Skip to content

Chapter 13-27 — Zoning Regulations and Development Standards for the Waterfront…

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

Sec. 13-27.100 Purpose.

The purposes of the establishment of the Waterfront District Master Plan and subsequent Sub-District Amendments as the Regulating and Design Codes for the Hercules Village, Refugio Neighborhood, Historic Town Center (including the Railroad Live/Work areas) Transit Village, and Hercules Point Sub-Districts are to:

  1. Recognize and preserve the historic character of the existing Hercules Powder Company town site and allow reuse of existing structures, where appropriate;

  2. Allow the construction of new buildings while maintaining the architectural quality of the district;

  3. Provide a network of public spaces that have access to views to Hercules Point and San Pablo Bay;

  4. Provide access along the Bay shoreline that does not degrade its existing natural resources;

  5. Provide a location for a commuter rail station with adjacent mixed-use development;

  6. Provide for a variety of professional, administrative and personal service offices, as well as retail businesses that support the offices and provide services and goods to visitors to the waterfront area;

  7. Provide the opportunity to accommodate both residential and commercial uses in a well planned mixeduse development;

  8. Provide public spaces and facilities that offer a balance of open space, landscaping, recreation space, transit access and shared parking facilities;

  9. Allow lower cost live-work opportunities for start-up businesses that are compatible with the residential and commercial uses within the district;

  10. Provide the opportunity for upper floor residential uses over ground floor commercial uses;

  11. Provide for careful design review of proposed buildings to ensure that the benefits of mixed-use development are fully realized and the potential negative impacts of one use upon another are minimized. [Ord. 515 § 2, 2018; Ord. 357 § 1, 2000; ZO § 27.100.]

Sec. 13-27.200 Establishment and Application.

The zoning regulations and development standards for the first phase of the “Hercules Village” for the “Waterfront District Master Plan” were adopted on September 12, 2000, by Ordinance No. 357. The zoning regulations and development standards for the second phase of the “Refugio Neighborhood” and third phase of the “Railroad Live/Work” project were adopted by Ordinances 378 and 379 on November 26, 2002, and Ordinance 454 adopted on September 22, 2009, respectively. The zoning regulations and development standards for the Historic Town Center (excluding the Railroad Live/Work project), Transit Village, and Hercules Point were adopted via the Waterfront Now Initiative ordinance in 2008 through Ordinance 440 and subsequently amended by Ordinance 464 in January 2012. [Ord. 515 § 2, 2018; Ord. 464 § 1, 2012; Ord. 454 § 1, 2009; Ord. 440 § 1, 2008; Ord. 397 § 1, 2004; Ord. 393 § 1, 2004; Ord. 387

§ 1, 2003; Ord. 379 § 1, 2002; Ord. 378 § 1, 2002; Ord. 372 § 1, 2002; Ord. 368 § 1, 2001; Ord. 357 § 1, 2000; ZO § 27.200.]

==> picture [39 x 19] intentionally omitted <==

==> picture [39 x 19] intentionally omitted <==

==> picture [39 x 19] intentionally omitted <==

The Hercules Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 555, passed March 25, 2025.

Disclaimer: The City Clerk's Office has the official version of the Hercules Municipal Code. Users should contact the City Clerk's Offi f di d b

Get a plain-English answer with a citation back to this text.

Ask AI about this code
Contents — Hercules Zoning Code
Hercules Zoning Code
  1. Chapter 13-1 — Title, Components and Purposes
  2. Chapter 13-10 — Public/Quasi-Public District
  3. Chapter 13-10 — Public/Quasi-Public District
  4. Chapter 13-11 — CP Commercial Public Mixed-Use District
  5. Chapter 13-11 — CP Commercial Public Mixed-Use District
  6. Chapter 13-12 — HTC Historic Town Center District
  7. Chapter 13-12 — HTC Historic Town Center District
  8. Chapter 13-13 — I-R Industrial Residential Mixed-Use District
  9. Chapter 13-13 — I-R Industrial Residential Mixed-Use District
  10. Chapter 13-14 — PC-I Planned Commercial Industrial Mixed-Use
  11. Chapter 13-14 — PC-I Planned Commercial Industrial Mixed-Use D…
  12. Chapter 13-15 — PC-R Planned Commercial Residential Mixed-Use …
  13. Chapter 13-15 — PC-R Planned Commercial Residential Mixed-Use …
  14. Chapter 13-16 — PO/RD Planned Office-Research and Development …
  15. Chapter 13-16 — PO/RD Planned Office-Research and Development …
  16. Chapter 13-17 — WC Waterfront Commercial District
  17. Chapter 13-17 — WC Waterfront Commercial District
  18. Chapter 13-18 — NTC New Town Center District
  19. Chapter 13-18 — NTC New Town Center District
  20. Chapter 13-2 — Organization, Applicability and Interpretation
  21. Chapter 13-2 — Organization, Applicability and Interpretation
  22. Chapter 13-20 — H Historic Overlay District
  23. Chapter 13-20 — H Historic Overlay District
  24. Chapter 13-21 — F Special Flood Hazard Area Overlay District
  25. Chapter 13-21 — F Special Flood Hazard Area Overlay District
  26. Chapter 13-22 — Refugio Creek Overlay District
  27. Chapter 13-23 — School-Park Overlay District
  28. Chapter 13-23 — School-Park Overlay District
  29. Chapter 13-24 — Special Study Area Overlay District
  30. Chapter 13-24 — Special Study Area Overlay District
  31. Chapter 13-25 — Scenic Road and Highway Overlay District
  32. Chapter 13-25 — Scenic Road and Highway Overlay District
  33. Chapter 13-26 — Zoning Regulations and Development Standards f…
  34. Chapter 13-26 — Zoning Regulations and Development Standards f…
  35. Chapter 13-27 — Zoning Regulations and Development Standards f…
  36. Chapter 13-27 — Zoning Regulations and Development Standards f…
  37. Chapter 13-28 — Central Hercules Plan Regulating Code
  38. Chapter 13-28 — Central Hercules Plan Regulating Code
  39. Chapter 13-29 — Zoning Regulations and Development Standards f…
  40. Chapter 13-29 — Zoning Regulations and Development Standards f…
  41. Chapter 13-30 — Property Development Standards
  42. Chapter 13-30 — Property Development Standards
  43. Chapter 13-31 — Performance Standards
  44. Chapter 13-31 — Performance Standards
  45. Chapter 13-32 — Off-Street Parking and Loading Facilities
  46. Chapter 13-32 — Off-Street Parking and Loading Facilities
  47. Chapter 13-34 — Sign Regulations
  48. Chapter 13-34 — Sign Regulations
  49. Chapter 13-35 — Specific Land Use Requirements
  50. Chapter 13-35 — Specific Land Use Requirements
  51. Chapter 13-36 — Two-Unit Development
  52. Chapter 13-36 — Two-Unit Development
  53. Chapter 13-40 — Administration, Applications and Fees
  54. Chapter 13-40 — Administration, Applications and Fees
  55. Chapter 13-41 — Certificates of Occupancy
  56. Chapter 13-41 — Certificates of Occupancy
  57. Chapter 13-42 — Design Review
  58. Chapter 13-42 — Design Review
  59. Chapter 13-43 — Enforcement
  60. Chapter 13-43 — Enforcement
  61. Chapter 13-44 — Hearings, Appeals and Judicial Review
  62. Chapter 13-44 — Hearings, Appeals and Judicial Review
  63. Chapter 13-45 — Minor Exceptions
  64. Chapter 13-45 — Minor Exceptions
  65. Chapter 13-46 — Minor Modifications
  66. Chapter 13-47 — Nonconforming Uses, Structures and Signs
  67. Chapter 13-47 — Nonconforming Uses, Structures and Signs
  68. Chapter 13-48 — Planned Development Plans
  69. Chapter 13-48 — Planned Development Plans
  70. Chapter 13-49 — Specific Plans
  71. Chapter 13-49 — Specific Plans
  72. Chapter 13-5 — Application of Zone District Regulations
  73. Chapter 13-5 — Application of Zone District Regulations
  74. Chapter 13-50 — Use Permits
  75. Chapter 13-50 — Use Permits
  76. Chapter 13-51 — Variances
  77. Chapter 13-51 — Variances
  78. Chapter 13-52 — Zoning Amendments
  79. Chapter 13-52 — Zoning Amendments
  80. Chapter 13-53 — Reasonable Accommodations for Persons with Dis…
  81. Chapter 13-53 — Reasonable Accommodations for Persons with Dis…
  82. Chapter 13-6 — Residential Districts
  83. Chapter 13-6 — Residential Districts
  84. Chapter 13-60 — Definitions
  85. Chapter 13-60 — Definitions
  86. Chapter 13-7 — P-M-H Mobile Home Park District
  87. Chapter 13-7 — P-M-H Mobile Home Park District
  88. Chapter 13-8 — Commercial Districts
  89. Chapter 13-8 — Commercial Districts
  90. Chapter 13-9 — Industrial District
  91. Chapter 13-9 — Industrial District

GoCodebook provides public access, search, citation, multilingual explanation, and practical interpretation of legally adopted building regulations. It is not a substitute for the official ICC or California code publications.