Pacific Grove City Zoning Code

The R-3-M district is defined as those areas so designated on the official zoning map of the city of Pacific Grove referred to in PGMC § 23.12.020. Said districts may be classified by the city council to R-1, R-H, or R-2, where already developed as such, but no new R-3-M districts shall be created.

Motel and hotel uses shall be restricted to the R-3-M district, including any uses accessory or ancillary to a motel. The ordinance codified in this section shall also apply to any use described in PGMC § 23.52.020 proposed for the construction or expansion in any R-3-M district, including uses accessory or ancillary to such use.

Any use permitted in the R-3 district, subject to obtaining a use permit for any use for which such is required in an R-3 district;

Motels, subject to first securing a use permit in each case;

Hotels, subject to first securing a use permit in each case;

Adult communities, retirement homes and rest homes, subject to first securing a use permit in each case.

A minimum of 2,500 square feet of land shall be required for each family unit and each motel or hotel unit. For other uses described in PGMC § 23.52.020(d), the planning commission and/or city council shall determine the amount of land area per occupied unit by judging its similarity to a family unit or motel unit in actual use and impact. For example, a rest home affording separate apartments and parking facilities would be judged a family unit; a hotel which offers amenities identical or substantially similar to a motel would be judged a motel. In no event shall less than 2,000 square feet per occupied unit be allowed, for any PGMC § 23.52.020(d) use.

A minimum setback of 20 feet shall be required for all structures in a R-3-M development which abut R-1, R-H, or R-2 property, including streets abutting same. The setback shall be 10 feet for commercial or R-3-M. Eave projections may extend up to three feet into any required yard, but in no case may be closer than three feet to any property line.

The height of the structures shall not exceed 25 feet nor two stories above grade. The height shall be one story above grade and not more than 18 feet where the R-3-M property, or any portion thereof, is within 200 feet of any portion of any property zoned R-1, R-H, or R-2.

The architectural review board, the planning commission and/or the city council shall require the configuration and layout of structures so as to assure that residential areas are not impacted by guest activities such as registration, parking, food and beverage services. Said bodies shall require a design which blends with the residential neighborhood and minimizes the nonresidential impact and use. Appropriate landscaping shall be required throughout the site. Setback areas shall be landscaped and shall not be used for automobile parking, or storage of any kind. Access to the site, where feasible, shall be from a street and/or driveway which does not abut said residential areas.

Wood-burning fireplaces and wood-burning heaters shall be limited to the rate of six per acre, and any additional fireplaces shall be limited to natural gas fireplace inserts.

Any use permit for new construction or other activity resulting in an increase in the number of units or the amount of floor space shall expire one year from its issuance unless construction of the project for which the permit was issued is substantially complete.

Uses which do not conform hereto as of the date of publication of the notice of intention to circulate the petition for the ordinance codified in this section may continue if legally installed prior thereto. Any expansion or alteration of such existing nonconforming use shall require complete compliance herewith for the entire use. The conversion of sliding doors to swinging doors, and similar changes, are not considered an expansion or alteration.

Variances and/or exceptions hereto shall not be granted, except upon strict compliance with state and local law governing such. No variance or exception shall be granted on the basis of failure of opposition thereto.

Any R-3-M district property shall be deemed to be upon a street which abuts or abutting to R-1, R-H, or R-2 property, whenever any part of the R-3-M property is within 20 feet of the abutting street or the R-1, R-H or R-2 property.

Motels and hotels built prior to 1986 are categorized into groups and are allowed additional guest units over the number of permitted guest units, as of the effective date of this section, as follows:

For motels and hotels in Group A, each new guest unit shall be a maximum size of 360 square feet. Since new guest units in Group B motels and hotels must be created by conversion of existing buildings, they may conceivably be greater than 360 square feet in size. No existing guest unit that is less than 360 square feet, as of the effective date of this section, may be enlarged to exceed 360 square feet in size. No existing guest unit that is 360 square feet or more in size, as of the effective date of this section, shall be enlarged.

Motels and hotels in Group A may use up to three of the additional guest units allowed to instead create a new ancillary facility (e.g., meeting space, dining room, fitness facility), with a maximum size of 1,080 square feet (or 360 square feet for each additional guest unit substituted). Motels and hotels in Groups B and C may create new ancillary facilities only through conversion of existing buildings and are not limited in size.

For motels and hotels in Group A, the setback requirements of PGMC § 23.52.030(b) shall also apply to new guest units or new ancillary facilities that abut any public street or any single-family residence.

For motels and hotels in Group A, building height is two stories and not more than 25 feet for new guest units that are at least 50 feet from any property zoned R-1, R-H, or R-2, any public street, and any single-family residence. Building height is one story and not more than 18 feet for new guest units that are at least 20 feet from any property zoned R-1, R-H, or R-2, any public street, and any single-family residence. For property lines of Group A motels and hotels that do not abut any property zoned R-1, R-H, or R-2, a public street, nor single-family residence, building height for new guest units may be two stories and up to 25 feet within 10 feet of the property line. New ancillary facilities in Group A motels and hotels may be one story, with a maximum building height of 18 feet.

For motels and hotels in Groups A and B, the following additional requirements apply to new construction or conversion of existing buildings:

For motels and hotels in Groups A, B and C, a nonconforming building damaged or destroyed by catastrophic event or demolished under any other circumstance may be rebuilt to the condition or configuration of the building that existed immediately prior to the event or demolition, as long as the reconstruction is carried out in a manner consistent with PGMC § 23.68.040. While reconstruction to pre-existing conditions is allowed, elimination of nonconformities is encouraged. Reconstructed one-story buildings may be built to a maximum height of 18 feet, regardless of the pre-existing building height.

For motels and hotels in Groups A, B and C, exterior remodeling within the existing footprint of a nonconforming building may retain existing nonconformities as long as the remodel does not:

No other reconstruction or remodeling may take place, beyond what is allowed in this section for motels and hotels in Groups A, B and C, without bringing the entire property into conformance with PGMC § 23.52.030.