The purpose of this chapter is to explain how various measurements referred to in this Ordinance are to be calculated.
(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022)
For all calculations, the applicant shall be responsible for supplying drawings illustrating the measurements that apply to a project. These drawings shall be drawn to scale and of sufficient detail to allow easy verification upon inspection by the Chief Planner.
(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022)
Whenever this Ordinance requires consideration of distances, parking spaces, dwelling units or other aspects of development or the physical environment expressed in numerical quantities, and the result of a calculation contains a fraction of a whole number, the results will be rounded as follows:
A. 
General Rounding. Fractions of one-half (0.5) or greater shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number and fractions of less than one-half (0.5) shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number, except as otherwise provided.
B. 
Exception for State Affordable Housing Density Bonus. For projects eligible for bonus density pursuant to Government Code Section 65915 or any successor statute, and Chapter 20.390 ("Bonus Residential Density"), any fractional number of permitted bonus density units shall be rounded up to the next whole number.
(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022; Ord. 1656, 6/12/2024)
A. 
Measurements Are Shortest Distance. When measuring a required distance, such as the minimum distance between a structure and a lot line, the measurement is made at the closest or shortest distance between the two objects.
B. 
Distances Are Measured Horizontally. When determining distances for setbacks and structure dimensions, all distances are measured along a horizontal plane from the appropriate line, edge of building, structure, storage area, parking area, or other object. These distances are not measured by following the topography or slope of the land.
C. 
Measurements Involving a Structure. Measurements involving a structure are made to the closest support element of the structure. Structures or portions of structures that are entirely underground are not included in measuring required distances.
D. 
Measurement of Vehicle Stacking or Travel Areas. Measurement of a minimum travel distance for vehicles, such as garage entrance setbacks and stacking lane distances, are measured down the center of the vehicle travel area. For example, curving driveways and travel lanes are measured along the center arc of the driveway or traffic lane.
E. 
Measuring Radius. When a specified land use is required to be located a minimum distance from another land use, the minimum distance is measured in a straight line from all points along the lot line of the subject project.
Figure 20.040.004.E: Measuring Distances
(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022)
A. 
Measuring Building Height.
1. 
Flat or Parapet Roof. Building height is measured from the average level of the highest and lowest point of that portion of the lot covered by the building to the highest point on the roof or the top of the parapet wall or mechanical equipment screening wall, except as provided below.
2. 
Sloped, Hipped, Gable, or Gambrel Roof. The height of a building with a sloped, hipped, gabled, or gambrel roof is measured to a point that is half the distance between the highest point on the ridge and where the eave meets the plate.
B. 
Measuring Fence Height.
1. 
Fences at Grade. The height of any fence or wall shall be determined by measuring the vertical distance from the lowest existing grade at a point within a three-foot radius of any point on such fence or structure to the highest point of such structure. In the case of walls that are parallel to and within five feet of a public sidewalk or other public way, grade shall be the elevation of the sidewalk, alley, or public way.
2. 
Fences on Retaining Walls. The height of a fence that is on top of a retaining wall is measured from the lowest existing grade point within a three-foot radius of any point on such fence to the highest point of the fence on the highest side of the wall. Any fence or railing required to comply with minimum height in applicable California Building Code requirements is allowed.
Figure 20.040.006(B): Measuring Height Fences on Retaining Walls
C. 
Measuring the Height of Decks. Deck height is determined by measuring from the ground to the top of the floor of the deck directly above the ground point.
Figure 20.040.005.C: Measuring Height of Decks
D. 
Measuring the Number of Stories in a Building. In measuring the height of a building in stories the following measurement rules shall apply:
1. 
A balcony or mezzanine shall be counted as a full story if its floor area exceeds one-third of the total area of the nearest full floor directly below it or if it is enclosed on more than two sides.
2. 
A story of a commercial or residential building shall not exceed 25 feet in height from the upper surface of the floor to the ceiling above.
(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022)
A. 
Lot Width. Lot width is the horizontal distance between the side lot lines, measured at right angles to the lot depth at a point midway between the front and rear lot lines.
B. 
Lot Depth. Lot depth is measured along an imaginary straight line drawn from the midpoint of the front property line of the lot to the midpoint of the rear property line or to the most distant point on any other lot line where there is no rear lot line.
Figure 20.040.006.B: Measuring Lot Width and Depth
(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022)
The average slope of a lot is calculated using the following formula: S = 100(I)(L)/A, where:
S = Average slope (in percent)
I = Contour interval (in feet)
L = Total length of all contour lines on the lot (in feet)
A = Area of subject lot (in square feet)
(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022)
The floor area of a building is the sum of the gross horizontal areas of all floors of a building or other enclosed structure.
A. 
Included in Floor Area. Floor area includes, but is not limited to, habitable (as defined in the California Building Code) basements and cellars that are below the roof and within the outer surface of the main walls of principal or accessory buildings or the centerlines of party walls separating such buildings or portions thereof or within lines drawn parallel to and two feet within the roof line of any building without walls. Any interior space with a ceiling height equaling two stories shall be doubled for purposes of calculating floor area. In the case of a multi-story building that has covered or enclosed stairways, stairwells or elevator shafts, the horizontal area of such features shall be counted only once at the floor level of their greatest area of horizontal extent.
B. 
Excluded from Floor Area. Floor area does not include mechanical, electrical, and communication equipment rooms that do not exceed two percent of the building’s gross floor area; bay windows or other architectural projections where the vertical distance between the lowest surface of the projection and the finished floor is 30 inches or greater; areas that qualify as usable open space; and areas used for off-street parking spaces or loading spaces, structured parking, driveways, ramps between floors of a multi-level parking garage, and maneuvering aisles. Gross square floor area excludes areas of a building devoted to flood protection measures.
C. 
Nonresidential Uses. For nonresidential uses, gross floor area includes pedestrian access interior walkways or corridors, interior courtyards, walkways, paseos, or corridors covered by a roof or skylight. Nonresidential gross floor area does not include arcades, porticoes, and similar open areas that are located at or near street level and are accessible to the general public but are not designed or used as sales, display, storage, service, or production areas.
(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022)
Floor area ratio (FAR) is the ratio of the floor area, excluding the areas described below, of all principal and accessory buildings on a site to the site area. To calculate FAR, floor area is divided by site area, and typically expressed as a decimal. For example, if the floor area of all buildings on a site totals 20,000 square feet, and the site area is 10,000 square feet, the FAR is expressed as 2.0.
A. 
Excluded from Floor Area in Calculating FAR.
1. 
Basements. Usable basements and cellars, the ceiling of which does not extend more than four feet above finished grade.
2. 
Parking for Residential. Parking areas located entirely below finished grade or entirely beneath the finished floor of habitable space where the vertical distance between the finished floor of habitable space and finished grade is four feet or less. Above grade parking in the T3ML, T4L, and T5L zoning districts are excluded from floor area in calculating FAR.
3. 
Parking for Non-Residential. Building area devoted to structured or covered parking for non-residential project.
4. 
Ground Floor Non-Residential Uses in Select Areas. Active ground floor uses in a new mixed-use or non-residential development east of 101 and in the T3ML, T4L, T5L, and T5C zoning districts. Non-residential must be active and open to the general public to qualify for this exemption. Uses include, but are not limited to, child care facilities, personal services, retail, full service or limited restaurants, and similar active uses.
Figure 20.040.009.A: Determining Floor Area Ratio
(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022; Ord. 1649, 10/11/2023; Ord. 1656, 6/12/2024)
Lot coverage is the ratio of the total footprint area of all structures on a lot to the net lot area, typically expressed as a percentage. The footprints of all principal and accessory structures, including garages, carports, covered patios, and roofed porches, shall be summed in order to calculate lot coverage. The following structures shall be excluded from the calculation:
A. 
Unenclosed and unroofed decks, uncovered patio slabs, porches, landings, balconies and stairways less than 30 inches in height;
B. 
Eaves and roof overhangs projecting up to two-and-a-half feet from a wall;
C. 
Trellises and similar structures that have roofs that are at least 50 percent open to the sky through with uniformly distributed openings;
D. 
Swimming pools and hot tubs that are not enclosed in roofed structures or decks; and
E. 
One small, non-habitable accessory structure under 120 square feet and under seven feet high. Structures above quantity of one shall be included in lot coverage.
Figure 20.040.010: Determining Lot Coverage
(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022; Ord. 1656, 6/12/2024)
A. 
Corner Lot. The front of a lot is the narrowest dimension of the lot with street frontage. The widest dimension of the lot with street frontage may be considered the front of a lot subject to approval of a Waiver and Modification Permit.
B. 
Through Lot. A through lot has two front yards.
(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022)
A setback line defining a required yard is parallel to and at the specified distance from the corresponding front, side, or rear property line. The following special regulations for determining yards apply when a lot abuts a lane or proposed street.
A. 
Yards on Lanes.
1. 
A through lot that abuts a street and a parallel alley is considered to have two front yards.
2. 
If a side lot line abuts a lane, the yard shall be considered an interior side yard rather than a corner side yard.
3. 
In computing the minimum yard for any lot where such yard abuts a lane, no part of the width of the lane may be considered as part of the required yard.
B. 
Yards Abutting Planned Street Expansions. If a property abuts an existing or proposed street for which the existing right-of-way is narrower than the right-of-way ultimately required for the street, the required setback shall be measured from the edge of the future right-of-way.
C. 
Measuring Setbacks. Setbacks shall be measured as the distance between the nearest lot line and the closest point on the exterior of a building or structure along a line at right angles to the lot line. Setbacks shall be unobstructed from the ground to the sky except where allowed pursuant to Section 20.300.011 (“Projections into Required Yards”), subject to compliance with the California Building Code.
Figure 20.040.012: Determining Setbacks (Yards)
(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022; Ord. 1656, 6/12/2024)