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Title 21 — Zoning

Chapter 21.25 — COMMUNITY FACILITIES ZONE

Carlsbad Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · updated 2026-07-25 · Carlsbad

§ 21.25.010. Intent and purpose.

The intent and purpose of the C-F, community facilities, zone is:

  • (1) To ensure that all master plans and residential specific plans (i.e., specific plans which include residential units) reserve community facilities sites of adequate size for uses which benefit the community as a whole by satisfying social/religious/institutional/human service needs;

  • (2) To identify those uses which can be utilized to satisfy the community facilities uses requirements in master plans pursuant to Chapter 21.38 of this code and residential specific plans; and

  • (3) To establish development standards for community facilities uses in master plans and residential specific plans.

  • (Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001; Ord. CS-224 § XX, 2013)

§ 21.25.020. Applicability.

This chapter applies as follows:

  • (1) This chapter applies to those properties developed through a new master plan pursuant to Chapter 21.38 of this code approved after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter.

  • (2) This chapter applies to those properties developed through a new residential specific plan (a specific plan which includes residential units) of at least one hundred gross acres approved after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter.

  • (3) This chapter applies to any master plan or residential specific plan approved prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter for which an application for amendment involving at least one hundred gross acres of undeveloped land is made by the property owner.

  • (4) Master plans and residential specific plans approved prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter and not described in subsection (3) of this section may satisfy their community facilities requirements (if any) as required by those approved master plans or specific plans.

  • (Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001)

§ 21.25.030. Time period of reservation.

As part of the master plan or residential specific plan application, the developer shall designate a portion(s) of the site for community facilities uses. The community facilities designation shall be for a minimum time period of ten years. The ten-year time period shall commence when final inspections have been approved for one hundred percent of the units in the first residential planning area in the master plan or specific plan. There shall be no automatic reversion of the community facilities site to other uses. If, at the end of the ten-year reservation period, community facilities have not developed

in the community facilities designated area, then the developer may make an application for a major master plan amendment to eliminate the community facilities site(s) or to designate a different site(s) of the master plan or residential specific plan for such uses. If the developer proposes to eliminate the community facilities area, he or she shall demonstrate why it is infeasible that the designated area will ever develop with community facilities uses. If the developer proposes to designate a different site(s) for the community facilities uses, he or she shall demonstrate why the proposed alternative location is better than the originally designated location. If an alternative location(s) is proposed, the total amount of acreage for the community facilities uses shall not be reduced from the originally designated acreage. (Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001)

§ 21.25.040. Permitted uses.

  • A. In a C-F zone, notwithstanding any other provision of this title, only the uses listed in Table A, below, shall be permitted, subject to the requirements and development standards specified by this chapter, and subject to the provisions of Chapter 21.44 of this title governing off-street parking requirements.

  • B. The uses permitted by conditional use permit, as indicated in Table A, shall be subject to the provisions of Chapter 21.42 of this title.

  • C. A use similar to those listed in Table A may be permitted if the City Planner determines such similar use falls within the intent and purposes of this zone, and is substantially similar to the specified permitted uses.

  • D. A use category may be general in nature, where more than one particular use fits into the general category (ex. in some commercial zones "office" is a general use category that applies to various office uses). However, if a particular use is permitted by conditional use permit in another zone, the use shall not be permitted in this C-F community facilities zone (even under a general use category) unless it is specifically listed in Table A of this chapter as permitted or conditionally permitted.

Table A

Uses Permitted

In the table, below, subject to all applicable permitting and development requirements of the municipal code: "P" indicates the use is permitted. (See note 1 below)

"CUP" indicates that the use is permitted with approval of a conditional use permit. (See note 1 below)

1 = Minor Conditional Use Permit (Process One), pursuant to Chapter 21.42 of this title.

2 = Conditional Use Permit (Process Two), pursuant to Chapter 21.42 of this title.

3 = Conditional Use Permit (Process Three), pursuant to Chapter 21.42 of this title.

  • "Acc" indicates use is permitted as an accessory use.
Use P CUP Acc
Adult and/or senior day care and/or recreation facility (private or
nonprivate)
1
Athletic felds 2
Child day care center (subject to Chapter21.83; defned: Section
21.04.086)
X
Churches, synagogues, temples, convents, monasteries, and other
places of worship
2
Use P CUP Acc
Clubs — nonproft; business, civic, professional, etc. (defned: Section
21.04.090)
1
Educational institutions or schools, public/private (defned: Section
21.04.140)
2
Mobile buildings (subject to Section 21.42.140(B)(90); defned: Section
21.04.265)
1
Offce area (see note 2 below) X
Religious reading room (separate from church) 1
Satellite television antennae (subject to Sections21.53.130
21.53.150; defned: Section 21.04.302)
X
Signs (subject to Chapter21.41) X
Veterans' organizations (including meeting facilities) 1
Welfare and charitable services (private or semi-private) with no
permanent residential uses (e.g., Good Will, Red Cross, Traveler's Aid)
1
Wireless communication facilities (subject to Section21.42.140(B)
(165); defned: Section 21.04.379)
1 / 2
Youth organizations (e.g., Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls
Clubs, YMCA and YWCA, except lodgings)
1

Notes:

  1. Any use meeting the definition of an entertainment establishment, as defined in Section 8.09.020 of the Carlsbad Municipal Code (CMC), shall be subject to the requirements of CMC Chapter 8.09 .

  2. If any office area is proposed with a use, the office area must be ancillary to the main use; it cannot be the principal use.

(Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001; Ord. NS-791 § 18, 2006; Ord. CS-102 § XLII, 2010; Ord. CS-164 § 10, 2011; Ord. CS-178 § XVI, 2012; Ord. CS-189 § XXII, 2012; Ord. CS-224 § XXI, 2013)

§ 21.25.060. Limitations on permitted uses.

All uses shall be conducted wholly within a building except such uses as athletic fields, outdoor play areas, and other uses customarily conducted in the open. (Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001)

§ 21.25.070. Minimum requirements for community facilities

area.

  • (1) The minimum size of the community facilities area for new master plan developments and new residential specific plan developments is two net developable acres plus one percent of the total net developable acreage in the entire master plan or residential specific plan area.

  • (2) The minimum size of the community facilities area for master plan developments and residential specific plan developments approved prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter and described in Section 21.25.020(3) is two net developable acres plus one percent of the total net developable acreage in the area included in the proposed amendment.

  • (3) All master plans and residential specific plans must provide for a child day care facility somewhere within their community facilities area.

(Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001)

§ 21.25.080. Building height.

No building in the C-F zone shall exceed a height of thirty-five feet and three levels if a minimum roof pitch of 3:12 is provided or twenty-four feet and two levels if a roof pitch less steep than 3:12 is provided. Architectural projections may be allowed pursuant to Section 21.46.020 of this code. (Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001)

§ 21.25.090. Yards.

Front yard, side yard, or rear yard setbacks shall be as required through the development standards contained in the master plan or residential specific plan. (Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001)

§ 21.25.100. Location and design standards.

Every community facilities site shall satisfy the following criteria:

  • (1) The community facilities uses shall be located so as to assure compatibility with adjacent land uses.

  • (2) The community facilities area(s) shall be located and designed so as to provide adequate buffering from, and to minimize any negative impacts to, surrounding residential developments.

  • (3) The community facilities structures shall be designed to be architecturally compatible with surrounding developments.

  • (4) The community facilities site(s) shall be centrally located within the master plan or residential specific plan unless a noncentral location more effectively serves a greater number of residents of the master plan or residential specific plan.

  • (5) All community facilities uses shall be located on one unified site unless provision of two or more sites more effectively serves a greater number of residents of the master plan or residential specific plan.

  • (Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001)

§ 21.25.110. Required notification.

Full disclosure shall be made to all buyers of surrounding residential units and owners of surrounding properties within six hundred feet that a community facility will be located on the reserved portion of the property. All approvals of new master plans, new residential specific plans, and amendments to previously approved master plans and residential specific plans involving one hundred or more gross acres of undeveloped land shall be conditioned to provide documentation that this disclosure requirement has been accomplished to the satisfaction of the City Planner. (Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001; Ord. CS-164 § 10, 2011)

§ 21.25.120. Severability.

Should any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of the ordinance codified in this chapter be held for any reason to be invalid or unconditional by the decision of any court of competent

jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of the ordinance codified in this chapter. The City Council declares that it would have passed the ordinance codified in this chapter and each section, subsection, sentence, clause, and phrase thereof irrespective of the fact that any part thereof be declared invalid or unconditional. (Ord. NS-579 § 1, 2001)

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Contents — Carlsbad Zoning Code
Carlsbad Zoning Code
  1. Title 21 — Zoning
    Overview
    1. Chapter 21.02 — PURPOSE
    2. Chapter 21.04 — DEFINITIONS
    3. Chapter 21.05 — ZONE ESTABLISHMENT—BOUNDARIES
    4. Chapter 21.06 — Q QUALIFIED DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY ZONE
    5. Chapter 21.07 — E-A EXCLUSIVE AGRICULTURAL ZONE
    6. Chapter 21.09 — R-E RURAL RESIDENTIAL ESTATE ZONE
    7. Chapter 21.10 — R-1 ONE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONE
    8. Chapter 21.12 — R-2 TWO-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONE
    9. Chapter 21.16 — R-3 MULTIPLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONE
    10. Chapter 21.18 — R-P RESIDENTIAL PROFESSIONAL ZONE
    11. Chapter 21.20 — R-T RESIDENTIAL TOURIST ZONE
    12. Chapter 21.21 — H-O HOSPITAL OVERLAY ZONE
    13. Chapter 21.22 — R-W RESIDENTIAL WATERWAY ZONE
    14. Chapter 21.24 — RD-M RESIDENTIAL DENSITY-MULTIPLE ZONE
    15. Chapter 21.25 — COMMUNITY FACILITIES ZONE
    16. Chapter 21.26 — C-1 NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL ZONE
    17. Chapter 21.27 — OFFICE ZONE
    18. Chapter 21.28 — C-2 GENERAL COMMERCIAL ZONE
    19. Chapter 8.09
    20. Chapter 21.29 — C-T COMMERCIAL TOURIST ZONE
    21. Chapter 21.30 — C-M HEAVY COMMERCIAL—LIMITED INDUSTRIAL ZONE
    22. Chapter 21.31 — C-L LOCAL SHOPPING CENTER ZONE
    23. Chapter 21.32 — M INDUSTRIAL ZONE
    24. Chapter 21.33 — OS OPEN SPACE ZONE
    25. Chapter 21.34 — P-M PLANNED INDUSTRIAL ZONE
    26. Chapter 21.35 — V-B VILLAGE-BARRIO ZONE
    27. Chapter 21.36 — P-U PUBLIC UTILITY ZONE
    28. Chapter 21.37 — RMHP RESIDENTIAL MOBILE HOME PARK ZONE
    29. Chapter 21.38 — P-C PLANNED COMMUNITY ZONE
    30. Chapter 21.39 — L-C LIMITED CONTROL ZONE
    31. Chapter 21.40 — S-P SCENIC PRESERVATION OVERLAY ZONE
    32. Chapter 21.41 — SIGN ORDINANCE
    33. Chapter 21.42 — MINOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS AND CONDITIONAL …
    34. Chapter 21.43 — ADULT BUSINESSES
    35. Chapter 21.44 — PARKING
    36. Chapter 21.45 — PLANNED DEVELOPMENTS
    37. Chapter 21.46 — YARDS
    38. Chapter 21.47 — NONRESIDENTIAL PLANNED DEVELOPMENTS
    39. Chapter 21.48 — NONCONFORMING LOTS, STRUCTURES AND USES
    40. Chapter 21.49 — PLANNING MORATORIUM
    41. Chapter 21.50 — VARIANCES
    42. Chapter 21.52 — AMENDMENTS
    43. Chapter 21.53 — USES GENERALLY
    44. Chapter 21.54 — PROCEDURES, HEARINGS, NOTICES AND FEES
    45. Chapter 21.55 — DEDICATION OF LAND AND FEES FOR SCHOOL FACILIT…
    46. Chapter 21.56 — INTERPRETATION
    47. Chapter 21.58 — VIOLATION—REVOCATION— EXPIRATION
    48. Chapter 21.60 — PERMITS—LICENSE ENFORCEMENT
    49. Chapter 21.61 — JUDICIAL REVIEW OF ZONING DECISIONS AND TIME L…
    50. Chapter 21.62 — VIOLATIONS
    51. Chapter 21.70 — DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS
    52. Chapter 21.80 — COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMITS— AGUA HEDIONDA
    53. Chapter 21.82 — BEACH AREA OVERLAY (BAO) ZONES
    54. Chapter 21.83 — CHILD CARE
    55. Chapter 21.84 — HOUSING FOR SENIOR CITIZENS
    56. Chapter 21.85 — INCLUSIONARY HOUSING
    57. Chapter 21.86 — DENSITY BONUS
    58. Chapter 21.87 — REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION
    59. Chapter 21.88 — MULTIFAMILY HOUSING AND MIXEDUSE DEVELOPMENT—O…
    60. Chapter 21.89 — SUBSTANTIAL CONFORMANCE REVIEW
    61. Chapter 21.90 — GROWTH MANAGEMENT
    62. Chapter 21.95 — HILLSIDE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS
    63. Chapter 21.100 — T-C TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR
    64. Chapter 21.105 — RECYCLING FACILITIES AND RECYCLING AREAS
    65. Chapter 21.110 — FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS
    66. Chapter 21.201 — COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT PROCEDURES
    67. Chapter 21.202 — COASTAL AGRICULTURE OVERLAY ZONE
    68. Chapter 21.203 — COASTAL RESOURCE PROTECTION OVERLAY ZONE
    69. Chapter 21.204 — COASTAL SHORELINE DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY ZONE
    70. Chapter 21.205 — COASTAL RESOURCE OVERLAY ZONE MELLO I LCP SEG…
    71. Chapter 21.208 — COMMERCIAL/VISITOR-SERVING OVERLAY ZONE
    72. Chapter 21.209 — CR-A/OS CANNON ROAD AGRICULTURAL/OPEN SPACE Z…
    73. Chapter 21.210 — HABITAT PRESERVATION AND MANAGEMENT REQUIREME…

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