Menifee | Three or More Homes

Menifee, California Three or More Homes: Zones, Plot Plans, Objective Design Standards, SB 35, AB 2011, the Density Bonus, Parking and SB 79

This page covers projects of three or more homes on one Menifee lot: triplexes, fourplexes, townhomes and apartment buildings. The Development Code calls these "Multiple family," which Article 6 defines as "three or more dwelling units or three or more single-unit dwellings on the same lot." Menifee has no separate missing-middle program; the path runs through the zone tables, a plot plan review, the City's Multifamily Objective Design Standards, and the state laws the code writes in: the density bonus, SB 35 and AB 2011. Since Ordinance LR24-0135 took effect in 2025, multiple family homes are permitted in four residential zones. The Menifee overview has the summary.

Which Zones Allow Three or More Homes

Table 9.130.030-1 lists "Multiple family" as a permitted use in LMDR, MDR, MHDR and HDR. Ordinance LR24-0135, adopted July 16, 2025, changed LDR-2 from permitted to prohibited, so LDR-1, LDR-2 and the six rural zones now allow neither apartments nor duplexes. Section 9.130.020 describes MHDR as the zone for "multifamily dwellings such as triplexes, fourplexes, motorcourt clusters, and row townhomes" at 14 to 20 homes per acre, and HDR for "apartments and condominiums" at 20 to 24 homes per acre. Section 9.130.020 describes LMDR for single-family attached and detached homes, and MDR for homes "including townhouses, stacked flats, courtyard homes, patio homes, and zero lot line homes."

Sources: Sections 9.130.020 and 9.130.040, Menifee Development Code Article 3, PDF file dated 8-15-24; the table was not changed in 2025.

Density means homes per acre of land. As VanPlex arithmetic, a half-acre HDR lot at 24 homes per acre holds 12 homes, and a 10,000 square foot MHDR lot at 20 homes per acre holds 4.59, which is four homes before any density bonus (10,000 divided by 43,560 square feet per acre, times 20). The densities come from the General Plan, which this guide did not read; ask the City how it rounds fractions.

Outside the residential zones, homes are possible in the five Economic Development Corridor zones. There, Table 9.140.030-1 lists "Multi-family dwellings" as C, needing a conditional use permit, with the note "May not be located within 1,000 feet of the I-215 right-of-way," and Section 9.140.050 requires homes to be "integrated vertically with non-residential uses." The zoning details are on the zoning districts page.

The Approval Routes

Sources: Menifee Development Code Chapters 9.75, 9.80 and 9.87 and Table 9.30.090-1, Section 9.295.037 and Table 9.130.030-1; Application Fees FY26/27. Deposits can grow if a project needs more review, and most rows add $597 to Riverside County Environmental Health.

A plot plan is Menifee's site plan review for a permitted use. Section 9.80.020 requires a Minor Plot Plan for "New construction of a residential project of up to six units where public improvements meeting City standards are in place and adequate infrastructure and utilities are provided," and a Major Plot Plan for "New construction of a residential project of more than six units." A Minor Plot Plan needs two findings: consistency with the General Plan and any specific plan, and compliance with Title 9. A Major Plot Plan adds a finding that the project "will not be detrimental to the health, safety, or general welfare" of the neighborhood. Plot plans "shall expire three years from the date the approval was granted" unless used.

In plain terms, a triplex or fourplex on an MHDR lot with streets and utilities in place goes to staff, while a project of seven or more homes goes to a public hearing. Under Section 9.30.090, the Director may also refer a case to the Planning Commission "because of policy implications, unique or unusual circumstances, or the magnitude of the project."

Objective Design Standards

The City adopted its Multifamily Objective Design Standards on April 6, 2022 "to comply with California Senate Bill 35." Objective standards are written rules that can be checked without personal judgment, such as a required setback or a list of allowed materials. Section 1.3 says "These Design Standards apply to proposals for new multifamily development within the City of Menifee, except those areas located within the boundary of a Specific Plan."

The Development Code points to the standards in several places. Section 9.160.020 says the City's Design Guidelines and "Objective Design Standards for SB 35 qualified multi-family residential projects are incorporated by reference." Table 9.130.030-1 makes the by-right affordable projects on HDR sites "Subject to Multifamily Objective Design Standards." And Section 9.87.020 requires SB 35 projects to be "consistent with the City's adopted Objective Design Standards in effect at the time of submittal."

SB 35, AB 2011 and By-Right Sites

• SB 35. Chapter 9.87 sets the "SB35 Multi-Family Ministerial Review Permit" for infill projects where "A minimum of 10% or 50%" of the homes, depending on "HCD's most current SB35 Statewide Determination Summary for the City of Menifee," are affordable to households at 80 percent of area median income or less. At least two-thirds of the floor area must be residential. No public hearing is held, and the City must act within 60 calendar days for 150 or fewer homes and 90 days for more.
• AB 2011 and SB 6. Section 9.295.037 allows apartment projects in "Zoning districts where office, retail, or parking are a principally permitted use." Mixed-income and 100 percent affordable AB 2011 projects get a ministerial review with written comments within 60 days for 150 or fewer homes, and design review within 90 days. A 100 percent affordable project must be "more than 500 feet from a freeway" and records a deed restriction of 55 years for rentals or 45 years for owned homes. SB 6 projects go through a Major Plot Plan.
• HDR Housing Element sites. On HDR sites listed in the Housing Element for lower income housing, a project with "a minimum of 20 percent of units affordable to lower income households" is "by-right" under Government Code 65583.2, subject to the objective design standards.

The Density Bonus

A density bonus lets a project build more homes than the zone allows in return for affordable homes. Chapter 9.180 "implements the statutory requirements set forth in Government Code Sections 65915-65918 (known as state density bonus law)" and says "If any provision of this chapter conflicts with state law, the latter shall control." Table 9.180.060-1 in the 8-15-24 PDF prints the schedule shown below. A project also earns incentives or concessions, reductions in development standards, and may ask the City to waive standards that would physically prevent the bonus homes.

Source: Table 9.180.060-1, Menifee Development Code Article 4, PDF file dated 8-15-24. "Affordable unit percentage is calculated excluding units added by a density bonus."

Parking is also reduced for a qualifying project. Section 9.180.160 caps parking at "1 on-site parking space" for units with zero to one bedroom, 1.5 for two to three bedrooms and 2.5 for four or more, and Table 9.180.160-1 sets 0.5 spaces per unit for projects with at least 11 percent very low income or 20 percent lower income homes within one-half mile of an accessible major transit stop, and none for some 100 percent affordable rentals. The state statute, Government Code 65915 as amended effective January 1, 2026, goes further than the City table: where a project already qualifies for the largest bonus, a city "shall grant an additional density bonus" for added very low income or moderate-income homes. The City table does not print that step; under Section 9.180.010 the statute controls.

Parking for Apartments and Townhomes

Table 9.215.040-1 sets parking for multiple family homes by bedroom count: "1.00 spaces per unit" for a studio or one-bedroom, "1.50 spaces per unit" for two bedrooms and "2.50 spaces per unit" for three or more. A "Planned residential development," such as a townhome project, needs 1.25 spaces for a studio or one-bedroom and 2.5 for two or more bedrooms. Every multi-family project adds "1 space per each 10 dwelling units" for guests, spread through the site and marked. Section 9.215.020 says a fraction "shall always be rounded up to the nearest whole number."

Section 9.215.040(A) adds that for multiple family homes "at least one of the required parking spaces per unit shall be located in a garage or carport," and spaces must be assigned to each unit. As VanPlex arithmetic, a fourplex of two-bedroom homes needs 4 times 1.50, or 6 spaces, plus 0.4 of a guest space rounded up to 1, for 7 in total, and at least four of them covered. The 2025 amendment added that parking spaces beyond the required number may be placed more than 600 feet from the homes they serve, and that required parking may be farther than 600 feet if the Director approves.

Impact Fees for New Homes

The Community Development impact fee memo for July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 lists the City development impact fees per home, collected before occupancy. For a "Multi-Family Unit," a category that includes "duplexes and condominiums," the fees are $86 for the animal shelter, $1,070 for general government, $588 for fire, $842 for law enforcement, $1,567 for parks and recreation and $4,169 for transportation, $8,322 in total. A single-family home pays $13,560 in total on page 1 of the memo. Storm drain fees are added by drainage area, from $58 to $4,210 per multi-family home. The habitat fee (MSHCP) is $854 per home where density is above 14 homes per acre and $1,931 at 8 to 14 homes per acre, and the memo directs school fees to the Romoland, Menifee Union and Perris Union High school districts. The full fee picture is on the permits and fees page.

SB 79 and Transit

SB 79 allows taller, denser housing near major transit stops in "urban transit counties." HCD's advisory of March 20, 2026 says the law "will take effect on July 1, 2026, in Alameda, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and San Diego Counties," and that its reach "is dynamic and will modify over time" as new rail or transit service opens. Riverside County, where Menifee sits, is not on that list, so SB 79 does not apply in Menifee as of October 2026.

Where the Code Disagrees With Itself

• Wrong section number. Section 9.180.060 says a bonus applies "If the requirements of Section 9.280.030 (Eligibility for Density Bonus and Incentives) are met." The eligibility section is 9.180.030.
• Density bonus schedule. The City table stops at the 50 percent and 80 percent bonuses; the 2026 statute adds a further bonus. The statute controls.
• Design standards in specific plans. The objective design standards exclude areas inside a specific plan, while Table 9.130.030-1 applies them to by-right HDR projects without that limit. Ask the City which standards apply to a site inside one of the 19 specific plans.

Where to Go Next

Related on VanPlex: the Menifee overview, the California SB 79 page and the California impact fees page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Official sources (checked October 2026)