The purposes of the "Oceanfront" District are to:
A.
Maintain
and enhance the beach area as an important visitor-serving destination
with lodging, restaurants, shopping, and recreation that support it
as a regional, national, and international tourist destination.
B.
Preserve
the unique scale, character, and uses along the Ocean Front Walk and
on the Santa Monica Pier.
C.
Protect
the existing residential mix in the area while providing for coastal-related,
lodging, dining, recreation, and shopping needs of tourists and others
in the oceanfront area. Conditionally permit other uses such as office,
new residential, and cultural uses.
D.
Avoid
the deleterious effects of uncontrolled growth and preserve the unique
and diverse character of the Santa Monica oceanfront by limiting the
proliferation of excessive hotel, motel, and large restaurant development
in the oceanfront area.
(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§
1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015)
Table 9.14.020 prescribes the land use regulations for the Oceanfront
District. The regulations for each district are established by letter
designations listed below. These designations apply strictly to the
permissibility of land uses; applications for buildings or structures
may require discretionary review.
"P" designates permitted uses.
"L(#)" designates limited uses, which are permitted by right,
provided they comply with specific limitations listed at the end of
the table.
"CUP" designates use classifications that are permitted after
review and approval of a Conditional Use Permit.
"MUP" designates use classifications that are permitted after
review and approval of a Minor Use Permit.
"–" designates uses that are not permitted.
Land uses are defined in Chapter 9.51, Use Classifications. Use classifications and sub-classifications not listed in the table are prohibited. Accessory uses are permissible when they are determined by the Zoning Administrator to be necessary and customarily associated with and appropriate, incidental, and subordinate to, the principal uses and which are consistent and not more disturbing or disruptive than permitted uses. The table also notes additional use regulations that apply to various uses. Section numbers in the right-hand column refer to other Sections of this Ordinance.
|
TABLE 9.14.020: LAND USE REGULATIONS—OCEANFRONT DISTRICT
| ||
|---|---|---|
|
Use Classification
|
OF
|
Additional Regulations
|
|
Residential Uses
| ||
|
Residential Housing Types
|
See sub-classifications below.
| |
|
Single-Unit Dwelling
|
P
|
|
|
Accessory Dwelling Unit
|
P
|
Section 9.31.025, Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units
|
|
Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit
|
P
|
Section 9.31.025, Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units
|
|
Duplex
|
P
|
|
|
Multiple-Unit Dwelling
|
P
|
Section 9.31.195, Multiple-Unit Dwelling Projects
|
|
Senior Citizen Multiple-Unit Residential
|
P
|
Section 9.31.195, Multiple-Unit Dwelling Projects
|
|
Single-Room Occupancy Housing
|
P
|
Section 9.31.330, Single Room Occupancy Structures
|
|
Group Residential
|
MUP
|
|
|
Congregate Housing
|
P
|
Section 9.31.110, Congregate and Transitional Housing
|
|
Senior Group Residential
|
P
|
Section 9.31.310, Senior Group Residential
|
|
Elderly and Long-Term Care
|
P
|
|
|
Emergency Shelters
|
CUP
|
Section 9.31.130, Emergency Shelters
|
|
Family Day Care
|
See sub-classifications below.
| |
|
Large
|
P
|
Section 9.31.140, Family Day Care, Large
|
|
Small
|
P
|
|
|
Residential Facilities
|
See sub-classifications below.
| |
|
Residential Care, General
|
P
|
Section 9.31.270, Residential Care Facilities
|
|
Residential Care, Limited
|
P
|
Section 9.31.270, Residential Care Facilities
|
|
Residential Care, Senior
|
P
|
Section 9.31.270, Residential Care Facilities
|
|
Supportive Housing
|
P
|
|
|
Transitional Housing
|
P
|
Section 9.31.110, Congregate and Transitional Housing
|
|
Public and Semi-Public Uses
| ||
|
Adult Day Care
|
CUP
|
|
|
Child Care and Early Education Facilities
|
CUP
|
Section 9.31.120, Child Care and Early Education Facilities
|
|
Cultural Facilities
|
CUP
|
|
|
Park and Recreations Facilities, Public
|
P
|
|
|
Schools
|
P
|
|
|
Commercial Uses
| ||
|
Automobile/Vehicle Sales and Service
|
See sub-classifications below.
| |
|
Automobile Rental
|
MUP
|
Section 9.31.050, Automobile Rental
|
|
Commercial, Entertainment, and Recreation
|
See sub-classifications below.
| |
|
Theaters
|
L(1)
|
|
|
Convention and Conference Centers
|
P
|
|
|
Small-Scale Facility
|
P
|
Section 9.31.340, Small-Scale Facility, Game Arcades
|
|
Large-Scale Facility
|
L(2)/CUP
|
|
|
Eating and Drinking Establishments
|
See sub-classifications below.
| |
|
Bars/Nightclubs/Lounges
|
L(3)/CUP
|
Section 9.31.040, Alcoholic Beverage Sales
|
|
Restaurants, Full-Service including Outdoor
Dining and Seating
|
P
|
Section 9.31.040, Alcoholic Beverage Sales
Section 9.31.280, Restaurants, Limited Service and Take-Out Only
Section 9.31.290, Restaurants With Entertainment
Section 9.31.200, Outdoor Dining and Seating on Sidewalks
Chapter 9.20, Beach Overlay District
|
|
Restaurants, Limited Service and Take-Out
Only including Outdoor Dining and Seating
|
P
|
Section 9.21.040, Alcoholic Beverage Sales
Section 9.31.280, Restaurants, Limited-Service and Take Out Only
Section 9.31.290, Restaurants With Entertainment
Section 9.31.200, Outdoor Dining and Seating on Sidewalks
Chapter 9.20, Beach Overlay District
|
|
Food Hall (up to 175 seats)
|
CUP
|
|
|
Food and Beverage Sales
|
See sub-classifications below.
| |
|
Convenience Markets
|
P
|
Section 9.31.040, Alcoholic Beverage Sales
|
|
Farmers Markets
|
MUP
|
|
|
General Markets
|
L(4)
|
Section 9.31.040, Alcoholic Beverage Sales
|
|
Liquor Stores
|
CUP
|
Section 9.31.040, Alcoholic Beverage Sales
|
|
Lodging
|
See sub-classifications below.
| |
|
Bed and Breakfast
|
CUP
|
Within Designated Landmarks only.
Section 9.31.090, Bed and Breakfasts
|
|
Offices
|
See sub-classifications below.
| |
|
Business and Professional
|
L(5)/CUP
|
|
|
Creative
|
L(5)/CUP
|
|
|
Walk-In Clientele
|
L(5)/CUP
|
|
|
Parking, Public or Private
|
CUP
|
|
|
General Personal Services
|
MUP
|
|
|
Retail Sales
|
See sub-classifications below.
| |
|
General Retail Sales, Small-Scale
|
P
|
Section 9.31.220, Outdoor Retail Display and Sales
|
|
Transportation, Communication, and Utilities Uses
| ||
|
City Bikeshare Facility
|
P
|
|
|
Specific Limitations:
| |
|
(1)
|
Limited to theaters for live performances.
|
|
(2)
|
Existing large-scale commercial, entertainment, and recreation
facilities existing as of the date of this Ordinance are permitted.
Any new large-scale commercial, entertainment, and recreation facilities
require approval of a Conditional Use Permit.
|
|
(3)
|
Bars, nightclubs, and lounges are only permitted on the Pier,
on Oceanfront Walk, and within hotels.
|
|
(4)
|
Limited to establishments with no more than 2,500 sq. ft. of
floor area.
|
|
(5)
|
Office uses on the ground floor street frontage may not exceed
25% of the parcel width or 1,000 sq. ft, whichever is less.
|
(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§
1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015; amended
by Ord. No. 2536CCS § 20, adopted February 28, 2017; Ord. No. 2606CCS § 7, adopted April 9, 2019; Ord. No. 2649CCS § 18, adopted September 8, 2020; Ord. No. 2726CCS § 7, adopted October 25, 2022; Ord. No. 2742CCS § 2, adopted April 11, 2023)
Table 9.14.030 prescribes the development standards for the
Oceanfront District. Additional regulations are denoted with Section
numbers in the right-hand column or with individual letters in parentheses.
Section numbers refer to other Sections of this Article, while individual
letters in parentheses refer to subsections that directly follow the
table.
|
TABLE 9.14.030: DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS—OCEANFRONT DISTRICT
| ||
|---|---|---|
|
Standard
|
OF
|
Additional Regulations
|
|
Parcel and Density Standards
| ||
|
Minimum Parcel Size (sq. ft.)
|
5,000
|
|
|
Minimum Parcel Width (ft.)
|
50
|
|
|
Minimum Parcel Depth (ft.)
|
100
|
|
|
Maximum Allowable Density; Parcels along the Pacific Coast Highway
between the Santa Monica Pier and the north City limits
|
Parcels 4,000 sq. ft. or more: 1 unit per 1,500 sq. ft. of parcel
area
Parcels less than 4,000 sq. ft.: 1 unit per parcel
|
No more than 1 dwelling unit shall be permitted on a parcel
40 ft. or less in width
|
|
Maximum FAR
|
Section 9.04.080, Determining FAR
| |
|
Tier 1 — Base Standard
|
1.5; 0.5 for parcels located along the Pacific Coast Highway
between the Santa Monica Pier and the north City limits
|
|
|
Tier 2 — With Provision of Community
Benefits
|
2.0
|
Chapter 9.23, Community Benefits
|
|
100% Affordable Housing Projects
|
2.25
|
Chapter 9.64, Affordable Housing Production Program
|
|
Santa Monica Pier Maximum FAR
| ||
|
The Deauville site to the north, Seaside
Terrace to the south, The Ocean Front Walk to the west, and Ocean
Avenue to the east, except parcels fronting on Ocean Avenue
|
1.0
|
|
|
Parcels fronting on Ocean Avenue
|
0.5
|
|
|
Maximum Parcel Coverage (%)
|
70; 50 on parcels along the Pacific Coast Highway between the
Santa Monica Pier and the north City limits
|
|
|
Building Form and Location
| ||
|
Maximum Building Height (stories/ft.)
|
One story for newly constructed stand-alone restaurants except
for the Santa Monica Pier
|
Section 9.04.050 Measuring Height
|
|
Tier 1 — Base Standard
|
2/32′; 2/23′ (flat roof) or 2/30′ (pitched roof) for parcels
located along the Pacific Coast Highway between the Santa Monica Pier
and the north City limits
|
|
|
Tier 1 — Projects Including On-Site
Affordable Housing in Compliance with AHPP
|
3/36′
|
Chapter 9.64, Affordable Housing Production Program
|
|
100% Affordable Housing Projects
|
No limit to number of stories/47′
|
Chapter 9.64, Affordable Housing Production Program
|
|
Tier 2 — With Provision of Community
Benefits
|
3/47′
|
Chapter 9.23, Community Benefits
|
|
Tier 2 — With Provision of Community
Benefits and 100% Residential Above the Ground Floor
|
No limit to stories/47′
|
Chapter 9.23, Community Benefits
|
|
Santa Monica Pier Maximum Building Height (stories/ft.)
|
Section 9.04.050, Measuring Height
| |
|
The Deauville site to the north, Seaside
Terrace to the south, The Promenade to the west, and Ocean Avenue
to the east, including parcels fronting on Ocean Avenue
|
2/30′
|
|
|
Amusement Rides on the Santa Monica Pier
|
85 ft. for one Ferris wheel; 55 ft. for one roller coaster;
45 ft. for all other amusement rides
|
|
|
Street-Facing Façades (ft.)
|
|
|
|
Minimum Ground Floor Height for Nonresidential
Uses
|
11
|
|
|
Pedestrian Oriented Design
|
See (A)
| |
|
Exterior Lighting
|
See (C)
| |
|
Minimum Setbacks (ft., measured from parcel line)
| ||
|
Street Frontage
|
5 ft. from street fronting parcel line except for 20 ft. on
Pacific Coast Highway between northern City limits and Santa Monica
Pier. See (B)
|
|
|
Rear
|
15 ft. if adjacent to a residential use; 25 ft. for beach rear
setback on parcels over 100 ft. in depth located along the Pacific
Coast Highway between the Santa Monica Pier and the north City limits
|
|
|
Side
|
If adjacent to a residential use, see (D); for parcels located
along the Pacific Coast Highway between the Santa Monica Pier and
the north City limits, see (D)
|
|
|
Minimum Upper-Story Stepbacks (ft.) — Required Above Maximum
Ground Floor Height
| ||
|
Street-Facing Façades
|
At least 30% of the building elevation above the maximum ground
floor height shall provide an additional 5-foot average setback from
the minimum required front yard setback
|
|
|
Daylight Plane Adjacent to Residential Use — Interior
Side and Rear Setbacks
|
See (E)
|
Section 9.21.070, Height Exceptions
|
|
View Corridors
|
See (F)
|
|
|
Standards for Residential Uses
| ||
|
Minimum Outdoor Living Area (sq. ft./unit) — Sites with
3 or More Units
|
100
|
Section 9.21.090, Outdoor Living Area
|
|
Minimum Amount Provided as Private Outdoor
Living Area (sq. ft./unit)
|
60
|
|
|
Additional Standards
| ||
|
Accessory Dwelling Units
|
Section 9.31.025, Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units
| |
|
Accessory Food Service
|
Section 9.31.030, Accessory Food Service
| |
|
Accessory Structures
|
Section 9.21.020, Accessory Buildings and Structures
| |
|
Affordable Housing Production Program
|
Chapter 9.64, Affordable Housing Production Program
| |
|
Density Bonus
|
Chapter 9.22, Density Bonus
| |
|
Exceptions to Height Limits
|
Section 9.21.060, Height Exceptions
| |
|
Fences and Walls
|
Section 9.21.050, Fences, Walls, and Hedges
| |
|
Home Occupation
|
Section 9.31.160, Home Occupation
| |
|
Junior Accessory Dwelling Units
|
Section 9.31.025, Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units
| |
|
Landscaping
|
Subsection 9.14.030(H), Landscaping; Chapter 9.26, Landscaping
| |
|
Lighting
|
Section 9.21.080, Lighting
| |
|
Multiple-Unit Dwelling Projects
|
Section 9.31.195, Multiple-Unit Dwelling Projects
| |
|
Multiple-Unit Dwelling Projects Located on Community Assembly
Surface Parking Lots
|
Section 9.31.196, Multiple-Unit Dwelling Projects Located on Community Assembly Surface Parking Lots
| |
|
Off-Street Parking and Loading
|
Chapter 9.28, Parking, Loading, and Circulation
| |
|
Projections into Required Setbacks
|
Section 9.21.110, Projections into Required Setbacks
| |
|
Refuse and Recycling Screening and Enclosure
|
Section 9.21.130, Resource Recovery and Recycling Standards
| |
|
Signs
|
Chapter 9.61, Signs
| |
|
Screening
|
Section 9.21.140, Screening
| |
|
Solar Energy Systems
|
Section 9.21.150, Solar Energy Systems
| |
A.
Pedestrian-Oriented Design. New development shall incorporate
the following design elements into the street-facing façades
at the ground floor level:
1.
Articulated
façades at the ground floor street frontage, which may include,
but not necessarily require, such measures as indentation in plane,
change of materials in a complementary manner, sensitive composition
and juxtaposition of openings and solid wall and/or building frame
and projecting elements such as awnings and marquees to provide shade
and shelter.
2.
Ground-Floor Street Frontages. The finished
ground floor level shall not exceed 18 inches lower or higher than
the finished grade of the adjacent sidewalk.
3.
Sloped Ground-Floor Street Frontages. On
parcels with a grade change of 10% or more along the length of the
parcel line adjacent to a street frontage, the finished ground floor
level shall not exceed 18 inches lower or 3 feet higher than the finished
grade of the adjacent sidewalk.
4.
Alternatives to the requirements of this subsection (A) may be approved if the Review Authority finds that the proposed use has unique operational characteristics with which providing the required windows and openings is incompatible, and street-facing building walls will exhibit architectural relief and detail and be enhanced with landscaping in such a way as to create visual interest at the pedestrian level.
B.
Build-To Line, Nonresidential Uses. Except on Pacific Coast
Highway between northern City limits and Santa Monica Pier, buildings
with nonresidential uses on the ground floor shall be constructed
no farther than 10 feet from the street facing parcel line(s) for
70% of linear street frontage. This requirement may be waived or modified
subject to a discretionary approval upon finding that:
1.
Entry
courtyards, plazas, entries, outdoor eating and display areas, or
other uncovered areas designed and accessible for public use are located
between the build-to line and building, provided that the buildings
are built to the edge of the courtyard, plaza, or dining area; and
2.
The
building incorporates an alternative entrance design that creates
a welcoming entry feature facing the street.
C.
Exterior Lighting. Exterior lighting should provide for a
secure nighttime pedestrian environment by reinforcing entrances,
public sidewalks and open areas with a safe level of illumination
which avoids off-site glare.
D.
Side Setback. The side setback shall be determined in accordance
with the following formula, except for parcels of less than 50 feet
in width for which the side setback shall be 10% of the parcel width
but not less than 4 feet:
|
5' +
|
(stories x parcel width)
| ||
|
50'
| |||
For parcels located along the Pacific Coast Highway
between the Santa Monica Pier and the north City limits, at least
25% of the side elevation above 14 feet in height shall provide an
additional 4-foot average setback from the minimum side setback.
E.
Daylight Plane Adjacent to Residential Uses. Buildings shall not extend above a plane starting at 30 feet in height directly above the parcel line abutting any residentially-zoned parcel in residential use, or where there is an alley, the centerline of the alley, and from that point, extending in at a 45-degree angle from vertical toward the interior of the site. The 30-foot height measurement shall be taken from the same reference grade as determined for the subject site pursuant to Section 9.04.050.
|
FIGURE 9.14.030.E: DAYLIGHT PLANE ADJACENT TO RESIDENTIAL
USES—OCEANFRONT DISTRICT
 |
F.
View Corridors. For parcels located along the Pacific Coast
Highway between the Santa Monica Pier and the north City limits, any
structure with 70 feet or more of frontage parallel to the Pacific
Coast Highway shall provide an unobstructed view corridor between
Pacific Coast Highway and the ocean. The view corridor shall be a
minimum of 20 continuous feet in width measured from the parcel line
abutting and parallel to Pacific Coast Highway and shall remain unobstructed
by any structure or portion thereof.
G.
Landscaping. The following landscaping requirements apply.
1.
Setback Areas Adjoining Streets. All visible
portions of a required setback area adjoining a street that are not
used for driveways or walks shall consist of planting areas, landscape,
or pedestrian amenities.
2.
Interior Setback Areas. At least 50% of each
required interior side setback area and rear setback area shall be
planting area having a minimum width of 7.5 feet adjoining a side
or rear parcel line. The width of a required planting area may be
reduced to 3 feet in one side or rear setback area adjoining a driveway,
and a nonresidential accessory structure may occupy a portion of the
planting area in a rear setback area.
(Added by Ord. No. 2486CCS §§
1, 2, adopted June 23, 2015; amended
by Ord. No. 2524CCS § 4, adopted July 28, 2016; Ord. No. 2576CCS § 5, adopted June 12, 2018; Ord. No. 2649CCS § 19, adopted September 8, 2020; Ord. No. 2726CCS § 8, adopted October 25, 2022; Ord. No. 2742CCS § 2, adopted April 11, 2023)
