Chapter 18.11
OPEN SPACE RESERVE AND URBAN RESERVE LAND USE (OS-R, U-R)

Sections:

18.11.010    Purpose and intent.

18.11.015    Permitted uses in OSR and UR districts.

18.11.020    OSR and UR district use regulations.

18.11.025    OSR and UR district development standards.

18.11.030    Conversion of a UR district to a PUD district.

18.11.035    Conversion of OSR district to a PUD district.

18.11.040    Nonconforming structures and uses.

18.11.010 Purpose and intent.

A.    Purpose.  The purpose of the open space reserve and urban reserve district regulations are to:

1.    Reserve land within the city to meet the future needs for urban development, consistent with the local coastal program land use plan and the general plan and its elements.

2.    Allow for the continued use of lands designated urban reserve and open space reserve for agriculture, horticulture and floriculture as well as very low density residential uses until those areas are needed for urban development.  For purposes of this chapter, “open field agriculture,” “agriculture,” and “horticulture” are synonymous, and include the growing of row crops, farm produce, vegetables, fruits, flowers, trees, ornamental flowers and shrubs.

3.    Protect continuing agriculture, horticulture and floriculture uses from intrusion of incompatible uses and activities.

4.    Prevent premature development of areas designated for future urban development before necessary public services would be available to those areas.

5.    Encourage the orderly conversion of parcels within the open space reserve and urban reserve districts to urban development through the use of planned unit development plans and similar planning tools.  When consistent with the local coastal program land use plan and the general plan and its elements, and when adequate public facilities are or can be made available, land in the open space reserve and urban reserve districts may be rezoned to the planned development district, subject to the established procedures for amending the land use plan map and zoning district map, and subject to the development limitations set forth in the land use plan and general plan and its elements.

B.    Intent.  The intent of this chapter is to establish the following reserve districts, and to provide for the orderly development of land within each district:

1.    UR--Urban Reserve District.  To reserve areas of open land for continuing agricultural, floricultural and horticultural uses until such uses are no longer economically feasible; to provide for the reservation of these lands until other areas in Half Moon Bay designated in the local coastal program land use plan and map and general plan for the expansion of urban uses have been substantially developed; and to reserve these lands until adequate public facilities are available to serve the ultimate use of the property.

2.    OSR--Open Space Reserve District.  To reserve areas of open space along the inland edge of the city for agricultural, horticultural, floricultural, timber or open space use until needed to meet demands for urban use.  Lands in this district are intended only for low-density urban development or recreational use and only after all other areas designated for urban development in the local coastal program and general plan have been substantially developed.  (1996 zoning code (part)).

18.11.015 Permitted uses in OSR and UR districts.

Table 18.11.015 of this chapter establishes the uses permitted within each reserve district with any additional regulations identified.  Additional regulations are specified in Section 18.11.020.  Any uses that are not specifically listed in Table 18.11.015 or described in Section 18.11.020 are prohibited within the reserve districts.

Table 18.11.015

SCHEDULE OF USES IN OSR AND UR DISTRICTS

Key

Land Use

Allowed by
Zoning

Use Permit
Required

Additional
Regulations

1

Agricultural:

 

 

 

a

• Open Field

 

 

 

 

Agriculture

UR, OSR

 

A-1

b

• Retail Sales

UR, OSR

 

A-2

c

• Livestock

OSR

 

A-3

2

Residential:

 

 

 

a

• Single-Family

 

UR

B-1

b

• Single-Family

 

OSR

B-2

c

• Employee Housing

 

UR

B-3

3

Public or Quasi-Public:

 

 

 

a

• Park or Recreation

UR

 

C-1

b

• Campground

 

UR

C-2

c

• Utility, Minor

UR, OSR

 

C-3

d

• Equestrian Center

 

UR

C-4

4

Temporary:

 

 

 

a

• Animal Show or Rodeo

 

UR

D-1

(1996 zoning code (part)).

18.11.020 OSR and UR district use regulations.

Additional regulations for permitted uses in each reserve district shall be met for the following uses:

A.    Agricultural.

A-1 Open Field Agriculture.  No additional regulations specified.

A-2 Retail Sales.  Retail sales on sites within the urban “reserve and open space reserve districts shall be limited to products produced on the premises.  The installation of a temporary or permanent stand for display or sale of products is permitted only if located adjacent to or on the farm producing the products to be sold, and no stand shall be installed where the farm is less than five acres in size.  Any agricultural sales stand shall provide sufficient off-street parking facilities to accommodate its peak period of customer service, and shall be inspected by the San Mateo County health officer.

A-3 Livestock.  Livestock is not permitted in the urban reserve district.  In the open space district, no livestock shall be grazed, housed or concentrated in an enclosure located closer than one hundred feet from any adjoining dwelling.  No livestock shall be housed or concentrated in an enclosure located within one thousand feet of any R district or within one hundred fifty feet of any adjoining dwelling, except under the following conditions:

a.    On parcels having less than three acres, not more than five such animals per acre shall be kept or maintained.

b.    On parcels having more than five but less than ten acres not more than ten animals per acre shall be kept or maintained.

c.    On parcels having ten acres or more, not more than twenty such animals per acre shall be kept or maintained.

B.    Residential.

B-1 Single-Family.  In the (UR) urban reserve district, one dwelling unit is permitted for the owner, manager or operator of the premises, subject to the approval of a use permit in each case.

B-2 Single-Family.  In the (OSR) open space reserve district, one dwelling is permitted on each fifty acres of land, subject to the approval of a use permit in each case.

B-3 Employee Housing.  In the (UR) urban reserve district residential structures are permitted as housing for those persons employed on the premises, subject to the approval of a use permit in each case.

C.    Public and Quasi-Public.

C-1 Park or Recreation.  Open recreation activities such as public parks, pedestrian and bicycle trails, and horseback riding are permitted.  Public parking for public recreation activities, amenities such as public restrooms, and visitor information centers are also permitted.

C-2 Campgrounds.  Campgrounds are permitted in the (UR) urban reserve district, subject to the approval of a use permit in each case.

C-3 Utilities, Minor.  Minor utility structures such as electrical distribution lines, underground water and sewer lines are permitted.

C-4 Equestrian Centers.  Equestrian centers are permitted in the (UR) urban reserve district on sites with a minimum of fifty acres, subject to the approval of a use permit in each case.

D.    Temporary.

D-1 Animal Show or Rodeo.  Subject to the approval of a use permit, rodeos or other exhibitions of domestic or large animals are limited to a maximum of seven consecutive days or two consecutive weekends including nights and days.  (1996 zoning code (part)).

18.11.025 OSR and UR district development standards.

Table 18.11.025 of this chapter provides a schedule of development standards for both reserve districts.  These standards are to be observed in conjunction with all development within reserve districts.

Table 18.11.025

UR AND OSR DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS

Characteristic

UR
District

OSR
District

Minimum new subdivision lot area

50 acres

50 acres

Minimum lot area per dwelling

15 acres

50 acres

Minimum structure setback:

 

 

• front yard

25 feet

25 feet

• side yard

25 feet

25 feet

• rear yard

25 feet

25 feet

• from a residential district

50 feet

50 feet

Maximum building height

 

 

• single story

16 feet

16 feet

• two story

28 feet

28 feet

Minimum parking requirements:

 

 

• single-family dwelling, garage

2

 

• employee dwelling, covered

 

2

• commercial or recreational parking determined during use permit review.

 

 

(1996 zoning code (part)).

18.11.030 Conversion of a UR district to a PUD district.

Lands designated urban reserve on the land use plan map and zoning district map shall not be eligible for conversion to the planned unit development district or any other development approval and shall not receive a permit for any development, other than for uses permitted under the designation urban reserve, without benefit of certified amendments to the local coastal program (LCP) land use plan map and zoning district map and except when it can be demonstrated that the requirements of subsections A or B of this section are met and that also the requirements of subsection C of this section are met:

A.    In the case of land which is within an agricultural preserve and subject to a Williamson Act contract as of July 1, 1980, expiration of the Williamson Act contract.

B.    In the case of land which is not subject to a Williamson Act contract, the expiration of ten years from the effective date of the land use plan (certified by the California Coastal Commission in September, 1985).

C.    Regardless of the expiration of a Williamson Act contract or the passage of the ten year period, lands designated urban reserve will not be permitted to convert to urban uses until substantial development has occurred in areas designated for development on the land use plan map.  (1996 zoning code (part)).

18.11.035 Conversion of OSR district to a PUD district.

Lands designated open space reserve on the land use plan map and zoning district map shall not be eligible for conversion to the planned unit development district or for any other development approval and shall not receive a permit for development, other than for uses permitted under the open space reserve designation until all other land in the city designated for development on the land use plan map has been developed or is authorized for development, through a current, unexpired permit issued pursuant to Title 18 (zoning code) provisions, and until amendments to the local coastal program (LCP) land use plan map and zoning district map have been effectively certified.  No division of such lands shall be permitted until development approval is obtained pursuant to this provision.  (1996 zoning code (part)).

18.11.040 Nonconforming structures and uses.

Existing nonconforming residential structures and uses within lands designated open space reserve and urban reserve may be maintained, repaired, and/or remodeled in accordance with all applicable development standards such as minimum lot size and width, setbacks, building height, lot coverage, and floor area ratio set forth in this title for the R-1 district.  The procedures specified therein for use permits, exceptions and variances shall be followed as appropriate.  (1996 zoning code (part)).