image image image image image image image
Mixed-Use Zoning Examples Many cities have focused attention on creating opportunities for more dense and mixed-use districts in response to market demand and to bring economic and environmental benefits to a community. Mixed-use development generally consists of a combination of retail, residential, office, commercial, and entertainment/recreation uses within walkable distances of each other. Click the buttons to the left or right to view six examples of mixed-use projects across California.
Downtown Brea Downtown Brea combines retail, entertainment, office, and residential uses within a compact district that is an easy walk from City Hall and the performing arts center.  One of the more creative concepts included in the downtown is the Ash Street Cottages, 96 single-family homes built at 10 units per acre with a 1/2-acre community park. This small-lot development has influenced many similar compact projects throughout the region by incorporating porches and walkways that create a neighborhood feel.
California Avenue in Palo Alto In 2005, the City of Palo Alto established a form-based, design-oriented approach to implement a new pedestrian- and transit-oriented overlay district for California Avenue. Centered around a Caltrain station, the overlay district has led to the development of higher-density residential dwellings intermixed with office, retail, and restaurant uses, as well as an adjacent light industrial district.  commercial, industrial, and multifamily parcels within a walkable area. The district includes 14 pieces of public art, and people refer to California Avenue as "Palo Alto's Avenue of the Arts."
Third Street Promenade - Santa Monica Downtown Santa Monica is a highly successful mixed-use district that includes the Bayside Commercial District and the Central Business District. Both districts have zoning in place to allow for a concentration of retail, entertainment, office, and housing uses, in addition to complementary uses such as hotels and cultural facilities.  Public parking structures support the districts, allowing higher densities than what might otherwise be achieved.
The Crossings in Mountain View The Crossings, located in the City of Mountain View, 30 miles south of San Francisco, transformed a failing 1960s shopping mall into a vibrant neighborhood that offers a variety of transportation choices. The 18-acre infill project replaced the mall with homes, retail shops, and a daycare center, all oriented toward the new San Antonio Avenue Caltrain commuter rail station. Narrow tree-lined streets and sidewalks and small pocket parks all combine to create a walkable and bikeable neighborhood.
Uptown District in San Diego The Uptown District in San Diego is a successful 14-acre mixed-use, high-density development in the Hillcrest neighborhood. Within the project area the uses are mixed horizontally, with most of the retail surrounding a central parking plaza anchored by a large grocery store in the rear. Housing is on an adjacent block, with pedestrian courtyards connecting the units. There is some vertical mixing of uses in the housing block along with first-floor retail along Vermont Street and University Avenue.
Monrovia: Myrtle Avenue Monrovia has been highly successful in encouraging redevelopment within its downtown and adjacent districts, and has attracted new businesses to the Myrtle Avenue corridor.  The Old Town Extension district expands the pedestrian zone to encourage new mixed-use developments that support the historic downtown. The Crossroads District is centered around a busy intersection and encourages high-intensity employment uses. Finally, the South Myrtle Corridor was designed to connect these two districts and allow new uses that support the commerce and employment needs of residents in surrounding neighborhoods.

Public Hearings

The Planning Commission held a hearing on August 4, 2011 to consider the proposed Mixed Use Land Use Code Amendment.  At the hearing, the Planning Commission voted 4-0 (three members absent) to recommended approval of the new regulations to the City Council.  

The City Council hearing is scheduled for September 13, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, located at 11300 Stanford Avenue, Garden Grove.

If would like additional informaiton about the hearing or the proposed Mixed Use regulations, please call Lee Marino, Principal Planner at (714) 741-5302.

Click here for a map

Planning Commission Study Session - Mixed Use Zones

The Planning Commission conducted a study session to discuss the proposed new Mixed Use zones on Thursday, May 19th at 7:00pm.  The Commission's recommendations were addressed in the draft Chapter 9.18 now available for public review.  See the Documents tab to the right and click on Hearing Documents.

Mixed-Use Zoning Workshop Exhibits

Exhibits from the February 15, 2011 Mixed-Use Zoning Workshop have been posted to the Documents section of the website for those who were unable to the event.  You are encouraged to comment on any of the materials via our contact form. 

Community Workshops

The City hosted the first community workshop on February 15, 2011.  The May 17, 2011 Planning Commission workshop provided additional opportunity for public input.  The community is invited to continue its participation by attending scheduled public hearings described above.

Welcome to the Zoning Code Update Website

Welcome to the website for the Garden Grove Zoning Code update. City staff is in the process of preparing zoning regulations to accommodate mixed-use development in several areas of Garden Grove. These new regulations will encourage and accommodate new forms of development consistent with the vision set forth in the Garden Grove General Plan.

During the General Plan process, the community weighed in on strategies to:

  • revitalize Garden Grove Boulevard,
  • encourage reinvestment in aging commercial and industrial districts,
  • create opportunities for new types of housing, and
  • transform the Civic Center area to a more vibrant, mixed-use community center.

This Zoning Code update will help the community achieve these objectives.

Your continued participation in this effort is welcomed and heartily invited. Please check this website often for updates and notifications of community workshops, and use the Contact Us tab above to share your ideas and thoughts.

For people who may be unfamiliar with how zoning works or what mixed-use development is, this website includes a Zoning Basics tab to get you started.

Interested in how other California communities implement mixed-use development?  Read the article in the Documents section titled Mixed Use Development: Identification of Varied Regulatory Approaches in Several California Cities.