La Verne City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 18
32 A-1 LIMITED AGRICULTURAL ZONE
§ 18.32.010 Purpose.
The A-1 zone is intended for limited agricultural purposes, with appropriate single-family residences, and similar open space uses. Except as specifically provided in this code, any and every building and premises or land in an A-1 zone shall be used for or occupied and every building shall be erected, constructed, established, altered, enlarged, maintained, moved into or within the A-1 zone exclusively and only in accordance with the general provisions stated in Chapter 18.10 of this title, the development review provisions stated in Chapter 18.16 of this title, with the regulations provided in this chapter, and other applicable regulations of this code and the La Verne general plan.
(Ord. 907 § 3, 1997)
§ 18.32.020 Permitted uses.
The following uses are permitted in the A-1 zone:
A.
Single-family residential structures of a permanent nature placed in a permanent location, with not more than one dwelling unit per lot or parcel of land;
B.
Farms or ranches for orchards, tree crops, field crops, berry and bush crops, flower gardening and other similar agricultural uses provided that these uses are operated in a manner harmonious with the residential nature of the community; and provided that chemical pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, dust and other substances that can degrade the environment are controlled in a manner that protects human health and the environment;
C.
Accessory buildings and uses customarily incidental to permitted residential and other uses and developments, including a private garage, private recreation facilities, and servants or guest quarters, provided no kitchen or kitchen facilities shall be included in any such accessory building;
D.
The keeping of animals such as household pets (not for commercial purposes) as provided in Title 6 of this code;
F.
Signs and name plates as provided in Title 17 of this code;
G.
Open space designated for agricultural preservation or ecological preservation held by a city-approved land conservancy trust or similar organization;
H.
Supportive housing;
I.
Transitional housing;
J.
Employee housing, single-family;
K.
Employee housing, agricultural zone.
(Ord. 907 § 3, 1997; Ord. 1040 § 3, 2013; Ord. 25-1129, 2/18/2025)
§ 18.32.025 Employee housing-Agricultural zone.
A.
An application for an employee housing development that consists of an employee housing project consisting of no more than thirty-six beds in group quarters or twelve units or spaces designed for use by a single family or household shall be ministerially approved by the community development department in accordance with California Health and Safety Code Section 17021.6.
2.
Employee housing meeting this definition constitutes an agricultural land use.
3.
Occupancy shall be limited to employees who work on the property where the development is located and may also include agricultural employees who do not work on the property where the employee housing is located. Occupancy may also include families of the employee.
B.
An application for an agricultural employee housing development of no more than thirty-six units or spaces designed for use by a single family or household shall be ministerially approved if it meets the following requirements in accordance with California Health and Safety Code Section 17021.8:
1.
The development is not located on a site that meets any of the environmental constraint factors listed in California Health and Safety Code Section 17021.8(a)(2).
2.
The development is an eligible agricultural employee housing development that complies with the requirements of California Health and Safety Code Section 17021.8(i).
3.
The development complies with the following objective standards:
a.
There is adequate water and wastewater facilities and dry utilities to serve the project.
b.
The development is connected to an existing adequate public water system that has not been identified as failing or being at risk of failing to provide an adequate supply of safe drinking water.
c.
For a development of ten or more units, the development connects to an existing municipal sewer system.
d.
The development must be within one-half mile of a collector road with an average daily trips of six thousand or greater or located adjacent to a collector road with an average daily trips of two thousand or greater.
e.
The development shall provide parking in the same amount as required for other residential developments of similar size.
4.
If the application does not meet these requirements, the city shall inform the applicant within thirty days of a submission if the development contains fifty or fewer housing units and within sixty days of submission if the development contains more than fifty housing units. Failure to notify the applicant within this period of time means that the development shall have satisfied the environmental constraints requirement.
5.
The city may deny an application for agricultural employee housing under this subsection B if any of the following conditions exist:
a.
The city determines that the development would have a specific, adverse impact upon the public health or safety, and there is no feasible method to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the specific adverse impact without rendering the development unaffordable to lower income households or rendering the development financially infeasible.
b.
The project would be in violation of any applicable state or federal law.
6.
The city shall act upon this project within ninety days of submission if the development contains fifty or fewer housing units and within one hundred eighty days of submission if the development contains more than fifty housing units.
7.
The applicant shall be required to pay impact fees.
(Ord. 25-1129, 2/18/2025)
§ 18.32.030 Conditional uses.
The following uses are permitted in the A-1 zone under a conditional use permit approved in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 18.108 of this title:
A.
Country clubs, golf course and incidental uses including restaurants, excepting commercial driving ranges, miniature courses and other similar commercial enterprises;
B.
Wholesale plant nurseries and similar commercial/agricultural uses;
C.
Commercial horse stables provided as follows:
1.
Lot size shall be a minimum of one acre and the corral or stable spaces shall be a minimum of five hundred square feet per horse; and
2.
The corrals or stables shall be constructed to the satisfaction of the community development director and building inspector; and
3.
At a minimum each corral or stable space shall be covered to screen direct sunlight, wind, and rain; and
4.
The premises shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary manner, free of fly infestation, and in accordance with Los Angeles County health department standards. Manure shall be removed weekly at a minimum; and
5.
Tack rooms or other accessory structures shall require a building permit and, if visible from the street, shall require precise plan approval; and
6.
Activities shall be limited to boarding, breeding, training, raising and grazing operations conducted on the premises and not open to public visitors; and
7.
Horses shall not be stabled closer than thirty-five feet from any existing dwelling unit or swimming pool on the same lot or within fifty feet of an existing dwelling unit or pool on an adjacent lot and shall be located a minimum of six feet from an interior or rear property line and twenty-five feet from a public right-of-way line unless a trail or easement is adjacent to the property line; and
8.
Noise and lights shall be conditioned by the planning commission to prevent disturbance or over-spill; and
9.
Buffering with walls and landscaping shall be required as needed to protect adjacent residential properties; and
10.
The number of horses shall be limited to five per acre.
D.
Mixed uses wherein a building, structure, or parcel contains two or more different but compatible, permitted or conditionally permitted uses, such as a residence and stable.
(Ord. 907 § 3, 1997; Ord. 25-1129, 2/18/2025)
§ 18.32.040 Property development standards generally.
The development standards provided in Sections 18.32.050 through 18.32.080 of this chapter shall apply to all land and structures in the A-1 zones. Where an existing lot or parcel of land has less width, depth or area than required by the adoption of the ordinance codified in this title, such property may be occupied by any use permitted in the A-1 zones.
(Ord. 907 § 3, 1997)
§ 18.32.050 Lot area and dimensions.
Lot area and dimensions in the A-1 zone shall be as follows:
A.
Width. Each lot or parcel of land shall have a minimum width of two hundred feet (60.96 meters).
B.
Depth. Each lot or parcel of land shall have a minimum depth of two hundred feet (60.96 meters).
C.
Area. Each lot or parcel of land shall have a minimum area of two acres.
(Ord. 907 § 3, 1997)
§ 18.32.060 Setbacks.
In the A-1 zone the front, side and rear yards shall each have a depth of not less than twenty-five feet (7.62 meters), measured from the property line abutting an adjacent property or public right-of-way.
(Ord. 907 § 3, 1997)
§ 18.32.070 Building requirements.
A.
Building Height. In the A-1 zone, the maximum building height shall be two stories and shall not exceed thirty feet (9.1444 meters), except as otherwise provided in Section 18.10.040.
B.
Lot Coverage. The building area shall not cover more than thirty percent of the total area of any lot.
(Ord. 907 § 3, 1997)
§ 18.32.080 Parking requirements.
For parking requirements in the A-1 zone, see Chapter 18.76 of this title.
(Ord. 907 § 3, 1997)