Palos Verdes Estates
City Zoning Code

Establish a ministerial and streamlined approval process, subject to the city’s objective design standards, for housing projects.

Provide an overlay zoning district to be applied to sites that may include, but are not limited to, the potential sites identified as inventoried in the housing element of the general plan as potential sites for housing, as part of the implementation of the housing element goals, policies, and programs, or where it can be reasonably demonstrated that the rezoning of the site is necessary to meet the goals of the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) of the 2021 – 2029 Housing Element.

Provide for the continuation of the ability to develop property with land uses permitted by the existing base (underlying) zoning of a property unless the property is developed for residential uses in accordance with the HO-O zone.

Provide a means of achieving the residential housing objectives of the housing element of the general plan, particularly by encouraging new multifamily residential development that includes affordable housing, housing persons with disabilities, housing for persons with developmental disabilities, and housing that supports aging in place.

Residential Density.

Density Bonus. The densities noted above may be increased for affordable projects in accordance with Chapter 18.68 PVEMC, Density Bonuses, and the state Density Bonus Law.

The provisions of this chapter apply to all properties designated with the HO-O zone. If there is any conflict between the terms of this chapter and those of the underlying base zone for a project that is developed under the HO-O, the provisions of this chapter govern.

Regulations, development standards, and requirements in the underlying base zone continue to apply to those projects that were developed under the base-zone standards.

For those properties with legal nonconforming uses (i.e., that do not comply with the provisions of the base zone or the provisions of this chapter), the regulations, development standards, and requirements in Chapter 17.16 PVEMC, Nonconformity, apply.

No lot, premises, building, or portion thereof in the HO-O zone may be used for any purpose except for the following:

Multifamily residential uses are the principal uses allowed in the HO-O zone.

A project with twenty percent of the units restricted to be affordable to lower income households qualifies for the following incentives:

HO-O projects may qualify for density-bonus benefits under state law.

Projects in the HO-O zone must comply with the development standards in this chapter and with the city’s adopted objective design standards.

The following standards apply to the HO-O zone:

Qualifying affordable projects that comply with the requirements of this chapter are permitted by right as a use. Compliance with the requirements of this chapter does not, however, waive any additional requirements for compliance with requirements of the city’s municipal code. For example, if an applicant requires approval of a lot line adjustment, merger of parcels, or subdivision in conjunction with approval of an application under this chapter, a separate application must be made for the other approval in accordance with this code.

Approving Body. The community development director or the director’s designee administratively approves or denies a ministerial application for a project under the HO-O zone.

Notice of Decision. Within ten days of the decision, a notice of decision must be mailed to both the applicant and the applicant’s representative and to any person who has made a written request for a copy of the decision. The decision of the community development director is final and conclusive.

Expiration of Administrative Approval. Construction must start within one year after the date of the approval by the community development director, or the approval becomes null and void.

Affordable housing units developed under this chapter must remain available to persons and families of very low and low income, at an affordable housing cost or affordable rental cost, at those income and affordability levels as defined in this code, for fifty-five years.

The required period of affordability runs concurrently with any period of affordability required by any other agency; provided, however, that the affordability period is fifty-five years or longer.

The project developer and property owner must enter into an appropriate agreement with the city to ensure that affordability is maintained for the required period. The regulatory agreement and affordability covenant must be approved by the city attorney.

Before submitting an application for a housing development within the HO-O zone, the applicant or prospective developer has the option to request an informal pre-submittal consultation with the community development department and other city staff as appropriate to obtain information and guidance before incurring substantial expense in the preparation of plans, surveys and other data.

An informal pre-submittal application under this section requires a deposit and reimbursement agreement to pay for the city’s actual expenses, including staff time and overhead.

A pre-submittal consultation is not required, but it is strongly encouraged. No information shared for a pre-submittal consultation triggers any deadline under the Permit Streamlining Act or any other law.