Menifee | Zoning Districts
Menifee, California Zoning Districts: Rural Zones, LDR-1 to HDR, the 2025 Duplex Change, Corridor Zones and Specific Plans
Menifee sorts its land into zones in Title 9 of the Menifee Municipal Code, which the City calls the Development Code. A zone is a mapped area with its own list of allowed uses and its own lot and building rules. The City publishes the code as six article PDFs whose file names carry the date 8-15-24; the zones are in Article 3. One later ordinance changed the zone rules: Municipal Code Amendment No. LR24-0135, adopted by the City Council on July 16, 2025. Its text is item 10.6 of the July 16, 2025 City Council packet, and it removed duplexes and apartments from the two lowest-density residential zones. This page reads the PDFs and that amendment together. The Menifee overview has the summary.
Menifee zones in six facts
- Table 9.120.020-1 lists six agricultural and rural zones, six residential zones, five Economic Development Corridor zones and a Specific Plan zone among the Menifee zones. Source: Menifee Development Code 9.120.020
- LDR-1 requires a minimum parcel of 10,000 square feet and LDR-2 a minimum of 7,200 square feet. Source: Menifee Development Code 9.130.020
- HDR is described as apartments and condominiums "with a density range of 20 to 24 dwelling units per acre." Source: Menifee Development Code 9.130.020(F)
- Ordinance LR24-0135 changed "Duplex" from P to -- in LDR-1 and LDR-2, and "Multiple family" from P to -- in LDR-2. Source: City Council packet, July 16, 2025, Exhibit C
- Multi-family dwellings need a conditional use permit in all five corridor zones and may not be located within 1,000 feet of the I-215 right-of-way. Source: Table 9.140.030-1 as amended in 2025
- Section 9.155.020 as amended lists 19 specific plans, from SP-1 Audie Murphy Ranch to SP-19 Town Center. Source: Menifee Development Code 9.155.020
Where the Zone Rules Are Written
Section 9.120.020 establishes the zones "listed in Table 9.120.020-1," and Section 9.120.030 adopts the City of Menifee Zoning Map. The map "is hereby incorporated into this Title by reference as though it were fully included here." In plain words, the map is part of the code, and a lot's zone is whatever the map shows. Section 9.120.040 adds that the map "shall implement and be consistent with the City's adopted General Plan," the City's long-range land use plan.
Each zone family has its own chapter in Article 3: Chapter 9.125 for the agricultural and rural zones, 9.130 for the residential zones, 9.135 for commercial and industrial zones, 9.140 for the Economic Development Corridor zones, and 9.155 for specific plans and planned developments. Each chapter has an allowed use table and a development standards table. In the use tables, "P" means the use is permitted, "C" means it needs a conditional use permit, a permit decided case by case after review, and "--" means the use is prohibited in that zone.
The PDFs show the code as it stood when they were made. Their history notes end with Ordinance No. 2024-384, adopted February 7, 2024. Ordinance LR24-0135 of July 16, 2025 then amended Chapters 9.125, 9.130, 9.135, 9.140 and 9.155, among others. Its Section 8 says the ordinance "shall take effect 30 days from the date of adoption." The agenda record of the City Council from August 2024 to October 7, 2026 shows no other ordinance that changes the text of the zone chapters; the other land use ordinances in that period change the zone of named sites or amend a named specific plan.
The Rural Zones
Chapter 9.125 covers six zones for farms and large lots. Section 9.125.020 describes Agricultural (AG) land as allowing "One single-family detached residence allowed per 10 acres except as otherwise specified by a policy or zoning." Rural Mountainous (RM) is for "Single-family detached residences with a minimum lot size of 10 acres," in areas of at least 10 acres "where there are extensive areas of steep slopes of 25% or greater." Rural Residential comes in four sizes: RR5 with a 5-acre minimum, RR2 for parcels of 2 to 5 acres, RR1 for 1 to 2 acres, and RR1/2 for one-half to one acre.
Table 9.125.030-1 permits single-family detached homes, ADUs, junior ADUs, guest houses and manufactured homes in all six rural zones. It marks "Duplex (two-family dwelling)" and "Multiple family" as prohibited in every one of them. A mobile home park is prohibited in five rural zones and needs a conditional use permit in RR1/2. Table 9.125.040-2 sets the minimum gross lot area at 10, 10, 5, 2, 1 and 0.5 acres for AG, RM, RR5, RR2, RR1 and RR1/2, and limits building coverage to between 10 and 25 percent of the lot.
The 2025 ordinance added a footnote to that table on old small lots. It says that, in line with General Plan Policy LU-1.11, "the development of a single-family residential dwelling shall be permitted on residentially designated, undeveloped, non-conforming parcels that were legally established on or before December 18, 2013." A non-conforming parcel is a lot smaller than its zone now requires. The footnote also says such a dwelling remains subject to all other development standards.
The Six Residential Zones
Chapter 9.130 holds the six residential zones. Section 9.130.020 describes each one, and the densities in it are the General Plan ranges, given in dwelling units, or homes, per acre:
- LDR-1. "Single-family detached residences with a minimum parcel size of ten thousand (10,000) square feet." Limited agriculture and animal keeping are permitted.
- LDR-2. "Single-family detached and attached residences" with a minimum parcel of 7,200 square feet.
- LMDR. "Single-family attached and detached residences with a density range of 5 to 8 dwelling units per acre."
- MDR. Attached and detached homes, "including townhouses, stacked flats, courtyard homes, patio homes, and zero lot line homes," at 8 to 14 homes per acre.
- MHDR. Attached homes and "multifamily dwellings such as triplexes, fourplexes, motorcourt clusters, and row townhomes" at 14 to 20 homes per acre.
- HDR. "Multifamily dwellings; includes apartments and condominiums with a density range of 20 to 24 dwelling units per acre."
Article 6 defines the home types used in the tables. A duplex is "A single building on a lot that contains two dwelling units or two single-unit dwellings on the same lot." Multiple family means "three or more dwelling units or three or more single-unit dwellings on the same lot." A house with an ADU is excluded from the duplex definition: it "is an accessory residential unit as defined by State law and this Title."
| Zone | Intended homes | Minimum lot |
|---|---|---|
| AG, Agriculture | One single-family detached residence per 10 acres | 10 acres |
| RM, Rural Mountainous | Single-family homes; areas with slopes of 25% or greater | 10 acres |
| RR5, RR2, RR1, RR1/2 | Single-family homes; animal keeping and agriculture expected in RR5 to RR1 | 5, 2, 1 and 0.5 acres |
| LDR-1, Low Density Residential | Single-family detached homes | 10,000 sq ft |
| LDR-2, Low Density Residential | Single-family detached and attached homes | 7,200 sq ft |
| LMDR, Low Medium Density | Single-family attached and detached homes, 5 to 8 homes per acre | 6,000 sq ft |
| MDR, Medium Density | Townhouses, stacked flats, courtyard and patio homes, 8 to 14 homes per acre | 5,000 sq ft |
| MHDR, Medium High Density | Triplexes, fourplexes, motorcourt clusters and row townhomes, 14 to 20 homes per acre | 3,000 sq ft |
| HDR, High Density | Apartments and condominiums, 20 to 24 homes per acre | 3,000 sq ft |
Sources: Menifee Development Code 9.125.020, 9.125.040, 9.130.020 and 9.130.040, PDF file dated 8-15-24. The residential lot sizes are the net lot areas of Table 9.130.040-1.
Which Homes Each Residential Zone Allows
| Use | LDR-1 | LDR-2 | LMDR | MDR | MHDR | HDR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family detached | P | P | P | P | -- | -- |
| Duplex (two-family dwelling) | -- (P before 2025) | -- (P before 2025) | P | P | P | P |
| Multiple family | -- | -- (P before 2025) | P | P | P | P |
| ADU and junior ADU | P | P | P | P | P | P |
| Guest house | P | P | P | P | P | P |
| Mobile home park | C | C | C | C | C | C |
| Single-room occupancy units | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | P |
| Emergency shelters | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | P |
| Affordable housing on listed Housing Element sites | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | P, by right |
Sources: Table 9.130.030-1 in Article 3, as amended by Ordinance LR24-0135, Exhibit C. P = permitted; C = conditional use permit; -- = prohibited; NA = not applicable.
The table shows a step that matters for anyone planning more than one home on a lot. Since the 2025 amendment, a duplex or apartment building is allowed by zone only in LMDR, MDR, MHDR and HDR. In LDR-1 and LDR-2 the routes to a second or third home are an ADU, a junior ADU, a guest house, or the SB 9 rules in Chapter 9.296, covered on the ADUs and SB 9 page. Single-family detached homes are prohibited as new projects in MHDR and HDR, which are reserved for attached and multifamily homes.
HDR also carries two rows for affordable housing on sites the Housing Element lists, the part of the General Plan that plans for each income level of housing. Where a development sets aside at least 20 percent of its units for lower income households on such a site, Table 9.130.030-1 says "Per Government Code §65583.2(i), such use shall be by-right," which means approval without a discretionary hearing, "Subject to Multifamily Objective Design Standards." The footnotes point to "Figure B-1 and Table B-12 of Appendix B" of the 2021-2029 Housing Element for the list of sites.
What the 2025 Amendment Changed
Before July 2025, Table 9.130.030-1 in the 8-15-24 PDF marked "Duplex (two-family dwelling)" as P in all six residential zones and "Multiple family" as P in every zone except LDR-1. Exhibit C of Ordinance LR24-0135 strikes the P in the duplex row for LDR-1 and LDR-2 and in the multiple family row for LDR-2, and puts "--" in its place. VanPlex checked the struck letters on the page images of packet pages 142 and 143 as well as in the PDF text.
The ordinance's recitals say its Title 9 changes "implement requirements of state law and add local policies that are consistent with the state law," naming SB 1211 on ADUs, SB 450 on SB 9 projects, and SB 684 and SB 1123 on small lot subdivisions. They do not give a reason for the duplex change. One effect follows from the City's own SB 9 rule: Section 9.296.040 allows SB 9 projects only in "a zone where the only residential use that is allowed as a primary use is a single residential dwelling on a lot." With duplexes and apartments removed, LDR-1 and LDR-2 now meet that wording on their face (VanPlex reading; ask the City which zones it treats as single-family for SB 9).
The Planning Commission recommended the amendment on May 28, 2025 by a vote of 4-0-1. The City Council introduced it on June 18, 2025, and the minutes of July 16, 2025 record item 10.6 as "Adopted as Part of Consent," with Councilmembers Estrada, Karwin, Diederich, Temple and Deines voting yes.
Economic Development Corridor Zones
Chapter 9.140 sets five Economic Development Corridor (EDC) zones: Northern Gateway, McCall Boulevard, Community Core, Newport Road and Southern Gateway. Section 9.140.010 calls them business districts for "commercial, office, industrial and economic development." Table 9.140.030-1 lists "Multi-family dwellings" as C, a conditional use permit, in all five, with the note "May not be located within 1,000 feet of the I-215 right-of-way." Apartments that meet the state AB 2011 or SB 6 criteria for housing in commercial zones are P in the McCall Boulevard, Community Core and Newport Road corridors.
Section 9.140.050 adds rules for homes in these zones. "Residential developments shall be integrated vertically with non-residential uses and shall not be allowed as 'stand alone' projects," which means homes go above or beside shops or offices in the same project. The commercial, office or institutional part "shall comprise a minimum of 0.3 FAR of the overall development," where FAR, floor area ratio, is building floor area divided by lot area. A project made up entirely of deed-restricted affordable housing is exempt from the commercial part. Mixed-use homes may have no more than 4 bedrooms each unless the Planning Commission approves more, and need 300 square feet of open space and recreation area per home.
The 2025 amendment removed four items from Section 9.140.050: the 40-foot and 25-foot front setbacks for mixed-use projects, the limits on converting a mixed-use building to all-residential use, the requirement that new residential projects include a commercial part or sign an agreement to build one elsewhere, and the rule on the first floor height of residential-only buildings.
Specific Plans and Planned Developments
Large parts of Menifee are governed by specific plans, plans adopted for one area that set its own zones and standards. Section 9.155.020 says the adopted specific plans "are designated on the official zoning map of the City and are hereby incorporated into this Title in their entirety by reference." The 2025 amendment added SP-12 Menifee Valley and renumbered the list, which now runs from SP-1 Audie Murphy Ranch to SP-19 Town Center and includes Cimarron Ridge, Legado, Menifee North, Menifee Village and Rockport Ranch. A lot inside a specific plan follows that plan, and this guide did not read the plans.
Section 9.155.030 lists seven planned developments approved by the City or by Riverside County before the City incorporated: PD-1 Underwood, PD-2 McCall South, PD-3 McCall Southwest, PD-4 Stonegate, PD-5 Golden Meadows, PD-6 Nautical Cove and PD-7 Tierra Shores. Each has its own short list of standards. For PD-5 Golden Meadows, for example, the uses follow LDR-2 in the area marked "R-1" and LMDR in the area marked "R-4," the minimum parcel size is 6,000 square feet, and the maximum building height is 40 feet.
New planned developments follow Chapter 9.75. A planned development may be considered only for "parcel(s) measuring a minimum of 2.5 gross acres," the Planning Commission decides after a public hearing, and approved planned developments "do not expire." The 2025 amendment deleted the requirement to create a planned development overlay zone first, and removed the overlay row from the approving authority table.
Where the Code Disagrees With Itself
- Chapter numbers in the zone list. Table 9.120.020-1 gives the "Title Chapter" of the zones as 9.25, 9.30, 9.35, 9.40, 9.45, 9.50 and 9.55. The chapters that hold those zones are 9.125, 9.130, 9.135, 9.140, 9.145, 9.150 and 9.155, and Chapters 9.25, 9.30, 9.40, 9.45, 9.50 and 9.55 in Article 2 deal with permits and procedures. Read the table's numbers as missing a 1 (VanPlex reading).
- SB 9 cross-reference. Section 9.296.040 sends lots in the "Hillside Overlay" to "Hillside Development Standards pursuant to Chapter 9.195." Chapter 9.195 is Landscaping Standards; the hillside rules are Chapter 9.190.
- Duplex wording before the amendment. The 8-15-24 PDF still shows a duplex as P in LDR-1 and LDR-2. Anyone reading only the PDF would miss the July 2025 change, so check the amended table.
Finding the Zone of a Lot
Start with the zoning map. The City's Quail Valley page links a "City of Menifee Zoning Map" whose file name ends "Zoning-Map---April-2020," and the City's development code page links an interactive version of Title 9; this guide did not read either. A zone change made after April 2020 would not appear on that map: City Council agendas list ordinances approving zone changes for the "Villagio Villas" site, the Ethanac Business Park and the Heritage Valley Business Center for second reading and adoption on September 4, 2024, December 4, 2024 and July 15, 2026. Ask the Planning Division, which the City lists at 951-723-3741, for the current zone, any specific plan or planned development, and any pending change.
Best For
- ✓ LMDR, MDR, MHDR and HDR lots, where duplexes and multiple family buildings are permitted uses.
- ✓ HDR sites listed in the Housing Element, where projects with at least 20 percent lower income units are approved by right.
- ✓ Rural lots legally created on or before December 18, 2013 that are smaller than their zone now requires and are vacant, where a single-family home is permitted.
Usually Fails When
- ✕ A duplex is planned for an LDR-1 or LDR-2 lot from the 8-15-24 PDF, which predates the 2025 amendment.
- ✕ A stand-alone apartment building is planned in a corridor zone, where homes must be integrated vertically with other uses.
- ✕ A lot inside one of the 19 specific plans is planned from the Title 9 zone tables instead of the specific plan.
What To Verify Before Spending Money
- → The current zone of the lot and any specific plan or planned development, with the Planning Division.
- → Whether a zone change adopted after the April 2020 map applies to the lot.
- → Which zones the City treats as single-family for SB 9 since the 2025 amendment.
Where to Go Next
Related on VanPlex: the Menifee overview, the California SB 9 page and the California SB 684 and SB 1123 page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the residential zones in Menifee, California?
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Are the Menifee Development Code PDFs up to date?
Can I build a house on an old small lot in a Menifee rural zone?
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What is a planned development in Menifee?
Where do I find the zone of my Menifee lot?
Official sources (checked October 2026)
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