San Dimas City Zoning Code

"Accessory billiard use" means a use consisting of not more than four coin/token, time-rented or free-play billiard tables which are secondary and incidental to the primary use. The floor area devoted to accessory billiard use shall not exceed fifty percent of the total floor area of the establishment.

"Accessory building" or "accessory structure" means a detached subordinate building or structure, the use of which is incidental to that of the predominate use of the land, and which is located in the same or less restrictive zone on the same lot or parcel with the predominate building, structure or use.

"Accessory dwelling unit" means either an attached or detached dwelling unit which provides complete, independent living facilities for one or more persons and includes permanent provision for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation. Such unit shall be located on the same parcel as other dwelling units and shall be located on a fixed, permanent foundation. Notwithstanding the requirement that an accessory dwelling unit must be located on a fixed, permanent foundation, this requirement shall not preclude a "manufactured home," as defined in Section 18007 of the California Health and Safety Code, from uses as an accessory dwelling unit subject to the requirements of this chapter.

Note: Former § 18.08.012, Accessory game arcade, derived from Ord. 911, was repealed by Ord. 1337, 6/23/2026.

A massage practice which is secondary and incidental to a primary use allowing the following businesses to offer accessory massages: health clubs, day spas, gyms, beauty salons, barber shops, chiropractor offices, physical therapy offices, medical doctor offices, hospitals and similar uses provided that the accessory massage shall be less than fifty percent of the floor area. Any change to this definition will change the definition of accessory massage in Chapter 5.08.

"Accessory snack shop" means an accessory use generally not exceeding three hundred square feet in sales area, to a permitted or conditionally permitted use, which sells readily consumable food products, and fountain drinks, or an individual serving size. The accessory use shall draw a significant number of its customers from the primary use. Sales of alcoholic beverages is prohibited.

"Aircraft" means any contrivance, now known or hereafter invented, for use or designed for navigation of or flight in the air.

"Airport" means any area of land or water which is used or intended for use for the landing and taking off of aircraft and any appurtenant areas which are used or intended for use for airport buildings or other airport facilities or rights-of-way, together with all airport buildings and facilities located thereon.

"Apartment house" means any building, or portion thereof, which is designed, built, rented, leased, let or hired out to be occupied, or which is occupied as the home or residence of three or more families living independently of each other and doing their own cooking in the building, and shall include flats and apartments.

"Automobile storage space," when required by this title, means any permanently maintained space of not less than one hundred forty-four square feet of usable area and not less than eight feet wide at any place, on the same lot or parcel of land as is located the structure it is designed to serve, so located and arranged as to permit the storage of, and be readily accessible under its own power to, a passenger automobile of average size.

"Basement" means that portion of a building which is partly below and partly above grade (as defined in Section 18.08.250), but so located that the vertical distance from grade to the floor below is less than the vertical distance from grade to ceiling.

"Borrow pit" means any place or premises where grit, soil, sand, gravel or other material is removed by excavation or otherwise below the grade of surrounding land for any purpose other than that necessary and incidental to grading or to building construction or operation on the premises.

"Building" means any structure built for the support, shelter or enclosure of persons, animals, chattels or property of any kind.

"Cellar" means that portion of a building between floor and ceiling which is wholly or partly below grade (as defined in Section 18.08.250) and so located that the vertical distance from grade to the floor below is equal to or greater than the vertical distance from grade to ceiling.

"Chapter" means a chapter of this title unless some other statute or ordinance is mentioned.

"City administrator" shall be deemed to mean "city manager."

"Commission" means the planning commission of the city.

"Community care facility" means any facility, place or building which is maintained and operated to provide nonmedical residential care, day treatment or adult day care, including, but not limited to, the physically handicapped, mentally impaired, incompetent persons and abused or neglected children, and includes:

"City" means the city of San Dimas.

"Coin-operated game of skill or amusement" means any table-based or wall-mounted game for entertainment purposes. Typical coin-operated games of skill include but are not limited to: pinball, shooting galleries, air hockey, football, electronic games and electronic screen games. Pool tables and billiard tables are not considered coin-operated games of skill or amusement.

"Convenience store" means a primary use which sells consumable food products and food prepared on site, as well as other goods in an assortment of sizes. Sales of alcoholic beverages may be permitted with proper conditional use permit approvals.

"County" means the county of Los Angeles.

"Dairy" means premises where three or more cows, three or more goats, one or more cows and two or more goats, or two or more cows and one or more goats are milked.

Density shall be based upon lots size and shall be determined by dividing the net usable area of the parcel to be subdivided or parcelized by the required lot area. "Net usable area" is that area of a parcel exclusive of streets, alleys and similar public rights-of-way.

"Detached living quarters" means living quarters within a detached accessory building located on the same premises as the main building, for use by temporary guests of the occupants of the premises. Such accessory building shall have no plumbing or plumbing facilities of any kind except for space heating, air conditioning, toilet or bath.

"Director" means the director of community development.

"Domestic animal" means an animal which is commonly maintained in residence with man.

"Donation box" means a kiosk, bin, portable container or similar facility used for the collection of new or used items such as clothing, shoes and apparels.

"Dwelling unit" means a building or portion thereof either designed or used as living quarters of one person living alone or a group of two or more persons living together whether related to each other by birth or not.

"Electric vehicle charging station" or "charging station" means any level of electric vehicle supply equipment station that is designed and built in compliance with Article 625 of the California Electrical Code, as it reads on the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter, and delivers electricity from a source outside an electric vehicle into a plug-in electric vehicle.

"Electric vehicle charging station, standalone" or "charging station, standalone" means any level of electric vehicle supply equipment station in a quantity upward of two for private for-profit standalone use.

"Emergency shelter" means housing with minimal supportive services for homeless persons that is limited to occupancy of six months or less by a homeless person. No individual or household may be denied emergency shelter because of an inability to pay.

"Flag lot" means a lot which does not abut or have access to a public road, other than by a narrow right-of-way which is part of the otherwise wider lot and which constitutes a significant portion of all of the width of the lot where the right-of-way is located.

"Floor area ratio" means the numerical value obtained through dividing the gross floor area of the building or buildings located upon a lot or parcel of land by the total area of such lot or parcel of land.

"Freeway" means a highway in respect to which the owners of abutting lands have no right of access to or easement of access to or from their abutting lands, or in respect to which such owners have only limited or restricted right of easement of access and which is declared to be such in compliance with the Streets and Highways Code of the state; including principal roadways, interchange roadways connecting one freeway with another, and ingress and egress ramps connecting the freeway with other highways, but not including frontage roadways.

"Landscaped freeway" means a section or sections of a freeway which is now, or hereafter may be, improved by the planting, at least on one side of the freeway right-of-way, of lawns, trees, shrubs, flowers or other ornamental vegetation which shall require reasonable maintenance.

"Front yard setback" means a yard extending across the front of a lot measured between the side yard lines and being the minimum horizontal distance between the highway line and the main building and any projection thereof. On corner lots the commission shall determine which is the front yard. In the absence of such determination, the front yard shall be provided on the highway upon which the front of the building faces. A yard, no portion of which is in the C-1 zone, adjoining a highway, to which, from such yard, there is no right of access of any kind, pedestrian or vehicular, shall not be deemed to be a front yard.

"Grade" or "ground level" means the average grade of the finished ground level at the center of all walls of a building. In case walls are parallel to and within five feet of sidewalks, the aboveground level shall be measured at the sidewalks.

"Habitable building" means a building or a portion thereof either designed, built, rented, leased, used or occupied as living quarters of one person living alone or a group of two or more persons living together, and includes detached living quarters, trailers and mobile home units.

"Height" means the vertical distance from the grade to the highest point of the coping of a flat roof or to the average height of the highest gable of a pitch or hip roof. In calculating the height, roof structures which comply with Chapter 36 of the building code shall not be considered.

"Hog ranch" means any premises where three or more weaned hogs are maintained.

"Homeless person(s)" means an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and/or an individual who has a primary nighttime residence that is:

"Hotel" means any building containing six or more rooms intended or designed to be used, or which are used, rented or hired out to be occupied, or which are occupied for sleeping purposes by guests. Hotels include dormitories and fraternity or sorority houses.

"Household pets" are defined for the purposes of this title as dogs and cats; rats, white mice, guinea pigs, hamsters, or similar small animals; birds; fowl; and fish, reptiles, amphibians, and turtles as described and regulated in Chapter 18.20 Residential Zones Generally.

"Incidental use" means a minor use incidental in all respects to the primary use permitted on the premises. An incidental use shall not be the only use of a parcel or commercial space.

Note: Former § 18.08.320, Indoor recreation facility, derived from Ord. 911 and Ord. 1007, was repealed by Ord. 1337, 6/23/2026.

"Junior accessory dwelling unit" means a dwelling unit created out of space entirely within an existing or proposed single-family residence, and of no more than five hundred square feet in size, which provides independent living facilities for one or more persons and includes permanent provisions for living, cooking, eating, and sleeping. For the purpose of this definition, enclosed uses within the residence, such as attached garages, are considered a part of the proposed or existing single-family residence. A junior accessory dwelling unit shall have independent exterior access. Bathroom facilities may be provided within the unit or may share bathroom facilities with the main residence.

"Kitchen" means any room or space used, or intended or designed to be used for cooking or the preparation of food.

"Livable space" means a space in a dwelling intended for human habitation, including living, sleeping, eating, cooking, or sanitation.

"Living area" means the interior habitable area of a dwelling unit, including basements and attics, but does not include a garage or any accessory structure.

Lot coverage shall be calculated including all covered structures (dwellings, attached and detached garages, shops, sheds, porches, greenhouses, etc.) that require building permits, including lattice and other patio covers. Lot coverage does not include eaves that project two feet or less from building. Lot coverage is determined by the amount of coverage on the lot divided by the lot size, except for flag lots where the pole is not considered as part of the lot size when determining lot coverage (see illustration).

"Nonconforming lot" means any lot having a minimum square footage of not less than six thousand five hundred square feet, and which was legally created prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section, but which does not conform to the lot area and lot width standards for the zone within which the lot is located. Such lot may be developed for such uses and be subject to the same development standards as apply to the remainder of the properties in the zone; except that no animal uses may be permitted on the property unless the lot contains the square footage for such animal uses as required by the development standards.

"Through lot" means a lot having frontage on two parallel or approximately parallel highways.

"Major highway" means a major highway as shown on the master plan of highways of the county.

"Manufactured housing" means and includes "manufactured housing," "mobile homes" and "factory-built housing" as such terms are defined in Division 13, Part 2.1, Chapter 1 and Division 13, Part 6, Chapter 2 of the Health and Safety Code. The term "manufactured housing" shall not include "commercial coaches," "recreational vehicles," or "travel trailers" as such are defined in Division 13, Part 2.1, Chapter 1 of the Health and Safety Code of the state.

"Massage" shall mean and include any method of pressure on or friction against, or stroking, kneading, rubbing, tapping, pounding, manipulation, or stimulating the external parts of the body, with or without the aid of any mechanical or electrical apparatus or appliances, with or without supplementary aids such as rubbing alcohol, liniments, antiseptics, oils, powder, creams, lotions, ointments, or similar preparations. "Massage" shall further include any bath, facial massage, fomentations, massage, electric or magnetic treatment, acupressure, shiatsu, alcohol rub, and Russian, Swedish or Turkish baths. Any change to this definition will change the definition of massage in Chapter 5.08.

"Motel" means a group of attached or detached buildings containing guest rooms or dwelling units, some or all of which have a separate entrance leading directly from the outside of the building with garage attached or automobile storage space conveniently located on the lot or parcel of land and which is designed, used or intended to be used wholly or in part for the accommodation of automobile transients. Motels include auto courts, motor lodges and tourist courts.

"Multifamily dwelling" means a structure or portion thereof containing three or more dwelling units designed for the independently occupancy of three of more households. Development types include apartments, townhomes, single-room occupancy, and residential condominiums.

For the purposes of this title, "natural catastrophe" means damage or destruction to structural improvements and property occurring from fire, earthquake, flood or other act of God. A natural catastrophe shall not include destruction or damage incurred by demolition or other intentional act.

"Non-US postal service mailbox" means a private kiosk, bin, and/or box with a slot into which mail is deposited (i.e. Fed Ex, UPS, DHL).

"Oath" includes affirmation.

"Ordinance" means an ordinance of the city.

"Parcel of land" means a contiguous quantity of land, in the possession of, or owned by, or recorded as the property of, the same claimant or person.

"Person" means any individual, firm, copartnership, joint venture, association, social club, fraternal organization, corporation, estate, trust, business trust, receiver, syndicate, this and any other county, city and municipality, district or other political subdivision, or any other group or combination acting as a unit, other than the city.

"Pest control operator" means a person who engages in the business of eradicating or controlling any pest which is or is liable to be dangerous or detrimental to agriculture by the application of any substance, method or device, or who engages in the business of preventing, destroying, repelling, mitigating or correcting any disorder of plants by the same means, or both. "Pest control operator" does not include a person engaged in the business of termite eradication or control.

"Private club" means an association of persons, whether incorporated or unincorporated, organized for some common purpose, but not including a group organized solely or primarily to render a service customarily carried on as a commercial enterprise.

"Qualified buyer" means persons or families of low income or moderate income, at that term is defined in Section 50093 of the California Health and Safety Code.

"Qualified nonprofit corporation" means an a nonprofit corporation organized pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code that has received a welfare exemption under Section 214.15 of the Revenue and Taxation Code for properties intended to be sold to low-income families who participate in a special no-interest program.

"Recreation room" means any room in a building or accessory building, designed to be used primarily for games, the pursuit of hobbies, social gatherings and similar activities. A recreation room may not be designed, built, rented, leased, used or occupied as living quarters.

"Recycling facility" means a facility for the collection of recyclable materials, including but not limited to, aluminum cans, glass and plastic bottles. A recycling facility does not include storage containers or processing activity located on the premises of a residential, commercial, or manufacturing use and used solely for the recycling of material generated by that residential property, business or manufacturer. Recycling facilities, including manned and unmanned facilities, may include the following:

"Residence" means a building designed as living quarters for persons doing their own cooking in such building, which either complies with, or was erected before the effective date of the requirements for group 1 occupancies in the city building code, entitled "An Ordinance adopting a building code to regulate the construction, erection, enlargement, razing, alteration, repairing, removal, maintenance, moving, use and height of buildings or structures in the unincorporated territory of the County of Los Angeles," adopted March 20, 1933. "Residence" does not include a trailer or an apartment house.

"Room" means an unsubdivided portion of the interior of a building excluding bathrooms, kitchens, closets, hallways and service porches.

"Secondary highway" means a secondary highway as shown on the master plan of highways of the county.

"Section" means a section of the ordinance codified in this title unless some other ordinance or statute is mentioned.

"Single room occupancy uses" means a guest room or efficiency unit, as defined by California Health and Safety Code Section 17958.1, intended or designed to be used, or which is used, rented, or hired out, to be occupied, or which is occupied, as a primary residence, by guests.

"Specific, adverse impact" means a significant, quantifiable, direct, and unavoidable impact, based on objective, identified, and written public health and safety standards, policies, or conditions as they existed on the date the application was deemed complete.

"Stand" means a structure for the display and sale of products with no space for customers within the structure itself.

"Structure" means anything constructed or built, any edifice or building of any kind, or any piece of work artificially built or composed of parts joined together in some definite manner, which is located on the ground or is attached to something located on the ground.

"Supportive housing" means housing with no limit on length of stay, that is occupied by the target population and that is linked to on-site or offsite services that assist the supportive housing resident in retaining housing, improving his or her health status, and maximizing his or her ability to live and, when possible, work in the community.

"Target population for supportive and transitional housing" means adults with low income having one or more disabilities, including mental illness, HIV or AIDS, substance abuse, or other chronic health condition, or individuals eligible for services provided under the Lanterman Development Disabilities Services Act (Division 4.5 (commencing with Section 4500) of the Welfare and Institutions Code) and may, among other populations, include families with children, elderly persons, young adults aging out of the foster care system, individuals existing from institutional settings, veterans, or homeless people.

"Transitional housing and transitional housing development" mean rental housing operated under program requirements that call for the termination of assistance and recirculation of the assisted unit to another eligible program recipient at some predetermined future point in time, which shall be no less than six months.

"Two-family dwelling (duplex) unit" means a building containing two complete dwelling units designed for the independent occupancy of two households. A "two-family dwelling (duplex) unit" is not a "multifamily dwelling."

"Use" means and includes construction, establishment, maintenance, alteration, moving onto, enlargement and occupation. Wherever this chapter prohibits the "use" of any premises for any purpose, such premises and any building, structure or improvement on such premises shall not be used, occupied, altered or improved for such purpose, and no building, structure or improvement on such premises shall be erected, constructed, established, maintained, allowed to remain, altered, moved onto, or enlarged which is designed, arranged or intended to be occupied or used for such purpose.

"Vehicular and equipment rental facility" means a use or place of business where small or medium sized vehicles, light duty construction equipment and miscellaneous supplies are available for rent, generally for "do-it-yourself" use by homeowners and small businesses. Small or medium sized vehicles includes automobiles, light and medium duty trucks and vans not to exceed twenty-six feet in length. Light duty construction equipment includes trailers not exceeding twenty-six feet in length, dollies, small tractors not exceeding one hundred horsepower, forklifts less than five thousand pounds, concrete mixers, tillers, trenchers, mowers, grinders, lawn rollers, and similar equipment.

"Waste disposal facility" means any dump, transfer station, land reclamation project, incinerator except household incinerators and wood refuse to be burned in a suitable furnace, or other similar site or facility which is used or intended to be used for the transfer, salvage or disposal of rubbish, garbage or industrial waste.

"Writing" means and includes any form of recorded message capable of comprehension by ordinary visual means. Whenever any notice, report, statement or record is required or authorized by this title, it shall be made in writing in the English language unless it is expressly provided otherwise.

"Year-round emergency shelters" means any program that provides overnight shelter, two meals and case management services to homeless persons throughout the year. Shelter is provided free of charge. Although there is no predetermined set time limit on residence in the year-round program, providers are encouraged to utilize a ninety-day time frame in which to place clients into appropriate long-term housing. The ultimate goal of the program is to enable clients to move into long-term housing programs including permanent housing.

"Youth hostel" means a shelter for the use of pedestrian or bicycle travelers, not serving meals, under the auspices of a nonprofit organization.