Pleasanton City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 18
12 ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
§ 18.12.010 Permits, certificates and licenses.
All officials, departments and employees of the city vested with the authority or duty to issue permits, certificates or licenses shall comply with the provisions of this chapter and shall issue no permit, certificate or license which conflicts with the provisions of this chapter. Any permit, certificate or license issued in conflict with the provisions of this chapter shall be void.
(Prior code § 2-12.20)
§ 18.12.020 Duties of city officials.
The chief building official and zoning administrator shall be the officials responsible for the enforcement of this title. The chief building official and zoning administrator, or their deputies, shall have the right to enter on any site or to enter any structure for the purpose of investigation and inspection related to any provision of this title; provided, that the right of entry shall be exercised only at reasonable hours and that in no case shall any structure be entered in the absence of the owner or tenant without the written order of a court of competent jurisdiction. The chief building official or zoning administrator may serve notice requiring the removal of any structure or use in violation of the regulations on the owner or his or her authorized agent, on a tenant, or on an architect, builder, contractor, or other person who commits or participates in any violation. The chief building official or the zoning administrator may call upon the city attorney to institute necessary legal proceedings to enforce the provisions of this title, and the city attorney is authorized to institute appropriate actions to that end. The chief building official or the zoning administrator may call upon the chief of police and his or her authorized agents to assist in the enforcement of this title.
(Prior code § 2-12.21; Ord. 1425 § 1, 1989; Ord. 2000 § 1, 2009)
§ 18.12.030 Administrative extension of approvals.
A.
Prior to the lapse of any approval granted by an approving body under this title, an applicant or his or her successor may apply to the Zoning Administrator for an extension of the approval for one year. The Zoning Administrator may grant an extension subject to the provisions of this section. No more than two such extensions shall be granted. Further applications for extension shall be processed as though they were initial applications.
B.
An application for extension shall be accompanied by a fee equal to the current fee for an initial application as established by the city council. An application for extension shall be granted unless the Zoning Administrator determines that there have been either substantial changes in the proposal or that the circumstances surrounding the initial approval have changed. Rather than take action administratively, the Zoning Administrator may forward any application for extension, or any aspect thereof, to the appropriate approving body as though it were an initial application. In such cases the approving body may grant the extension, modify the approval as originally granted or deny the extension in accordance with the purposes and objectives of this title.
(Prior code § 2-12.24; Ord. 2216 § 2, 2021; Ord. 2303, 12/16/2025)
§ 18.12.040 Public hearings.
A.
Public Hearing. When projects under Title 18 of this Municipal Code require a noticed public hearing before a decision on a permit, or for another matter, the public shall be provided notice of the hearing in compliance with Government Code Sections 65090 through 65096, and Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq., and as required by this chapter.
B.
Content of Notice. Notice of a public hearing shall include all of the following information, as applicable.
1.
Hearing Information. The date, time, and place of the hearing and the name of the review authority; a brief description of the city's general procedure concerning the conduct of hearings and decisions; and information on where an interested person can obtain additional information.
2.
Project Information. The name of the applicant; the city's file number assigned to the application; a general explanation of the matter to be considered; and a general description, in text and/or by diagram, of the location of the property that is the subject of the hearing.
3.
Statement of Environmental Document or Exemption Used. If a proposed Negative Declaration, Mitigated Negative Declaration, or final Environmental Impact Report has been prepared for the project in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the city's CEQA Guidelines, the hearing notice shall include a statement that the review authority will also consider approval of the proposed CEQA determination.
C.
Method of Notice Distribution. Notice of a public hearing required by Title 18 for a planning permit, appeal, or other matter shall be given as follows, as required by Government Code Sections 65090 and 65091.
1.
Mailing. Notices shall be mailed at least 10 days before the scheduled hearing. Notices relating to a proposed ordinance or amendment to the zoning ordinance that affects the permitted uses of real property shall be mailed at least 20 days before the Planning Commission hearing. Notices shall include the following:
a.
Project Site Owner(s) and the Applicant. The owner(s) of the property being considered in the application or the owners' authorized agent, and the applicant.
b.
Local Agencies. Each local agency expected to provide roads, schools, sewage, streets, water, or other essential facilities or services to the property which is the subject of the application, whose ability to provide those facilities and services may be significantly affected.
c.
Affected Owners and Tenants. All owners of real property, as shown on the latest adopted tax roll of the county, and tenants located within a radius of a minimum of 1,000 feet of the exterior boundaries of the parcel that is the subject of the hearing.
d.
Person(s) Requesting Notice. Any person who has filed a written request for notice with the Zoning Administrator.
e.
Other Person(s). Any other person(s) whose property might, in the judgment of the Zoning Administrator, be affected by the proposed project.
f.
The Zoning Administrator shall have the authority to extend the radius specified above, at the Zoning Administrator's sole discretion.
2.
Alternative to Mailing. If the number of property owners to whom notice would be mailed in compliance with Section 18.12.040.C.1 above is more than 1,000, the Zoning Administrator may choose to provide the alternative notice allowed by Government Code Section 65091(a)(4).
3.
Publication or Posting. Either one of the following, publication or posting, shall be required for all applications requiring public notice:
a.
Publication Required. Notice shall be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the city at least 10 days before the scheduled hearing. However, if a proposed ordinance or amendment to the zoning ordinance affects the permitted uses of real property, notice of the hearing before the Planning Commission shall be published 20 days before the hearing.
b.
Posting Required. As an alternative to subsection C.3.a notice shall be posted at least 10 days before the scheduled hearing in at least three public places within the city, including one on the project site.
(Prior code § 2-5.08; Ord. 2303, 12/16/2025)
§ 18.12.042 On-site project notification.
A.
Project Types. The following projects require on-site project notification:
1.
Projects or applications subject to a public hearing with the Planning Commission or City Council.
2.
Modification, expansion, or intensification of existing use on a site involving the addition of one or more dwelling units (excluding ADUs).
3.
Other projects, as determined by the Zoning Administrator.
B.
Content and Placement.
1.
Required content of the project notification sign includes: project name and application file number (assigned by the city), project address and/or Assessor's Parcel Number(s), developer/applicant name and contact information (phone and email), brief project description, city contact phone number; city website address; and QR code, if applicable (assigned by city).
2.
When the project involves development, subdivision, or substantial modification of a site or on-site structure(s), a representative project site plan or other image approved by the city shall be provided, unless an exception is granted by the Zoning Administrator based on the nature of the project, site, or application.
3.
Signs must be placed on the project site at least five feet and no more than 10 feet behind the property line abutting each public street frontage. One sign shall be placed on the most prominent project site frontage, except that for large sites with multiple frontages, or for sites with frontages exceeding 500 feet, the Zoning Administrator may require additional signs to be placed.
4.
Additional details regarding content and placement may be outlined in the On-Site Project Notification handout.
C.
Process.
1.
Once an application has been scheduled for hearing, the applicant shall install the on-site project notification no less than 10 calendar days prior to the scheduled public hearing.
2.
Within two business days of installing the sign(s), the applicant shall complete the "Certificate of On-Site Project Notification Installation" and return it along with a photograph(s) of the installed sign(s) to the Planning Division, addressed to the attention of the Project Planner for the proposed project.
3.
Signs shall remain posted until final action is taken on the project, or until the appeal period has elapsed, whichever is later, unless otherwise directed by the Zoning Administrator. Signs shall be removed from the project site by the applicant within 10 calendar days of this date.
(Ord. 2303, 12/16/2025)
§ 18.12.044 Mailed project notification.
A.
Project Types. The following project types require mailed project notification:
1.
Single-family residential design review projects pursuant to Section 18.20.030.A.1.
2.
Multi-family residential design review projects pursuant to Section 18.20.030.A.2.a.
3.
Historic resources design review projects pursuant to Section 18.20.030.A.4.a.
4.
Beekeeping pursuant to Chapter 18.103.
5.
Minor conditional use permits pursuant to Chapter 18.124, Article II.
6.
Home occupations that do not meet the requirements of Section 18.104.030.
7.
Other projects, as determined by the Zoning Administrator.
B.
Content. The name of the applicant; the city's file number assigned to the application; a general explanation of the matter to be considered; the department, where an interested person could call or visit to obtain additional information; and project address; a statement on environmental document or exemption used in compliance with CEQA; and date of intended project determination by the Zoning Administrator.
C.
Method of Notice Distribution. A project notification card shall be mailed to the following:
1.
Project Site Owner(s) and the Applicant. The owner(s) of the property being considered in the application or the owners' authorized agent, and the applicant.
2.
Affected Owners and Tenants. All owners of real property, as shown on the latest adopted tax roll of the county, and tenants located within a radius of a minimum of 300 feet of the exterior boundaries of the parcel that is the subject of the hearing.
3.
Other Person(s). Any other person(s) whose property might, in the judgment of the Zoning Administrator, be affected by the proposed project.
4.
The Zoning Administrator shall have the authority to extend the radius, at the Zoning Administrator's sole discretion.
D.
Process.
1.
Once an application has been deemed complete, the city staff project planner shall mail a project notification card.
2.
Notices shall be mailed at least 10 calendar days before the intended project determination date.
3.
Project notification recipients may request additional project information or a public hearing. For projects where a public hearing is requested, public hearings, notices, and procedures shall follow the provisions outlined in Section 18.12.040.
(Ord. 2303, 12/16/2025)
§ 18.12.050 Zoning certificate-Purpose.
A.
To ensure that each new or expanded use of a structure or site and each new structure or alteration of an existing structure complies with all applicable provisions of this title, and in order that the city may have a record of each new or expanded use of a structure or site, a zoning certificate is required before any building permit may be issued or any structure or site used; and a certificate of occupancy required by the building code shall be issued only for a structure that conforms with the zoning certificate.
B.
To ensure that each new sign or enlargement or change in the design or lighting of certain signs specified in Section 18.96.130, complies with all applicable provisions of this title, a zoning certificate is required before the sign may be displayed or altered.
(Prior code § 2-11.38)
§ 18.12.060 Zoning certificate-Application and issuance.
Application for a zoning certificate shall be made on a form prescribed by the city planning commission and shall be accompanied by plans and additional information as necessary, in the opinion of the zoning administrator, to demonstrate conformity with this title. The zoning administrator shall check the application and all data submitted with it and shall issue a zoning certificate if he or she finds that all provisions of this title will be complied with.
(Prior code § 2-11.39)
§ 18.12.070 Issuance of building permit.
The chief building official or designee shall not issue a building permit until the zoning administrator has approved a zoning certificate for the structure which is the subject of the building permit.
(Prior code § 2-11.40; Ord. 1425 § 1 (part), 1989; Ord. 2000 § 1, 2009)
§ 18.12.080 Certificate of occupancy-Issuance.
A.
The chief building official shall not issue a certificate of occupancy for a structure or alteration until he or she has found that the structure or alteration conforms with the zoning certificate, until all required screening and landscaping and off-street parking and loading facilities are complete, and he or she has found that all conditions attached to a use permit, a variance and design review have been met, provided that the chief building official may issue a certificate of occupancy prior to fulfillment of all requirements of this chapter if a faithful performance bond in an amount determined by the chief building official to be sufficient to complete the work necessary to meet requirements is filed with the city. Cash in the amount of the faithful performance bond may be deposited with the city in lieu of the bond.
B.
A temporary certificate of occupancy may be issued by the chief building official prior to the time that all of the requirements for a certificate of occupancy have been met, provided that no permit other than a temporary permit shall be issued for gas or electric utilities until the chief building official determines that all of the requirements for a certificate of occupancy have been met. A temporary permit for gas or electric utilities shall be valid for 10 working days, and may be renewed upon application to the chief building official for not more than two additional periods of 10 working days. If temporary permits for gas or electric utilities expire without the requirements for issuance of a certificate of occupancy having been met, the chief building official shall request the public utility to discontinue service.
(Prior code § 2-11.41; Ord. 1425 § 1 (part), 1989; Ord. 2000 § 1, 2009)
§ 18.12.090 Determination of compliance with required conditions.
If the zoning administrator is unable to determine from information submitted by the applicant that a proposed use will comply with the required conditions for the district in which it is to be located, he or she shall not issue a zoning certificate, but shall request the applicant to authorize the city to secure expert professional advice from firms or individuals acceptable to both the city and the applicant. Professional fees shall be paid by the applicant. The zoning administrator may require that the applicant agree to pay professional fees for necessary investigations to determine compliance with required conditions prior to and after issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
(Prior code § 2-11.42)
§ 18.12.100 Designated.
Where land use has been approved on the effective date of Ordinance No. 520, May 3, 1968, there shall be a moratorium as to those requirements set forth in this article.
(Prior code § 2-11.46)
§ 18.12.110 Applicability of article.
This article shall apply only where the land is subject to controls, as follows:
A.
Approved tentative maps, so long as the maps shall not have expired by time or by refusal of the city to extend time;
B.
Final tract maps;
C.
Planned unit development permits, until expiration date, but in no event later than July 1, 1972.
(Prior code § 2-11.47)
§ 18.12.120 Specific provisions.
The specific provisions of this title where this moratorium shall apply are as follows:
A.
Section 18.84.050, width of corner lots;
B.
Section 18.84.060, depth of lots adjoining freeways or railroads;
C.
Section 18.84.080A, front yard setback;
D.
Section 18.84.090A, side yard setback.
(Prior code § 2-11.48)
§ 18.12.130 Controlling provisions.
The provisions of Ordinance No. 309, adopted April 26, 1960, as amended, shall control land use where this article and moratorium applies.
(Prior code § 2-11.49)
