A. 
Purpose. The purpose for adoption and implementation of these open space and conservation district regulations is to:
1. 
Identify and preserve the major coastal recreational resource areas within the city for public use, including the beaches, bluffs and associated upland areas, to meet the recreational needs of both visitors and residents, and implement the regional public recreation designation of the land use plan;
2. 
Encourage improved access to the beaches and bluffs along the coast as part of the establishment and development of recreational areas, both public and private, in the city;
3. 
Preserve and protect sensitive habitat areas, and ensure that any development within the open space–active, passive, and conservation districts will be compatible with sensitive habitat areas;
4. 
Preserve and protect the existing riparian corridors within the city that are associated with the two perennial streams–Frenchman's Creek and Pilarcitos Creek, including the Arroyo Leon tributary, and one intermittent stream, Arroyo Canada Verde;
5. 
Preserve and protect park and playground areas within the city;
6. 
Allow commercial recreation uses requiring large open sites to enhance and improve recreational opportunities within the city for visitors and residents.
B. 
Intent. The intent of this chapter is to establish the open space–active, passive, and conservation districts as described herein, and to guide the use of land and orderly development within each district in a manner consistent with this title, the local coastal program, and the general plan:
1. 
(OS-A) Active Open Space District. Establish areas for the preservation of active recreational opportunities within the city such as the public beaches, parks, playgrounds, outdoor sports and athletic facilities, recreational vehicle parks, and parking lots supporting recreational activities.
2. 
(OS-P) Passive Open Space District. Establish areas for public hiking, biking, and equestrian trails, and public parking lots to support access to the trail system. Amenities shall be limited to restrooms, benches and picnic tables, drinking fountains, and trash receptacles.
3. 
(OS-C) Conservation Open Space District. Establish areas for the preservation of important riparian and wildlife habitat areas within the city. Activities are limited to pedestrian trails only with amenities limited to trash receptacles and benches.
(1996 zoning code (part))
Tables 18.12.015A through D of this chapter are intended to provide a reference to the range of permitted uses in the open space–active, passive, and conservation districts. Approval of a use permit is required for any use in any of the OS districts. All uses are subject to the specific regulations set forth in this title. Any use not expressly permitted is prohibited.
Table 18.12.015A
PUBLIC USE SCHEDULE
Key
Public and Quasi- Public Use
OS-A District
OS-P District
OS-C District
A-1
Coastal Dependent
X
A-2
Cultural Institution
X
A-3
Government Office
A-4
Maintenance & Service
X
A-5
Public Park & Recreation
X
A-6
Public Safety Facility
X
A-7
Municipal Sports Facility
X
A-8
Minor Utility
X
A-9
Public Trail
X
X
X
Table 18.12.015B
COMMERCIAL USE SCHEDULE
Key
Commercial Use
OS-A District
OS-P District
OS-C District
B-1
On-site Eating or Drinking
X
B-2
Food or Beverage Retail
X
B-3
Equestrian Center
X
B-4
Visitor-Serving Retail
X
Table 18.12.015C
LODGING USE SCHEDULE
Key
Visitor Accommodation Use
OS-A District
OS-P District
OS-C District
C-1
Campground
X
C-2
RV Park
X
Table 18.12.015D
TEMPORARY USE SCHEDULE
Key
Temporary Use
OS-A District
OS-P District
OS-C District
D-1
Animal Shows
X
D-2
Commercial Filming
X
X
(1996 zoning code (part))
Tables 18.12.015A through D of this chapter include references to additional regulations for the permitted uses in each open space and conservation district. The following additional regulations shall apply:
A. 
Public and Quasi-Public Uses.
A-1 Coastal Dependent Use. In the open space–active district, priority is given to coastal dependent and related recreational activities and support facilities within a zone extending two hundred feet inland from the mean high tide line that are not within any coastal resource or conservation area as defined in this title. As defined in the Coastal Act, "coastal dependent" uses are those that require a site on or adjacent to the sea to be able to function at all. Uses include marinas, yacht clubs, charter fishing boats, and surfboard and boat rentals.
A-2 Cultural Institution. Only interpretive centers or museums displaying or preserving objects relating to the natural processes or the human history of the coastal area are permitted.
A-3 Government Office. Within the OS-A district, only government offices which are ancillary to the primary open space use of the site are permitted.
A-4 Maintenance and Service. Maintenance and service facilities are allowed within the OS-A district only as an accessory use directly related to a permitted park and recreation facility. Maintenance and service facilities shall be enclosed by a solid fence or wall and screened from view with landscaping in the manner specified by the planning commission.
A-5 Public Park and Recreation. Permitted uses include public parks and beaches, day visitor parking for shoreline access and recreation, public restrooms, visitor information centers, interpretive centers, access ways such as bicycle, equestrian and pedestrian trails, picnic areas and trash enclosures. Recreational uses that do not require extensive alteration of the natural environment shall be given priority on ocean front lands so long as they do not preclude or otherwise conflict with the priority for coastal dependent uses identified in subsection A-1 of this section. Off-road vehicles are not permitted under any circumstances within any OS district.
A-6 Public Safety Facility. Facilities for public safety and emergency services, including lifeguard, police and fire protection.
A-7 Municipal Sports Facility. Public play fields, swimming pools, driving ranges and golf courses, tennis courts, etc., are permitted within the OS-A district.
A-8 Minor Utility. Minor installations such as underground electrical distribution lines, underground water and sewer lines, and utility vaults.
A-9 Public Trail. In the OS-A and OS-P districts, nature walks and interpretive displays, and hiking, biking, and equestrian trails with ancillary parking lots, rest-rooms, benches, drinking fountains, and trash receptacles, are permitted, subject to conformance with the provisions of the resource conservation standards of the land use plan and this title.
B. 
Commercial Uses.
B-1 Eating and Drinking Establishments. Eating and drinking establishments are permitted in the OS-A district only as an accessory use to a permitted park or recreation facility or a permitted commercial recreation use. Establishments that serve alcoholic beverages as the primary product and that do not offer a full service meal menu are not permitted. Facilities shall not exceed five hundred square feet in floor area and shall be no closer than two thousand linear feet from similar facilities within the open space–active, passive, and conservation district. These facilities are limited to areas either within or immediately adjacent to the existing parking lot areas and recreational vehicle park areas; no additional impervious surfaces will be permitted except for that required for the building itself.
B-2 Food and Beverage Retail Sales. Retail food and beverage sales are permitted in the OS-A district only as an accessory use to a permitted park or recreation facility or a permitted commercial recreation use. Facilities shall not exceed five hundred square feet in floor area and shall be no closer than two thousand linear feet from similar facilities within the open space–active, passive, and conservation district. These facilities are limited to areas either within or immediately adjacent to the existing parking lot areas and recreational vehicle park areas; no additional impervious surfaces will be permitted except for that required for the building itself.
B-3 Equestrian Centers. In the OS-A district, horse rental services, commercial stables, and riding academies must comply with the stable ordinance of the county of San Mateo, any similar ordinances that may be adopted by the city of Half Moon Bay, and receive a stable permit from the county.
B-4 Retail Sales, Visitor Oriented. In the OS-A district, limited visitor serving sales will be permitted only if ancillary to a permitted park or recreation facility or a permitted commercial recreation use. Facilities shall not exceed five hundred square feet in floor area, and shall be no closer than two thousand linear feet from similar facilities within the open space–active, passive, and conservation district. These facilities are limited to areas either within or immediately adjacent to the existing parking lot areas and recreational vehicle park areas; no additional impervious surfaces will be permitted except for that required for the building itself.
C. 
Visitor Accommodations.
C-1 Campground. Campgrounds offering accommodations and areas for tent camping for temporary occupancy by the general public, are permitted in the OS-A district only.
C-2 Recreational Vehicle Park. Recreational vehicle parks for temporary occupancy by recreational vehicles are permitted within the OS-A district only.
D. 
Temporary Uses.
D-1 Animal Shows. Rodeos or other exhibitions of domestic or large animals are limited to a maximum of seven consecutive days or two consecutive weekends including nights and days.
D-2 Commercial Filming. Commercial motion picture or video photography locations may be established for a maximum of seven consecutive days within both the OS-A and OS-P districts.
(1996 zoning code (part))
All new development shall conform to the following:
A. 
Minimum Setbacks. In all cases, the required setbacks shall be measured from boundary and/or property lines or from coastal resources as defined in this title, whichever is the more restrictive applicable standard. In conjunction with the review and consideration of a use permit, the planning commission may require setback distances greater than the established standards in order to minimize adverse visual impacts and conflicts between development and public access. In any case, informational signs may be placed within the required setbacks, subject to the restrictions of this chapter.
1. 
All new structures, parking lots and other improvements shall be set back at least one hundred feet from any adjacent residential district.
2. 
All new development shall comply with the provisions of this title for setbacks and buffers from any coastal resource or environmentally sensitive habitat area as defined in this title, the local coastal plan, and the general plan.
3. 
Camping facilities shall be set back a minimum of one hundred feet from the beach, bluffs and near-shore areas reserved for day use activities.
4. 
Recreational vehicle sites shall be set back a minimum of two hundred feet from the beach, bluffs and near-shore areas reserved for day use activities and shall be located so as to minimize visibility from the beach, any public rights-of-way, and R districts.
5. 
Hiking and biking trails and lateral and vertical accessways may be established anywhere within the boundaries of the district so long as there is no conflict with the standards of protection for coastal resources and environmentally sensitive habitat areas as defined in this title, the local coastal plan, and the general plan.
6. 
Equestrian trails may be located no closer than fifty feet from any R district and no closer to any coastal resource than the standards for their protection as defined in this title.
7. 
All new construction in any zoning district adjacent to the boundary of public shoreline recreation ownership shall maintain a minimum setback of fifteen feet from the boundary lines or from any recreational use permitted by this chapter.
B. 
Maximum Structure Height.
1. 
The maximum height for any structure other than those provided for in subsection (B)(2) of this section shall be sixteen feet, as measured from the highest point of the building to established grade directly below that highest point.
2. 
The planning commission may grant an exception to the height limitation established in subsection (B)(1) of this section for only public safety facilities such as police or fire buildings, public park and recreation facilities such as backstops for baseball diamonds, or maintenance and service facilities for publicly owned or operated park and recreation uses. Exceptions to the height limitation shall not be granted for any other structure or use.
C. 
Additional Standards.
1. 
Landscaping and Screening. Landscaping or other forms of screening shall be required for parking areas visible within established scenic corridors or other natural or undisturbed state or an agricultural use. Landscaping or other screening shall be installed and maintained so that parking and structures are reasonably blocked from view within five years of project completion.
2. 
Parking. Adequate on-site parking facilities shall be required in accordance with the provisions of this title.
3. 
Signs. Off-site signs are prohibited in the open space and conservation districts. Regulations for establishment of on-site signs are as follows:
a. 
Except as provided herein, all new signs shall be reviewed and approved by the planning commission, who may consider the recommendation of any city council appointed advisory committee or commission, as a part of the required use permit.
b. 
One identification sign not to exceed twenty square feet on each face shall be permitted for any public or commercial recreation use permitted by this chapter. The height shall not exceed fifteen feet.
c. 
Exterior advertising for on-site uses shall be reviewed and approved by the planning commission, who may consider the recommendation of any city council appointed advisory committee or commission, as a part of the required use permit.
(1996 zoning code (part); Ord. C-2019-03 § 2(Exh. A)(part), 2019)
All development occurring in or adjacent to coastal resource areas and environmentally sensitive habitat areas as defined in this title, the local coastal plan, and the general plan shall adhere to the applicable standards set forth therein. Where a conflict occurs between the standards of this chapter and those applicable to coastal resources and environmentally sensitive habitat areas, the more restrictive shall apply.
(1996 zoning code (part))
Existing nonconforming uses such as the state parks employee residences or structures that exceed the maximum height of sixteen feet may be repaired and maintained as necessary without the need for securing a use permit provided no structural alterations resulting in an increase in floor area or the number of units are proposed. Structural alterations shall be limited to maintenance and repair activities.
(1996 zoning code (part))