2026 Minor Zoning Ordinance, General Plan, and Other Policy Updates
The City is preparing variety of minor updates to the Zoning Ordinance, General Plan, and other policy updates related to topics such as agricultural housing, inclusionary housing regulations, lot consolidation, Planned Development Permits, transitional and supportive housing, short-term rentals on properties with accessory dwelling units; and alignment of General Plan Language with the Current Climate Action Plan and Local Hazard Mitigation Plan - Climate Adaptation Plan. These updates would implement Housing Element policy objectives, clarify existing policies and regulations, and make a minor change to short-term rental regulations.
Community Engagement
The Planning Commission will review these updates at the meeting of September 17, 2026. Members of the public will have the opportunity to provide written or verbal comments. The agenda report and proposed changes will be available to view 72 hours in advance on the Planning Commission Agenda Online page.
On August 10, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. a virtual community meeting was held by Community Development Department staff to describe the proposed updates. For those unable to attend, the community meeting was recorded and the link to the recording is available for viewing here:
Overview of Proposed Updates
Agricultural Housing
The proposed changes will update the Zoning Ordinance to implement Housing Element objective 3.7a and align with state law requirements under Health and Safety Code Sections 17021.5 and 17021.6 by allowing certain types of agricultural housing in residential and agricultural zoning districts.
General Plan Language Alignment with Climate Action Plan and Local Hazard Mitigation Plan - Climate Adaptation Plan
The City’s General Plan was adopted in 2012 and includes references to goals and measures in previous versions of the City’s climate and hazard mitigation planning documents, the Climate Action Plan and the Local Hazard Mitigation – Climate Adaptation Plan. Minor updates to the General Plan will align policy language with the goals and measures in the current versions of these climate and hazard mitigation planning documents.
Inclusionary Housing Regulations
The City’s Inclusionary Ordinance requires a certain proportion of dwellings in a new housing development to be dedicated to below-market-rate rent or sale prices for income-restricted households. Proposed amendments to the ordinance would clarify existing regulations. These amendments also support the implementation of Housing Element objective 2.1a to maintain and implement the Inclusionary Ordinance.
Lot Consolidation
To support the production and affordability of housing on smaller lots, Housing Element objective 1.1e directs the City to adopt incentives for the consolidation of lots less than half an acre in size.
Planned Development Permits
Planned Development Permits allow developments certain variations to zoning district allowable uses or development standards when the development would serve public objectives more fully than under the standard zoning regulations. Developments must meet certain eligibility criteria, including a minimum site area of 20,000 square feet. The minimum site area requirement could, in some cases, constrain the production of nontraditional housing on smaller infill lots. While the Planned Development process has largely been superseded by the use of density bonuses, it may provide development potential for smaller projects or other projects where a density bonus is not requested. Housing Element Objective 1.6b directs the City to amend the Zoning Ordinance to allow Planned Development Permits on sites less than 20,000 square feet.
Short-Term Rentals on Properties with Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
The City’s short-term rental regulations currently prohibit short-term rentals on properties with an ADU or junior ADU. State law prohibits short-term rentals in certain ADUs permitted under Government Code Section 66323 (known as “66323” ADUs or “statewide exemption” ADUs). State law also prohibits short-term rentals of junior ADUs. However, state law leaves it up to each jurisdiction to decide whether to allow short-term rentals within other units on properties with ADUs. The City is considering whether to allow short-term rentals within primary residences on properties with ADUs.
Transitional and Supportive Housing
The proposed changes will update the Zoning Ordinance to implement Housing Element objective 3.4b and align with state law requirements under Government Code Section 65583(c) by allowing transitional and supportive housing in all zones that allow residential uses, as residential uses, similar to other residential uses of the same types in the same zone.