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GENERAL PLAN DESIGNATIONS

A General Plan establishes a broad range of land use designations for planned land uses and identifies appropriate development guidelines for each. General Plan designations are broader than zones and the Plan specifies which zones are permitted for each designation.

The General Plan 2035 adopted by the Board of Supervisors in December 2016 contains General Plan designations for agriculture and for residential, commercial and industrial development. The distribution of these different uses within the County is illustrated in the Countywide General Plan 2035 Map and the maps for each of the communities.

RESIDENTIAL LAND USE CATEGORIES

(a) Rural Residential (R/R). This designation is appropriate for large lot development (1-5 acres) in Rural Communities where full urban services are not available or expected and in Urban Communities where rural residential densities exist. The typical housing type is detached, single family dwelling units. The density is 1-5 dwellings units per 5 gross acres.

(b) Very Low Density Residential (R/VL). This designation is appropriate in Urban Communities for large lot development (.5-1 acre), or within communities around sensitive natural resources, or on the fringe of urban areas. Community sewerage, water and drainage are required. The typical housing type is detached, single family dwelling units. The density is 1-2 primary dwelling units per gross acre.

(c) Low Density Residential (R/L). This designation is appropriate for single family neighborhoods. The typical housing type is detached, single family dwelling units. The density is 2-6 primary dwelling units per gross acre.

(d) Low and Medium Density Residential (R/LM). This designation provides for a variety of single family homes in Mountain House. Typical building types include large-lot single family homes, small lot zero lot line "patio" homes, small lot detached homes, duplexes, triplexes, town homes, mobile homes, or other housing types, such as second units.

(e) Medium Density Residential (R/M). This designation is appropriate as a transition from lower density areas to commercial areas and more intensely developed residential areas. Development at the high end of the density range should occur along major transportation routes, around major commercial centers, and in some of the older residential areas. The typical housing type is single family, detached dwelling units; mobile homes; and attached units including duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes. The density is 6-10 dwelling units per gross acre.

(f) Medium-High Density Residential (R/MH). This designation is appropriate in central portions of Urban Communities, around major commercial areas, and along major transportation routes. The typical housing type is attached units, such as townhouses and garden apartments. The density is 10-15 primary dwelling units per gross acre.

(g) High Density Residential (R/H). This designation is appropriate near central business districts, around major commercial areas, and along major transportation routes in Urban Communities. This intensity of residential development is normally found in unincorporated cities. The typical housing type is apartment buildings or other multi-family housing units. The density is 15-40 primary dwelling units per gross acre.

A density bonus allowing greater than the standard densities may be granted if the residential development creates affordable housing (as defined in Chapter 9-315 of the Development Title) or if a Planned Development is approved. Further information is contained in the General Plan, the Development Title, and at the Community Development Department.

AGRICULTURAL LAND USE CATEGORIES

(a) General Agriculture (A/G). This designation applies to areas suitable for agriculture outside areas planned for urban development where the soils are capable of producing a wide variety of crops and/or supporting grazing; parcel sizes are generally large enough to support commercial agricultural activities; and there exists a commitment to commercial agriculture in the form of Williamson Act contracts and/or capital investments.

Typical uses include crop production, feed and grain storage and sales, crop spraying, and animal raising and sales. The density is a maximum of one primary residence per 20 acres.

(b) Limited Agriculture (A/L). This designation applies to areas of small-scale agricultural operations where the parcels are generally between 5 and 10 acres in size, located outside areas planned for urban development. Typical uses include crop production, feed and grain storage and sales, and animal raising and sales. The density is a maximum of one primary dwelling unit per 5 gross acres.

(c) Agricultural-Urban Reserve (A/UR). This designation is applicable in areas expected to become urban, but most likely beyond the planning period of the General Plan 2010. Typical uses include crop production, feed and grain storage and sales, and animal raising. The operational characteristics of the use cannot have a detrimental impact on the existing or potential use or management of the surrounding properties, and the use cannot require a significant investment in facilities or permanent structures which are not compatible with the future urban development. The density is a maximum of one primary dwelling per 20 acres.

COMMERCIAL LAND USE CATEGORIES

(a) Neighborhood Commercial (C/N). This designation provides for small, localized retail and service businesses that offer goods and merchandise to the immediate neighborhood. Typical uses include eating and drinking establishments; retail sales; limited personal, medical, professional, and repair services. Neighborhood Commercial areas are permitted only in Urban Communities and are limited to used required by the local neighborhood. Other development and locational criteria also apply; see the General Plan 2010.

(b) Community Commercial (C/C). This designation provides for a full range of retail and service establishments, allowing comparison shopping and serving Urban Communities or regional markets. Typical uses include a full range of retail sales, public buildings, eating and drinking establishments, personal services, limited administrative and professional offices. Community Commercial areas are permitted only in central business districts or extensive commercial areas in Urban Communities; other development locational criteria also apply.

(c) General Commercial (C/G). This designation provides for a wide variety of individual, specialized retail and service uses that are not oriented to comparison shopping, may require special purpose trips, and serve Urban Communities or regional markets. Typical uses are large, often freestanding businesses that are oriented to automobile access, such as discount stores, specialty retail, automobile sales lots, and automobile repair. General Commercial areas are permitted only in Urban Communities, buffered from existing or planned residential uses. Other development and locational criteria also apply.

(d) Office Commercial (C/O). This designation provides for administrative and professional office areas. Typical uses are groupings of offices. Office Commercial areas are permitted only in Urban Communities and are to be organized in clusters. Other development and locational criteria also apply.

(e) Freeway Service (C/FS). This designation provides for commercial uses oriented almost exclusively to serving the needs of the freeway traveler. Typical uses are travel-related businesses including gasoline service stations, food and beverage sales, eating and drinking establishments, and hotels and motels. Freeway Service areas must be adjacent to full freeway interchanges, are clustered at selected interchanges, and are limited in area. Other development and locational criteria also apply.

(f) Rural Service Commercial (C/RS). This designation provides for retail and service uses which are frequently required by rural residents and the surrounding agricultural community. In Rural Communities the areas may incorporate a mix of local retail uses, professional offices, and general commercial uses. Typical uses include grocery stores, pharmacies, hardware stores, banks, restaurants, and repair services, as well as uses that serve the agricultural community. This designation is permitted only in Rural Communities. Other development and locational criteria also apply.

(g) Mixed-Use (M/X).

This designation provides for the development of activity centers that contain a mix of compatible and integrated commercial, office, residential, civic, and/or recreational uses. The Mixed-Use designation is only allowed in Urban Communities and City Fringe Areas and should be of a size sufficient to promote the economic success of future developments. Typical building types include one- to three-story horizontal or vertical mixed-use structures.

(h) Commercial Recreation (C/R).

This designation provides for major recreation-oriented, intense (at least 100 acres and capable of accommodating more than 500 persons at one time) commercial activities and associated facilities. Typical uses are recreation-oriented, with necessary accessory commercial uses. There are significant development and locational criteria.

Certain commercial recreation uses may be permitted in planned agricultural areas because of their specific locational needs. A discretionary permit is required. See the General Plan 2010 for further information.

INDUSTRIAL LAND USE CATEGORIES

(a) Limited Industrial (I/L). This designation provides for a range of industrial activities, including production, assembly, warehousing and distribution. Typical uses are light impact manufacturing, warehousing, wholesaling, corporation yards, and distribution. Development and locational criteria apply.

(b) General Industrial (I/G). This designation provides for a full range of industrial activities whose location and operation tend to have moderate to high nuisance characteristics and therefore require segregation from other land uses. Typical uses include manufacturing, distribution, storage, and wholesaling. Development and locational criteria apply.

(c) Truck Terminals (I/T). This designation provides a location in areas outside Urban Communities in close proximity to freeways to transfer goods from large freight trucks to smaller trucks for local distribution or to consolidate small loads to large freight trucks for delivery to distant location, and for the hauling and storage of uncontainerized materials. Truck terminals must be outside the path of urban development and within one mile of a freeway interchange. Development and locational criteria apply.

OTHER

(a) Airport Multi-Use (AP/X). This designation provides for the protection of basic aviation functions of the Stockton Metropolitan Airport and for flexible siting of commercial, industrial, and recreational uses at the airport.

(b) Parks and Recreation (OS/PR). This designation provides for improved parks and recreation facilities and associated recreation activities. Recreational facilities frequently include sports fields, playground equipment, picnic areas, sitting areas, concession businesses, open turf and natural areas, trails, and golf courses.

(c) Public (P/F). This designation provides for location of services and facilities that are necessary to the health and welfare of the community.

(d) Resource Conservation (OS/RC). This designation provides for areas with significant resources that generally are to remain in open space.