Salinas | Zoning Districts
Salinas Zoning Districts: Where Duplexes, Apartments and SB 9 Homes Are Allowed
A zoning district is an area on the City's zoning map with its own list of allowed uses and its own building rules. Salinas sets its districts in Chapter 37 of the Municipal Code, the Zoning Code the City Council adopted in 2006 as Ordinance No. 2463. This page lists the residential, commercial, mixed use and new urbanism districts, how many homes each allows on a lot, and the overlay districts that change those rules. It reads the code as of Supplement 110 together with the Phase 1 update the Council adopted on September 1, 2026. See the Salinas overview for the whole guide.
Salinas zoning in six facts
- The R-L-5.5 district allows 6 to 8 homes per net acre, and duplexes and apartments are not permitted in it. Source: SMC 37-30.050, 37-30.060
- R-M-3.6 allows up to 12 homes per net acre and R-M-2.9 up to 15, without a density bonus. Source: SMC 37-30.100
- R-H-2.1 allows up to 20 homes per net acre and R-H-1.8 up to 24, with apartments by site plan review. Source: SMC 37-30.150, 37-30.160
- A duplex is permitted in R-M-2.9 and needs site plan review in both R-H districts. Source: SMC 37-30.110, 37-30.160
- From October 1, 2026, the use table lists a two-unit residential development (SB 9) as permitted in R-L. Source: Phase 1 ordinance, Section 4
- Where an overlay district and a base district conflict, the overlay rules apply. Source: SMC 37-20.010
The Districts Salinas Uses
Section 37-20.010 says every parcel "shall have a base district," which sets the main use and the building rules, and may also carry an overlay district, which adds rules for a particular area on top of the base district. The base districts are agricultural (A); three residential groups, R-L-5.5, R-M-3.6 and R-M-2.9, and R-H-2.1 and R-H-1.8; four commercial districts, CO/R, CO, CR and CT; two mixed use districts, MAF and MX; three industrial districts; parks, open space and public/semipublic districts; and five new urbanism districts, NE, NG-1, NG-2, VC and NI.
The seven overlays are Flood (F), Specific Plan (SP), Gateway (G), Focused Growth (FG), Central City (CC), East Romie Lane Corridor (ERL) and Airport. Where an overlay and a base district disagree, "the provisions of the overlay district shall apply." The district for any lot is on the "Official Zoning Map of the City of Salinas," which is on file with the City Clerk. Where a boundary splits a lot or is unclear, "the exact boundary shall be determined by written decision of the city planner."
The City Council has set the code up for change. The August 18, 2026 staff report says the Zoning Code "had its last comprehensive update adopted in 2006," that the City adopted its 2023 to 2031 Housing Element in December 2023, and that the Zoning Code Update is "split into three phases." Phase 1 is the state law update now in force. Phase 2 will bring "bridge amendments" to match the new general plan and "objective design standards for residential development," which the report expects "by mid-2027." Phase 3 is a new code, expected "by the end of 2027."
The Residential Districts
| District | Homes per net acre | Duplex | Apartments | Minimum lot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-L-5.5 | 6 to 8 | Not permitted | Not permitted | 5,500 sq ft |
| R-M-3.6 | More than 8, up to 12 | Not permitted | Not permitted | 3,600 sq ft |
| R-M-2.9 | More than 8, up to 15 | Permitted | Site plan review | 5,800 sq ft |
| R-H-2.1 | More than 15, up to 20 | Site plan review | Site plan review | 7,200 sq ft |
| R-H-1.8 | More than 15, up to 24 | Site plan review | Site plan review | 7,200 sq ft |
Sources: Salinas Municipal Code 37-30.050, 37-30.060, 37-30.070, 37-30.100, 37-30.110, 37-30.120, 37-30.150, 37-30.160 and 37-30.170. Densities are without a density bonus.
R-L-5.5 (residential low density) is the house district. Its purpose is single-family homes "where the minimum density is not less than six dwelling units per net acre and the maximum density is not more than eight dwelling units per net acre without density bonus." Net density counts only developable land, "exclusive of public and private streets, greenways," open space, easements "and other public and semipublic uses." The use table lists duplex dwellings, multifamily dwellings and multiple detached dwellings as "NP," not permitted, and single-family detached homes and accessory dwelling units as "P," permitted. New houses and second-story additions in established R-L neighborhoods also go through the infill rules in Section 37-50.110, which require a conditional use permit for a residential design review.
R-M (residential medium density) has two districts. R-M-3.6 is for "detached and attached single-family dwelling units on small lots" at more than eight and up to twelve homes per net acre. It does not permit duplexes or apartments, and attached single-family homes need a conditional use permit. R-M-2.9 is for "medium density dwellings" at more than eight and up to fifteen homes per net acre. It permits duplexes, and apartments and multiple detached homes need site plan review, a staff check of the plans against the code.
R-H (residential high density) also has two districts, both "for high density multifamily dwelling units." R-H-2.1 allows more than fifteen and up to twenty homes per net acre and R-H-1.8 more than fifteen and up to twenty-four. Both list duplexes, apartments, attached single-family homes and multiple detached homes as site plan review uses. A detached single-family home in R-H needs a conditional use permit and follows the R-M-3.6 rules.
Two R-M and R-H rules protect the density floor. Duplexes, apartments and attached homes in R-M-2.9 and R-H "Must meet the minimum density requirements of the applicable district." The floor does not apply to "existing lots of record that are seven thousand two hundred square feet or less in size," and the code allows "Reconstruction and/or additions to existing single-family detached dwellings and duplex dwellings" on legal lots. In R-L, parcels under one acre inside the city boundary are exempt from the six-home minimum.
What the 2026 Update Changed in the Use Tables
The Phase 1 ordinance, adopted on September 1, 2026, "shall take effect and be in force thirty days from and after its adoption," so its changes apply from October 1, 2026. In the R-L table it adds "Two-unit Residential Development" as P, with a note pointing to the new Section 37-50.335, "SB 9 Units - Two-unit residential developments." It adds "Junior Accessory Dwelling Units" as permitted in R-L, R-M and R-H, and lists supportive housing and transitional housing as permitted in all five residential districts.
- ADU note. The old note said ADUs "shall be permitted pursuant to State ADU law." The new note points to the rewritten ADU section, 37-50.250.
- By-right sites. The R-L and R-H purpose statements gain a goal to "Allow residential projects without discretionary review" on sites the Housing Element lists, where the project sets aside "a minimum of 20 percent" of its units for lower income households.
- Two-unit goal. R-L gains a purpose to "Facilitate the development of two-unit residential development projects pursuant to State laws through clear, objective development standards."
- Duplex in R-L. The update keeps duplex dwellings out of R-L, so a second main home on an R-L lot comes through the two-unit rules, which are read on the ADUs and SB 9 page.
Supplement 110 of the code on Municode does not yet include these changes. Its use tables still say ADUs are permitted "pursuant to State ADU law," and its Section 37-50.250 is marked "Reserved" after Ordinance No. 2693 of February 24, 2026 repealed the old ADU section. Read the Phase 1 ordinance with the code until the next supplement is published.
Homes in Commercial, Mixed Use and New Urbanism Districts
| District | Homes allowed |
|---|---|
| CO/R and CO | Duplex and apartments by site plan review; up to 20 homes per net acre under R-H-2.1 rules |
| CR | Duplex and apartments by conditional use permit; up to 24 homes per net acre under R-H-1.8 rules |
| CT | Apartments by conditional use permit; duplex not permitted; up to 24 homes per net acre |
| MAF | Duplex and apartments by conditional use permit; up to 24 homes per net acre |
| MX | Apartments by site plan review, duplex by conditional use permit; up to 24 homes per net acre |
| NE, NG-1, NG-2 | Follow the R-L, R-M and R-H rules through a specific plan |
Sources: Salinas Municipal Code 37-30.200, 37-30.210, 37-30.240, 37-30.250 and 37-30.460.
The commercial districts borrow the R-H rules for homes. In CO/R and CO, homes are built "in accordance with the R-H-2.1 district development regulations and design standards to a maximum of twenty dwelling units per net acre without a density bonus." In CR and CT they follow R-H-1.8 "to a maximum of twenty-four dwelling units per net acre." A building with shops and homes in a commercial district may have "A maximum commercial FAR of 0.40 plus ten dwelling units per net acre." FAR, floor area ratio, is the floor area of a building divided by the area of its lot.
The mixed use districts, MAF (mixed arterial frontage) and MX (mixed use), apply where the general plan wants shops on the ground floor and homes above. Homes-only projects there have "a maximum of twenty-four dwelling units per net acre without density bonus," mixed projects "a maximum commercial FAR of 1.0 plus ten dwelling units per net acre," and buildings may be 65 feet tall. In a mixed use building, no more than "twenty-five percent of the gross floor area of the ground floor" may be homes unless the city planner allows more.
The new urbanism districts apply to "largely undeveloped areas outside of the existing city limits," the future growth area. Building there "shall be preceded by or made concurrent with the adoption of a specific plan," a detailed plan for one area. NE land follows the R-L rules, NG-1 the R-M rules and NG-2 the R-H rules, and each specific plan must reach "nine dwelling units per net residential acre" on average.
Overlays That Change the Rules
- Flood (F). Covers land in the FEMA one-hundred-year flood boundary. The base district rules apply, and new building must meet the flood rules in Chapter 9, Article VI, which require the lowest floor at least two feet above the base flood elevation.
- Specific Plan (SP). Marks land governed by an adopted specific plan, numbered in the order the plans were adopted.
- Focused Growth (FG). Five areas "identified for additional growth and/or redevelopment and revitalization," such as "Laurel Drive at North Main Street" and "North Main Street/Soledad Street." Inside them the overlay rules "shall supersede the base district regulations."
- Central City (CC). The downtown core (DC) and downtown neighborhood (DN) areas. In the downtown core, a mixed use building on MX land may reach "4.0 FAR + 80 d.u. per net acre without density bonus," and a homes-only project on MX land needs 725 square feet of lot per home.
- Gateway, East Romie Lane Corridor and Airport. Add design, use and height rules in their areas. In the ERL overlay the code allows "up to a maximum of twenty dwelling units per acre for residential" uses.
Check the zoning map for an overlay before you plan. A lot in the focused growth or downtown core areas may allow more homes than its base district, and a lot in the flood overlay costs more to build on because of the raised floor.
Where the Code Disagrees With Itself
- Airport overlay symbol. Table 37-20.20 lists the airport overlay as "AP," while the title of Article IV, Division 7 calls it "Airport (AR) Overlay District." An editor's note says Ordinance No. 2569 of 2016 changed the title from "Airport (AP) Overlay District," and the table was left as it was. Use the symbol printed on the zoning map.
- ADU pointer to a blank section. In Supplement 110 the parking schedule says ADUs follow "See Section 37-50.250," while Section 37-50.250 reads "Reserved" after Ordinance No. 2693 repealed it in February 2026. The Phase 1 ordinance fills the section again from October 1, 2026, and also replaces the commercial table's old "Second dwelling units" note with "Accessory dwelling units."
- Density bonus statute. Section 37-10.220 refers to "Section 65915 of the State Health and Safety Code." The state density bonus law is Government Code 65915.
Best For
- ✓ R-M-2.9 lots of 8,700 square feet or more, which hold a triplex at 2,900 square feet per home.
- ✓ R-H-1.8 lots of 7,200 square feet, which hold four homes.
- ✓ Downtown core lots on MX land, which allow up to 80 homes per net acre in a mixed use building.
Usually Fails When
- ✕ The plan puts a duplex or apartments on an R-L or R-M-3.6 lot outside the SB 9 rules.
- ✕ An R-M-2.9 or R-H project falls below the district minimum density.
- ✕ The lot sits in a flood overlay and the budget leaves out a floor raised two feet above flood level.
What To Verify Before Spending Money
- → The lot's base district and any overlay on the Official Zoning Map.
- → Whether the lot is in a focused growth area or the downtown core.
- → Any specific plan that applies to the lot.
Where to Go Next
Related on VanPlex: the Salinas overview, the duplex to fourplex guide and the SB 9 page.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Official sources (checked October 2026)
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