This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Zoning Ordinance of the City of Mountain View."

(Ord. No. 18.13, § 1, 12/10/13.)

There is hereby adopted, as provided herein, a zoning ordinance for the City of Mountain View, State of California, said ordinance being based on the General Plan for the City of Mountain View and enacted in order to promote the public health, safety, morals, comfort and general welfare throughout said city.

Said zoning ordinance recognizes the opportunities available in the City of Mountain View to obtain through land use controls, an urban environment of high quality without making necessary unduly high public or private expenditures for development and without unduly restricting private enterprise or initiative.

(Ord. No. 18.13, § 1, 12/10/13.)

Said zoning ordinance, in order to obtain the greatest benefits from the opportunities which exist in the City of Mountain View, has been prepared in accordance with the following principles:

a.

The zoning ordinance is based on the Mountain View General Plan with respect to the general pattern of future land uses and the principles for future land development expressed in said plan.

b.

The zoning ordinance recognizes the importance to the community of all legitimate uses of land. The zoning ordinance further recognizes the need of all such uses to be protected from other uses which are unrelated or incompatible. Thus, each district is exclusive with respect to every other zoning district in the ordinance, and industrial zoning districts are protected from encroachment by residential uses as firmly as residential districts are protected from industrial encroachment.

c.

The zoning ordinance recognizes the importance to the public welfare of well-designed and properly integrated developments in all districts of the city. The ordinance implements this principle through provisions for the review of the design of many structures and buildings, and by provisions to require site plan and landscaping review. It is not the intent of such provisions or regulations to stifle individual initiative or control individuals' taste by forcing adherence to any particular style of design, but rather to provide the minimum amount of direction necessary to encourage orderliness of development and appearance throughout the city.

d.

Site area, yard, off-street parking and other standards are based on the best accepted contemporary practice, rather than on past practices, since the zoning ordinance will control development for years in the future. A variance from the strict application of the standards in the ordinance is available where compliance under special conditions would cause undue hardship and results inconsistent with the objectives of this ordinance.

e.

Uses which would adversely affect adjoining uses or the public welfare, unless regulated in a particular way or permitted only on certain conditions, may be allowed as "conditional uses" subject to review by the zoning administrator.

f.

Industrial uses are subject to control by performance standards. This method enables potential nuisances to be measured factually and objectively in terms of the nuisance itself and protects any industry from arbitrary exclusion or persecution based solely on the characteristics of uncontrolled production in this type of industry in the past.

(Ord. No. 18.13, § 1, 12/10/13.)

Said zoning ordinance consists of the establishment of various zoning districts within the incorporated territory of said City of Mountain View, within which it shall be unlawful to erect, construct, alter or maintain certain buildings or to carry on certain trades or occupations or to conduct certain uses of land or of buildings, within which certain open spaces shall be required about future buildings, and consisting further of appropriate regulations to be enforced in such districts, all as set forth in this ordinance.

(Ord. No. 18.13, § 1, 12/10/13.)

In their interpretation and application, provisions of this ordinance shall be held to be minimum requirements. Where this ordinance imposes a greater restriction than is imposed or required by other rules or regulations or ordinances, the provisions of this ordinance shall control.

(Ord. No. 18.13, § 1, 12/10/13.)

Graphics, pictures and diagrams are provided in this ordinance to clarify written text. In the case of conflict between the graphic representations and written text within this ordinance, the written text in this ordinance shall govern.

(Ord. No. 18.13, § 1, 12/10/13.)

Chapter 36 of the Mountain View City Code, the zoning ordinance, has been updated and reformatted. Various references to section numbers of this code included in the ordinance, especially to sections that begin with the designation "36" or "A36" may refer to text that has been reformatted, updated or otherwise amended and renumbered. All such references to section numbers in this chapter should be checked against the table of updated numbers found as Appendix A of this ordinance. All references to review and permit processes contained in this chapter or enforcement shall be considered to refer to the equivalent named sections identified in the contents of this chapter. In event of any question about the applicability of a specific section or section reference, the zoning administrator shall make the final determination. The applicant may request a written copy of the zoning administrator's determination of the applicability of sections or section references pertaining to this chapter.

(Ord. No. 18.13, § 1, 12/10/13.)