Chapter 30.40: PARK AND RECREATION (P-R) ZONE

The specific purposes of the Park and Recreation (P-R) Zone are to:

Protect and preserve publicly owned park and beach lands for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations of resident and visitors.

Promote uses of park lands which are compatible with surrounding land uses and encourage the protection of the City's open space through conservation and appropriate development.

Establish categories of park and recreation facilities or land.

Establish an appropriate system of review for proposed uses, improvements or development.

Maintain and protect neighborhoods that are adjacent to parks and recreation facilities, while providing for the appropriate types or intensity of land use of parks and recreation facilities, for the benefit of the community.

§ 30.40.020 Park and Recreation Categories.

Designation of Parks by Category. The City Council shall adopt a resolution that designates or assigns all City parks and recreation facilities to one of the categories listed in Subsection 30.40.020.B, Park and Recreation Categories. In addition, the resolution shall include an exhibit that summarizes review and approval procedures for park and recreation facility uses.

Future Facilities. In the future, if a new facility is proposed to be designated or an existing facility assigned to another category, the Parks and Recreation Commission and Planning Commission shall make a recommendation on such a designation to the City Council. The City Council shall hold a noticed public hearing prior to making a decision on the proposed category designation and amending said resolution.

Park and Recreation Categories. The following categories of park and recreation facilities reflect the diversity of such facilities within the community. Parks and recreation facilities with similar use characteristics have been grouped into the following categories to establish an orderly system of inventory and allowed uses within the respective categories and to make property owners aware of the uses allowed in such nearby facilities.

Undeveloped Parkland. The future use of these undeveloped parklands has not been determined. These are properties that the City owns that may or may not be appropriate for parks or recreation use.

Open Space. This land is intended to be protected and managed as a natural environment with passive recreation usage and minimal development.

Passive Park. These are developed parks of natural, cultural or ornamental quality suited to passive outdoor recreation such as bird watching, walking and picnicking.

Neighborhood Park. These are small parks that typically serve a limited geographic area and nearby population.

Beach. These are areas that provide access to the ocean and sand areas for passive and active recreation.

Community Park. These multi-use parks are usually larger than Neighborhood Parks. These are parks where special, pre-arranged activities and special events and functions occur. These are specialized facilities that serve a concentrated or limited population or specific group from a wide geographic area of the City.

Sports Facilities. These are outdoor facilities where active recreational activities and organized sports and tournaments occur and which may include related structures and parking areas.

Community Buildings. These are indoor facilities where active recreational activities and organized sports and tournaments, meetings and gatherings and other community oriented activities occur. Community Buildings may also include related parking and grounds.

Regional Park. These are facilities where major organized events occur that draw people from throughout the region. They may also include areas of diverse environmental, cultural, educational or scientific quality with a variety of opportunities for both passive and active recreation activities.

§ 30.40.030 Land Use Regulations.

Table 30.40.030: Categories of Parks and Recreation Facilities and Allowed Improvements/Uses, prescribes the uses and improvements allowed in the park and recreation categories defined in Section 30.40.020, Park and Recreation Categories. Additional use and improvement allowances follow the table.

In cases where a specific use or improvement is not defined, the Community Development Director shall determine if the improvement is allowed or whether the park or recreation facility would be required to move to another category. Uses and improvements not found to be substantially similar to those listed are prohibited.

Determinations as to whether a use or a change in the intensity of use is allowed in a particular park category and the appropriate review process shall be made by the Community Development Director.

TABLE 30.40.030: CATEGORIES OF PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES AND ALLOWED IMPROVEMENTS/USES
"A" Allowed with Parks and Recreation Staff Review "PC" Planning Commission Review "–" Not Allowed "PRC" Parks and Recreation Commission Review, Public Hearing "PRC–N" Parks and Recreation Commission Review, Noticed Public Hearing

Allowed Improvements/Uses	Category of Park
Allowed Improvements/Uses	Undeveloped	Open Space	Passive Park	Neighborhood Park	Beach	Community Park (4)	Sports Facilities	Community Buildings	Regional Park (3, 4)
Trails	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	–	A
Minor Buildings (1)	–	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC
Community Buildings (2)	–	PRC–N & PC	PRC–N & PC	PRC–N & PC	PRC–N & PC	PRC–N & PC	PRC–N & PC	PRC–N & PC	PRC–N & PC
Meeting Rooms
Small (≤ 75 people)	–	–	–	PRC	–	PRC	–	PRC	PRC
Large (>75 people)	–	–	–	–	–	PRC–N	–	PRC–N	PRC–N
Outdoor Game Areas and Informal Ball Fields and Courts	–	–	–	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC	–	PRC
Formal Ball Fields and Courts	–	–	–	–	–	–	PRC–N & PC	PRC–N & PC	PRC–N & PC
Swimming Pools
Wading	–	–	–	PRC–N & PC	–	PRC–N & PC	PRC–N & PC	PRC–N & PC	PRC–N & PC
Swimming	–	–	–	–	–	–	PRC–N & PC	PRC–N & PC	PRC–N&PC
Playgrounds
Small (Up to 4,000 SF)	–	–	–	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC	–	PRC
Large (> 4,000 SF)	–	–	–	–	PRC–N	PRC–N	PRC–N	–	PRC–N
Picnic Areas
Individual	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	–	A
Small Group (up to 4 tables together)	–	–	–	A	A	A	A	–	A
Large Group	–	–	–	–	PRC–N	PRC–N	PRC–N	–	PRC–N
Community Gardens	–	–	–	PRC–N	–	PRC–N	–	–	PRC–N
Child Care Centers	–	–	–	PRC–N	–	PRC–N	–	PRC–N	PRC–N
Carousels and similar amusements	–	–	–	–	–	PRC–N	–	–	PRC–N
Day Camps	–	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A
Concessions	–	–	–	–	–	PRC–N	PRC–N	PRC–N	PRC–N
Parking Area
Informal (not paved)	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A
Small Formal (≤10 spaces)	–	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC
Formal (> 10 spaces)	–	–	PRC–N	PRC–N	PRC–N	PRC–N	PRC–N	PRC–N	PRC–N
Lighting – General	–	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC
Ball Field Lighting	–	–	–	–	–	–	PRC–N	–	PRC–N
Miscellaneous
Artwork or Memorial	–	–	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC
Shade Structure	–	–	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC	PRC

Specific Limitations
1.	Parks and Recreation Commission review is not required for temporary restrooms.
2.	A noticed public hearing shall be required for additions to or new community buildings that may have the potential to impact the surrounding neighborhood due to a change in the intensity of use resulting in traffic, noise or lighting impacts. Planning Commission review is also required.
3.	Zoological gardens that are classified as a Regional Park are also allowed to include the following uses: animal exhibits/habitats and related animal care, medical and holding areas for animals, class rooms including indoor educational exhibit space, gift shops, restaurants, snack bars and administrative offices and service facilities related to zoological garden operations.
4.	Outdoor performance areas, including band shells and amphitheaters, existing or approved prior to June 30, 1995, are allowed uses and may be maintained and improved without a Conditional Use Permit as long as no expansion in seating occurs and no improvements occur which allow amplified music where it did not previously exist. Future outdoor performance areas and expansions of existing ones may be allowed in Community and Regional Parks, subject to issuance of a Conditional Use Permit.

§ 30.40.040 Development Standards.

Setbacks. The following setbacks shall apply to parking areas, buildings, structures, outdoor game areas, playground equipment and formal/informal ball fields:

Front Setback. The required front setback shall be the same as that specified for the Residential Zone of the property on the abutting parcels on each side of the subject property. Where the setbacks on the abutting parcels are different from each other, the front setback shall be the least restrictive residential setback of the abutting zones. In the event the park property is bounded by a street, the front setback shall be the same as the least restrictive front setback on the adjacent properties on the same side of the street. In no case shall the front setback be less than 10 feet.

Interior and Rear Setbacks. There shall be interior and rear setbacks of not less than 10 feet.

Location of Play Areas. Outdoor playgrounds and informal ball fields and courts shall be located in a manner that is compatible with the character of the surrounding area and that minimizes significant detrimental noise impacts to adjacent properties while promoting visibility and safety.

Lighting. All exterior lighting shall be directed such that it will not cast light or glare onto adjacent properties. Any lighting shall be hooded or shielded so that no direct beams fall upon adjacent residential property. Indirect diffused lights and low garden lights shall be used wherever possible and shall be required as necessary to assure compatibility with adjacent and surrounding properties.

§ 30.40.050 Review Procedures.

Public Notice. Public notice of hearings by the Planning Commission or the Parks and Recreation Commission shall be given as specified in Chapter 30.205, Common Procedures, except as provided below:

Posted Notice Required. Public notice shall also be posted at all park entrances and along adjacent streets at a spacing interval of 150 feet.

Mailed Notice Radius for Existing Facilities. If the proposed project involves changes to any existing park or recreation facility, mailed notice shall be provided to all property owners closer than 100 feet of the park or recreation facility property.

Required Findings. A project in the Park and Recreation Zone may only be approved if the Review Authority makes all of the following findings:

That the proposed park and recreation improvements are appropriate or necessary for the benefit of the community and visitors;

That the proposed park and recreation facilities including lighting, play areas, parking facilities and associated landscaping, will be compatible with the character of the neighborhood;

That the total area of the site and the setbacks of all facilities from the property lines and street are sufficient, in view of the physical character of the land, proposed development and neighborhood, to avoid significant negative effects on surrounding properties;

That the intensity of park use is appropriate and compatible with the character of the neighborhood;

That the proposed park and recreation facilities are compatible with the scenic character of the City; and

That any proposed structures or buildings are compatible with the neighborhood in terms of size, bulk and scale or location.

Appeals. Decisions by the Park and Recreation Commission or the Planning Commission on park and recreation facilities are appealable to the City Council pursuant to Santa Barbara Municipal Code Section 1.30.050, Appeals from Administrative Decisions. Public notice of the appeal hearing shall be provided as required for the original consideration of the project.