Title
REF140023 - Update to Zoning Maps and Classifications
Public Hearing recommending that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Consider and find adoption of the ordinance consistent within the scope of the previously certified Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the 2010 General Plan (SCH #2007121001) pursuant to CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) Guidelines Section 15162; and
b. Adopt an ordinance amend Chapters 21.08 and 21.50 of the Monterey County Code (Title 21, inland zoning) to reclassify multiple zoning districts for consistency with the 2010 County of Monterey General Plan land use designations.
Project Location: Inland areas of unincorporated Monterey County
Body
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Consider and find adoption of the ordinance consistent within the scope of the previously certified Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the 2010 General Plan (SCH #2007121001) pursuant to CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) Guidelines Section 15162; and
b. Adopt an ordinance amend Chapters 21.08 and 21.50 of the Monterey County Code (Title 21, inland zoning) to reclassify multiple zoning districts for consistency with the 2010 County of Monterey General Plan land use designations.
SUMMARY:
The adoption of the 2010 County of Monterey General Plan (General Plan) for the unincorporated inland areas of Monterey County necessitates that all inland zoning maps be updated to implement the land use designations of the General Plan. This project began in 2014 and was presented to the Planning Commission (Commission) in 2014 and 2015. The original project was incomplete due to staff turnover and other priorities. Staff returned to the Commission on May 13, 2024, to provide an update and receive input on the proposed revised project scope. The Commission concurred with staff’s recommendation for the revised project scope, which consists of: 1) zoning map updates for consistency with the General Plan and associated updates to Title 21, including Chapter 21.08 (Establishment and Designation of Zoning Districts) and Chapter 21.50 (Urban Reserve Zoning District); and 2) add a new Chapter to Title 21 to implement the Agricultural and Winery Corridor Plan (AWCP). Today's action will not include the second part of the scope of work, as it required additional review and input from the Agricultural Advisory Committee prior to moving forward to the Planning Commission.
On April 30, 2025, the Planning Commission held a public hearing and unanimously recommended that the Board of Supervisors adopt a resolution to adopt the ordinance to amending various sections of Title 21 to implement the zoning map updates to ensure consistency with the General Plan.
The draft ordinances before the Board of Supervisors today would correct and modify various sections of Monterey County Code (MCC) Chapters 21.08 and 21.50. The amendments to MCC Chapter 21.08 will correct errors from prior updates and clarify, modernize, and streamline the process for updates to the County’s zoning maps. The amendments to MCC Chapter 21.50 will clarify that staff needs to review the Board of Supervisors (Board) adopted memorandum of agreements and memorandums of understanding. To read a full discussion of the amendments, please refer to the discussion below.
The attached Sectional District Maps (Attachment B) reflect these zoning updates, where zoning district changes are highlighted.
DISCUSSION
The County began the process of drafting ordinances and processes for updating the sectional zoning maps for consistency with the General Plan land use designations in 2014. This process resulted in an expansive project scope, which, due to staff turnover and other priorities, stalled in 2015. Staff in 2024 brought the project back to the Commission for input on the revised project scope. The Commission recommended that staff proceed with the revised project scope on March 13, 2024. Today, staff is presenting to Board of Supervisors a draft ordinance recommended by the Planning Commission (Attachment D) on April 30, 2025, that implements the zoning map updates to ensure consistency with the General Plan. The recommended ordinance (Attachment A) and a redlined version (Attachment C) outline the proposed amendments.
The key features of the ordinance are included below:
- Correction to MCC section 21.08.010 - This correction adds the Mixed Use Zoning District, which was passed and adopted by the Board on July 7, 2020, to the Designation of Districts table.
- Amendments to MCC section 21.08.030.C - This amendment clarifies and establishes a process for HCD to address the uncertainty of zoning district boundaries. The previous section required staff to return to the Commission when they encounter uncertainty regarding zoning district boundaries. This amended section establishes a clear process for how HCD can address uncertainty in zoning district boundaries and aligns the process with other jurisdictions within the State. This amendment modernizes and streamlines the process of addressing uncertainty in zoning district boundaries, where the use of GIS can result in minor errors due to inaccurate parcel geometry, incorrect polygon shapes, and previous erroneous projections that cause the zoning district boundaries to be misaligned.
- Addition to MCC section 21.08.030.D - This addition clarifies and establishes a process for HCD to address instances where there is an absence of zoning on a parcel. This issue was not previously addressed in MCC, and therefore, when staff encounter this issue, there is not a clear path forward for a resolution. In previous instances of this problem, staff had to return to the Commission, and in some cases, the Board, to correct errors or instances where a land use designation was updated without a subsequent update to the underlying zoning district. This addition establishes a clear process for resolving situations where parcels lack a designated zoning district and aligns it with the processes of other jurisdictions within the State.
- Correction to MCC section 21.08.060 - This correction amends this section, which was erroneously amended as a part of Ordinance No. 5327 (passed and adopted by the Board on April 28, 2020) which established the Industrial Hemp “HMP” Zoning Overlay Designation. This section should incorporate all Sectional District Maps into Title 21 but was revised to only refer to the Sectional District Maps that were amended as a part of the “HMP” Zoning Overlay Designation. This amendment corrects this section to incorporate all Sectional District Maps into Title 21.
- Addition to MCC section 21.50.030.D - This addition would add a clarifying regulation to the existing Urban Reserve Combining District, requiring that development proposals be reviewed for compliance with Board-adopted Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the County and the incorporated city. This new regulation does not add any new requirements, it simply clarifies for internal and external staff the existence of these Board-adopted MOAs and MOUs. Additionally, the amendment ensures relevant projects are reviewed for compliance with these MOAs and MOUs.
This ordinance also includes and amends all unincorporated Inland Area Sectional District Maps for consistency with the General Plan. These Sectional District Maps are incorporated as Attachment B. The new GIS mapping application developed will be a fully online GIS mapping tool that allows members of the public and internal staff to review the County’s zoning maps online. This new zoning map application will enable all future zoning map updates to occur exclusively as a GIS-based process, where maps are stored electronically. The mapping application will automatically generate PDF Sectional District Maps that can be included in all hearing documents, providing clarity to members of the public and internal staff on what is changing while ensuring that all changes and data live electronically and have transparent version tracking.
Finally, the second part of this project involves staff implementing the AWCP (Chapter 9.J of the General Plan) into Title 21, which will necessitate adding a new Chapter to Title 21. The AAC has provided staff a recommendation on the draft ordinance implementing the AWCP. Staff will be presenting the recommendation to the Planning Commission in fall/winter of 2025.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Housing and Community Development Department staff worked with ITD to update the GIS maps and with the Office of County Counsel to review the ordinance as to form.
FINANCING:
The proposed reclassification of zoning districts has no financial impact on the County General Fund. Staff time to prepare this report is included in the FY2025-26 Adopted Budget for HCD Appropriation Unit HCD002, Unit 8543.
Prepared by: Edgar Sanchez, Assistant Planner
Reviewed by: Sarah Wikle, Principal Planner
Reviewed/Approved by: Melanie Beretti, AICP, Chief of Planning
The following attachments are on file with the Clerk of the Board:
Attachment A - Proposed Ordinance (clean)
Attachment B - Sectional District Maps
Attachment C - Proposed Ordinance (redline)
Attachment D - Planning Commission Resolution
Cc: Craig Spencer, Director of Housing and Community Development; Melanie Beretti, Chief of Planning; Josh Bowling, Chief of Building Services; Sarah Wikle, Principal Planner; Edgar Sanchez, Assistant Planner; Kelly Donlon, County Counsel; Board of Supervisor Notices 7-13-17 Distribution List, Zoning Maps and Classification Updates (REF140023) Interested Parties Distribution List 07-24-24