The purpose of this chapter is to establish the mixed use (MU) zone to promote a mix of land uses and to facilitate development that offers a combination of housing, employment, and commercial opportunities, which encourages active transportation, such as walking, biking, use of transit, while still allowing for other modes of transportation. The intent of the MU zone is to implement the mixed-use area (MUA) land use designation of the general plan, which assists the county in accommodating its share of the regional housing needs assessment (RHNA) allocation pursuant to the Riverside County Housing Element. The MU zone shall apply to land designated MUA in the general plan and may apply to land within an approved specific plan.

(Ord. No. 348.4950, § 11(9.85), 3-2-2021)

A.

The following uses shall be permitted in the MU zone:

1.

One-family dwelling on an existing legal lot.

2.

Multiple family dwellings that only include a residential use.

3.

Home occupations.

4.

Public parks, playgrounds, and plazas.

5.

Community gardens.

B.

The following uses shall be permitted provided a plot plan has been approved pursuant to provisions of chapter 17.216 of this ordinance. In the event a development includes a combination of uses that are permitted with a plot plan and conditional use permit, the development shall be processed in accordance with section 17.94.020 C. of this chapter.

1.

Animal hospitals, not including any outdoor facilities.

2.

Antique shops.

3.

Art supply shops and studios.

4.

Artisan or novelty stores.

5.

Bakery shops, including baking only when incidental to retail sales on the premises.

6.

Banks and financial institutions.

7.

Barber and beauty shops.

8.

Book stores.

9.

Business and professional schools.

10.

Cellular telephone sales and service.

11.

Check cashing business.

12.

Churches, temples, and other places of religious worship.

13.

Clothing dry cleaners.

14.

Clothing stores.

15.

Community and civic centers.

16.

Computer sales and service.

17.

Day care centers.

18.

Delicatessens.

19.

Drug stores.

20.

Florist shops.

21.

Gift shops.

22.

Grocery stores.

23.

Hardware stores.

24.

Health and fitness facility, indoor.

25.

Household furniture and appliance stores.

26.

Internet cafes and internet gaming facilities.

27.

Jewelry store with incidental repairs.

28.

Laundries and laundromats.

29.

Medical offices.

30.

Multiple family dwellings combined with non-residential uses listed in this subsection B.

31.

Museums and libraries.

32.

Nurseries and garden supply stores.

33.

Paint and wall paper stores.

34.

Pet shops and pet supply shops.

35.

Photography shops and studios and photo engraving.

36.

Plumbing shops, not including plumbing contractors.

37.

Post services.

38.

Restaurant and other eating establishments.

39.

Shoe stores and repair shops.

40.

Sporting goods stores.

41.

Tailor shops.

42.

Tobacco or hookah shops; but not lounges.

43.

Tourist information centers.

44.

Toy stores.

C.

The following uses shall be permitted provided a conditional use permit has been approved pursuant to the provisions of chapter 17.200 of this ordinance:

1.

Animal hospitals and veterinary office, with outdoor facilities.

2.

Bars and cocktail lounges.

3.

Billiard and pool halls.

4.

Catering services.

5.

Convenience stores.

6.

Film, dental medical, research, and testing laboratories.

7.

Hotels, resort hotels and motels.

8.

Indoor entertainment and recreation facility.

9.

Liquor stores pursuant to the provisions of chapter 17.248 (alcoholic beverage sales) of this ordinance.

10.

Mobile home parks pursuant to section 17.264.010 of this ordinance.

11.

Motor vehicle fuel service stations, with or without the concurrent sale of alcoholic beverages for off-premises consumption.

12.

Multiple family dwellings combined with non-residential uses listed in this subsection C.

13.

Private academic facility,

14.

Theaters and auditoriums.

D.

Same character and intensity. Any use that is not specifically listed in subsection B. or C. may be considered a permitted or conditionally permitted use provided that the planning director finds that the proposed use is substantially the same in character and intensity as those listed in the designated subsections. Such a use is subject to the permit process which governs the category in which it falls.

(Ord. No. 348.4950, § 11(9.86), 3-2-2021; Ord. No. 348.4978, § 1, 1-25-2022; Ord. No. 348.5028, § 10, 3-11-2025)

A.

Lot size. There is no minimum lot size.

B.

Lot width. There is no minimum lot width.

C.

Lot depth. There is no minimum lot depth.

D.

Frontage. There is no minimum lot frontage.

E.

Height. The maximum height of any buildings or structures shall be no greater than seventy-five (75) feet. Ground floor commercial retail shall have a minimum ceiling height of eleven (11) feet, measured from foundation to finished ceiling.

F.

Screening. All roof-mounted equipment, excluding solar panels, shall be screened from the ground elevation view to a minimum sight distance of six hundred sixty (660) feet for residential buildings and one thousand three hundred twenty (1,320) feet for non-residential buildings, including mixed-use buildings.

G.

Lot coverage. There is no minimum lot coverage.

H.

Front setbacks. There is no front setback requirement, except for one-family dwellings or associated structure(s), which shall have a minimum front setback of no less than twenty-five (25) feet.

I.

Side setbacks. There is no side setback requirement, except for the following:

1.

One-family dwellings or associated structure(s) shall have a minimum side setback of no less than five feet.

2.

For lots zoned MU that abut lots zoned R-R, R-A, R-1, R-1-A, the minimum side setback shall be no less than five feet.

J.

Rear setbacks. There is no rear setback requirement, except for the following:

1.

One-family dwellings or associated structure(s) shall have a minimum side setback of no less than fifteen (15) feet.

2.

For lots zoned MU that abut lots zoned R-R, R-A, R-1, R-1-A, the minimum rear setback shall be no less than fifteen (15) feet.

K.

Open space.

1.

Any development with one or more non-residential building(s) with thirty thousand (30,000) square feet or greater of floor area each shall provide at least one (1) public use area (PUA) that is adjacent to public streets or ground floor retail or ground floor commercial uses. A PUA is an urban and public open space area, such as a plaza, square or court, located on the same lot(s) as the primary use and used as a gathering place or a pedestrian linkage between buildings.

2.

Any development with more than ten (10) multiple family dwelling units shall provide at least one hundred (100) square feet of common use area (CUA) for each unit above ten (10) units. A CUA is a recreational open space area, such as a park, sport field, pool, gym, or passive recreational area, associated with and located on the same lot or lots as the primary use. A PUA may be used to fulfill the CUA requirement. A reduction in this requirement may be applied pursuant to the following:

a.

A ten (10) percent reduction for developments that provide more than two hundred (200) dwelling units.

b.

A twenty-five (25) percent reduction for developments that provide housing for very low, low or moderate income households as defined in the Riverside County Housing Element with applicable affordability restrictions.

3.

Private open area. A private open area (POA) is a private usable open area, such as a patio or balcony, which is not encumbered with structures and is attached to the primary dwelling unit. A development with multiple family units shall provide at least fifty (50) square feet of POA per unit.

L.

Site requirements.

1.

Any mixed-use buildings shall provide ground floor retail or commercial uses for at least fifty (50) percent of ground floor units that front a public street, sidewalk, or public use area at the time of development.

2.

Any ground floor retail or commercial units shall have transparent walls on at least fifty (50) percent of the wall area that fronts a public street, sidewalk, or public use area.

3.

Refuse and recyclable storage area. A refuse and recyclable material storage area shall be provided for any new multiple family, mixed-use, or commercial development, or existing multiple family mixed-use, or commercial development that will add thirty (30) percent or more units or floor area. This area must be fully enclosed and have adequate separation from any habitable areas. This area shall be screened using landscape or architectural features.

4.

Encroachments. No setbacks or yard encroachments are permitted, except as provided in section 17.172.140 of this ordinance.

5.

Lighting. All onsite lighting shall be focused, directed or arranged to prevent glare or direct illumination on adjacent residential uses.

6.

Parking. Off-street parking shall be provided pursuant to chapter 17.188 of this ordinance.

7.

Landscape. There is no required minimum landscape area.

(Ord. No. 348.4950, § 11(9.87), 3-2-2021)

A.

Phasing plan. For phased developments, a site development phasing plan shall be submitted with the land use application or design review application and include maps, exhibits and a description of the following: phasing for development and infrastructure, and the development of multi-modal or active transportation connectivity with the neighborhood and adjoining community areas.

B.

Design review. For multiple family dwelling developments that only include a residential use, a site design plan shall be submitted to the planning director for review and shall include the following:

1.

Site plan with building footprint.

2.

Floor plans.

3.

Landscape plan, as necessary.

4.

Wall and fencing plan.

5.

Elevation plan.

6.

Architectural design.

7.

Photometric plan, as necessary.

8.

Traffic analysis.

C.

Public review period. A thirty-day public review period shall be provided prior to the planning director considering the site design plan submitted for multiple family dwelling developments that only include residential use. Notice of the public review period shall be given in the same manner as provided in Section 18.26.c. subsections (2), (4), (5), (6) and (7) of this ordinance. The notice shall include the mailing address to send comments to, the dates for the public review period, location where the site design plan may be reviewed, and explain that the public may comment on the site design plan for the multiple family dwelling development.

D.

Design approval. The site design plan referenced above shall be approved if the planning director finds the site design plan conforms to or is consistent with all of the following:

1.

The Riverside County General Plan;

2.

This ordinance;

3.

The countywide design guidelines;

4.

There is no specific, adverse impact upon the public health or safety. A specific adverse impact means a significant, quantifiable, direct, and unavoidable impact, based on objective, identified written public health or safety standards, policies or conditions as they existed on the date the application was deemed complete; or

5.

If there is a specific adverse impact upon the public health or safety, the development has been conditioned to develop at a lower density which removes the specific adverse impact.

E.

Approval period. An applicant of a site design plan approval shall obtain building permits within two years of the approval of any multiple family dwellings, pursuant to this section. The planning director may grant a request for a one-year extension of time of this requirement, if the request is submitted by the applicant at least six months prior to the expiration of the original time limit with the appropriate fee. If the extension is granted, the total time allowed for a site design plan approval shall not exceed three years.

(Ord. No. 348.4950, § 11(9.88), 3-2-2021)