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Laguna Woods City Zoning Code

CHAPTER 13

12.- OPEN SPACE DISTRICTS

Sec. 13.12.010.- Purpose and intent of districts.

(a)

Open space-passive (OS-P). To provide for the protection and preservation of open space areas for the purposes of passive recreation, visual enhancement, and resource conservation.

(b)

Open space-recreation (OS-R). To provide for the development and preservation of public and private parks and associated recreation facilities within open space areas.

(Ord. No. 03-03, § 5(18.20.305), 4-16-2003; Ord. No. 11-01, § 4(Exh. 5), 1-19-2011)

State Law reference— Open space zoning, Government Code § 65913 et seq.

Sec. 13.12.020. - Table of permitted uses.

The Permitted Open Space Uses Table, which follows, specifies whether a use or structure is permitted within the respective district and denotes the type of application process required to establish said use or structure See Section 13.18.020 for those principally permitted uses that may be exempt from the site development permit process. _____

PERMITTED OPEN SPACE USES LEGEND:

P = The use is permitted as the principal use within the district.
A = The use is permitted only as an accessory to a principal use on a site.
U = The use is permitted with an approved use permit.
T/SE = The use is permitted with an approved Temporary Use/Special Event permit.
X = The use is prohibited in the district.

 

Districts
Land Use Types OS-P OS-R Code
References
Accessory Building/Use A A 13.16.200
Adult Day Programs X X
Agricultural Employee Housing X X
Agricultural Uses X X
Animal Clinics X U 13.26.050
Animals and Pets A A 13.26.150
Apiary P P
Archaeological/Paleontological/Historical Site P P
Archery Range X U 13.26.220
Cannabis Non-Storefront Retailer X X
Cannabis Storefront Retailer X X 13.26.025
Cemeteries U U
Commercial Stables X U
Commercial Stockpiling/Manure Processing X X
Community Garden/Garden Center X P
Construction Trailer X T/SE 13.26.180
Country Clubs X U
Educational Institutions A A
Emergency and Transitional Housing Shelters X X 13.23
Employee Housing X A
Fences and Walls A A 13.16.230
Garages and Carports A A 13.16.210
Golf Course X U
Grazing P P
Greenbelts P P
Helistops X U 13.26.110
Information Centers A A
Kennels X U
Landscape Service Facilities/Offices X U
Libraries and Museums X U
Livestock Feeding Ranches X X
Maintenance Office/Building U U
Marijuana Cultivation, Commercial X X 13.26.026
Marijuana Delivery P P 13.26.027
Newspaper/Publications Distribution Center X U
Outdoor Charitable Collection X T/SE 13.26.180
Outdoor Sales, Various X T/SE 13.26.180
Outdoor Storage X T/SE 13.26.180
Parks/Playgrounds, Public/Private X P
Police and Fire Stations X U 1
Produce Stands X T/SE 13.26.180
Public/Private Utility Buildings/Structures X P
Ranger Station A A
Recreation Centers X P
Recreational Vehicle/Vessel Storage X U
Recycling Collection Site X T/SE 13.26.180
Residential Uses X A
Restaurants X A
Restrooms A A
Retail/Service Businesses X A
Riding and Hiking Trails P P
Sewage Disposal Facilities X U
Special Events T/SE T/SE 13.26.180
Temporary Parking Lots T/SE T/SE 13.26.180
Tobacco and Tobacco Cigarette Sales X X 7.16
Transfer/Materials Recovery facility X U 13.26.190
Water Recharge/Percolation/Watershed Areas P A
Wildlife Preserves and Sanctuaries P A
Wireless Facilities Varies - See Code References 13.26.210

 

1 An approved use permit is not required if the land use type is located on property owned by the City and the design thereof is subject to an approval process set forth in a lease agreement or other agreement approved by the City Council. In such cases, the land use type shall be considered permitted as the principal use within the district.

(Ord. No. 03-03, § 5(18.20.310), 4-16-2003; Ord. No. 11-01, § 4(Exh. 5), 1-19-2011; Ord. No. 11-02, § 6, 1-19-2011; Ord. No. 14-01, § 5, 4-16-2014; Ord. No. 15-02, § 2, 8-19-2015; Ord. No. 17-03, § 3(Exh. A), 4-19-2017; Ord. No. 17-05, § 5(Exh. A), 5-17-2017; Ord. No. 17-06, § 5(Exh. A), 7-19-2017; Ord. No. 17-10, § 3(Exh. A), 11-15-2017; Ord. No. 23-01, § 3(Exh. A), 8-16-2023; Ord. No. 23-03, § 3(Exh. A), 11-15-2023; Ord. No. 25-01, § 3(Exh. A), 3-19-2025)

Sec. 13.12.030. - Development standards.

The Open Space Development Standards Table, which follows, specifies standards for the development of property within open space districts.

Open Space Development Standards

Districts
Development Standard OS-P OS-R
Maximum Building Height (ft.) 18 1 35
Maximum Building Area (sq. ft.) 25,000 25,000
Minimum Building Site Area (sq. ft.) 43,560 20,000
Minimum Setback (ft.)
From Street ROW none none
From Residential Districts none none
From Nonresidential Districts none none
Maximum Building Site Coverage 5 percent 35 percent
Parking See Code Chapter 13.18
Signs See Code Chapter 13.20
Waste Management/Hazardous Materials See Code Section 13.26.200

 

Notes:

1 Except as otherwise provided for by an approved use permit, up to a maximum of 35 feet.

(Ord. No. 03-03, § 5(18.20.315), 4-16-2003; Ord. No. 11-01, § 4(Exh. 5), 1-19-2011; Ord. No. 25-01, § 3(Exh. A), 3-19-2025)

Sec. 13.12.040. - Supplemental open space district regulations.

(a)

Screening. Walls and fences over three feet in height shall be installed in accordance with the following limitations

(1)

Nonopaque fences shall be a minimum of zero feet from the ultimate right-of-way line of any street or highway.

(2)

Masonry or solid wood fences shall be shielded from view from any street or highway by landscaping, berm, or other topographic feature, and they shall be set back a minimum distance of five feet from the ultimate right-of-way line of any street or highway.

(3)

Exceptions to Subsections (a)(1) and (a)(2) above may be considered through the approval of a site development permit when it can be determined that such an exception will not result in or create a traffic hazard or conditions that may be considered objectionable, detrimental or incompatible with other uses in the vicinity.

(b)

Lighting. All lights shall be designed and located so that direct light rays shall be confined to the premises.

(Ord. No. 03-03, § 5(18.20.320), 4-16-2003; Ord. No. 11-01, § 4(Exh. 5), 1-19-2011)