Chapter 17.24 R-50 MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL ZONE REGULATIONS

17.24.010 Title, purpose, and applicability.

17.24.040 Required design review process.

17.24.050 Permitted activities.

17.24.060 Conditionally permitted activities.

17.24.070 Permitted facilities.

17.24.080 Conditionally permitted facilities.

17.24.090 Limitations on Signs.

17.24.100 Minimum lot area, width, and frontage.

17.24.110 Maximum residential density.

17.24.120 Use permit criteria for more than two dwelling units.

17.24.130 Maximum height.

17.24.140 Minimum yards and courts.

17.24.150 Maximum lot coverage for Residential Facilities with up to two dwelling units on a lot.

17.24.160 Minimum usable open space.

17.24.170 Buffering.

17.24.180 Special regulations for mini-lot and planned unit developments.

17.24.190 Other zoning provisions.

17.24.010 Title, purpose, and applicability.

The provisions of this chapter shall be known as the R-50 medium density residential zone regulations. The R-50 zone is intended to create, preserve, and enhance areas for apartment living at medium densities in desirable settings, and is typically appropriate to areas of existing medium density residential development. These regulations shall apply in the R-50 zone. (Prior planning code § 3650)

17.24.040 Required design review process.

Except for projects that are exempt from design review as set forth in Section 17.136.025, no Local Register Property, Residential Facility, Mixed Use Development, Telecommunications Facility, Sign, or other associated structure shall be constructed, established, or altered in exterior appearance, unless plans for the proposal have been approved pursuant to the design review procedure in Chapter 17.136, and when applicable, the Telecommunications regulations in Chapter 17.128, or the Sign regulations in Chapter 17.104. (Ord. 12776 § 3, Exh. A (part), 2006: Ord. 11904 § 5.60 (part), 1996: prior planning code § 3652.1)

17.24.050 Permitted activities.

The following activities, as described in the use classifications in Chapter 17.10, are permitted:
A. Residential Activities:
Permanent
Residential Care occupying a One-Family Dwelling Residential Facility
B. Civic Activities:
Essential Service
Limited Child-Care
Telecommunications
(Ord. 12138 § 5 (part), 1999; Ord. 11904 § 5.07 (part), 1996; prior planning code § 3653)

17.24.060 Conditionally permitted activities.

The following activities, as described in the use classifications in Chapter 17.10, may be permitted upon the granting of a conditional use permit pursuant to the conditional use permit procedure in Chapter 17.134:
A. Residential Activities:
Residential Care, except when occupying a One-Family Dwelling Residential Facility
Service-Enriched Permanent Housing
Transitional Housing
B. Civic Activities:
Community Assembly
Community Education
Nonassembly, Cultural
Administrative
Health Care
Utility and Vehicular
Extensive Impact
C. Agricultural and Extractive Activities:
Plant Nursery
Crop and Animal Raising
Mining and Quarrying
D. Off-street parking serving activities other than those listed above or in Section 17.24.050, subject to the conditions set forth in Section 17.102.100.
E. Additional activities which are permitted or conditionally permitted in an adjacent zone, on lots near the boundary thereof, subject to the conditions set forth in Section 17.102.110. (Ord. 12138 § 5 (part), 1999; prior planning code § 3654)

17.24.070 Permitted facilities.

The following facilities, as described in the use classifications in Chapter 17.10, are permitted:
A. Residential Facilities:
One-Family Dwelling
One-Family Dwelling with Secondary Unit, subject to the provisions specified in Section 17.102.360
Two-Family Dwelling
B. Nonresidential Facilities:
Enclosed
Open
C. Signs:
Residential
Special
Development
Realty
Civic
D. Telecommunications Facilities:
Micro, except as provided in Chapter 17.128
Mini, except as provided in Chapter 17.128
(Ord. 12501 § 35, 2003: Ord. 11904 § 5.09 (part), 1996; prior planning code § 3655)

17.24.080 Conditionally permitted facilities.

The following facilities, as described in the use classifications in Chapter 17.10, may be permitted upon the granting of a conditional use permit pursuant to the conditional use permit procedure in Chapter 17.134:
A. Residential Facilities:
Multifamily Dwelling
B. Signs:
Business
C. Telecommunications Facilities:
Micro, except as provided in Chapter 17.128 and Section 17.134.020(A) (23)
Mini, except as provided in Chapter 17.128 and Section 17.134.020(A) (23)
Macro
Monopole
(Ord. 12501 § 36, 2003: Ord. 12199 § 4F (part), 2000; Ord. 11904 § 5.10 (part), 1996; prior planning code § 3656)

17.24.090 Limitations on Signs.

All Signs shall be subject to the applicable limitations set forth in Section 17.104.010. (Prior planning code § 3663)

17.24.100 Minimum lot area, width, and frontage.

Every lot shall have a minimum lot area of four thousand (4,000) square feet and a minimum lot width of twenty-five (25) feet except as a lesser area or width is allowed by Section 17.106.010. Every lot shall have a minimum frontage of twenty-five (25) feet upon a street, except as this requirement is modified by Section 17.106.020. (Prior planning code § 3664)

17.24.110 Maximum residential density.

The maximum density of Residential Facilities shall be as set forth below. Also applicable are the provisions of Section 17.102.270 with respect to additional kitchens for a dwelling unit, and the provisions of Section 17.102.300 with respect to dwelling units with five or more bedrooms. No residential facility shall be permitted to have both an additional kitchen as provided for in Section 17.102.270B and a Secondary Unit.
A. Permitted Density. The numbers of dwelling units indicated in the following table are permitted on lots of the specified sizes:
Total Lot Area
Permitted Total Number of Dwelling Units
Less than 4,000 square feet, but only in the case of a lot which qualifies under Section 17.106.010 as an existing buildable parcel.
One primary dwelling unit, or one primary dwelling unit with one Secondary Unit, subject to the provisions specified in Section 17.102.360.
4,000 or more square feet.
Two dwelling units, or one primary dwelling unit with one Secondary Unit, subject to the provisions specified in Section 17.102.360.

B. Conditionally Permitted Density. On lots of the following sizes, the number of dwelling units allowed by subsection A of this section may be increased to not to exceed that indicated in the following table upon the granting of a conditional use permit pursuant to the conditional use permit procedure in Chapter 17.134:
Total Lot Area
Permitted Total Number of Dwelling Units
4,500--4,999 square feet.
Three dwelling units.
5,000--6,999 square feet.
Four dwelling units.
7,000--8,499 square feet.
Five dwelling units.
8,500--9,999 square feet.
Six dwelling units.
10,000 or more square feet.
One dwelling unit for each 1,500 square feet of total lot area, provided that an extra dwelling unit may be permitted if a remainder of 1,000 square feet or more is obtained after division of the total lot area by 1,500 square feet.

The number of living units may also be increased, as prescribed in Section 17.106.060, in certain special housing. (Ord. 12776 § 3, Exh. A (part), 2006: Ord. 12501 § 37, 2003: Ord. 12199 § 5D (part), 2000; prior planning code § 3665)

17.24.120 Use permit criteria for more than two dwelling units.

A conditional use permit for a Multifamily Dwelling Residential Facility or for more than two dwelling units on a lot may be granted only upon determination that the proposed development conforms to the general use permit criteria set forth in the conditional use permit procedure in Chapter 17.134 and to all of the following use permit criteria:
A. That the proposed development will not adversely affect adjoining property, nor the surrounding neighborhood, with consideration to be given to harmony in scale, bulk, coverage, and density; to the availability of neighborhood facilities and play space; to the effect of the development upon neighborhood character; to the generation of traffic and the capacity of surrounding streets; and to all other similar, relevant factors;
B. That the design and site planning of the buildings, open spaces, parking and service areas, and other facilities provide a convenient, attractive, and functional living environment; and that paths, stairways, accessways, and corridors are so designed and located as to ensure privacy;
C. That lot shape, size, and dimensions allow a development which will provide satisfactory internal living conditions without adversely affecting the privacy, safety, or residential amenity of adjacent residences. (Prior planning code § 3666)

17.24.130 Maximum height.

Except as otherwise provided in Section 17.108.020, Section 17.108.030, and Chapter 17.128, the maximum height of buildings and other facilities shall be thirty (30) feet.
Except as otherwise provided in Section 17.108.030, no accessory building shall exceed fifteen (15) feet in height unless a conditional use permit for a greater height is granted pursuant to the conditional use permit procedure in Chapter 17.134. See Section 17.12.080 for maximum height of Signs, and Section 17.108.130 for maximum height of facilities within minimum yards. (Ord. 12406 § 4 (part), 2002; Ord. 12376 § 3 (part), 2001: Ord. 11904 § 5.18, 1996: prior planning code § 3669)

17.24.140 Minimum yards and courts.

The following minimum yards and courts shall be provided unobstructed except for the accessory structures or the other facilities allowed therein by Section 17.108.130. See also Section 17.108.020 for greater yard requirements applying to certain facilities which exceed the general maximum height prescribed in Section 17.24.130.
A. Front Yard. The minimum front yard depth on every lot shall be fifteen (15) feet, except as a lesser depth is allowed by Section 17.108.050 on steep slopes and except that if adjacent lots abutting the side lot lines of the subject lot both contain principal Residential Facilities that have front yards with a depth of less than twenty (20) feet, buildings and other structures on the subject lot may be located up to a line parallel to the front lot line and extended from the most forward projection of the principal Residential Facility on the adjacent lots having the deeper front yard depth, provided such projection is enclosed, has a wall height of at least eight feet, and has a width of at least five feet. (See illustration I-4e.)
B. Side Yard--Street Side of Corner Lot. The minimum side yard width on the street side of every corner lot shall be as prescribed in Section 17.108.060.
C. Side Yard--Interior Lot Line.
1. The minimum side yard width along each interior side lot line of every lot shall be four feet.
2. A side yard with a width greater than that required by subsection (C)(1) of this section shall be provided, when and as prescribed in Section 17.108.080, opposite a living room window which faces an interior side lot line and which is located on a lot containing Residential Facilities with a total of two or more living units.
D. Rear Yard. The minimum rear yard depth on every lot shall be fifteen (15) feet, except as a lesser depth is allowed by Section 17.108.110.
E. Courts. On each lot containing Residential Facilities with a total of two or more living units, courts shall be provided when and as required by Section 17.108.120. (Prior planning code § 3670)

17.24.150 Maximum lot coverage for Residential Facilities with up to two dwelling units on a lot.

Except where the site area to be covered by the principal building or other principal facility exceeds a gradient of twenty (20) percent, the lot coverage for lots containing only Residential Facilities with up to two dwelling units shall not exceed fifty (50) percent or two thousand (2,000) square feet, whichever is greater. (Ord. 12376 § 3 (part), 2001)

17.24.160 Minimum usable open space.

On each lot containing Residential Facilities with a total of two or more living units, group usable open space shall be provided for such facilities in the minimum amount of two hundred (200) square feet per dwelling unit. Private usable open space may be substituted for such group space in the ratio prescribed in Section 17.126.020, except that actual group space shall be provided in the minimum amount of seventy-five (75) square feet per dwelling unit. All required space shall conform to the standards for required usable open space in Chapter 17.126. (Ord. 12376 § 3 (part), 2001: prior planning code § 3671)

17.24.170 Buffering.

All uses shall be subject to the applicable requirements of the buffering regulations in Chapter 17.110 with respect to screening or location of parking, loading, and storage areas; control of artificial illumination; and other matters specified therein. (Ord. 12376 § 3 (part), 2001: prior planning code § 3672)

17.24.180 Special regulations for mini-lot and planned unit developments.

A. Mini-Lot Developments. In mini-lot developments, certain of the regulations otherwise applying to individual lots in the R-50 zone may be waived or modified when and as prescribed in Section 17.102.320.
B. Planned Unit Developments. Large integrated developments shall be subject to the planned unit development regulations in Chapter 17.122 if they exceed the sizes specified therein. In developments which are approved pursuant to said regulations, certain uses may be permitted in addition to those otherwise allowed in the R-50 zone, and certain of the other regulations applying in said zone may be waived or modified. (Ord. 12376 § 3 (part), 2001: prior planning code § 3673)

17.24.190 Other zoning provisions.

A. Parking and Loading. Off-street parking and loading shall be provided as prescribed in the off-street parking and loading requirements in Chapter 17.116.
B. Home Occupations. Home occupations shall be subject to the applicable provisions of the home occupation regulations in Chapter 17.112.
C. Nonconforming Uses. Nonconforming uses and changes therein shall be subject to the nonconforming use regulations in Chapter 17.114.
D. General Provisions. The general exceptions and other regulations set forth in Chapter 17.102, 17.104, 17.106, and 17.108 shall apply in the R-50 zone.
E. Recycling Space Allocation Requirements. The regulations set forth in Chapter 17.118 shall apply in R-50 zone.
F. Landscaping and Screening Standards. The regulations set forth in Chapter 17.124 shall apply in the R-50 zone. (Ord. 12376 § 3 (part), 2001: amended during 1997 codification; Ord. 11807 § 3 (part), 1995; prior planning code § 3674)