Mixed-use overlay zone gains approval
CALIFORNIA CITY — An ordinance to add a mixed-use overlay zone was officially ratified by the California City Planning Commission on Tuesday.
Following the ordinance’s ratification, it and the previously signed resolution will be presented to the City Council for approval during its April 27 meeting.
The Commission held a public hearing during its March 2 meeting in regard to the overlay and it passed unanimously with a
5-0 vote.
Despite the overwhelming support, the ordinance was not presented in the packet sent to the City Council and was sent back to the Commission to be officially ratified.
City Planner Shawn Monk first proposed the idea of a mixed use zone during a planning commission meeting on Feb. 2 where he presented a beautification plan for the California City Boulevard corridor stretching from Hacienda Boulevard to Isabella Boulevard.
During the public hearing in March, Monk noted a distinct change from a mixed use zone to a mixed use overlay.
“You have the actual zone and then you have this overlay which has all these additional uses that you are putting on top of a zone,” he said.
The intent of the new overlay zone is to improve residential capacity, flexible tools for planning and development
and the ability to design locations.
The mixed use zone combines commercial and residential zoning for one lot — meaning retail stores and/or office spaces could occupy a building’s ground floor while apartments or loft spaces could be built on top.
“It’s a really efficient way to utilize space,” Monk said.
According to the resolution, “commercial use only” projects will be able to use the existing regulations for the current zones.
Additionally site plan reviews and design review are required for all new development
and major renovation of existing developments in the mixed use overlay zone.
The mixed use overlay zone is in line with the City’s Vision 360 and General plans most notably the housing element.