A. Zoning districts are established in order to classify, regulate, restrict and segregate the uses of land and buildings; to regulate and restrict the height and bulk of buildings; to regulate the area of yards and other open spaces about buildings; and to regulate the density of population, classes of land use zoning districts are established.
B. The city is divided into zoning districts that are generally grouped into two (2) categories: A) base zoning districts, and B) special purpose zoning districts. These districts conform to and implement the city's general plan land use categories as described in Table 17.18.020-1. Subsequent chapters in this article identify allowed uses and requirements for planning entitlements, as well as development standards unique to each zoning district.
1. Base Zoning Districts. The base zoning district is the primary zoning district that applies to a property. Every parcel located outside of the specific plan area throughout the city has a base zoning district that establishes the primary type and intensity of land use for the parcel, along with development regulations for that particular type and intensity of land use for the parcel, along with development regulations for that particular type and intensity of land use. Base districts are grouped into five (5) categories as follows:
a. Residential zoning districts.
b. Rural zoning districts.
c. Commercial zoning districts.
d. Mixed use zoning districts.
e. Public, quasi-public, and recreational zoning districts.
2. Special purpose zoning districts. The special purpose zoning district either functions as the base zoning district or supplements the base zoning district and requires special project entitlement, which allows for flexibility from traditional development standards. There are two (2) special purpose zoning districts:
a. Specific plan zoning districts that require submittal for a specific plan document for proposed development that will replace the city's zoning regulations for the subject parcel(s). This designation is typically applied to larger land areas that warrant master planning.
b. Planned development zoning districts are limited to property zoned PD-Planned Development as of the effective date this title.
C. In the event of a conflict between the regulations of the base zoning district and the special purpose zoning district, the provisions of the special purpose zoning district shall apply.
Zoning District Symbol | Zoning District Name/Description | General Plan Land Use Designation Implemented by Zoning District |
Residential Zoning Districts | ||
LDR | Low Density Residential Zoning District. This zoning district provides for larger lot single-family dwellings and includes sites located adjacent to open space areas or near environmental resources where a development transition from suburban to rural land use is desirable. | Low Density Residential |
Zoning District Symbol | Zoning District Name/Description | General Plan Land Use Designation Implemented by Zoning District |
R-1 | Suburban Residential Zoning District. This zoning district provides for single-family development that is typical of most residential areas of the city. This is the single largest residential category. | Suburban Residential |
R-2 | Medium Density Zoning District. This zoning district provides for detached or attached dwellings, townhomes, and apartments with on-site usable open space. Dwellings in this district are typically two (2) or three (3) stories | Medium Density Residential |
R-3 | High Density Zoning District. This zoning district provides for higher-density multi-family units, townhomes, and apartments usually located near transit corridors or arterial roadways and in close proximity to commercial services. Dwellings in this zoning district are typically two (2) and three (3) stories. | High Density Residential |
R-4 | Very High Density Zoning District. This zoning district provides for multi-family units at the highest residential densities allowed, including townhomes, condominiums, and apartment complexes found along arterial roadways, near transit and/or commercial services. Dwellings in this zoning district are typically three (3) or more stories. | Very High Density Residential |
Rural Zoning District | ||
R | Rural Zoning District. This zoning district includes sites characterized by steep slopes, which have geologic constraints, visual significance in the community, sensitive environmental resources, or which have been identified as having limited development potential due to service delivery constraints. | Rural |
Commercial Zoning District | ||
RC | Regional Commercial Zoning District. This zoning district provides for large regional commercial shopping center area along Interstate 80. This designation would apply to areas along Interstate 80 that are not within the Corridor Specific Plan Area. | Regional Commercial |
Zoning District Symbol | Zoning District Name/Description | General Plan Land Use Designation Implemented by Zoning District |
Mixed Use Zoning Districts | ||
RMU | Residential Mixed Use Zoning District. The predominant use of this zoning district is residential. It also encourages the vertical and/or horizontal integration of commercial and/or office uses that are compatible with the residential development. This zoning district does not preclude development that is solely residential, but rather encourages a mix of uses. | RMU |
CMU | Commercial Mixed Use Zoning District. The predominant use of this zoning district is commercial. This category is designed to provide for the integration of retail and service commercial uses with office and/or residential uses. | CMU |
OPMU | Office Professional Mixed Use Zoning District. The predominant use of this zoning district is office, but commercial uses may be integrated into office buildings or located horizontally in freestanding buildings. | OPMU |
OIMU | Office Industrial Mixed Use Zoning District. This zoning district allows a wide range of office and light industrial development as well as emergency housing. It is intended for office and light industrial uses with supporting retail and service uses. Retail must be ancillary to the principal industrial activity of the property. | OIMU |
Public, Quasi Public, and Recreational Zoning Districts | ||
SPBCD | San Pablo Bay Conservation District. This zoning district is reserved for the portion of the Pinole Planning Area that extends into San Pablo Bay and the land immediately adjacent to San Pablo Bay. This is primarily an open space designation with a few other possible uses such as for expansion of the Pinole-Hercules Water Pollution Control Plant; railroad corridors; passenger rail stations, recreation facilities such as the Bay Trail; or flood protection improvements. In addition, very limited commercial development which is directly related to, and enhances the public use of, the waterfront may also be allowed. | San Pablo Bay Conservation Area |
Zoning District Symbol | Zoning District Name/Description | General Plan Land Use Designation Implemented by Zoning District |
PQI | Public/Quasi-Public/Institutional Zoning District. This zoning district provides for uses which are primarily public-serving in nature, including City and other government offices public school facilities, publicly owned recreation facilities, and fire and police facilities. This district also allows for quasi-public and institutional uses such as places of worship. | Public Facilities |
PR | Parks and Recreation Zoning District. This zoning district includes public parks, City-owned or East Bay Regional Park District owned conservation lands, and private open space or recreation facilities for active sport use. | Parks and Recreation |
OS | Open Space Zoning District. This zoning district includes undeveloped lands which are vacant of structures and improvements and which are primarily maintained in their natural condition and designated as open space. | Open Space |
Special Purpose Zoning Districts | ||
SP | Specific Plan Zoning District. This zoning district designates areas for master planning with unique zoning and design standards through adoption of a Specific Plan to govern development of land with in the plan area. | All |
PD | Planned Development Zoning District. This zoning district recognizes Planned Development zoning adopted prior to the effective date of the 2010 comprehensive Zoning Code update. | All |
(Ord. 2010-02 § 1 (part), 2010)