Zoning Code Update Adopted by City Council (Ordinance 654) on November 22, 2022 

 On October 25, 2022, City Council held a public hearing to introduce for first reading Ordinance 654 to repeal and replace the Zoning Code and Zoning Map. Ordinance 654 also includes miscellaneous amendments to update zoning language references in page 5-3 of the Waterfront Master Plan and Chapters 5.50, 5.60, 7.16, 8.32, 9.28, 10.60, 12.08, 12.12, 13.04, 13.20, 14.44, 14.42, 16.36, 16.40, and 16.48 of the Morro Bay Municipal Code. The comprehensive update of the Zoning Code/ Implementation Plan (Title 17 of the MBMC) is part of the Plan Morro Bay Project which implements the General Plan/LCP Coastal Land Use Plan. 

The City Council adopted Ordinance 654 on November 22, 2022. An application for Coastal Commission certification was submitted in December 2022 for certification of the LCP Implementation Plan (IP) which represents those portions of the newly adopted Zoning Code that is part of the Local Coastal Program (LCP). As of May 2023, that certification application is still under review by the Coastal Commission.

• Zoning Code / Implementation Plan (IP) adopted at November 22, 2022 City Council meeting
• Coastal Implementation Plan (IP) only document 
• 2022 Adopted Zoning Map
• Ordinance 654 

A full copy of Ordinance 654 is also available in the office of the City Clerk at 595 Harbor Street, Morro Bay, California.  The City Council staff report and attachments for the October 25, 2022 Adoption Hearing is available here. The November 22, 2022 staff report is available here. 

Plan Morro Bay Project Documents: 

Plan Morro Bay is the City's General Plan / Local Coastal Program (LCP) adopted by City Council on May 25, 2021 with the LCP certified by the California Coastal Commission on August 12, 2021. 

• Adopted Plan Morro Bay (General Plan / Local Coastal Plan) adopted by City Council on May 25, 2021 and certified by the California Coastal Commission by unanimous vote on Thursday August 12, 2021. 

Zoning Code Update - older files:

• Zoning Code/ Implementation Plan (IP) Council Adoption Hearing Draft, October 2022
• Zoning Code /Implementation Plan (IP) Council Adoption Hearing Draft October 2022 with track changes. This notes changes made since the July 2022 version for Planning Commission Adoption Hearings.
• Zoning Code / Implementation Plan (IP) Adoption Hearing Draft July 2022. Planning Commission reviewed the Public Hearing Draft of the Zoning Code at public hearing on August 16, 2022, September 6, 2022, and September 20, 2022.  The Zoning Code was previously reviewed by Planning Commission on December 7, 2021 and reflects comments received from Coastal Commission staff, updates in State law as well as public input from the Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee (GAC)
• Zoning Code /Implementation Plan (IP) Adoption Hearing Draft with track changes. This version notes changes made since December 2021.
• Matrix Summary of Public Comment, Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee (GAC), and Embarcadero Master Leaseholders (EML) comments received and edit status
• Master Use Table: Land Use/Zoning Matrix
• Draft Zoning Code, version December 2021 was reviewed by Planning Commission on December 7, 2021. This version reflected incorporation of public input including GAC, and Embarcadero Master Leaseholder (EML) input. In addition edits were made from Coastal Commission input, as well as reflecting updates to State law.
• Draft 2018 Zoning Code.  After the four separate modules were completed, they were incorporated in the 2018 draft Zoning Code which was reviewed by GPAC and Planning Commission (PC) with further comments and edits given over the course of nine (9) separate Planning Commission meetings in 2018.  
• Zoning Modules: The Zoning Code update project started with each of the four modules below as portions of the draft Zoning Code. These were reviewed by the Planning Commission iteratively in 2017-2018.  A summary of the content of each Section or Chapter and changes from existing provisions were provided in the beginning of each Section or Chapter except in Module 1 where the description was included in the Introduction.
  • Module 1 - Draft Administration and Permit Provisions
  • Module 2 - Draft Interpretation Provisions, District Development Standards, General Site Regulations, Definitions
  • Module 3 - Use Regulations Discussed at the PC meetings of May 15, 2018, June 5, 2018, July 3, 2018, and July 17, 2018.
  • Module 4 - Overlay Districts and Citywide Standards, reviewed by Planning Commission on September 18, 2018, November 6, 2018 and November 20, 2018 

Environmental Impact Report (EIR) 

• Final Environmental Impact Report certified by City Council on May 25, 2021.
• Appendices, includes Mitigation Monitoring & Reporting Program
• Draft EIR for Plan Morro Bay (review period 10/19/20 - 12/4/2020). 
• Notice of Availability, 2020  
• Notice of Preparation, 2017

Technical Reports 

• Low Cost Visitor Serving Accommodations Technical Memorandum, December 2017
• Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area (ESHA) Review and Current Conditions Mapping, January 2018
• Sea Level Rise Adaptation Strategy Report January 2018
• Circulation Element Update, Draft Technical Report, March, 2018
• Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area (ESHA) SLR Assessment, August 2018.
• Lateral Access Technical Memorandum, 2019
• Lateral Access Preferred Alignment Design Poster, 2019 
• Coastal Resources and Resiliency H++ Update (SLR Modeling), June 2019

Supporting Documents

• Downtown Waterfront Strategic Plan (DWSP) adopted by City Council January 23, 2018.
• Community Baseline Assessment, May 2017 final document 
• Vulnerability & Resilience Assessment, March 2017 final document 
• Key Issues & Policies Report, December 2016 final document 
• Vision & Values Statement, September 2016 final document 
• For other documents not listed here, please refer to the project documents page.

Funding Support

The City of Morro Bay acknowledges funding support by the Coastal Commission and Ocean Protection Council. In addition, the Plan Morro Bay Comprehensive LCP Update project is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing GHG emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment, particularly in disadvantaged communities. The Cap-and-Trade program also creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovate ways to reduce pollution. California Climate Investments projects include affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, more sustainable agriculture, recycling, and much more. At least 35 percent of these investments are located within and benefitting residents of disadvantage communities, low-income communities, and low-income households across California. For more information, visit the California Climate Investments website at: www.caclimateinvestments.ca.gov. 

Get Involved

The update of the City's General Plan/Local Coastal Program and Zoning Code started in 2015. The City Council adopted a comprehensive update of the General Plan and Coastal Land Use Plan in May 2021 and the LCP Coastal Land Use Plan was certified by the Coastal Commission in August 2021. The Zoning Code / Implementation Plan component of the project has been completed and was recommended for adoption by Planning Commission on September 20, 2022.  City Council will hold a public hearing on October 25, 2022 to consider final adoption.  For any questions, feel free to contact Scot Graham, Community Development Director at sgraham@morrobayca.gov or Cindy Jacinth, Senior Planner at cjacinth@morrobayca.gov.  
  

General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) meetings and material

To view past agendas, staff reports, and presentations for Plan Morro Bay materials presented to the GPAC, either click the link to the left or click here.