HomeMy WebLinkAboutOB-1 - 26-207 - 5. MUOD Strikethrough - 4/7/2026ATTACHMENT 5
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Article 11. Mixed-Use Overlay District (MUOD)
13-83.50. Purpose
13-83.51. Definitions
13-83.52. Mixed-use development types
13-83.53. Application review procedures in mixed-use overlay
district
13-83.54. Mixed-use development standards
13-83.55. Mixed-use compatibility standards
13-83.56. Phase mixed-use developments
13-83.57. Harbor Mixed-Use Overlay
13-83.58. Properties identified in Housing Element
(a) Purpose.
(1) The purpose of this Section is to implement the City’s currently adopted Housing
Element by establishing zoning provisions for sites identified in the Housing
Element Sites Inventory to accommodate the City’s lower-, moderate-, and
above-moderate-income Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) consistent
with Government Code sections 65583 and 65583.2, Subsections (c), (h) and (i).
(b) Applicability.
(1) The provisions of this Section shall apply to all sites identified in the City’s
currently adopted Housing Element Sites Inventory to accommodate the City’s
RHNA, shown in the Housing Element as Table B-6: Sites to Accommodate
Costa Mesa 2021-2029 RHNA or any future adopted Housing Element Sites
Inventory to accommodate the City’s RHNA.
(2) Previously Identified Sites. The provisions of this Section shall also apply to
any non-vacant Housing Element Site that was identified in a prior Housing
Element and any vacant Housing Element Site that was identified in two or more
consecutive prior Housing Elements, consistent with Government Code Section
65583.2 Subsection (c). Such sites shall be subject to the minimum density and
by-right approval standards established in this Section. Such sites are identified
in the City’s currently adopted Housing Element Sites Inventory, shown as Table
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B-6: Sites to Accommodate Costa Mesa 2021-2029 RHNA or any future adopted
Housing Element Sites Inventory to accommodate the City’s RHNA.
(3) Exception. The provisions of this Section shall not apply to residential projects,
or mixed-use projects, or other projects having residential units located within the
boundaries of the Fairview Developmental Center Specific Plan or any of the
following properties identified in Table B-6 of the Housing Element by address or
APN:
610 W. 18th St. (HE Site 96)
3390 Harbor Blvd. (HE Site 134)
3390 Harbor Blvd. (HE Site 136)
3315 Fairview Rd. (HE Site 137)
1201 S. Coast Dr. (HE Site 138)
3400 Bristol St. (HE Site 139)
685 Sunflower Ave. (HE Site 140)
3410 Bristol St. (HE Site 141)
3333 Bristol St. (HE Site 145)
APN: 412-491-11 (HE Site 146)
3333 Bristol St. (HE Site 147)
2180 Harbor Blvd. (HE Site 194)
2180 Harbor Blvd. (HE Site 195)
APN: 140-041-83 (HE Site 198)
3333 Susan St. (HE Site 196)
1590 Adams Ave. (HE Site 203)
1590 Adams Ave. (HE Site 204)
3420 Bristol St. (HE Site 205)
(c) Severability and State Law Consistency.
(1) This Section is intended to be consistent with, and shall be interpreted and
applied to comply with, all applicable requirements of State housing law,
including Government Code Sections 65915(c)(3), 65583 and 65583.2 as those
provisions may be amended from time to time, and any successor statutes. If any
provision of this Section conflicts with State law, the applicable State law shall
control.
(2) If any provision of this Section, or its application to any person or circumstance,
is held invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such
invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect other provisions or applications of
this Section that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.
The City Council declares that it would have adopted this Section and each
provision, section, sentence, clause, and phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact
that any one or more provisions may be declared invalid or unenforceable.
(d) Definitions
(1) “Housing Element Site” means any site identified in the currently adopted
Housing Element Sites Inventory to accommodate the City’s (RHNA), shown in
the Housing Element as Table B-6: Sites to Accommodate Costa Mesa 2021-
2029 RHNA.
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(2) “Lower-Income Household” has the same meaning as defined in Health and
Safety Code Section 50079.5.
(3) “Lower-Income Housing Element Site” means any Housing Element Site
identified in the currently adopted Housing Element that accommodates any
portion of the City’s lower-income RHNA and subject to the requirements of
Government Code Section 65583.2 (h) and (i), shown in the Housing Element as
Table B-6: Sites to Accommodate Costa Mesa 2021-2029 RHNA.
(4) “Use by Right” has the same meaning as in Government Code Section 65583.2
Subsection (i) and requires ministerial approval for multifamily housing
developments in which at least 20 percent of the total number of units are
affordable to lower-income households. “Use by Right” means that the review of
an owner-occupied or renter-occupied multifamily residential use may not require
a conditional use permit, planned unit development permit, or other discretionary
review or approval that would constitute a “project” for purposes of Division 13
(commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code.
(5) “Prior Housing Element Site” means any non-vacant Housing Element Site
that was identified in the prior Housing Element and any vacant Housing Element
Site that was identified in two or more consecutive prior Housing Elements. Such
sites are identified in the City’s currently adopted Housing Element Sites
Inventory, shown as Table B-6: Sites to Accommodate Costa Mesa 2021-2029
RHNA.
(6) “Protected Unit” means any unit that, within the past five years, was occupied
by a lower-income household regardless of whether the unit was deed-restricted
or that was subject to an affordability covenant or rent control.
(e) Supersession of Overlay
(1) For Lower-Income Housing Element Sites:
Supersession of Other Zoning Provisions. Projects on Lower-Income
Housing Element Sites shall be governed by this Section, and the
provisions in this Section shall supersede and prevail over any
conflicting provisions of the underlying base zone, including, but not
limited to, minimum residential floor area, minimum residential
capacities and densities, unit caps, trip budgets (if applicable),
ministerial review and approval requirements, and permitted uses, and
all other applicable zoning provisions, such as other urban plans,
overlays, and specific plans, and the provisions of this Article that apply
to non-Lower-Income Housing Element sites. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, to the extent an applicable Specific Plan allows for more
permissive standards or greater heights, projects on Lower-Income
Housing Element Sites may utilize such standards or heights.
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Ministerial Review and Approval. Projects on Lower-Income Housing
Element Sites shall be a Use by Right pursuant to Subsection (f)(1).
Minimum Residential Floor Area. Projects on Lower-Income Housing
Element Sites shall satisfy the minimum residential floor area
requirements established in Subsection (g)(3).
Minimum Residential Site Capacity and Density. Projects on Lower-
Income Housing Element Sites shall satisfy the minimum residential
capacity and density requirements established in Subsection (h)(1)(ii)
and (h)(1)(iii).
(f) Review and Approvals Procedures
(1) Use by Right. A project on a Lower-Income Housing Element Site that provides
at least 20 percent of the total dwelling units affordable to Lower-Income
Households shall be processed as a Use by Right, consistent with Government
Code Section 65583.2(h) and (i). Such projects shall be subject only to
ministerial review to verify compliance with all applicable objective design and
development standards in accordance with a Streamlined Development Review
process per CMMC Title 13, Chapter III (Planning Applications). A project that
does not qualify as a Use by Right shall be processed in accordance with a
Development Review process per CMMC Title 13, Chapter III (Planning
Applications).
(2) Subdivision. Any subdivision of a Lower Income Housing Element Site shall
comply with all applicable provisions of CMMC Title 13, Chapter XI
(Subdivisions) and the Subdivision Map Act.
(g) Permitted Uses
(1) Multi-Family Dwellings. Multi-family dwellings shall be permitted on all Housing
Element Sites subject to the requirements of this Section.
(2) Non-Residential Uses. Those non-residential uses permitted in Commercial
Zones in accordance with CMMC Title 13, Chapter IV (Citywide Land Use Matrix)
shall be permitted as part of mixed-use projects on all Housing Element Sites.
(3) Mixed-Use on Lower-Income Housing Element Sites. Mixed-use projects shall
be permitted on Lower-Income Housing Element Sites so long as at least 50
percent of total floor area is provided as residential uses, consistent with
Government Code Section 65583.2, Subsection (h)(1)(B).
(4) Multi-Family Dwellings on Lower-Income Housing Element Sites. Multi-
family dwellings consisting of 100 percent residential uses shall be permitted on
Lower-Income Housing Element Sites, consistent with Government Code Section
65583.2, Subsection (h)(1)(B).
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(h) Development Standards
(1) Density Standards
Maximum Densities. Maximum residential densities shall be permitted
as specified in the Housing Element Sites Inventory.
Minimum Site Capacity for Lower-Income Housing Element Sites. If
the identified maximum density of a Lower-Income Housing Element
Site does not allow at least 16 dwelling units on site, then the maximum
density identified shall be waived, and the maximum number of dwelling
units permitted shall be 16 dwelling units on site consistent with
Government Code Section 65583.2 Subsection (h).
Minimum Densities for Lower-Income Housing Element Sites. A
project proposed on a Lower Income Housing Element Site shall meet a
minimum density requirement of 20 units per acre, inclusive of
Accessory Dwelling Units, consistent with Government Code Section
65583.2, Subsection (h).
(2) Off-Street Parking Standards
Residential Uses. Minimum off-street parking requirements for multi-
family dwellings on Housing Element sites are provided in Table 13-
83.58-A. Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements.
Non-Residential Uses. Minimum off-street parking requirements for
those permitted non-residential uses on Housing Element sites shall be
subject to CMMC Title 13, Chapter VI (Off-Street Parking Standards).
Table 13-83.58-A. Off-Street Parking Standards for Residential Uses
TABLE 13-83.58-A. OFF-STREET PARKING STANDARDS
Dwelling Unit Type
Minimum Off-Street
Parking Requirement
Minimum Off-Street
Guest Parking
Requirement
Studio or 1-bedroom unit No minimum 0.25 space per unit
2 or more bedrooms per unit No minimum 0.25 space per unit
(3) Development Standards
Minimum and maximum requirements for building height, non-
residential intensity, setbacks, lot coverage, and open space are
provided in Table 13-83.58-B. Development Standards.
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Table 13-83.58-B. Development Standards.
TABLE 13-83.58-B. DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
RESIDENTIAL DENSITY AND BUILDING HEIGHT
STANDARDS
ADDITIONAL
PROVISIONS
Min. Residential
Density1
Max. Residential
Density2
Max. Building
Height
20 du/ac
40 du/ac
60 ft.
50 du/ac
60 du/ac 72 ft.
90 du/ac 108 ft. Or an applicable Specific
Plan, whichever is higher
NON-RESIDENTIAL INTENSITY STANDARDS ADDITIONAL
PROVISIONS
Min. FAR None
Max. FAR 1.0
SETBACK STANDARDS3 ADDITIONAL
PROVISIONS
Front or side abutting a public
street
Min. 10 ft. and max. 20 ft.
Side or rear abutting alley 0 ft.
Side or rear abutting:
Residential zone 20 ft.
Industrial use
Side or rear abutting bluff crest 10 ft. Section 13-34 (Bluff-Top
Development) of Chapter V of
Title 13 of the Costa Mesa
Municipal Code
LOT STANDARDS ADDITIONAL
PROVISIONS
Min. lot size None
Max. lot coverage 90%
OPEN SPACE STANDARDS ADDITIONAL
PROVISIONS
Usable common
residential open
space4
Total area equivalent to min. 30% of lot Or as provided in an
applicable Specific Plan
Usable private
open space5
Min. 100 sq. ft./unit provided on the ground
floor for dwelling units located on the
ground floor, and min. 50 sq. ft./unit
provided for dwelling units located above
the ground floor
Or as provided in an
applicable Specific Plan
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Table 13-83.58-B. Development Standards.
TABLE 13-83.58-B. DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
RESIDENTIAL DENSITY AND BUILDING HEIGHT
STANDARDS
ADDITIONAL
PROVISIONS
Publicly
accessible open
space
Total area equivalent to min. 5% of
commercial gross floor area for
developments with a commercial gross floor
area greater than 100,000 sq. ft.
1 Based on the currently adopted Housing Element Sites Inventory.
2 Only applicable to Lower-Income Housing Element Sites and inclusive of Accessory Dwelling Units.
3 Minimum setbacks shall apply to all portions of a building or structure. Maximum setbacks along public streets
shall only apply to a building or structure’s ground floor, with exceptions for driveways, walkways, and open
space.
4 Up to 50 percent of the required usable common residential open space may be substituted by publicly
accessible open space.
5 Up to 50 percent of the required usable private open space may be substituted by usable common residential
and/or publicly accessible open space.
(4) Objective Design Standards forthcoming.
The City intends to prepare and adopt design standards to further guide
the physical form and character of development on the rezoned sites.
Until such standards are adopted, projects shall be subject only to the
objective development standards contained in this Section. Upon
adoption, the objective design standards shall apply to all projects
subject to this Section and shall serve as the sole design criteria for
ministerial review, consistent with Government Code Sections 65583.2
and 65589.5.
(i) Replacement of Protected Units
(1) Demolition or Conversion of Protected Units. Any project that involves the
demolition or conversion of Protected Units, or that is located on a site where
Protected Units were demolished or converted within the previous five years,
shall comply with all applicable replacement housing, tenant protection, and right-
of-return requirements under State Density Bonus Law, including Government
Code Section 65915, Subsection (c)(3), and any successor statutes.