Administrative Use Permit - Overview
This proposed ordinance would establish a new Administrative Use Permit (AUP) process that enables the City to review and act on requests for minor exceptions to the performance standards of otherwise allowed uses, without requiring a full public hearing. The goal is to create a more efficient review pathway for qualifying projects while ensuring neighborhood compatibility, public safety, and consistency with City standards.
The AUP provides a discretionary tool for City staff to evaluate requests that go beyond what is allowed ministerially, but do not warrant the formal procedures of a Minor Use Permit. It allows the City to apply appropriate conditions of approval and tailor decisions to the specific context of a site or proposal, while reducing permitting timelines and administrative burden.
Administrative Use Permit - Primary Modifications
Reorganization
The ordinance relocates Article 15.6 in Division 9, Chapter 2, along with Section 9182 of the Ukiah City Code, to a new Article 23 of Division 9, Chapter 2, entitled “Performance Standards for Administrative Use Permits.” The current Article 15.6 contains standards for uses such as Community Gardens, Live Entertainment, Outdoor Dining, Sidewalk Cafés, and Specialty Food and Beverage Sales with Tastings. Section 9182 regulates small-scale animal keeping, specifically hens and rabbits.
These uses are already permitted by right and will continue to be allowed ministerially, that is, without discretionary review, when they fully meet the adopted performance standards. This approach reduces unnecessary delays and streamlines permitting for applicants whose projects comply with all applicable rules.
A New Discretionary Pathway
To accommodate flexibility where needed, the ordinance introduces a new Administrative Use Permit (AUP) process. This process allows applicants to request minor deviations or exceptions from the standards. The AUP is reviewed and approved at the staff level by the Community Development Director, offering a discretionary but more efficient alternative to a Minor Use Permit, which would otherwise require a public hearing before the Zoning Administrator.
Beekeeping Requires an AUP by Default
Of all the uses addressed, beekeeping and apiaries are the only ones that automatically require an Administrative Use Permit due to their unique considerations, including potential neighborhood impacts and safety concerns.
Discretionary Oversight and Enforcement
The ordinance also grants the City authority to impose conditions of approval, modify an Administrative Use Permit if circumstances change, and revoke a permit in cases of noncompliance or public nuisance.This proposed ordinance refines the City’s review process for certain land uses by establishing consistent, performance-based criteria for approval and introducing a streamlined option for discretionary review where needed.
Administrative Use Permits - Background
This ordinance was developed in response to growing community interest in activities such as sidewalk cafés, food tastings, community gardens, backyard chickens, and other small-scale agricultural uses. While these uses are generally compatible with residential and commercial areas in Ukiah, the City identified a need for a more predictable and efficient process to review proposals, particularly when an applicant requests relief from established performance standards.
Currently, projects that do not fully comply with adopted standards typically require a Minor Use Permit. This type of permit involves public hearings, mailed notices, and coordination with multiple departments and outside agencies. Although appropriate for larger or more impactful developments, this process can create unnecessary delays and costs for lower-impact uses.
The proposed Administrative Use Permit (AUP) process offers a staff-level alternative for projects that require some discretion but do not rise to the level of requiring a public hearing. The AUP process maintains oversight and review authority by the Community Development Director, while avoiding the more time-intensive steps involved in the Minor Use Permit process. This approach supports a balance between regulatory flexibility and neighborhood compatibility.
Ukiah 2040 General Plan
The ordinance supports multiple goals in the Agriculture Element of the Ukiah 2040 General Plan, including:
Implementation Program C: Promoting consistency in land use terminology and definitions with other jurisdictions in the Ukiah Valley to support coordinated planning and future annexations.
Implementation Program E: Encouraging small-scale, low-intensity agriculture in residential areas, such as backyard beekeeping, chickens, and gardens, by reducing regulatory barriers and establishing clear, objective standards.
Implementation Program I: Facilitating the creation of community gardens by streamlining the permitting process and recognizing the benefits these spaces offer to neighborhoods and food security.
Planning Commission Public Hearing (06/25/25)
- Public Notice
- Draft Ordinance
- Remainder of Hearing Materials TBD (Will be posted here 72 hours before the meeting)
City Council Introduction and Public Hearing (TBD)
- Hearing Materials TBD
City Council Adoption (TBD)
- Materials TBD
