Santa Monica City Zoning Code

Duplex. A single building that contains 2 dwelling units or 2 single unit dwellings on a single parcel. This use is distinguished from accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units, which are accessory residential units as defined by State law and Division 3, Section 9.31.025, Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units.

Senior Citizen Multiple-Unit Dwelling. A multiple-unit development in which occupancy of individual units is restricted to 1 or more persons 62 years of age or older, or a person at least 55 years of age who meets the qualifications found in Civil Code Section 51.3.

The housing is designed for use by individuals who will reside on the property for a minimum stay of at least 30 consecutive days, but who otherwise intend their occupancy to be temporary.

The housing is intended for use by persons who will maintain or obtain a permanent place of residence elsewhere.

The housing includes 2 or more of the following amenities:

Large. A facility that provides care for up to 12 children, including children who reside at the home and are under the age of 10, or up to 14 children in accordance with Health and Safety Code Section 1597.465, or any successor thereto. See Division 3, Section 9.31.135, Family Day Care, Large, for further details.

Small. A facility that provides care for up to 6 children including children who reside at the home and are under the age of 10, or up to 8 children in accordance with Health and Safety Code Section 1597.44, or any successor thereto.

Senior Group Residential. A residential facility that provides residence for a group of residents 60 years of age or older with a central kitchen and dining facilities and a separate bedroom or private living quarters. See Division 3, Section 9.31.155, Group Residential, for further details.

Residential Care, General. A residential facility licensed by the State of California and providing care for more than 6 persons.

Residential Care, Limited. A residential facility licensed by the State of California providing care for 6 or fewer persons.

Residential Care, Seniors. A housing arrangement chosen voluntarily by persons 60 years of age or over, or their authorized representative, where varying levels of care and supervision are provided, based upon their varying needs, as agreed to at the time of admission or determined necessary at subsequent times of reappraisal. This classification includes residential care facilities for the elderly, as defined by Health and Safety Code Section 1569.2, and continuing care retirement communities and life care communities licensed for residential care by the State of California.

Hospice, General. A facility that provides residential living quarters for more than 6 terminally ill persons.

Hospice, Limited. A facility that provides residential living quarters for up to 6 terminally ill persons.

Single-Room Occupancy Housing, Market-Rate. Multiple-unit residential buildings containing housing units that may have kitchen and/or bathroom facilities and are guest rooms or efficiency units as defined by the State Health and Safety Code. Each housing unit is occupied by no more than 2 persons and is offered on a monthly rental basis or longer. Single-room occupancy housing, market-rate shall not include any of the following:

Hospital. A facility providing medical, surgical, mental health, or services primarily on an in-patient basis, and including ancillary facilities for outpatient and emergency treatment, diagnostic services, training, research, administration, and services to patients, employees, or visitors.

Clinic. A facility providing medical, mental health, or surgical services exclusively on an out-patient basis, including emergency treatment, diagnostic services, administration, and related services to patients who are not lodged overnight. Services may be available without a prior appointment. This classification includes licensed facilities offering substance abuse treatment, blood banks, plasma, dialysis centers, and emergency medical services offered exclusively on an out-patient basis. This classification does not include private medical and dental offices that typically require appointments and are usually smaller scale (see Offices, Medical and Dental).

Community Clinic. As defined in Section 1204 of the Health and Safety Code, a clinic operated by a tax-exempt nonprofit corporation that is supported and maintained in whole or in part by donations, bequests, gifts, grants, government funds or contributions, that may be in the form of money, goods, or services.

Grooming and Pet Store. Retail sales of animals and/or services, including grooming, for animals on a commercial basis. Typical uses include dog bathing and clipping salons, pet grooming shops, and pet stores and shops. This classification excludes dog walking and similar pet care services not carried out at a fixed location, and excludes pet supply stores that do not sell animals or provide on-site animal services (see General Retail Sales).

Kennel. A commercial, nonprofit, or governmental facility for keeping, boarding, training, breeding or maintaining four or more dogs, cats, or other household pets not owned by the kennel owner or operator on a 24-hour basis. This classification includes animal shelters and animal hospitals that provide boarding-only services for animals not receiving services on the site but excludes the provision by shops and hospitals of 24-hour accommodation of animals receiving medical services on site. This classification also includes kennels that, in addition to 24-hour accommodation, provide pet care for periods of less than 24 hours but it does not include facilities that provide pet day care exclusively or predominantly.

Pet Day Care Service. A commercial, nonprofit, or governmental facility for keeping 4 or more dogs, cats, or other household pets not owned by the kennel owner or operator primarily for periods of less than 24 hours.

Veterinary Service. Veterinary services for domesticated animals. This classification allows 24-hour accommodation of animals receiving medical services but does not include kennels.

Alternative Fuels and Recharging Facility. A facility offering motor vehicle fuels not customarily offered by commercial refueling stations (e.g., LPG) as well as equipment to recharge electric-powered vehicles. This classification does not include facilities within public garages or other stations that are accessory to a permitted use.

Automobile Rental. Rental of automobiles. Typical uses include car rental agencies. See Division 3, Section 9.31.050, Automobile Rental, for further details.

Automobile Storage Parcel. Any property used for short- or long-term parking of vehicles for sale or lease at an automobile dealership or rental agency on a separate parcel from such agency or dealership.

Automobile/Vehicle Sales and Leasing. Sale or lease, retail or wholesale, of new or used automobiles, light trucks, motorcycles, motor homes, and trailers, together with associated repair services and parts sales for vehicles sold or leased by the manufacturer associated with the dealership. (For auto repair, see Automobile/Vehicle Service and Repair, Major and Minor.) This classification includes on-site facilities for maintaining an inventory of vehicles for sale or lease but excludes buildings and property on a separate site that are used for storing vehicles (see Automobile Storage Parcel). Typical uses include automobile dealers and recreational vehicle sales agencies. This classification also includes minor on-site preparation, washing, buffing, waxing, and detailing of vehicles for sale or vehicles repaired at the facility. Any outdoor preparation, washing, buffing, waxing, and detailing of vehicles shall comply with the standards of Section 9.31.080.C, D, M, N, P and Q. This classification does not include automobile brokerage and other establishments that solely provide services of arranging, negotiating, assisting, or effectuating the purchase of automobiles for others. See Division 3, Section 9.31.070, Automobile/Vehicle Sales, Leasing, and Storage, for further details.

Automobile/Vehicle Repair, Major. Repair of automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, motor homes, boats and recreational vehicles, including the incidental sale, installation, and servicing of related equipment and parts. This classification includes auto repair shops, body and fender shops, transmission shops, wheel and brake shops, auto glass services, vehicle painting, tire sales and installation, and installation of car alarms, sound, telecommunications, and navigation systems, but excludes vehicle dismantling or salvaging and tire retreading or recapping. See Division 3, Section 9.31.060, Automobile/Vehicle Repair, Major and Minor, for further details.

Automobile/Vehicle Service and Repair, Minor. The service and repair of automobiles, light-duty trucks, boats, and motorcycles, including the incidental sale, installation, and servicing of related equipment and parts. This classification includes the replacement of small automotive parts and liquids as an accessory use to a gasoline sales station or automotive accessories and supply store, as well as smog check quick-service oil, tune-up and brake and muffler shops where repairs are made or service provided in enclosed bays and no vehicles are stored overnight. This classification excludes disassembly, removal or replacement of major components such as engines, drive trains, transmissions or axles; automotive body and fender work, vehicle painting or other operations that generate excessive noise, objectionable odors or hazardous materials, and towing services. It also excludes repair of heavy trucks, limousines or construction vehicles. See Division 3, Section 9.31.060, Automobile/Vehicle Repair, Major and Minor, for further details.

Automobile/Vehicle Washing. Washing, waxing, or cleaning of automobiles or similar light vehicles, that are the principal use of a building, structure, or site, including self-serve washing facilities. See Division 3, Section 9.31.080, Automobile/Vehicle Washing, for further details.

Large Vehicle and Equipment Sales, Service, and Rental. Sales, servicing, rental, fueling, and washing of large trucks, trailers, tractors, and other equipment used for construction, moving, agricultural, or landscape gardening activities. Includes large vehicle operation training facilities.

Service Station. Establishments primarily engaged in retailing automotive fuels or retailing these fuels in combination with activities, such as providing minor automobile/vehicle repair services; selling automotive oils, replacement parts, and accessories; and/or providing accessory food and retail services. See Division 3, Section 9.31.320, Service Stations, for further details.

Towing and Impound. Establishments primarily engaged in towing light or heavy motor vehicles, both local and long distance. These establishments may provide incidental services, such as vehicle storage and emergency road repair services (for automobile dismantling, see Salvage and Wrecking). This classification includes parcels used for storage of impounded vehicles.

Bank and Credit Union. Financial institutions providing retail banking services. This classification includes only those institutions engaged in the on-site circulation of money, including credit unions, but excluding check-cashing businesses. For administration, headquarters, or other offices of banks and credit unions without retail banking services/on-site circulation of money (see Offices, Business and Professional).

Check Cashing Business. Establishments that, for compensation, engage in the business of cashing checks, warrants, drafts, money orders, or other commercial paper serving the same purpose. This classification also includes the business of deferred deposits, whereby the check casher refrains from depositing a personal check written by a customer until a specific date pursuant to a written agreement as provided in Civil Code 1789.33. Check cashing businesses do not include State or Federally chartered banks, savings associations, credit unions, or industrial loan companies. They also do not include retail sellers engaged primarily in the business of selling consumer goods, such as consumables to retail buyers that cash checks or issue money orders incidental to their main purpose or business.

Cinema. Facilities for indoor display of films and motion pictures.

Theater. Facilities designed and used for entertainment, including plays, comedy, and music, which typically contain a stage upon which movable scenery and theatrical appliances or musical instruments and equipment are used.

Convention and Conference Centers. Facilities designed and used for conventions, conferences, seminars, trade shows, product displays, and other events in which groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typically have at least one auditorium and may also contain concert halls, lecture halls, meeting rooms, and conference rooms, as well as accessory uses such as facilities for food preparation and serving and administrative offices. For conference facilities accessory to hotels, see Hotel and Motel.

Large-Scale Facility. This classification includes large outdoor facilities such as amusement and theme parks, sports stadiums and arenas, racetracks, amphitheaters, drive-in theaters, driving ranges, and golf courses. It also includes indoor facilities with 5,000 square feet or more in building area such as handball, racquetball, or large tennis club facilities; ice or roller skating rinks; swimming or wave pools; miniature golf courses; bowling alleys; archery or indoor shooting ranges; and riding stables.

Small-Scale Facility. This classification includes small, generally indoor facilities that occupy less than 5,000 square feet of building area, such as billiard parlors, card rooms, game arcades, dance halls, small tennis club facilities, poolrooms, and amusement arcades.

Fortunetelling. An establishment where a person or persons provide fortunetelling services and demand or receive, directly or indirectly, a fee or reward, or accept any donation for the exercise or exhibition of fortunetelling services, or give an exhibition of fortunetelling services at any place where a fee, donation or reward is charged or received, directly or indirectly as a condition of entry. Fortunetelling services shall include, but not be limited to, the telling of fortunes, forecasting of futures, or furnishing of any information not otherwise obtainable by the ordinary process of knowledge, by means of any occult or psychic power, faculty or force, psychic reading, occult reading, clairvoyance, clairaudience, cartomancy, psychometry, phrenology, spirits, mediumship, seership, prophecy, augury, astrology, palmistry, necromancy, mindreading, tarot card readings, tea leaves, telepathy or other craft, art, science, cards, talisman, charm, potion, magnetism, magnetized article or substance, crystal gazing, or magic of any kind or nature.

Bar. Businesses that are licensed by the State to serve alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine and mixed drinks for consumption on the premises from a liquor service facility that is physically separate from the dining area and may be operated during hours when food is not served. See Division 3, Section 9.31.040, Alcoholic Beverage Sales, for further details.

Taproom. Establishments serving beer, wine, or other fermented or malt beverages, excluding the sale of spirits, for predominately on-site consumption. No alcohol manufacturing is permitted on the premises.

Brewpub. Establishments providing food and beverages to be consumed on the premises, taken out, or delivered and is licensed by the State of California to manufacture and sell alcoholic beverages for on- or off-site consumption. Alcohol manufacturing must be on-site and accessory to eating establishment primary use.

Restaurant, Full-Service. Restaurants providing food and beverage services to patrons who order and are served while seated and pay after eating. Takeout service may also be provided. See Division 3, Section 9.31.040, Alcoholic Beverage Sales, where applicable, for further details.

Restaurant, Limited-Service and Take-Out. Establishments where food and beverages may be consumed on the premises, taken out, or delivered. This classification includes cafes, cafeterias, coffee shops, delicatessens, fast-food restaurants, sandwich shops, limited-service pizza parlors, self-service restaurants, ice cream and frozen yogurt shops, and snack bars with indoor or outdoor seating for customers. This classification includes bakeries that have tables for on-site consumption of products. It excludes catering services that do not sell food or beverages for on-site consumption (see Commercial Kitchen). See Division 3, Sections 9.31.040, Alcoholic Beverage Sales, and 9.31.280, Restaurants, Limited Service and Take Out Only, where applicable, for further details.

Food Hall. Establishments consisting of three or more individually licensed businesses within an enclosed building where food and beverages may be consumed on the premises, taken out, or delivered, and may also include small retail venues. Patrons may be served while seated and pay after eating, or orders may be made at a walk-up window, counter, machine, or remotely, and payment made prior to food consumption. Characteristics of food halls include, but are not limited to: shared entrance/lobby areas, compartmentalized spaces for individually licensed businesses, shared eating areas, shared restrooms, and shared "back of house" areas (e.g., storage, dishwashing, food preparation). Each compartmentalized space may have access to the exterior of the building, along with outdoor dining and seating areas, which may be shared with other businesses within the establishment.

With Drive-Through Facility. Establishments providing food and beverage services to patrons remaining in automobiles. Includes drive-up service.

With Outdoor Dining and Seating Area. Provision of outdoor dining facilities on the same property or in the adjacent public right-of-way. See Division 3, Section 9.31.200, Outdoor Dining and Seating, for further details.

Convenience Market. Retail establishments that sell a limited line of groceries, prepackaged food items, tobacco, magazines, and other household goods, primarily for off-premises consumption. These establishments typically have long or late hours of operation and occupy a relatively small building. This classification includes small retail stores located on the same parcel as or operated in conjunction with a service station but does not include delicatessens or specialty food shops. It excludes establishments that offer a sizeable assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables or fresh-cut meat (see General Market). See Division 3, Section 9.31.040, Alcoholic Beverage Sales, for further details.

Farmers Market. A location where the primary activity is the sale of agricultural products by producers and certified producers. Sales of ancillary products may occur at the location. An open air farmers market may only be operated by a local government agency.

General Market. Retail food markets of food and grocery items primarily for off-site preparation and consumption. Typical uses include supermarkets and specialty food stores such as retail bakeries; candy, nuts and confectionary stores; meat or produce markets; vitamin and health food stores; cheese stores; and delicatessens. This classification may include small-scale specialty food production with retail sales such as pasta shops. See Division 3, Sections 9.31.040, Alcoholic Beverage Sales, and 9.31.140, General Markets in Residential Districts, where applicable, for further details.

Liquor Store. Establishments primarily engaged in selling packaged alcoholic beverages for off-site consumption. See Division 3, Section 9.31.040, Alcoholic Beverage Sales, for further details.

Bed and Breakfast. A residential structure that is in residential use in which the property owner or manager lives on site and within which up to four bedrooms are rented for overnight lodging and where meals may be provided. See Division 3, Section 9.31.090, Bed and Breakfasts, for further details.

Hotel and Motel. An establishment providing temporary lodging to transient patrons. These establishments may provide additional services, such as conference and meeting rooms, restaurants, bars, or recreation facilities available to guests or to the general public. This use classification includes motor lodges, motels, apartment hotels, hostels and tourist courts, but does not include rooming houses, boarding houses, or private residential clubs, single-room occupancy housing, or bed and breakfast establishments within a single-unit residence.

Vacation Rental. A property with a dwelling unit or guest house intended for permanent occupancy that is available for rent or hire for any person other than the primary owner for transient use for 30 days or less or is otherwise occupied or utilized on a transient basis for 30 days or less. Vacation rental does not include a Bed and Breakfast as defined above.

Business and Professional. Offices of firms, organizations, or agencies providing professional, executive, management, administrative, financial, accounting, or legal services, but excluding those that primarily provide direct services to patrons that visit the office (see Offices, Walk-In Clientele).

Creative. Offices, production spaces, and work spaces of establishments that are in the business of the development, publishing, production, or distribution of creative property, including, but not limited to, advertising, architectural services, broadcasting, communications, computer software design, media content, entertainment, engineering, fashion design, film distribution, graphic design, interior design, internet content, landscape design, photography, and similar uses.

Medical and Dental. Offices providing consultation, diagnosis, therapeutic, preventive, or corrective personal treatment services by doctors and dentists; medical and dental laboratories that see patients; and similar practitioners of medical and healing arts for humans licensed for such practice by the State of California. Incidental medical and/or dental research within the office is considered part of the office use if it supports the on-site patient services.

Walk-In Clientele. Offices predominantly providing direct services to patrons or clients and do not require appointments. This use classification includes employment agencies, insurance agent offices, real estate offices, travel agencies, utility company offices, and offices for elected officials. It does not include banks or check-cashing facilities, which are separately classified and regulated (see Banks and Financial Institutions).

General Personal Services. Provision of recurrently needed services of a personal nature. This classification includes barber shops and beauty salons, seamstresses, tailors, dry cleaning agents (excluding large-scale bulk cleaning plants), shoe repair shops, self-service laundries, video rental stores, photocopying and photo finishing services, and travel agencies mainly intended for the consumer. This classification also includes massage establishments that are in full compliance with the applicable provisions of Chapter 6.104, Massage Regulations, of the Santa Monica Municipal Code, and in which all persons engaged in the practice of massage are certified pursuant to the California Business and Professions Code Section 4612. This classification does not include gyms, exercise clubs, or studios offering performing arts, martial arts, physical exercise, or yoga training and similar types of instruction. See Division 3, Section 9.31.230, Personal Services, for further details.

Personal Services, Physical Training. Gyms, exercise clubs, or studios offering martial arts, physical exercise, yoga training and similar types of instruction to classes and groups. This classification also includes exclusively youth-serving studios of less than 3,000 square feet offering performing arts, dance, martial arts, physical exercise, and similar types of instruction to classes and groups of more than five persons.

Tattoo or Body Modification Parlor. An establishment whose principal business activity is one or more of the following: (i) using ink or other substances that result in the permanent coloration of the skin through the use of needles or other instruments designed to contact or puncture the skin; or (ii) creation of an opening in the body of a person for the purpose of inserting jewelry or other decoration. See Division 3, Section 9.31.230, Personal Services, for further details.

Building Materials and Services. Retail sales or rental of building supplies or equipment. This classification includes lumberyards, tool and equipment sales or rental establishments, and includes establishments devoted principally to taxable retail sales to individuals for their own use. This definition does not include construction and material yards, hardware stores less than 10,000 square feet or establishments engaged in the business of selling, leasing, or otherwise transferring any firearm or ammunitions.

Cannabis Retailer. A licensed premises which is a physical location from which retail cannabis or cannabis products are intended to be sold. The premises may be closed to the public; sales may be made exclusively by delivery. Subject to the provisions of SMMC Section 9.31.095, cannabis retailers that are licensed and regulated by Business and Professions Code Section 26000 et seq., and as amended from time to time, shall be permitted to deliver or sell adult-use cannabis or adult-use cannabis products to persons 21 years of age and over or medicinal cannabis or cannabis products to persons 18 years of age and over with a physician's recommendation.

General Retail Sales, Small-Scale. The retail sale or rental of merchandise not specifically listed under another use classification. This classification includes retail establishments with 25,000 square feet or less of sales area; including department stores, clothing stores, furniture stores, pet supply stores, small hardware and garden supply/nurseries stores (with 10,000 square feet or less of floor area), and businesses retailing goods including, but not limited to, the following: toys, hobby materials, handcrafted items, jewelry, cameras, photographic supplies and services (including portraiture and retail photo processing), medical supplies and equipment, pharmacies, electronic equipment, sporting goods, kitchen utensils, hardware, appliances, antiques, art galleries, art supplies and services, paint and wallpaper, carpeting and floor covering, office supplies, bicycles, video rental, and new automotive parts and accessories (excluding vehicle service and installation). Retail sales may be combined with other services such as office machine, computer, electronics, and similar small-item repairs. See Division 3, Sections 9.31.210, Outdoor Newsstands, and 9.31.220, Outdoor Retail Display and Sales, where applicable, for further details.

General Retail Sales, Medium-Scale. The retail sale or rental of merchandise not specifically listed under another use classification. This classification includes retail establishments with more than 25,000 square feet but not more than 80,000 square feet of sales area.

General Retail Sales, Large-Scale. Retail establishments with over 80,000 square feet of sales area that sell merchandise and bulk goods for individual consumption, including membership warehouse clubs, where sales of grocery items do not occupy more than 25% of the floor area.

Pawn Shop. Establishments engaged in the buying or selling of new or secondhand merchandise and offering loans in exchange for personal property.

Swap Meet. Any indoor or outdoor place, in an approved location, or for an approved activity where new or used goods or secondhand personal property is offered for sale or exchange to the general public by a multitude of individual licensed vendors, usually in compartmentalized spaces. The term swap meet is interchangeable with and applicable to: flea markets, auctions, open air markets, outdoor sales activities, or other similarly named or labeled activities; but does not include supermarket or department store retail operations. See Division 3, Sections 9.31.360, Swap Meets, and 9.31.220, Outdoor Retail Display and Sales, for further details.

Studio, Light. Small-scale art production that is generally of a low impact. Typical uses include painting, photography, jewelry, glass, textile, and pottery studios.

Studio, Heavy. Art production on a medium or large scale generally using heavy equipment. Typical uses include large-scale metal and woodworking studios.

Support Facility. Administrative and technical production support facilities such as offices, editing and sound recording studios, film laboratories, and similar functions that occur entirely within a building.

Full-Service Facility. Indoor and outdoor production facilities, distribution facilities, post-production facilities, set construction facilities, sound stages, special effects facilities, and other media-related production operations.

Recycling Collection Facility. An incidental use that serves as a neighborhood drop-off point for the temporary storage of recyclable materials but where the processing and sorting of such items is not conducted on site.

Recycling Processing Facility. A facility that receives, sorts, stores and/or processes recyclable materials.

Chemical, Mineral, and Explosives Storage. Storage and handling of hazardous materials, including, but not limited to: bottled gas, chemicals, minerals and ores, petroleum or petroleum-based fuels, fireworks, and explosives.

Indoor Warehousing and Storage. Storage within an enclosed building of commercial goods prior to their distribution to wholesale and retail outlets and the storage of industrial equipment, products and materials. This classification also includes cold storage, draying or freight, moving and storage, and warehouses. It excludes the storage of hazardous chemical, mineral, and explosive materials.

Outdoor Storage. Storage of vehicles or commercial goods or materials in open parcels.

Personal Storage. Facilities offering enclosed storage with individual access for personal effects and household goods, including mini-warehouses and mini-storage. This use excludes workshops, hobby shops, manufacturing, or commercial activity.

Wholesaling and Distribution. Indoor storage and sale of goods to other firms for resale; storage of goods for transfer to retail outlets of the same firm; or storage and sale of materials and supplies used in production or operation, including janitorial and restaurant supplies. Wholesalers are primarily engaged in business-to-business sales, but may sell to individual consumers through mail or internet orders. They normally operate from a warehouse or office having little or no display of merchandise, and are not designed to solicit walk-in traffic. This classification does not include wholesale sale of building materials (see Building Materials and Services).

Antenna and Transmission Tower. Broadcasting and other communication services accomplished through electronic or telephonic mechanisms, as well as structures designed to support one or more reception or transmission systems. Typical uses include radio towers and television towers. Notwithstanding the foregoing, facilities described in Chapter 9.32, including, without limitation, personal wireless service facilities and over-the-air reception devices ("OTARDs") shall not be considered antenna and transmission towers for purposes of this use classification and shall only be subject to the applicable provisions and permit requirements in Chapter 9.32, Personal Wireless Service Facilities.

Equipment Within Buildings. Indoor facilities containing primarily communication equipment and storage devices such as computer servers.