Laguna Beach City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 25
39 SPECIFIC PLAN SARAH THURSTON PARK
§ 25.39.010 Intent and purpose.
The intent and purpose of this chapter is to establish specific development standards for Sarah Thurston Park, pursuant to the authority of Article 9, Chapter 3 of Division 7 of the California Government Code. It is recognized that the Thurston Park neighborhood, due to the size and configuration of pedestrian orientation, possesses special problems which are most effectively solved by specific plans and development controls. The regulations contained in this chapter are intended to implement and complement the development policies of the Thurston Park specific plan text. These policies, together with the development standards contained herein, form the development regulations for the neighborhood. All other ordinances and sections of the Laguna Beach Municipal Code shall also apply to Thurston Park, unless standards are inconsistent with the provisions of the specific plan, in which case the specific plan shall apply.
(Ord. 1076 § 1, 1985)
§ 25.39.020 Description and application.
Property contained within the specific plan is encompassed in the Sarah Thurston Park Tract and includes the following properties: Lots 1-98, 105-137, all parking space "G-Lots," all lettered Lots A-P and two metes and bounds parcels situated southerly of Woodland Drive. Figure 2 in the specific plan text graphically illustrates these planning boundaries.
(Ord. 1076 § 1, 1985)
§ 25.39.030 Uses permitted.
All buildings, structures and land shall be used and buildings and structures shall hereafter be erected and designed for the following purposes, subject to the locations described below:
(A)
Thurston Trailer Park (Lots 105-133, exclusive of Lot 111, a portion of Lots 134 and 135, and lettered Lots G, H and I).
(1)
Detached mobile homes on permanent or fixed foundations;
(2)
Child care, subject to the standards in Chapter 25.08 of this code;
(3)
Such other uses as the planning commission may deem, after a public hearing, to be similar to and no more obnoxious or detrimental to the health, safety and welfare, than the permitted uses.
(B)
Publicly Owned Lands (Lots 84-94, 97, 98 and a portion of Lot 96).
(1)
Recreation without intensive playground equipment or other intensive recreational facilities;
(2)
Affordable single-family or multiple-family dwellings made available only to low- and moderate-income persons as defined in Section IV of the specific plan text;
(3)
Resident parking facility.
(C)
Thurston Park, Exclusive of the Areas Contained in Subsections (A) and (B) (Lots 1-83, 95, 96, 111, 136, 137, a portion of Lots 134 and 135, lettered Lots A-F and J-P, and property situated southerly of Woodland Drive; refer to Figure 2 in the specific plan text).
(1)
Single-family dwellings, including modular or prefabricated units which meet Uniform Building Code standards;
(2)
Multiple-family dwellings, subject to the provisions of Section 25.39.090;
(3)
Child care, subject to the standards in Section 25.08.006 of this code;
(4)
Public parks and recreational activities, without intensive playground equipment or other intensive recreation facilities;
(5)
Such other uses as the planning commission may deem, after a public hearing, to be similar to and no more obnoxious or detrimental to the health, safety and welfare, than the permitted use.
(Ord. 1076 § 1, 1985)
§ 25.39.040 Uses permitted subject to a conditional use permit.
The following uses may be permitted in areas described in Section 25.39.030(A) and (C), subject to the granting of a conditional use permit as provided for in Chapter 25.46 of this code:
(A)
Nursery school, preschool;
(B)
Residential facility, assisted living.
(Ord. 1076 § 1, 1985; Ord. 1712, 3/11/2025)
§ 25.39.050 Property development standards.
(A)
General Provisions. All new construction within the specific plan planning area (except for structural improvements which total less than fifty percent of existing livable floor area) shall be conditioned upon upgrading the water supply system or providing an emergency water supply to the property which is acceptable to the fire department. All construction shall be required to observe Type Five, one-hour construction requirements, and provide an approved automatic sprinkler system. Strict adherence to all other applicable Uniform Fire Code and Laguna Beach Municipal Code requirements concerning Fire Zone "A" shall also be observed.
(B)
Thurston Trailer Park (Lots 105-133, exclusive of Lot 111, a portion of Lots 134 and 135 and lettered Lots G, H and I).
(1)
Population Density. A maximum density of twenty-seven mobile home units is permitted.
(2)
Design Review. All new development is subject to design review as specified in Section 25.39.100.
(C)
Thurston Park (Lots 1-83, 95, 96, 111, 136, 137, a portion of Lots 134 and 135, lettered Lots A-F and J-P and property situated southerly of Woodland Drive. refer to Figure 2 in the specific plan text).
(1)
Legal Building Sites. Legal building sites are delineated on the land use plan map (Figure 3) of the specific plan. No additional building sites, other than Category 4 sites as defined in subsection (C)(5) of this section and lots which are demonstrated to be nonconforming, shall be created except by amendment of the specific plan, notwithstanding lots as defined in Section III of the specific plan. Combinations of designated legal building sites may be created, however, without amending the plan, subject to the provisions of Title 21 of this code.
(2)
Lot Coverage.
(a)
Lots Under Four Thousand Square Feet. New construction shall not exceed thirty-five percent of lot area; for Lots 111 and 80, these open space requirements shall not apply, but required setbacks must be observed.
(b)
Lots Four Thousand Square Feet or Greater. New construction shall not exceed forty percent of lot area.
(c)
For all lots, total floor space (excluding garage) shall not exceed fifty percent of total lot area.
(3)
Yard, Building Setbacks.
(a)
Front Yards. A front yard is any yard facing either a street or an existing pedestrian easement indicated on the land use plan map. The front yard setback shall not be less than ten feet. Where the property abuts two or more pedestrian easements, the second and third front yards shall not be less than six feet.
(b)
Side and Rear Yards. Side and rear setbacks shall not be less than four feet.
(4)
Building Height. Height of structures shall be measured from any point above the natural or finished grade, whichever is lesser. Height shall include floodplain requirements for elevation of the foundation.
(a)
Lots Under Four Thousand Square Feet. Two stories, not to exceed twenty feet;
(b)
Lots Four Thousand Square Feet or Greater. Two stories, not to exceed twenty-five feet.
(5)
Category 4 Sites.
(a)
Category 4 sites, as shown on the land use plan map, shall not be considered legal building sites until a determination has been made by the design review board as to the development feasibility of the property. The design review board shall perform this responsibility based on public health and safety considerations, including geologic and hydrologic factors.
(b)
Development standards, including setbacks, shall be determined as part of the design review process, but in no case shall building heights exceed twenty-five feet at any point above the adjacent street or adjacent pedestrian walkway, opposite the midpoint of the lot, whichever is lesser.
(Ord. 1076 § 1, 1985)
§ 25.39.060 Flood damage prevention.
New single and multiple-family construction on all lots within the one-hundred-year floodplain shall be subject to the provisions of Chapter 25.38 of this code. Definition and application of the one-hundred-year floodplain shall be as described in the Flood Insurance Study (March 1979), prepared by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and is specified in Section 25.38.020.
(Ord. 1076 § 1, 1985)
§ 25.39.070 Soils and geology.
A geologic report shall be prepared for all new construction as defined and in accordance with Chapter 14.78 of this code.
(Ord. 1076 § 1, 1985)
§ 25.39.080 Parking.
(A)
Building sites which maintain direct vehicular access from a private or public street shall provide two parking spaces for each dwelling unit. Existing improved building sites which maintain direct vehicular access but possess only one or less parking space shall be legal nonconforming uses until two parking spaces are provided for each dwelling unit. In the case of redevelopment or demolition of an existing structure, such building sites shall be upgraded to provide two parking spaces per unit.
(B)
Building sites which lack direct street access but which possess one or two off-site parking spaces shall retain those spaces for parking purposes in conjunction with the parcel they presently serve.
(C)
Improved building sites which possess no street access and no parking spaces, either on-site or off-site, shall become legal nonconforming and shall comply with the development standards associated with nonconforming structures, as set forth in Section 25.39.090. In the case of redevelopment or demolition of an existing structure, such building sites shall provide at least one parking space per unit.
(D)
Existing vacant building sites without street access which possess no parking spaces, either on-site or off-site, shall not qualify for a building permit unless at least one parking space per unit is provided.
(E)
The right to a parking space shall be sold separately from a legal building site, although parking spaces may be exchanged among landowners in the neighborhood. In no circumstances shall this preempt the minimum parking requirements stated in this section.
(F)
Use of parking spaces shall be restricted to Thurston Park property owners or their tenants. Rights to a parking space shall not be leased except to tenants of the legal building site with which the parking space is associated. Rental of a parking space on a short-term basis (by the hour, day or week) is prohibited.
(G)
Required parking spaces shall be properly maintained for parking purposes, and may be covered or enclosed, subject to approval by the design review board.
(H)
Parking of motorized vehicles on the pedestrian walkways shall be prohibited.
(Ord. 1076 § 1, 1985)
§ 25.39.090 Nonconforming uses.
Units which do not comply with this section, including existing two-family dwellings, apartments and multiple-family units on single-family legal building sites, shall be permitted to remain as existing nonconforming uses. Building permits shall be granted for activities consistent with normal maintenance and preservation of these structures so long as the total square footage of that structure is not increased. Nonconforming structures, however, may be added to or enlarged pursuant to Section 25.56.008 of this code, if such units are made available to low- and moderate-income households under an agreement approved by the city. In no case shall these improvements exceed fifty percent of the existing floor area of said units. Nonconforming structures may be rebuilt "in kind" if destroyed by a natural calamity, but in no circumstance may be reconstructed if demolished intentionally for purposes of new construction, unless such new construction (the new dwelling units) are made available to low- and moderate-income households under an agreement approved by the city. Reconstruction of all other nonconforming structures shall be confined to a single-family unit built in conformance with the specific plan.
(Ord. 1076 § 1, 1985)
§ 25.39.100 Design review.
All new buildings, structures and physical improvements and relocations, additions, extension and exterior changes of or to existing buildings, structures and physical site improvements shall be subject to design review. Design review guidelines shall be governed by Section 25.05.040 of this code. The design review board, in carrying out the objectives of this section, should consider and evaluate the scale and character of existing development and overall neighborhood amenities. Application for a building permit and design review board action shall be accompanied by the following materials:
(A)
Engineering geologic report prepared in accordance with Chapter 14.78;
(B)
Landscaping, grading and drainage plans, showing existing and proposed topography at two-foot contour intervals, plant types, sizes and locations, planting details, underground sprinkler system (if any) and drainage system for the entire site;
(C)
Site plan and details showing all site constructions, including paved areas, storage areas, fences, trash enclosures, stairways, decks, patios, etc. The maximum height of yard fencing and walls shall not exceed four feet;
(D)
A site plan showing the precise location of all building on adjacent lots, their entranceways, window openings, and outdoor living areas, all in relation to the proposed building and lot, accurately drawn to scale;
(E)
Preliminary floor plans, elevations, architectural and site details color and material samples of exterior surface;
(F)
Parking plan.
(Ord. 1076 § 1, 1985; Ord. 1223 § 1, 1991)
