Coronado City Zoning Code
86.34 Housing
Element Opportunity Site Overlay Zone
86.34.010 Purpose.
The purpose of the Housing Element Opportunity Site (HE) Overlay Zone is to facilitate housing production on opportunity sites identified in the General Plan Housing Element. The HE Overlay Zone aims to encourage new housing that is affordable to lower-income households with alternative development standards for projects that meet affordability criteria. There are two HE Subzones (HE-1 and HE-2), each with unique land use regulations and development standards. (Ord. 2024-08 § 3 (Exh. A), 2024; Ord. 2024-02 § 3 (Exh. A), 2024)
86.34.020 Permitted uses.
Allowed uses in the HE Overlay Zone are the same as the underlying basic zone except as provided below:
A. All HE Subzones. Multiple-family residential development is allowed in the HE Overlay Zone.
B. HE-1 Subzone. On 919 C Avenue (APN 5373423400) and 901 C Avenue (APN 5373420100), as shown in Figure 86.34-1, a church, church-related thrift store, and school programing may continue as an allowed use if the site is developed with new residential uses.
Figure 86.34-1. 919 and 901 C Avenue
C. Commercial Designated Properties. For property designated Commercial, a mix of shopkeeper units and residential uses are allowed on the ground floor as follows:
1. Shopkeeper units or live-work quarters may occupy the entire ground floor and may front a street;
2. Residential uses may front 2nd Street between B Avenue and C Avenue; and
3. Other residential uses shall not occupy more than 50 percent of total square feet of the ground floor and shall not front a street. (Ord. 2025-03 § 3 (Exh. A), 2025; Ord. 2024-08 § 3 (Exh. A), 2024; Ord. 2024-02 § 3 (Exh. A), 2024)
86.34.030 Development standards.
Development standards in the HE Overlay Zone are the same as the underlying basic zone except as provided below:
A. Standards for Qualifying Affordable Projects.
1. The standards in Table 86.34-1 apply to residential development that provides on-site affordable units (number of units and affordability levels) specified in Chapter 82.21 CMC. The minimum number of affordable units is calculated as the percentage of newly constructed units.
2. All standards in the underlying basic zone not modified by Table 86.34-1 continue to apply to qualifying affordable projects.
Table 86.34-1. Development Standards for Qualifying Affordable Projects
HE-1 | HE-2 | |
|---|---|---|
Minimum lot area per unit | 1,089 sq. ft. | 1,089 sq. ft. |
Height | ||
Stories | 4 stories | 4 stories |
Feet | 42 ft. | 42 ft. [1] |
FAR | 1.6 | No max. |
Structural Coverage | 75% | No max. |
Setbacks | ||
Front | 15 ft. | No min. |
Side | As required by CMC 86.14.060 | No min. |
Rear | As required by Orange Avenue Corridor Specific Plan V.B.4.A | No min. |
Notes:
[1]Additional five feet height permitted for vertical mixed-use development. The additional five feet is permitted only if the ground-floor height is 14 feet or more measured floor to ceiling.
B. All Other Projects. All projects that do not qualify for alternative development standards pursuant to CMC 86.34.040(A) must comply with the standards in the underlying basic zone.
C. Minimum Density. For a project that creates one or more new dwelling units on a development site, the minimum density is 20 dwelling units per acre, with the exception that no minimum density standard applies to 517 Orange Avenue (APN 5363810500).
D. Flood Risk. The following shall be required for projects at 150 B Avenue (APNs 5361022800, 5361022000, 5361023100, 5361023200, 5361023300) and 201 6th Street (APNs 5364111100, 5364111000, 5364110900, 5364110800, 5364110700, 5364110600, 5364110500, 5364110400, 5364110300, 5364110200, 5364110100, 5360100500):
1. The record owner of the development shall enter into an agreement with the City prior to or concurrent with the issuance of a coastal permit in a form that is approved by the City Attorney. The agreement shall include the following acknowledgments and provisions:
a. That the development is located in an area of future sea level rise, including flooding and storms, that may become hazardous in the future;
b. That sea level rise could render it infeasible to provide services to the site;
c. Except as to properties governed by the Court of Appeal decision in SLPR, LLC v. State Lands Com. (2020) 49 Cal.App.5th 284, the boundary between public land (tidelands) and private land may shift with rising seas and the development approval does not permit encroachment onto public trust land;
d. That additional adaptation strategies may be required in the future to address sea level rise consistent with the Coastal Act and certified LCP;
e. That the owner waives any rights under Coastal Act Section 30235 and related LCP policies to hard shoreline armoring to protect the development; and
f. That the structure may be required to be removed or relocated and the site restored if it becomes unsafe.
2. The record owner of the development shall provide notice in the lease to all occupants of the development of the acknowledgments and provisions specified in subsection (D)(1) of this section.
3. The first finished floor of the development shall be elevated at least above existing grade. The development shall not include subterranean parking garages or basements. (Ord. 2025-03 § 3 (Exh. A), 2025; Ord. 2024-08 § 3 (Exh. A), 2024; Ord. 2024-02 § 3 (Exh. A), 2024)
86.34.040 By-right approval process.
A. Pursuant to California Government Code Section 65583.2, a proposed multiple-family residential development project with 20 percent or more of units affordable to lower-income households on the following sites shall be reviewed by the City through a by-right approval process:
1. 919 C Avenue (APN 5373423400, 5373420100).
2. 517 Orange Avenue (APN 5363810500).
3. 1224 10th Street (APN 5374521300).
4. 1001 C Avenue (APN 5374521400).
5. 150 B Avenue (APN 5361022800, 5361022000, 5361023100, 5361023200, 5361023300).
6. 700 Orange Avenue (APN 5370822700, 5370822500, 5370821500).
7. 201 6th Street (APN 5364111100, 5364111000, 5364110900, 5364110800, 5364110700, 5364110600, 5364110500, 5364110400, 5364110300, 5364110200, 5364110100, 5360100500).
B. As used in this section, “lower-income households” are defined in California Health and Safety Code Section 50079.5. “By-right approval” means that the project does not require a special use permit, planned unit development permit, or other discretionary City review or approval. A by-right approval process may include ministerial design review as required pursuant to CMC Title 80 or a coastal permit as required pursuant to CMC Title 86 Chapter 86.70. Any project that proposes or requires a subdivision map is required to comply with all State and local subdivision requirements. (Ord. 2025-03 § 3 (Exh. A), 2025; Ord. 2024-08 § 3 (Exh. A), 2024; Ord. 2024-02 § 3 (Exh. A), 2024)