5. LAND USE // 65
Community and natural resource land use
designations apply to agriculture, parks, and civic
uses that serve a diverse range of community needs.
Natural areas, such as the creeks, offer opportunities
for preservation and conservation. Public facilities
provide opportunities for social and community
interaction and the provision of public utilities and
services. Although land designated Agricultural is
intended primarily to be maintained in agricultural use, agricultural employee housing and limited singlefamily development is permitted. In addition, wineries and commercial facilities for the processing or retail
sale of agricultural products that are grown on the
premises may be permitted.
As shown in Table LU-1, the greatest percentage of
land in Yountville is designated for community and
natural resource areas, which is due in part to the
large size of the Veterans Home campus. The second
largest amount of land use is designated for residential use, encompassing nearly 22 percent of Yountville’s
land area. Commercial and mixed-use areas comprise
only 6 percent of Yountville’s land area. Figure LU-3
shows the Town’s land use designations.
Within each of the land use categories, specific land
use designations identify uses and the density and
intensity of development allowed in each designation.
Density is defined by the number of dwelling units
per gross acre, and intensity is defined by the ratio of building square footage to the land area.
Table LU-2 details the 134 land use designations
and describes the general land uses intended for
the category and applicable building density and/
or intensity. For residential uses, residential density is shown in dwelling units per gross acre. Maximum
residential density is calculated based on the gross
acreage and then rounded down to the nearest whole
number.
In addition to building density, State law requires the General Plan to include a statement of population
density for the various land use categories. Population density is determined by multiplying the average
household size, as determined by the latest decennial
U.S. Census, by the number of dwelling units in a land
use category. For example, the average household
size in Yountville was 1.85 persons in 2010. The
population density in the Single-Family Residential
category is therefore up to 13 persons per acre.
For non-residential designations, building intensity is defined by Floor Area Ratio (FAR), which is the ratio
between the amount of gross floor area and the gross
site area. For example, an FAR of 0.5 would allow
a one-story building over half of a site, or a twostory building over one quarter of a site. The Zoning Ordinance contains detailed descriptions of land uses
permitted in each designation, as well as development
standards that implement the General Plan.
The maximum densities and intensities identified in
Table LU-2 are an upper limit and are not guaranteed.
Maximum densities and intensities for zoning
districts may be established at a lower threshold
in the Town’s Zoning Code. Residential density
and building intensity on any site shall respond
to site resources and constraints, neighborhood
context, potentially hazardous conditions, sensitive
environmental conditions, traffic and access, adequacy
of infrastructure, and Town design policies.
66 // YOUNTVILLE GENERAL PLAN
Table LU-2
LAND USE DESIGNATIONS
LAND USE
DESIGNATION
RESIDENTIAL DENSITY AND BUILDING
INTENSITY DESCRIPTION1
RS Single-Family
Residential
Up to 7 dwelling units per gross acre. The Single-Family Residential land use designation is applied to areas suitable for detached single-family homes and related residential uses in low density settings. Other compatible uses may be permitted.
RM Mixed
Residential
8-10 dwelling units per gross acre; up to 25 units per
gross acre within an affordable housing overlay.
The Mixed Residential land use designation is intended to encourage development of a variety of housing and ownership types, including single-family and multifamily dwellings, and related residential uses.
Other compatible uses may be permitted.
MHP Manufactured
Home Park
Residential
Up to 8 dwelling units per gross acre. The Manufactured Home Park Residential land use designation is applied to areas appropriate for manufactured housing and related residential uses. Other compatible uses may be permitted.
MPR Master Planned
Residential
Maximum residential density as identified on the
approved master plan and based on the density of the
original district.
The Master Planned Residential land use designation is applied to residential areas developed with an approved master plan. Other compatible uses may be allowed.
PD Planned
Development
Maximum residential density and non-residential FAR
as identified on the approved master development plan
and is based on the density and FAR of the original land use designation.1
The Planned Development land use designation is applied to areas appropriate for mixed land uses in conjunction with affordable housing units in excess of what is provided in other residential districts. All uses permitted or conditionally permitted in the Zoning Code are included in this designation.
RSC ResidentialScaled
Commercial
Maximum permitted FAR is 0.25, with an additional 0.15
for residential and professional office uses.
The Residential-Scaled Commercial land use designation is applied to properties on the east side of Washington Street that are adjacent to residential neighborhoods. A variety of neighborhood retail, professional office, and service uses are allowed. Higher intensity retail and service uses may be permitted.
PC Primary
Commercial
Maximum permitted FAR is 0.25, with an additional
0.15 for residential and professional office uses. On
the west side of Washington Street between California
Drive and Humboldt Street, an additional 0.15 FAR may
be permitted for retail and service uses that increase
business diversity and other benefit to residents.
The Primary Commercial land use designation applies to properties on the west side of Washington Street and on the west side of Highway 29 and is primarily intended to reinforce Washington Street as the main commercial street in Yountville. Professional office uses are allowed.
Commercial uses and mixed commercial and residential uses may be permitted.
OTC Old Town
Commercial
Maximum permitted FAR shall be 0.25 FAR, with an
additional 0.15 for residential and professional office uses.
The Old Town Commercial designation is applied to specified properties on North Washington Street. It is intended to reflect Yountville’s commercial beginnings and to promote the preservation of the historic character of the area. Professional office uses are allowed. Retail, service, restaurant, lodging, and mixed residential and commercial uses may be permitted, with higher intensity uses directed to the west side of Washington and lower intensity uses directed to the east side of street.
RC Retained
Commercial
Existing FAR for the commercial uses existing at the
time of development of the district may be maintained:
0.42 for The French Laundry, 0.36 for Bordeaux House,
and 0.30 for Lavender Inn. A maximum FAR of 0.40 is
permitted for the expansion of existing commercial
uses on an existing commercial parcel or onto an
adjacent parcel within the Retained Commercial District, provided the expanded use is for a support function,
such as office and/or storage, or a residential use, such as an apartment.1
The Retained Commercial land use designation is intended to establish a transitional buffer between commercial uses in the Town’s commercial core and the residential uses of Old Town Historic District.
The purpose of the designation is to retain existing commercial uses and structures and encourage the commercial development of parcels with existing residential development. Existing restaurant and lodging uses are allowed. Other compatible uses may be permitted.
H Old Town
Historic
Up to 8 dwelling units per gross acre. The Old Town Historic land use designation is intended to maintain the area’s historical character and provide for predominately single-family houses and related residential uses on small lots. Other compatible uses may be permitted.
P Parks and
Playfields
Maximum FAR is 0.10. The Parks and Playfields land use designation is applied to areas dedicated to outdoor leisure and recreation.
PF Public Facilities Maximum FAR is 0.25. The Public Facilities land use designation is applied to areas appropriate for governmental, public utility, and public educational facilities. Other compatible uses may be permitted.
A Agricultural Up to 1 dwelling unit per 10 gross acres.
Maximum FAR is 0.05.
The Agricultural land use designation is applied to lands intended to be maintained in agricultural use. Additionally, commercial facilities for processing or retail sale of agricultural products that are grown on the premises may be permitted.
C Commons 8 dwelling units per acre minimum; 16 units per acre maximum.
Maximum FAR is 0.25.
The Commons land use designation is applied to lands intended predominately for civic and workforce housing uses and encompasses the Town Hall and former Yountville Elementary School sites. Other compatible uses may be permitted.
1. For detailed descriptions of permitted and conditional land uses allowed in each designation, refer to Title 17 of the Yountville Municipal Code.
Note: In addition to the land use districts identified in the table, the following overlay districts may be applied to any General Plan land use designation:
Creekside Overlay (C), Gateway Overlay (G), and Retail Overlay (RO). Also, a Senior Manufactured Home Park Overlay (MHP-S) may be applied to the Manufactured Home Park Residential land use designation.
Figure LU-3
LAND USE MAP
Legend
Town Limit
Sphere of Influence & Planning Area
Streams and Ditches
Single Family Residential
Mixed Residential
Mobile Home Park
Master Planned Residential
Planned Development
Residential Scaled Commercial
Primary Commercial
Old Town Commercial
Retained Commercial
Retail Overlay
Old Town Historic
Parks & Playfields
Public Facilities
Commons
Agricultural
5. LAND USE // 75
Goal LU-1: Manage growth and maintain
community character.
LU-1.1 Implementation of Land Use Map. Implement
the Land Use Map (Figure LU-3) by approving new
development and conservation projects consistent
with the adopted land use definitions, densities,
and intensities. Ensure consistency between the
General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, and other land use
regulations.
LU-1.1a: Land Use. Use the Zoning Ordinance to specify
uses allowed in each zoning district, consistent with Table LU-2.
LU-1.1b Density and Intensity of Development. Allow
development at any density or intensity within the range shown by the Land Use Map (Figure LU-3) and Land Use
Designations (Table LU-2) provided applicable objectives, policies, and programs of all chapters of the General Plan are met.
LU-1.1c Zoning Code Amendment. Amend the Zoning
Code to simplify and consolidate development standards
and design guidelines and to ensure consistency with
General Plan policies.
5.8 GOALS, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS
Goal LU-2: Preserve and enhance the
small-town character, scale, and pace of
life in Yountville and the Town’s connection
to its natural surroundings.
LU-2.1 Compatibility of Development. Require that
new development, remodels, and additions be of a
scale, intensity, and design that integrates with the
immediate neighborhood, the town as a whole, and
the natural surroundings.
LU-2.2 Variety of Buildings Heights and Sizes.
Encourage a variety of building heights and sizes in
new development.
LU-2.3 Setbacks. Provide building setbacks along
streets, pedestrian and bike paths, and easements for
proposed new development and additions.
LU-2.4 Building Massing. Require use of massing
techniques that mitigate heavy or bulky forms (such
as modulating building mass, partial upper stories,
setbacks for upper story volume, variety of roof forms), building placement that does not obstruct view
corridors, and building design that is compatible with
adjacent structures to ensure that new buildings do
not overwhelm their sites or their neighborhoods.
LU-2.5 Maximum Building Height. Permit twostory buildings, provided that additional stories may be allowed in accordance with Policy LU-2.6. All buildings shall adhere to the requirements for massing in Policy
LU-2.4.
LU-2.6 AllowanceConsideration of Limited Threestory Building Elements. The Town is open to consideration of limited three-story building elements
on the west side of Washington Street between
Mulberry and Humboldt Streets and on the west side
of Highway 29 between California Drive and Humboldt
Street
as shown in Figure LU-1. Three-story buildings will be
considered only if a significant portion of the
The Community + Quality of Life
chapter contains additional
policies and programs to increase
business diversity in Yountville and
ensure compatible residential and
commercial uses.
------------------------
76 // YOUNTVILLE GENERAL PLAN
project and its uses provide a community benefit
such as affordable housing and/or under-represented
businesses and services that provide an opportunity
for resident use. Such buildings shall not exceed
35 feet at the highest point, shall adhere to the
requirements for massing in Policy LU-2.4, shall
be stepped-back, located near the center of the
development, and avoid flat, vertical planes and
three-story development fronting Washington or
other streets or highways, and shall address parking
requirements and placement. Three-story elements
are discretionary and not a matter of right. Buildings
in the Commons land use designation may exceed these
height and story limits, provided the design and scale is compatible with the surrounding neighborhood.
LU-2.6a Design Standards Ordinance Amendment.
Develop an incentive-based program that offers a
third-story bonus on the west side of Washington Street between Humboldt and Mulberry Streets and, on the
west side of Highway 29, between Humboldt Street and
California Drive in the area shown in Figure LU-1 on the condition that the project and its uses will provide a
community benefit such as affordable housing, underrepresented retail, stand-alone office, or services.
LU-2.7 Courtyard Design. For commercial and
multifamily development, encourage multiple, smaller
buildings that combine to form courtyard-like spaces.
LU-2.8 Pop-Up Retail. Consider encouraging
temporary pop-up retail uses in temporary structures
in commercial and public facilities zoning districts.
LU-2.8a Pop-Up Retail Standards. Amend the Temporary
Structures Ordinance to include standards for popup retail, addressing such issues as the design of the structure and allowable uses.
LU-2.9 Rural Street Design. Within the Old Town
Historic district, maintain street designs that are rural in nature, provided such an approach will not result in local drainage, erosion or sedimentation problems.
“Rural in nature” means narrow streets with aggregate
shoulders, street trees, and street lights but no
concrete gutter or sidewalk. Designs shall incorporate
the aesthetic of the Old Town Historic district.
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