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Hawthorne City Zoning Code

CHAPTER 17

85 HO HOUSING OVERLAY

§ 17.85.010 Purpose.

The purpose of the Housing Overlay is to provide new housing opportunities within existing commercial and residential zones. Development standards that differ from that of base zones are intended to incentivize and spur construction of a variety of housing unit types, to meet the city's regional housing needs allocation.
(Ord. 2240, 11/14/2023)

§ 17.85.020 Applicability.

A. 
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all sites identified within the Housing Overlay on the Hawthorne Zoning Map. This chapter's provisions are elective, and an applicant may choose to apply under this chapter's provisions or that of the base zone.
B. 
Residential uses allowed by the Housing Overlay are by-right, meaning new applications shall comply with the development standards of this chapter, Chapter 17.102, and shall not be required to enter a discretionary hearing process.
(Ord. 2240, 11/14/2023)

§ 17.85.030 Uses permitted.

The following residential uses are permitted by-right in the Housing Overlay:
A. 
Mixed-commercial and residential;
B. 
Multifamily dwelling units;
C. 
Employee housing;
D. 
Residential care facility, small;
E. 
Senior citizen housing project;
F. 
Supportive housing; and
G. 
Transitional housing.
(Ord. 2240, 11/14/2023)

§ 17.85.040 Development standards.

The property development standards set forth in this section, as well as those specified in Chapter 17.100, Multifamily and Mixed Use Objective Design Standards, shall apply to all land and buildings built within the housing overlay zone.
A. 
Density. The minimum residential density shall be 20 dwelling units per acre based on gross project area. Maximum residential density shall be 30 dwelling units per acre based on gross project area.
B. 
Maximum Building Height. Maximum building height shall be 60 feet. The following structures must be stepped back from the edge of the building a minimum of five feet and are allowed to exceed the established building height limit:
1. 
Elevators, stair towers, skylights, and chimneys;
2. 
Rooftop open space features (such as trellises and sunshades);
3. 
Flagpoles;
4. 
Fire escapes and catwalks;
5. 
Solar facilities;
6. 
Telecommunications facilities;
7. 
Utility elements.
C. 
Minimum Setbacks. Residential projects within the Housing Overlay shall comply with the following:
1. 
Street Frontage. Ground-floor residential buildings shall have a minimum setback of 15 feet from all street frontages. Ground-floor commercial and retail buildings shall have a minimum setback of five feet and a maximum of 15 feet from all street frontages. Such setback for ground-floor commercial and retail buildings shall be used to provide public open space, landscaping or street furniture.
2. 
Side and Rear. Mixed use and nonresidential buildings shall maintain minimum side and rear setbacks of 10 feet from property lines adjacent to residential zones. No setback is required if adjacent to other zones.
D. 
Minimum Open Space. 150 square feet of open space shall be provided per dwelling unit, of which not more than 50% may be private open space.
E. 
Minimum Street Frontage. Lots within the Housing Overlay shall have a minimum street frontage of 100 linear feet along a street. Lots with frontages on more than one street are only required to meet this standard for one street.
F. 
Minimum Unit Sizes. Residential units within the Housing Overlay shall comply with the following unit sizes:
1. 
A minimum of 350 square feet for bachelor/efficiency units.
2. 
A minimum of 650 square feet for one-bedroom units.
3. 
A minimum of 800 square feet for two-bedroom units.
4. 
A minimum of 1,000 square feet for three-bedroom or larger units.
(Ord. 2240, 11/14/2023; Ord. 2249, 3/26/2024)