The following primary uses shall be permitted in the Residential-Agricultural District and subject to the Town of Los Altos Hills' Objective Design Standards User Guide and pursuant to the provisions of this chapter:
(a) 
Primary dwellings.
(b) 
Agriculture, except those uses identified as prohibited under Section 10-1.706.
(c) 
Emergency shelters, which shall operate under the following standards:
(1) 
An emergency shelter shall be located on property designated Institutional on the Town of Los Altos Hills Land Use Diagram;
(2) 
No individual may be denied emergency shelter because of the inability to pay.
(3) 
Required parking shall be based on the number of staff to provide one space per individual but shall not exceed the parking requirements applicable to other residential or institutional uses in the same zone as set forth under Article 6 of this chapter. Parking spaces shall comply with the standards set forth under Section 10-1.601(a)-(c).
(4) 
The capacity of the shelter shall be limited to that required to meet community needs, as established by the most recent Town-wide homeless enumeration count;
(5) 
The maximum number of beds shall be five and length of stay shall not exceed six months per individual;
(6) 
Each emergency shelter shall be 300 feet apart from another emergency shelter;
(7) 
The shelter shall be operated by a responsible, licensed social service provider with experience in managing or providing social services. The provider shall maintain one qualified on-site supervisor at all times;
(8) 
Exterior building light fixtures shall be shielded and downward facing, and limited to one exterior light fixture per exterior doorway; and
(9) 
A management plan shall be submitted to the Town prior to shelter operation. The plan shall include the following content: the provision of site security during operational hours, case management procedures, length of stay, in-take requirements, facility operation standards, parking, hours of operation, services provided, and a monitoring and oversight program.
(d) 
Employee and Farmworker Housing. These uses shall be permitted as set forth in Sections 17021, 17021.6, and 17021.8 of the California Health and Safety Code.
(e) 
Residential care facilities shall be permitted subject to meeting applicable licensing requirements by the State of California.
(f) 
Transitional and Supportive Housing. Transitional and supportive housing uses shall be subject only to those requirements and restrictions that apply to the primary use classification of the R-A district under which they operate.
(§ 1, Ord. 305, eff. October 3, 1986; § 2, Ord. 562, eff. June 18, 2016; Ord. 612, eff. 7/20/2024; Ord. 615, eff. 4/19/2025)
(a) 
Home Occupations. Home occupations shall be permitted where the use is entirely subordinate to the primary use of the premises for the home of a family. There shall be no retail sales on the premises, no advertising of any kind visible from off the premises, no evidence from off the premises of the business, no parking more than normally required for a residence, and not over one assistant outside the family unit shall be employed. The raising on the premises of agricultural products and the sales thereof shall be expressly excepted from the provisions of this chapter but shall be subject to reasonable regulations by the Town.
(b) 
Walls, Fences, Trees and Shrubs. Walls, fences, trees and shrubs shall be permitted within the confines of a lot or contiguous lots subject to the height limitations set forth in Section 10-1.504 of Article 5 of this chapter.
(c) 
House Number Signs. A sign not more than one and one-half (1.5) square feet in area bearing the house number and the name of the occupant, or a name designated, other than one of a commercial purpose, shall be permitted.
(d) 
Accessory Buildings. Accessory buildings may be constructed only in accordance with the setback requirements of this chapter. An accessory building may be erected prior to the construction of the main building only if it is agreed that the main building shall be completed within three years from the date of the issuance of the permit for the accessory building. A temporary accessory building shall be removed within 30 days after the completion of the main building or within 18 months after the issuance of a permit for the accessory building, whichever is the earlier date.
(e) 
Private Stables. A maximum of two hoofed animals per acre shall be permitted provided one additional hoofed animal may be kept on each additional one-half acre, or fraction thereof, and provided, further, the conditions are satisfactory to the County Department of Health or such other agency as may be in charge of health standards for the Town.
(f) 
Swimming Pools, Tennis Courts, Greenhouses and Workshops. Swimming pools, tennis courts, greenhouses, workshops, and other accessory uses found by the Planning Commission to comply with the definition of accessory use, shall be permitted.
(g) 
Small Family Day Care Homes. Small family day care homes which provide care, protection and supervision of six or fewer children (including children under the age of 10 years who reside at the home) in the provider's own home, for periods of less than 24 hours per day, while the parents or guardians are away, pursuant to State regulations, shall be permitted. No business license fee or tax shall be imposed on a small family day care home.
(h) 
Household Pets and Domestic Animals. Household pets and domestic animals as permitted by Town regulations may be kept.
(i) 
Ornamental Garden Structures. Ornamental garden structures, such as benches, statuary, raised planters and fountains, shall be permitted.
(j) 
Antennas and Dish Antennas. Antennas and dish antennas are permitted subject to the requirements set forth in Article 5 of Chapter 1 and Article 3 of Chapter 2 of Title 10.
(k) 
Accessory Dwelling Units. Accessory dwelling units shall be permitted on any lot with a primary single-family dwelling unit as set forth in Article 14 of this chapter, and be subject exclusively to the requirements of Article 14 notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter.
(l) 
Temporary Trailer Coaches. Trailer coaches during construction or substantial remodeling of a primary dwelling are permitted, subject to receipt of a zoning permit, pursuant to Section 10-1.310, after a public hearing held by the Zoning Administrator pursuant to Section 10-1.1005. One trailer coach specifically designed and equipped for human habitation may be placed on a lot, in accordance with the setback requirements of this Code and occupied only by the owner of the lot and members of the owner's family, as a temporary residence during construction or substantial remodeling of the primary dwelling on the lot. This permit shall be granted for no more than six months, but shall be renewable upon the determination of the Zoning Administrator that the use has not resulted in detriment or nuisance to the adjacent properties or the neighborhood. However, in all cases, the trailer coach shall be removed prior to building permit final.
(m) 
Photovoltaic power generation facilities.
(n) 
Solar thermal energy facilities.
(o) 
One short-term rental unit operated pursuant to the requirements of Article 12 of this chapter.
(p) 
Low-Barrier Navigation Center.
(1) 
A low-barrier navigation center shall be located on property designated Institutional and or Public on the Town of Los Altos Hills Land Use Diagram.
(2) 
Planning Department approval is required prior to establishing a low-barrier navigation center project. Such approval shall be ministerial without discretionary review or a hearing. Upon receipt of an application, the Planning Department shall notify the applicant whether the application is complete within 30 days pursuant to California Government Code Section 65943. Action shall be taken within 60 days of a complete application being filed.
(3) 
A low-barrier navigation center shall meet the following requirements:
(i) 
It offers services to connect people to permanent housing through a services plan that identifies services staffing.
(ii) 
It is linked to a coordinated entry system, so that staff in the interim facility or staff who co-locate in the facility may conduct assessments and provide services to connect people to permanent housing. "Coordinated entry system" means a centralized or coordinated assessment system developed pursuant to Section 576.400(d) or Section 578.7(a)(8), as applicable, of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as those sections read on January 1, 2020, and any related requirements, designed to coordinate program participant intake, assessment, and referrals.
(iii) 
It complies with Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 8255) of Division 8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(iv) 
It has a system for entering information regarding client stays, client demographics, client income, and exit destination through the local Homeless Management Information System, as defined by Section 578.3 of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(q) 
Single Room Occupancy (SRO) Uses.
(1) 
SRO uses shall be permitted on property designated Institutional and/or Public on the Town of Los Altos Hills Land Use Diagram.
(2) 
The minimum size of a unit shall be 150 square feet and the maximum size shall be 400 square feet, which may include bathroom and/or kitchen facilities.
(3) 
The unit must contain either food preparation or sanitary facilities (and may contain both) if the SRO use consists of new construction, conversion of nonresidential space, or reconstruction. For acquisition or rehabilitation of an existing residential structure or hotel, neither food preparation nor sanitary facilities are required to be in the unit. If the SRO units do not contain sanitary facilities, the building where units are aggregated must contain sanitary facilities that are shared by tenants. If individual kitchen facilities are not provided in the unit, common kitchen facilities shall be provided with at least one kitchen per floor.
(4) 
Each unit shall have a separate closet.
(5) 
Two hundred square feet of common space shall be provided per floor.
(6) 
Laundry facilities shall be provided in a separate room at the ratio of one washer and dryer for every 10 units, with at least one washer and dryer per floor.
(7) 
A cleaning supply room or utility closet with a wash tub with hot and cold running water shall be provided on each floor of the SRO building.
(8) 
An SRO building with 10 or more units shall have an on-site manager.
(§ 1, Ord. 305, eff. October 3, 1986; § 1, Ord. 319, eff. April 1, (R) 1987; § 3, Ord. 329, eff. October 20, 1989; § 3, Ord. 334, eff. July 20, 1990; § 1, Ord. 358, eff. December 4, 1993; § 1, Ord. 403, eff. December 4, 1999; § 1, Ord. 430, eff. October 4, 2003; § 2, Ord. 446, eff. June 11, 2006; § 1, Ord. 545, eff. July 20, 2013; § 1, Ord. 556, eff. February 15, 2015; § 1, Ord. 575, eff. May 19, 2018; § 2, Ord. 590, eff. August 21, 2020; Ord. 612, eff. 7/20/2024; Ord. 615, eff. 4/19/2025)
The following uses may be established in the Residential-Agricultural District subject to the approval of the Planning Commission, and the issuance of a permit thereof pursuant to the provisions of this chapter:
(a) 
Public libraries;
(b) 
Churches, other places of worship, and convents, but not including funeral chapels or mortuary chapels. The number of residents of a convent shall not exceed three and one-half (3.5) times the estimated maximum number of lots permitted by the provisions of this chapter on such property as is devoted exclusively to convent use;
(c) 
House trailers or other vehicles may not be used as primary or secondary dwellings. A temporary permit for the use of a house trailer as a dwelling for not more than 30 days in any calendar year may be issued by the City Clerk upon certification that the use pursuant thereto shall be by a bona fide nonpaying guest, but in all events applicable setback requirements shall be strictly enforced;
(d) 
Recreational facilities, including recreational or community center buildings and grounds for games and sports, except those customarily earned on primarily for profit;
(e) 
Large Family Day Care Homes. Large family day care homes which provide care, protection and supervision of seven to 12 children, inclusive, (including children under the age of 10 years who reside at the home) in the provider's own home, for periods of less than 24 hours per day, while the parents or guardians are away, pursuant to State regulations, shall be granted a conditional use permit under the following circumstances and procedure:
(1) 
Only one large family day care home may be located on a parcel;
(2) 
The Zoning Administrator shall review and decide the application for a use permit;
(3) 
Not less than 10 days prior to the date on which the decision will be made on the application, the Zoning Administrator shall give notice of the proposed use by mail or delivery to all owners shown on the last equalized assessment roll as owning real property within a 100 foot radius of the exterior boundaries of the proposed large family day care home. No hearing on the application shall be held before a decision is made, unless a hearing is requested by the applicant or other affected person;
(4) 
The use permit shall be granted on reasonable conditions regarding traffic, parking and noise control and on the condition that the home comply with the regulations adopted by the State Fire Marshal relating to large family day care homes;
(5) 
The applicant or other affected person may appeal the decision of the Zoning Administrator in accordance with this chapter.
(f) 
Public schools where designated on the General Plan Land Use Diagram;
(g) 
Private schools where designated on the General Plan Land Use Diagram;
(h) 
Public utility and service uses:
(1) 
No conditional use permit or building permit shall be required for any public utility distribution or transmission line; provided, however, the proposed routes of all electrical distribution lines carrying current in excess of 15 kilovolts and the location of public utility structures requiring rights-of-way of 30 feet or more in width shall be submitted to the Planning Commission for approval prior to the acquisition of rights-of-way therefor, and any construction thereon shall not be commenced until such approval shall have been received; and
(2) 
Service uses are those uses which are determined by the Council to be beneficial to the provision of emergency or public safety services (including, but not limited to, communications facilities, storage of vehicular and other equipment, materials and supplies for emergency use in protective work, the restoration of public facilities, and/or debris and wreckage clearance).
(i) 
Fire stations;
(j) 
Police stations;
(k) 
Town facilities;
(l) 
Commercial stables in compliance with the provisions of Chapter 1 of Title 6 of this Code and when deemed appropriate by the Planning Commission to meet the needs of the residents of the Town for stabling facilities;
(m) 
Use of a single-family residence building and accessory structures by a California nonprofit public benefit corporation qualified for exemption from federal income tax under Section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code for meetings and overnight accommodations relating to the charitable activities of the corporation; provided that:
(1) 
The site (single parcel or combination of contiguous parcels) comprises a minimum of 25 acres; and
(2) 
A minimum of 75% of the site is secured to remain as open space and/or conservation areas for the period of time and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the conditional use permit issued in respect to such use.
(n) 
The use of artificial lighting may be permitted for tennis courts on properties with a General Plan designation of Private Recreation Area (RA-PR). Lighting must be shielded so that the light source is not visible from off-site and must be located no less than 120 feet from any property line.
(§ 1, Ord. 305, eff. October 3, 1986; § 2, Ord. 314, eff. November 6, 1987; § 4, Ord. 329, eff. October 20, 1989; § 2, Ord. 358, eff. December 4, 1993; § 4, Ord. 382, eff. May 17, 1996; § 1, Ord. 406, eff. February 5, 2000; § 3, Ord. 437, December 18, 2004; § 1, Ord. 551, eff. November 16, 2014)
The following uses are prohibited in the Residential-Agricultural District (R-A):
(a) 
Medical and nonmedical cannabis cultivation, except for indoor and outdoor cultivation of amounts legally authorized for personal use per Section 11362.1 of the California Health and Safety Code. Outdoor cultivation for personal use must be done in a secured location, shall not be visible from the public right-of-way, and shall not be located within building setbacks or within an easement granted to the Town of Los Altos Hills;
(b) 
All commercial medical and nonmedical cannabis activities except delivery by legally licensed commercial cannabis businesses established outside of Town limits in accordance with State law;
(c) 
Medical and nonmedical cannabis dispensaries;
(d) 
Processing of medical and nonmedical cannabis except for the amounts legally authorized for personal use as defined by Section 11362.1 of the California Health and Safety Code.
(§ 2, Ord. 562, eff. June 18, 2016; § 2, Ord. 573, eff. December 14, 2017; § 2, Ord. 577, eff. October 20, 2018)