Carlsbad City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 21
08 R-A RESIDENTIAL AGRICULTURAL ZONE
Note: Prior ordinance history: Ord. Nos. 9060, 9224, 9336, 9343, 9427, 9467, 9502, 9599, 9674, 9785, 9804, 1256, 1261, NS-180, NS-204, NS-243, NS-283, NS-355, NS-409, and NS-675.
§ 21.08.010 Intent and purpose.
A.
Implement the R-1.5 (Residential 0- 1.5 du/ac) and R-4 (Residential 0-4 du/ac) land use designations of the Carlsbad general plan; and
B.
Provide regulations and standards for the development of one-family dwellings and other permitted or conditionally permitted uses as specified in this chapter.
(Ord. NS-718 § 5, 2004; Ord. CS-432, 9/27/2022)
§ 21.08.020 Permitted uses.
A.
In an R-A zone, notwithstanding any other provision of this title, only the uses listed in Table A, below, shall be permitted subject to the requirements and development standards specified in this chapter, and subject to the provisions of Chapter 21.44 of this title governing off-street parking requirements.
B.
The uses permitted by conditional use permit, as indicated in Table A, shall be subject to the provisions of Chapter 21.42 of this title.
C.
A use similar to those listed in Table A may be permitted if the City Planner determines such similar use falls within the intent and purposes of this zone, and is substantially similar to the specified permitted uses.
Table A Permitted Uses |
|---|
In the table, below, subject to all applicable permitting and development requirements of the municipal code: "P" indicates use is permitted. (See note 7 below) |
"CUP" indicates use is permitted with approval of a conditional use permit. (See note 7 below) |
1 = Minor Conditional Use Permit (Process One), pursuant to Chapter 21.42 of this title. |
2 = Conditional Use Permit (Process Two), pursuant to Chapter 21.42 of this title. |
3 = Conditional Use Permit (Process Three), pursuant to Chapter 21.42 of this title. |
"Acc" indicates use is permitted as an accessory use. |
Use | P | CUP | Acc |
|---|---|---|---|
Accessory buildings/structures (ex. garages, workshops, tool sheds, patio covers, decks, etc.) (see note 1, below) (defined: Section 21.04.020) | X | ||
Accessory dwelling unit (subject to Section 21.10.030; defined: Section 21.04.121) | X | ||
Agriculture (see note 8 below) | X | ||
Agriculture/aquaculture/flower stands (see note 9 below) (defined: Section 21.04.024) | X | ||
Agricultural crops | X | ||
Agricultural stand (for display of products raised on premises) ("stand" defined: Section 21.04.320) | X | ||
Animal keeping (household pets) (subject to Section 21.53.084) | X | ||
Animal keeping/grazing (horses, sheep or bovine animals), excluding dairies (see notes 2 and 4, below) | X | ||
Animal keeping (poultry, rabbits, chinchillas and any fur bearing animals for domestic or commercial purposes) (see notes 3 and 4, below) | X | ||
Animal keeping (wild animals) (subject to Section 21.53.085) | X | ||
Aquaculture (defined: Section 21.04.036) | 2 | ||
Biological habitat preserve (subject to Section 21.42.140(B)(30); defined: Section 21.04.048) | 2 | ||
Campsites (overnight) (subject to Section 21.42.140(B)(40)) | 2 | ||
Cemeteries | 3 | ||
Churches, synagogues, temples, convents, monasteries and other places of worship | 2 | ||
Dwelling, one-family (defined: Section 21.04.125) | X | ||
Educational institutions or schools, public/private (defined: Section 21.04.140) | 2 | ||
Employee housing (serving six or fewer persons) | X | ||
Family day care home (large), subject to Chapter 21.83 (defined: Section 21.04.147) | X | ||
Family day care home (small), subject to Chapter 21.83 (defined: Section 21.04.148) | X | ||
Farmworker housing complex, small (subject to Section 21.10.125; defined: Section 21.04.148.4) | X | ||
Golf courses (see note 5, below) | 3 | ||
Greenhouses (2,000 square feet maximum) | X | ||
Greenhouses > 2,000 square feet (subject to Section 21.42.140(B)(70)) | 1 | ||
Group homes (serving six or fewer persons and requiring state licensing) (defined: Section 21.04.163) | X | ||
Group homes (state licensing not required) (defined: Section 21.04.163) | X | ||
Group homes (serving seven or more persons and requiring state licensing) (defined: Section 21.04.163) | X | ||
Home occupation (subject to Section 21.10.040) | X | ||
Junior accessory dwelling unit (accessory to a one-family dwelling; subject to Section 21.10.030; defined: Section 21.04.122) | X | ||
Mobile buildings (subject to Section 21.42.140(B)(90); defined: Section 21.04.265) | 2 | ||
Mobile home (see note 6, below) (defined: Section 21.04.266) | X | ||
Packing/sorting sheds (600 square feet maximum) | X | ||
Packing/sorting sheds > 600 square feet (subject to Section 21.42.140(B)(70)) | 1 | ||
Plant nursery/nursery supplies | 1 | ||
Public/quasi-public buildings and facilities and accessory utility buildings/facilities (defined: Section 21.04.297) | 2 | ||
Residential care facilities (serving seven or more persons) defined: Section 21.04.300) | X | ||
Residential care facilities (serving six or fewer persons) (defined: Section 21.04.300) | X | ||
Satellite TV antennae (subject to Section 21.53.130 through 21.53.150; defined: Section 21.04.302) | X | ||
Signs (subject to Chapter 21.41; defined: Section 21.04.305) | X | ||
Stables/riding academics (defined: Sections 21.04.310 and 21.04.315) | 2 | ||
Supportive housing (defined: Section 21.04.355.1) | X | ||
Temporary bldg./trailer (real estate or construction) (subject to Sections 21.53.090 and 21.53.110) | X | ||
Transitional housing (defined: Section 21.04.362) | X | ||
Wireless communication facilities (subject to Section 21.42.140(B)(165); defined: Section 21.04.379) | 1 / 2 | ||
Zoos (private) (subject to Section 21.42.140(B)(170); defined: Section 21.04.400) | 2 |
Notes: | |
|---|---|
1. | Private garages (defined: Section 21.04.150) shall accommodate not more than four cars; however, additional garage or implement shelters may be erected, maintained and used on sites of ten acres or more, provided that such structures shall not occupy any required yard space. |
2. | On sites of four acres or less, there shall not be more than two horses, or two sheep or two bovine animals per acre of ground devoted to feed such animals (excluding feed lots). |
3. | Poultry, rabbits and other fur-bearing animals shall be confined at all times within an enclosure. |
4. | The keeping of all domestic animals provided for in this section shall conform to all other provisions of law governing the same, and no fowl or animal, or any pen, coop, stable, or barn, shall be kept or maintained within forty feet of any building used for human habitation located on adjoining property, or within forty feet of any street or public property. |
5. | A conditional use permit is not required for a golf course if it is approved as part of a master plan for a planned community development. |
6. | Mobile homes must be certified under the National Mobilehome Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. Section 5401 et seq.) on a foundation system pursuant to Section 18551 of the State Health and Safety Code. |
7. | Any use meeting the definition of an entertainment establishment, as defined in Section 8.09.020 of the Carlsbad Municipal Code (CMC), shall be subject to the requirements of CMC Chapter 8.09. |
8. | Only the following agricultural uses, and buildings accessory to such agricultural uses, under this use type are permitted in the R-A zone: (A) Field and seed crops, (B) Truck crops, (C) Horticultural crops, (D) Orchards and vineyards, (E) Tree farms, (F) Fallow lands. |
9. | Agriculture/aquaculture/flower stands. Provided that the floor area of the stand shall not exceed two hundred square feet, that the stand is located not nearer than twenty feet to any street or highway, and that the stand is only allowed accessory to an active agricultural or aquacultural use. |
(Ord. NS-718 § 5, 2004; Ord. NS-746 § 5, 2005; Ord. NS-753 § 1, 2005; Ord. NS-791 § 9, 2006; Ord. CS-102 §§ IX—XI, 2010; Ord. CS-164 § 10, 2011; Ord. CS-189 § VII, 2012; Ord. CS-191 § V, 2012; Ord. CS-224 §§ III, IV, 2013; Ord. CS-249 § III, 2014; Ord. CS-324 § 2, 2017; Ord. CS-384 § 10, 2020; Ord. CS-432, 9/27/2022; Ord. CS-448, 6/6/2023; Ord. CS-474, 8/20/2024)
§ 21.08.030 Building height.
A.
No building in the R-A zone shall exceed a height of thirty feet and two stories if a minimum roof pitch of 3:12 is provided or twenty-four feet and two stories if less than a 3:12 roof pitch is provided for lots under twenty-thousand square feet.
B.
Single-family residences on lots with a lot area of twenty thousand square feet or greater and within an R-A zone and specifying a -20 or greater area zoning symbol shall not exceed thirty-five feet and three stories with a minimum roof pitch of 3:12 provided.
(Ord. NS-718 § 5, 2004)
§ 21.08.040 Front yard.
Every lot in an R-A zone shall have a front yard which has a depth of not less than twenty feet, except that on key lots and lots which side upon commercially or industrially zone property, the required front yard need not exceed fifteen feet.
(Ord. NS-718 § 5, 2004)
§ 21.08.050 Side yards.
A.
In the R-A zone every lot shall have side yards as follows:
1.
Interior lots shall have the following side yards:
a.
A side yard shall be provided on each side of the lot which side yard has a width equal to ten percent of the lot width; provided, that such side yard shall not be less than five feet in width and need not exceed ten feet;
i.
The width of one side yard may be reduced, subject to the following:
(A)
The opposite side yard shall be increased in width by an amount equal to the reduction or shall be a minimum of ten feet in width, whichever is greater;
(B)
The reduced side yard shall not be less than five feet in width nor shall it abut a lot or parcel of land with an adjacent reduced side yard;
(C)
In the event special circumstances exist, such as extreme topographical features and/or irregular shaped lots (such as those which front on cul-de-sacs), a reduced side yard may be permitted adjacent to a reduced side yard, provided a minimum of ten feet between buildings is maintained.
2.
Corner lots and reversed corner lots shall have the following side yards:
a.
On the side lot line which adjoins another lot, the side yard shall be equal to ten percent of the lot width; provided that such side yard shall not be less than five feet in width and need not exceed ten feet; and
b.
On the side street, the width of the required side yard shall be ten feet and such side yard shall extend the full length of the lot.
(Ord. NS-718 § 5, 2004; Ord. CS-164 § 10, 2011; Ord. CS-178 § VI, 2012)
§ 21.08.060 Placement of buildings.
A.
Placement of buildings on any lot shall conform to the following, except as otherwise permitted for accessory dwelling units (or junior accessory dwelling units where permitted) pursuant to Section 21.10.030:
1.
Interior Lots.
a.
No building shall occupy any portion of a required yard;
b.
Any building, any portion of which is used for human habitation, shall observe a distance from any side lot line the equivalent of the required side yard on such lot and from the rear property line the equivalent of twice the required side yard on such lot;
c.
All accessory structures shall comply with the following development standards:
i.
The lot coverage shall include accessory structures in the lot coverage calculations for the lot,
ii.
When proposed on a lot adjoining native vegetation, accessory structures within a fire suppression zone must be reviewed and approved by the fire department,
iii.
Buildings shall not exceed one story,
iv.
Building height shall not exceed 14 feet if a minimum roof pitch of 3:12 is provided or 10 feet if less than a 3:12 roof pitch is provided;
d.
Habitable detached accessory structures shall comply with all requirements of the zone applicable to placement of a dwelling unit on a lot including setbacks;
e.
Detached accessory structures which are not dwelling units and contain no habitable space, including, but not limited to, garages, workshops, tool sheds, decks over 30 inches above grade and freestanding patio covers shall comply with the following additional development standards when located within a lot's required setback areas:
i.
The maximum allowable building area per structure shall not exceed a building coverage of 440 square feet,
ii.
The following setbacks shall apply: a front yard setback of 20 feet, a rear yard setback of five feet, a side yard setback of five feet and an alley setback of five feet,
iii.
The maximum plumbing drain size shall be one and one-half inches in diameter so as to prohibit toilets, showers, bathtubs and other similar fixtures,
iv.
The additional development standards listed above (subsections (A)(1)(g)(i) through (iii) of this section) shall apply to the entire subject accessory structure, not just the portion encroaching into a lot's setback area; and
f.
The provisions of this section are applicable notwithstanding the permit requirements contained in Section 18.04.015.
2.
Corner Lots and Reversed Corner Lots.
a.
No building shall occupy any portion of a required yard;
b.
Any building, any portion of which is used for human habitation, shall observe a distance from the rear property line the equivalent of twice the required interior side yard on such lot;
c.
All accessory structures shall comply with the following development standards:
i.
The lot coverage shall include accessory structures in the lot coverage calculations for the lot,
ii.
When proposed on a lot adjoining native vegetation, accessory structures within a fire suppression zone must be reviewed and approved by the fire department,
iii.
Buildings shall not exceed one story,
iv.
Building height shall not exceed 14 feet if a minimum roof pitch of 3:12 is provided or 10 feet if less than a 3:12 roof pitch is provided;
d.
Habitable detached accessory structures shall comply with all requirements of the zone applicable to placement of a dwelling unit on a lot including setbacks;
e.
Detached accessory structures which are not dwelling units and contain no habitable space, including, but not limited to, garages, workshops, tool sheds, decks over 30 inches above grade and freestanding patio covers shall comply with the following additional development standards when located within a lot's required setback areas:
i.
The maximum allowable building area per structure shall not exceed a building coverage of 440 square feet,
ii.
The following setbacks shall apply: a front yard setback of 20 feet, a rear yard setback of five feet, a side yard setback of five feet, a street side yard setback of five feet and an alley setback of five feet,
iii.
The maximum plumbing drain size shall be one and one-half inches in diameter so as to prohibit toilets, showers, bathtubs and other similar fixtures,
iv.
The additional development standards listed above (subsections (A)(2)(g)(i) through (iii) of this section) shall apply to the entire subject accessory structure, not just the portion encroaching into a lot's setback area; and
f.
The provisions of this section are applicable notwithstanding the permit requirements contained in Section 18.04.015.
(Ord. NS-718 § 5, 2004; Ord. CS-324 § 5, 2017; Ord. CS-384 § 11, 2020; Ord. CS-432, 9/27/2022)
§ 21.08.070 Minimum lot area.
A.
The minimum required area of a lot in the R-A zone when the zone implements the R1.5 land use designations shall be not less than one-half acre (twenty-one thousand seven hundred eighty square feet), unless a greater minimum lot area is specified on the zoning map (ex. R-A-2.5 = two and one-half acre minimum lot area).
B.
The minimum required area of a lot in the R-A zone, when the zone implements the R-4 land use designation, shall be not less than seven thousand five hundred square feet, unless otherwise shown on the zoning map.
(Ord. NS-718 § 5, 2004; Ord. CS-432, 9/27/2022)
§ 21.08.080 Lot width.
A.
In the R-A zone every lot shall have a minimum lot width as follows:
1.
Lots required to have an area up to ten thousand square feet, sixty feet;
2.
Lots required to have an area of at least ten thousand square feet and up to twenty thousand square feet, seventy-five feet;
3.
Lots required to have an area of twenty thousand square feet or more, eighty feet.
B.
The official or decision-making body with the authority to otherwise approve the subdivision may approve panhandle or flag-shaped lots where the lot width and yards shall be measured in accord with this section if the following circumstances are found to exist:
1.
The property cannot be served adequately with a public street without panhandle lots due to unfavorable conditions resulting from unusual topography, surrounding land development, or lot configuration; and
2.
Subdivision with panhandle lots will not preclude or adversely affect the ability to provide full public street access to other properties within the same block of the subject property.
C.
In approving a panhandle lot a determination shall be made as to what portion of such lot shall be the buildable lot; for purposes of this chapter, the buildable portion shall be the entire lot exclusive of any portion of the lot less than thirty-five feet in width that is used for access to the lot. Also, a determination shall be made on which property lines of the buildable lots are the front, sides and rear for purposes of providing required yards.
D.
Any panhandle lot approved pursuant to this section shall meet the following requirements:
1.
The area of the buildable portion of the lot shall be a minimum ten thousand square feet or the minimum required by the zone, whichever is greater. In zone districts permitting less than ten thousand square-foot lots, the buildable portion of the lot may be less than ten thousand square feet provided the official or decision-making body with the authority to otherwise approve the subdivision finds from evidence submitted on a site plan that all requirements of this section will be met; however, in no case shall the buildable portion of the lot be less than eight thousand square feet in area. If a site plan for a subdivision with panhandle lots, with a buildable portion of less than ten thousand square feet, is approved, development within such subdivision shall conform to the plan as approved;
2.
The width requirements for the buildable portion of the lot shall be met as required for lots in the zone district;
3.
The yard requirements of the zone district shall be met as required for interior lots;
4.
The length of the portion of the lot fronting on a public street or publicly dedicated easement afforded access to the buildable lot shall not be greater than one hundred fifty feet for a single lot or two hundred feet when two such lots are adjoining. The minimum width for such access portion shall be twenty feet except where the access portion is adjacent to the same portion of another such lot, in which case the required minimum frontage shall be fifteen feet, provided a joint easement, ensuring common access to both such portions, is recorded;
5.
An improved driveway shall be provided within the access portion of the lot from the public street or public easement to the parking area on the buildable lot at least fourteen feet wide for single lots and twenty feet wide when serving more than one lot. The minimum overhead clearance shall be ten feet. The driveway shall be constructed to accommodate public service vehicles with a minimum of two-inch thick asphalt concrete paving on proper base with rolled edges;
6.
Drainage from the lot shall be channeled down the private access to a public street or special drainage means must be provided to the satisfaction of the City Engineer;
7.
Each lot shall have three nontandem parking spaces with an approach not less than twenty-four feet in length with proper turnaround space to permit complete turnaround for forward access to the street. This parking and access arrangement shall be designed to the satisfaction of the City Engineer;
8.
Structures permitted in the access portion of the lot shall be limited to mailboxes, fences, trash enclosures, landscape containers and nameplates. Except for mailboxes, these structures shall not be greater than forty-two inches in height if located within twenty feet of the street property line or greater than six feet in height beyond this point;
9.
The property owner of such a lot shall agree to hold the city or any other public service agency harmless from liability for any damage to the driveway when being used to perform a public service;
10.
Any other condition the official or decision-making body with the authority to otherwise approve the subdivision may determine to be necessary to properly develop such property.
(Ord. NS-718 § 5, 2004; Ord. CS-178 § VII, 2012)
§ 21.08.090 Lot coverage.
Lot coverage with buildings and structures shall not exceed forty percent of the lot. Buildings and structures used for growing or raising plants are not counted as coverage.
(Ord. NS-718 § 5, 2004)
§ 21.08.100 Development standards.
A.
No one-family dwelling unit, whether it be conventionally built, modular or a mobile home, shall be located on a lot in this zone unless such dwelling unit complies with the following development standards:
1.
Garage(s), which are provided to meet the parking requirements for dwellings pursuant to Section 21.44.020 of this title, shall be architecturally integrated with and have an exterior similar to the dwelling unit.
2.
All dwelling units shall have a permanent foundation. For mobile homes a foundation system installed pursuant to Section 18551 of the State Health and Safety Code shall satisfy the requirements of this section.
3.
Exterior siding material shall be stucco, masonry, wood or brick unless an alternative exterior material is approved by the City Planner. The City Planner may approve a siding material other than those listed in this section only if he or she finds that use of such materials is in harmony with other dwelling units in the neighborhood.
4.
All roofs shall have a pitch of at least three inches in twenty inches unless another pitch is approved by the City Planner. No roof shall be made of corrugated, extruded or stamped metal.
5.
All dwelling units shall have a minimum width of twenty feet.
(Ord. NS-718 § 5, 2004; Ord. CS-102 § XII, 2010; Ord. CS-164 § 10, 2011)