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)
The average slope of a lot is calculated using the following
formula: S = 100(I)(L)/A, where:
S = Average slope (in percent)
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I = Contour interval (in feet)
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L = Total length of all contour lines on the lot (in feet)
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A = Area of subject lot (in square feet)
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(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
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(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
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(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022; Ord. 1656, 6/12/2024)
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)
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(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022; Ord. 1656, 6/12/2024)
The calculations of measurements related to signs are described in Section
20.360.004(E) ("Rules of Measurement").
(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022; Ord. 1656, 6/12/2024)