As required by Sec. 8-2.227 in Article 2 of this chapter, a Use Classification System has been employed to identify residential Use Types. The residential Use Types include the full range of housing described above, as well as other less traditional residential uses such as group care homes, group or co-housing, shelters, and farm labor housing. The descriptions of the Use Types in this chapter also identify specific activities that are allowed within housing units, or on residentially zoned parcels, such as child care, home occupations, limited retail and service activities, accessory structures, and keeping of animals. These typical Use Types are examples and are not meant to include all uses that may properly be classified within each Use Type.
(a) Single Family Detached and Duplexes. This Use Type includes housing that consists of detached single and second dwelling units, duplexes (two attached units), and accessory dwelling units. Manufactured or modular homes are also included in this Use Type. Single family homes may be found in all the residential zones, and new detached and attached housing is allowed in all zones except for the R-H zone, which is reserved for more dense housing types. Single family homes may be served by either on-site private services (well and septic) or public services.
(b) Small Multifamily Residences (3-4 attached units). This Use Type includes small attached multi-family housing structures such as "triplexes" (three attached units), and "four-plexes" (four attached units). Small multi-family housing is allowed in R-M and R-H zones. Small multifamily residences are allowed within the R-L zone with a Site Plan Review. Attached homes are generally served by public water and sewer.
(c) Large Multifamily Residences (5+ attached units). This Use Type covers a wide variety of housing products with five or more attached dwelling units including larger apartment complexes, condominiums, townhouses, "garden" apartments, and other forms of housing that share common walls and common open spaces. The Use Type includes both rental housing units as well as for sale units. This Use Type does not include group or temporary living situations (rooming, boarding or lodging houses; fraternities; co-housing; motels/ hotels; farm labor housing; or shelters). Large multifamily residences are allowed in the R- M and R-H zones and permitted in the R-L zone with a Site Plan Review. This Use Type may not be served by on-site private services (well and septic) and must be connected with public services.
(d) Group Homes or Co-Housing. This Use Type includes non-traditional housing arrangements such as “co-housing,” which are larger groups of unrelated people who choose to live within an existing or new multi-family housing project with large common areas for eating and recreating communally. This Use Type does not include room-mates sharing a house or a traditional apartment, and does not include group care homes. This Use Type is allowed within all residential zones, with the requirement that adequate land must be available for on-site services, e.g., leachfields, to accommodate the number of residents, if the project is not connected to public services.
(e) Farm Labor Housing. This Use Type includes multi-family housing specifically used by farm workers. This Use Type is regulated and licensed through the State of California when the structure or structures include twenty units or twenty employees, or more. Farm labor housing is allowed within all residential zones with the requirement that adequate land must be available for on-site services, e.g., leachfields, to accommodate the number of residents, if the project is not connected to public services.
(f) Shelters. Shelters are temporary or transitional housing provided for homeless families, temporarily displaced individuals, and domestic violence victims. Shelters are allowed within all commercial and industrial zones with the requirement that adequate land must be available for on-site services, e.g., leachfields, to accommodate the number of residents, if the project is not connected to public services.
(g) Home Occupation/Home Care. This Use Type includes home occupations, group or home care, and child care. Home occupations such as bookkeeping or Internet sales are regulated through a business license and home occupation permit. These home-based activities must have no employees on-site other than the owner and family members, or permanent residents, and must create no traffic or parking in the neighborhood.
Group or home care is multi-family living for the main purpose of providing limited on-site medical and/or assisted home care for elderly or disabled persons, including small to medium-sized convalescent and group care homes. It does not include large convalescent complexes or hospitals. This use is regulated and licensed through the State of California. Child care is also licensed through the State of California. State law requires that local agencies allow small group homes and small child care facilities in all residential zones “by right.” Larger group care and child care, including child care centers, are allowed within most of the agricultural and residential zones, with the requirement that adequate land must be available for on-site services, e.g., leachfields, to accommodate the number of residents, if the project is not connected to public services.
(h) Mixed Residential Commercial. This broad Use Type includes several quasi-commercial activities that are related to agri-tourism and small local-serving retail and services. This Use Type is allowed as an “ancillary” use, which is subordinate to the main residential use of the property or zone. Agri-tourism uses such as small bed and breakfasts/farm stays, small special event facilities, and small wineries/olive mills are described in Sec. 8-2.303, Article 3 of this chapter. All of these small agri-tourism uses are allowed in the RR-5 zone, and some uses are allowed in the RR-2 zone.
This Use Type also includes mixed residential/commercial uses that are not directly related to agri-tourism. The 2030 Countywide General Plan recognizes and encourages the integration of some limited small retail, office, and service structures and activities within residentially zoned neighborhoods and projects, in areas that are already connected to public services. These non-residential uses are limited to businesses that are compatible with, and provide services to, the local neighborhood and town, and do not cause unacceptable impacts, such as traffic, parking, and noise, to the nearby residents. The commercial use must be subordinate to the main residential use.
The commercial/residential Use Type includes small grocery and retail stores; small offices which may house accountants, attorneys, real estate firms, and medical/dental services; and small service businesses such as hair dressers, dry cleaning and laundromats. Size restrictions apply to these uses. These limited commercial/residential uses are allowed within all residential zones, except for the RR-5 and RR-2 zones, which are connected with public services. The Use Type does not include live-work (other than home occupation), restaurants, bars, and retail stores that are more appropriately located in a commercial or downtown district.
(i) Animal Keeping. This Use Type includes some of the animal keeping activities that are described in Sec. 8-2.303, Article 3 of this chapter. Keeping of small domestic pets is allowed in all residential zones. Large domestic animals may be kept in the RR-5, RR-2, and R-L zones, with their numbers regulated by how much acreage is available. Roosters and other wild animals are allowed only in the RR-5 zone. Domestic fowl may be kept on parcels less than ten thousand (10,000) square feet in the R-L and R-M Zones with special restrictions.
(j) Agricultural Uses. This Use Type includes many of the agricultural activities that are described in Sec. 8-2.303, Article 3 of this chapter. A range of agricultural uses is allowed in the RR-5, RR-2, and R-L zones. In the Rural Residential zones, residents are allowed to plant and grow crops, pasture animals, and engage in other forms of permanent agriculture, including limited agricultural processing. In the R-L zone, agriculture may be practiced on larger lots that are planned for future residential growth, but may not be developed for some years.
(Ord. 1445, eff. August 14, 2014; as amended by § 6, Ord. 1466, eff. March 24, 2016; as amended by § 2, Ord. 1497, eff. June 7, 2018; as amended by § 3, Ord. 1522, eff. August 6, 2020; as amended by § 3, Ord. 1547, eff. March 10, 2022)