Imperial Beach, CA Zoning Ordinance

The following land uses are allowed in the C/MU-1, C/MU-2, and C/MU-3 zones as uses that are expressly permitted, uses that require a conditional use permit, or uses that are permitted only if in compliance with specific location requirements. Any use not listed is prohibited unless the City Council determines it to be compatible with the zone.

Key to Land Use Tables
P	Expressly permitted
C	Permitted with conditional use permit
N	Not permitted

Notes: Per the City's zoning code, hotels consist of various types and are defined as follows:

H-1	A site area of a minimum of thirty-five thousand square feet; at least thirty guest rooms; facilities for conference, meeting, or public use; and a full-service restaurant on-site.
H-2	A "motel," which is an establishment providing guest rooms, for periods less than thirty days, with most rooms gaining access from an exterior walkway.
H-3	A lot, parcel, or segment of real property dedicated to "timeshare units," as defined in Section 19.04.756 of the Imperial Beach Municipal Code.
H-4	A "bed and breakfast" lodging place containing no more than six guest rooms and one kitchen.
H-5	An "inn" means a commercial establishment that affords public lodging to travelers, for periods less than thirty days. A kitchen and dining area may also be included to provide meal and beverage service to guests and to the general public.

	C/MU-1	C/MU-2	C/MU-3	Notes
Commercial Uses
Adult bookstore, adult hotel/motel, adult mini-motion picture theater, adult motion picture arcade, adult motion picture theater, sexual encounter studio, rap parlor, model studio	P	N	N	See definitions. Subject to requirements for adult-oriented businesses in Chapter 19.60.
Antique store	P	P	P	See definition.
Arcades and game centers	C	C	C	See definition.
Art studio, gallery, museum	P	P	P	See definition.
Athletic and health clubs	P	P	P	See definition.
Bars or cocktail lounges	C	C	N	See definition.
with live entertainment	C	C	N	See definition.
Beach equipment rental, bike rental, surf shop, fishing supply	P	P	N
Body piercing establishment	C	N	N	See definition. Subject to Section 19.26.020(B)(1).
Bookstore	P	P	P
Boutique	P	P	P
Cabaret	C	N	N	See definition. Subject to Chapter 19.60.
Campsites	C	N	N	See definition.
Cannabis permitted use	P	N	N	See definition and number allowed in Chapter 4.60. Subject to the requirements of Chapters 19.61 and 4.60.
Child day care center	P	P	P	See definition.
Clinic	P	P	P	See definition.
Dancehall	C	N	N	See definition. Subject to Chapter 19.60.
Department store	P	N	N
Drive-in restaurant	P	P	N	See definition.
Drive-through establishment	C	N	C	See definition.
Fortune telling establishment	C	N	N	See definition. Subject to Section 19.26.020(B)(3).
Hostel	C	C	N	See definition.
Kennel	C	N	N	See definition. Subject to Section 19.74.050.
Kiosk	P	P	P	See definition. In C/MU-2: Subject to Section 19.27.020(A)(2).
Liquor store	C	C	N	See definition.
Massage therapy establishment	P	P	P	See definition. Per Senate Bill 731.
Mortuary	C	N	N
Motor vehicle sales	C	N	N	Subject to Section 19.74.070.
Palm reading establishment	C	N	N	See definition. Subject to Section 19.26.020(B)(3).
Pawnshop	C	N	C	See definition.
Personal convenience services	P	P	P	See definition.
Pool or billiard hall	C	C	N	See definition.
with live entertainment	C	C	N	See definition.
Postal services, private	P	P	P
Professional offices, financial institutions, and real estate	P	P	P
Restaurant	P	P	P	See definition.
with live entertainment	C	C	C	See definition.
Retail food store	P	P	P
Retail sales	P	P	P	See definition.
Sales of secondhand or used merchandise	N	N	N	See definition.
Single-family detached	N	N*	N	*Only permitted in Seacoast Mixed-Use/Residential Overlay Zone.
Tattoo establishment	C	N	N	See definition. Subject to Section 19.26.020(B)(4).
Residential and Similar Uses
Accessory building, structures, private garages	C	C	C	See definition of accessory building.
Boarding house	C	N	N	See definition.
Emergency shelter	P	N	N	See definition.
Hostel	N	C	N	See definition.
Hotel, motel, bed and breakfast lodging, inn (H-1, H-2, H-3, H4, H-5)	P	P	P	See definitions above.
Live/work unit	P	P	P	See definition.
Mixed-use development	P	P	P	See definition.
Motor home/manufactured housing community	N	N	N	See definitions.
Multiple-family dwellings	P	P	P	See definition. See requirement for active commercial uses on ground floor per Sections 19.26.020(A)(1), 19.27.020(A)(1), 19.28.020(A)(1).
Second-family units	N	N	N
Senior housing, nursing home, retirement home	C	C	C	See definitions.
Short-term rental	P	P	P	See definition.
Single-family detached	N	N*	N	*Only permitted in Seacoast Residential Overlay Zone.
Single-room occupancy units	C	N	N
Timeshare	C	C	N	See definition.
Light Industrial Uses
Automobile dismantling or wrecking yard	N	N	N	See definition.
Automobile repair or automobile body shop	C	N	N	See definitions.
Automobile sales lot	C	N	N	See definition.
Automobile service station/gas station	C	N	C	See definition.
Energy facility	C	N	N	See definition.
Equipment rental yard	C	N	N
Incidental manufacturing	C	C	C	See definition.
Light manufacturing, manufacturing, industrial	N	N	N
Public and Semi-Public Uses
Campsites	N	N	N	See definition.
Clubs, fraternal/veteran/service organizations	C	C	C	Subject to Sections 19.26.020(B)(2), 19.27.020(A)(3), 19.28.020(A)(2).
with live entertainment	C	C	C
Educational institutions	C	C	N
Governmental or quasi-public building	P	P	P
Library	P	P	P
Religious assembly	C	C	C	See definition. Subject to Sections 19.26.020(B)(2), 19.27.020(A)(3), 19.28.020(A)(2).
Public parking lot	P	P	P
Theatre/assembly	C	C	C
Wireless communication facility	C	C	C	See definition. Subject to Chapter 19.90.
Green Building Utilities
Green building utilities	P	P	P	See definition. Subject to Chapter 19.92.
Open Space and Recreation
Passive public parks	P	P	P
Playground and recreation areas	C	C	C	Permitted if incidental and accessory to a permitted use.
Public riding and hiking trails	P	P	P

(Ord. 2012-1130 § 1; Ord. 2013-1140 § 1; Ord. 2016-1155 § 5; Ord. 2018-1174 § 4)

Key to Land Use Tables
P	Expressly permitted
C	Permitted with conditional use permit
N	Not permitted

Notes: Per the City's zoning code, hotels consist of various types and are defined as follows:

H-1	A site area of a minimum of thirty-five thousand square feet; at least thirty guest rooms; facilities for conference, meeting, or public use; and a full-service restaurant on-site.
H-2	A "motel," which is an establishment providing guest rooms, for periods less than thirty days, with most rooms gaining access from an exterior walkway.
H-3	A lot, parcel, or segment of real property dedicated to "timeshare units," as defined in Section 19.04.756 of the Imperial Beach Municipal Code.
H-4	A "bed and breakfast" lodging place containing no more than six guest rooms and one kitchen.
H-5	An "inn" means a commercial establishment that affords public lodging to travelers, for periods less than thirty days. A kitchen and dining area may also be included to provide meal and beverage service to guests and to the general public.

	C/MU-1	C/MU-2	C/MU-3	Notes
Commercial Uses
Adult bookstore, adult hotel/motel, adult mini-motion picture theater, adult motion picture arcade, adult motion picture theater, sexual encounter studio, rap parlor, model studio	P	N	N	See definitions. Subject to requirements for adult-oriented businesses in Chapter 19.60.
Antique store	P	P	P	See definition.
Arcades and game centers	C	C	C	See definition.
Art studio, gallery, museum	P	P	P	See definition.
Athletic and health clubs	P	P	P	See definition.
Bars or cocktail lounges	C	C	N	See definition.
with live entertainment	C	C	N	See definition.
Beach equipment rental, bike rental, surf shop, fishing supply	P	P	N
Body piercing establishment	C	N	N	See definition. Subject to Section 19.26.020(B)(1).
Bookstore	P	P	P
Boutique	P	P	P
Cabaret	C	N	N	See definition. Subject to Chapter 19.60.
Campsites	C	N	N	See definition.
Cannabis permitted use	P	N	N	See definition and number allowed in Chapter 4.60. Subject to the requirements of Chapters 19.61 and 4.60.
Child day care center	P	P	P	See definition.
Clinic	P	P	P	See definition.
Dancehall	C	N	N	See definition. Subject to Chapter 19.60.
Department store	P	N	N
Drive-in restaurant	P	P	N	See definition.
Drive-through establishment	C	N	C	See definition.
Fortune telling establishment	C	N	N	See definition. Subject to Section 19.26.020(B)(3).
Hostel	C	C	N	See definition.
Kennel	C	N	N	See definition. Subject to Section 19.74.050.
Kiosk	P	P	P	See definition. In C/MU-2: Subject to Section 19.27.020(A)(2).
Liquor store	C	C	N	See definition.
Massage therapy establishment	P	P	P	See definition. Per Senate Bill 731.
Mortuary	C	N	N
Motor vehicle sales	C	N	N	Subject to Section 19.74.070.
Palm reading establishment	C	N	N	See definition. Subject to Section 19.26.020(B)(3).
Pawnshop	C	N	C	See definition.
Personal convenience services	P	P	P	See definition.
Pool or billiard hall	C	C	N	See definition.
with live entertainment	C	C	N	See definition.
Postal services, private	P	P	P
Professional offices, financial institutions, and real estate	P	P	P
Restaurant	P	P	P	See definition.
with live entertainment	C	C	C	See definition.
Retail food store	P	P	P
Retail sales	P	P	P	See definition.
Sales of secondhand or used merchandise	N	N	N	See definition.
Single-family detached	N	N*	N	*Only permitted in Seacoast Mixed-Use/Residential Overlay Zone.
Tattoo establishment	C	N	N	See definition. Subject to Section 19.26.020(B)(4).
Residential and Similar Uses
Accessory building, structures, private garages	C	C	C	See definition of accessory building.
Boarding house	C	N	N	See definition.
Emergency shelter	P	N	N	See definition.
Hostel	N	C	N	See definition.
Hotel, motel, bed and breakfast lodging, inn (H-1, H-2, H-3, H4, H-5)	P	P	P	See definitions above.
Live/work unit	P	P	P	See definition.
Mixed-use development	P	P	P	See definition.
Motor home/manufactured housing community	N	N	N	See definitions.
Multiple-family dwellings	P	P	P	See definition. See requirement for active commercial uses on ground floor per Sections 19.26.020(A)(1), 19.27.020(A)(1), 19.28.020(A)(1).
Second-family units	N	N	N
Senior housing, nursing home, retirement home	C	C	C	See definitions.
Short-term rental	P	P	P	See definition.
Single-family detached	N	N*	N	*Only permitted in Seacoast Residential Overlay Zone.
Single-room occupancy units	C	N	N
Timeshare	C	C	N	See definition.
Light Industrial Uses
Automobile dismantling or wrecking yard	N	N	N	See definition.
Automobile repair or automobile body shop	C	N	N	See definitions.
Automobile sales lot	C	N	N	See definition.
Automobile service station/gas station	C	N	C	See definition.
Energy facility	C	N	N	See definition.
Equipment rental yard	C	N	N
Incidental manufacturing	C	C	C	See definition.
Light manufacturing, manufacturing, industrial	N	N	N
Public and Semi-Public Uses
Campsites	N	N	N	See definition.
Clubs, fraternal/veteran/service organizations	C	C	C	Subject to Sections 19.26.020(B)(2), 19.27.020(A)(3), 19.28.020(A)(2).
with live entertainment	C	C	C
Educational institutions	C	C	N
Governmental or quasi-public building	P	P	P
Library	P	P	P
Religious assembly	C	C	C	See definition. Subject to Sections 19.26.020(B)(2), 19.27.020(A)(3), 19.28.020(A)(2).
Public parking lot	P	P	P
Theatre/assembly	C	C	C
Wireless communication facility	C	C	C	See definition. Subject to Chapter 19.90.
Green Building Utilities
Green building utilities	P	P	P	See definition. Subject to Chapter 19.92.
Open Space and Recreation
Passive public parks	P	P	P
Playground and recreation areas	C	C	C	Permitted if incidental and accessory to a permitted use.
Public riding and hiking trails	P	P	P

(Ord. 2012-1130 § 1; Ord. 2013-1140 § 1; Ord. 2016-1155 § 5; Ord. 2018-1174 § 4)

Key to Land Use Tables
P	Expressly permitted
C	Permitted with conditional use permit
N	Not permitted

Notes: Per the City's zoning code, hotels consist of various types and are defined as follows:

H-1	A site area of a minimum of thirty-five thousand square feet; at least thirty guest rooms; facilities for conference, meeting, or public use; and a full-service restaurant on-site.
H-2	A "motel," which is an establishment providing guest rooms, for periods less than thirty days, with most rooms gaining access from an exterior walkway.
H-3	A lot, parcel, or segment of real property dedicated to "timeshare units," as defined in Section 19.04.756 of the Imperial Beach Municipal Code.
H-4	A "bed and breakfast" lodging place containing no more than six guest rooms and one kitchen.
H-5	An "inn" means a commercial establishment that affords public lodging to travelers, for periods less than thirty days. A kitchen and dining area may also be included to provide meal and beverage service to guests and to the general public.

	C/MU-1	C/MU-2	C/MU-3	Notes
Commercial Uses
Adult bookstore, adult hotel/motel, adult mini-motion picture theater, adult motion picture arcade, adult motion picture theater, sexual encounter studio, rap parlor, model studio	P	N	N	See definitions. Subject to requirements for adult-oriented businesses in Chapter 19.60.
Antique store	P	P	P	See definition.
Arcades and game centers	C	C	C	See definition.
Art studio, gallery, museum	P	P	P	See definition.
Athletic and health clubs	P	P	P	See definition.
Bars or cocktail lounges	C	C	N	See definition.
with live entertainment	C	C	N	See definition.
Beach equipment rental, bike rental, surf shop, fishing supply	P	P	N
Body piercing establishment	C	N	N	See definition. Subject to Section 19.26.020(B)(1).
Bookstore	P	P	P
Boutique	P	P	P
Cabaret	C	N	N	See definition. Subject to Chapter 19.60.
Campsites	C	N	N	See definition.
Cannabis permitted use	P	N	N	See definition and number allowed in Chapter 4.60. Subject to the requirements of Chapters 19.61 and 4.60.
Child day care center	P	P	P	See definition.
Clinic	P	P	P	See definition.
Dancehall	C	N	N	See definition. Subject to Chapter 19.60.
Department store	P	N	N
Drive-in restaurant	P	P	N	See definition.
Drive-through establishment	C	N	C	See definition.
Fortune telling establishment	C	N	N	See definition. Subject to Section 19.26.020(B)(3).
Hostel	C	C	N	See definition.
Kennel	C	N	N	See definition. Subject to Section 19.74.050.
Kiosk	P	P	P	See definition. In C/MU-2: Subject to Section 19.27.020(A)(2).
Liquor store	C	C	N	See definition.
Massage therapy establishment	P	P	P	See definition. Per Senate Bill 731.
Mortuary	C	N	N
Motor vehicle sales	C	N	N	Subject to Section 19.74.070.
Palm reading establishment	C	N	N	See definition. Subject to Section 19.26.020(B)(3).
Pawnshop	C	N	C	See definition.
Personal convenience services	P	P	P	See definition.
Pool or billiard hall	C	C	N	See definition.
with live entertainment	C	C	N	See definition.
Postal services, private	P	P	P
Professional offices, financial institutions, and real estate	P	P	P
Restaurant	P	P	P	See definition.
with live entertainment	C	C	C	See definition.
Retail food store	P	P	P
Retail sales	P	P	P	See definition.
Sales of secondhand or used merchandise	N	N	N	See definition.
Single-family detached	N	N*	N	*Only permitted in Seacoast Mixed-Use/Residential Overlay Zone.
Tattoo establishment	C	N	N	See definition. Subject to Section 19.26.020(B)(4).
Residential and Similar Uses
Accessory building, structures, private garages	C	C	C	See definition of accessory building.
Boarding house	C	N	N	See definition.
Emergency shelter	P	N	N	See definition.
Hostel	N	C	N	See definition.
Hotel, motel, bed and breakfast lodging, inn (H-1, H-2, H-3, H4, H-5)	P	P	P	See definitions above.
Live/work unit	P	P	P	See definition.
Mixed-use development	P	P	P	See definition.
Motor home/manufactured housing community	N	N	N	See definitions.
Multiple-family dwellings	P	P	P	See definition. See requirement for active commercial uses on ground floor per Sections 19.26.020(A)(1), 19.27.020(A)(1), 19.28.020(A)(1).
Second-family units	N	N	N
Senior housing, nursing home, retirement home	C	C	C	See definitions.
Short-term rental	P	P	P	See definition.
Single-family detached	N	N*	N	*Only permitted in Seacoast Residential Overlay Zone.
Single-room occupancy units	C	N	N
Timeshare	C	C	N	See definition.
Light Industrial Uses
Automobile dismantling or wrecking yard	N	N	N	See definition.
Automobile repair or automobile body shop	C	N	N	See definitions.
Automobile sales lot	C	N	N	See definition.
Automobile service station/gas station	C	N	C	See definition.
Energy facility	C	N	N	See definition.
Equipment rental yard	C	N	N
Incidental manufacturing	C	C	C	See definition.
Light manufacturing, manufacturing, industrial	N	N	N
Public and Semi-Public Uses
Campsites	N	N	N	See definition.
Clubs, fraternal/veteran/service organizations	C	C	C	Subject to Sections 19.26.020(B)(2), 19.27.020(A)(3), 19.28.020(A)(2).
with live entertainment	C	C	C
Educational institutions	C	C	N
Governmental or quasi-public building	P	P	P
Library	P	P	P
Religious assembly	C	C	C	See definition. Subject to Sections 19.26.020(B)(2), 19.27.020(A)(3), 19.28.020(A)(2).
Public parking lot	P	P	P
Theatre/assembly	C	C	C
Wireless communication facility	C	C	C	See definition. Subject to Chapter 19.90.
Green Building Utilities
Green building utilities	P	P	P	See definition. Subject to Chapter 19.92.
Open Space and Recreation
Passive public parks	P	P	P
Playground and recreation areas	C	C	C	Permitted if incidental and accessory to a permitted use.
Public riding and hiking trails	P	P	P

(Ord. 2012-1130 § 1; Ord. 2013-1140 § 1; Ord. 2016-1155 § 5; Ord. 2018-1174 § 4)

Imperial Beach City Zoning Code

CHAPTER 19

§ 19.23.010 Land use table.

Imperial Beach City Zoning Code

CHAPTER 19

§ 19.23.010 Land use table.

Imperial Beach City Zoning Code

CHAPTER 19

§ 19.23.010 Land use table.