.
6 6. Minimum On-Site Staffing.
a. A minimum of two (2) trained on-site personnel shall be present during all hours of operation to actively manage vehicle circulation, coordinate fleet dispatch, prevent queuing in the public right-of-way, and ensure that required emergency access is maintained at all times. At least one staff member shall be assigned to monitor the site entrance and adjacent public right-of-way. b. On-site personnel shall be responsible for real-time coordination with the fleet operator or dispatch system to regulate vehicle arrivals so that vehicles are dispatched to the site only when sufficient on-site capacity is available.
Personnel shall monitor site occupancy, control arrival flow, direct vehicles to available spaces, and reposition vehicles as necessary to prevent obstruction of travel lanes, alleys, or emergency access routes.
c. Dispatching to the site shall be actively managed. It may be delayed, staggered, or suspended by the operator or on-site personnel as necessary to prevent queuing or circulation conflicts, or resolve queuing or circulation conflicts within five minutes.
d. At least one staff member shall be on-site during all hours of operation who is authorized and able to coordinate the removal, repositioning, remote movement, towing, or other clearance of any vehicle malfunction or other operational condition that blocks the public right-of-way or impedes on-site vehicle circulation. Site operations shall be actively monitored to identify such obstructions in real time, and clearance measures shall be initiated immediately and completed 7 as soon as practicable, and in no event later than five minutes after the obstruction occurs, without the need for City notification or a complaint.
7. Operational Monitoring and Reporting Requirements.
a. The operator shall cooperate with ongoing City monitoring of site operations.
b. If the City determines that operations are not in compliance with the standards in this ordinance, including but not limited to, queuing, right-of-way obstruction, emergency access interference, or other public health and safety impacts, the operator shall participate in coordination meetings with the City and upon request, submit updated operational plans to mitigate impacts. Such updated plans may include required modifications to operations, including adjustments to staffing, dispatch coordination, or circulation management. Operator shall promptly implement operational modifications to the satisfaction of the City.
8. Site Liaison Contact Required.
a. Applicant shall designate a neighborhood liaison who shall be the primary contact for neighbor and transportation-related concerns and complaints. b. If the operator receives any complaints about noise, light, glare, or traffic impacts, all reasonable efforts shall be taken to address and remediate the concerns in a timely manner.
9. Distance Requirement. No more than one Light Fleet-Based Services for Autonomous Vehicles use shall be permitted per block.
10. Special Standards for Sites within 100 feet of residentially zoned property. 8 a. Noise Control Measures. The following noise control measures shall apply to light-fleet based services as a land use when associated with autonomous vehicles and located within 100 feet of a residentially-zoned property at the time the application is determined to be complete.
i. Operations shall comply with all applicable City noise regulations, including SMMC Chapter 4.12 (Noise), and shall be conducted in a manner that minimizes noise impacts on surrounding properties. ii. Operators shall install a sound wall of at least 8 feet high on the perimeter property lines and in accordance with the provisions of Section 9.21.180.
iii. The circulation of the site shall be designed to reduce the need to backup vehicles.
iv. Overnight Noise Restrictions. Between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.:
(A) On parcels located within 100 feet of a residentiallyzoned property at the time the application for the operation is determined complete, no light fleet-based service operations for autonomous vehicles, as defined in Section 9.51.030(D)(6.5), shall be conducted, except that autonomous vehicles shall be permitted to enter and exit for purposes of vehicle charging only. (B) Operations shall comply with all applicable City noise regulations, including SMMC Chapter 4.12 (Noise), and regulations 9 for overnight business operations, and shall be conducted in a manner that minimizes noise impacts on surrounding properties. b. Lighting and Headlight Control
i. In accordance with Section 9.21.080, any on-site lighting shall be shielded in order to prevent light and glare impacts on nearby properties and uses.
ii. On-site lighting shall be oriented in a manner that faces away from all nearby residential uses.
iii. Between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., site lighting shall not exceed the standards set forth in Section 9.21.080(F).
E. Enforcement. If it is determined that the Light Fleet-Based Vehicle Service for Autonomous Vehicles has violated the use standards in this section, or any MUP issued in accordance with this Section, the City may pursue all available remedies including, but not limited to, those under Section 9.48.
SECTION 2. Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 9.51.030(D)(6.5), Light FleetBased Service for Autonomous Vehicles, is hereby added and shall read as follows:
9.51.030(D)(6.5) Light Fleet-Based Service for Autonomous Vehicles. Passenger transportation services, local delivery services, medical transport, and other businesses that rely on fleets of 3 or more autonomous vehicles, as defined by Vehicle Code Section 38750, with rated capacities less than 10,000 lbs. This classification includes the following activities for autonomous vehicles, including, but not limited to, dispatching, storage, fueling, cleaning, software servicing, vehicle maintenance and servicing, and offices for taxicab and limousine operations, ambulance services, nonemergency medical transport, 10 local messenger and document delivery services, home cleaning services, and similar businesses. This classification does not include towing operations (see Automobile/Vehicle Sales and Service, Towing and Impound), or taxi or delivery services with 2 or fewer fleet vehicles on site (see Business Services). This classification also does not include electric vehicle charging-only facilities. Facilities with electric vehicle charging are not exempt from this classification solely because electric vehicle charging occurs on site.
SECTION 3. Any provision of the Santa Monica Municipal Code or any appendix thereto inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance, to the extent of such inconsistencies and no further, is hereby repealed or modified to that extent necessary to effect the provisions of this Ordinance.
SECTION 4. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed this Ordinance and each and every section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase not declared invalid or unconstitutional without regard to whether any portion of the ordinance would be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION 5. This Ordinance is declared to be an emergency measure necessary for preserving the public peace, health, safety or welfare, adopted pursuant to the provisions of Section 615 of the Santa Monica City Charter. As set forth in the findings above and in the July 14, 2026, staff report, this Ordinance is necessary for preserving 11 the public peace, health, safety, and welfare. As an emergency measure, this Ordinance will be effective immediately upon adoption.
SECTION 6. The Mayor shall sign and the City Clerk shall attest to the passage of this Ordinance. The City Clerk shall cause the same to be published once in the official newspaper within 15 days after its adoption. This Ordinance shall become effective immediately upon adoption.
SECTION 7. This Ordinance shall be of no further force or effect as of September 12, 2026, unless it is otherwise extended pursuant to Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 9.46.090(C).
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_________________________
HEIDI VON TONGELN
City Attorney