Zone Text Amendment 2026-01/Inyo County Residential Infill
Summary
SCH Number
2026081062
Public Agency
Inyo County
Document Title
Zone Text Amendment 2026-01/Inyo County Residential Infill
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
8/27/2026
Document Description
The project is an ordinance amending multiple sections of Title 18 (Zoning) of the Inyo County Code to address housing constraints identified through the County's REAP 2.0 funded infill housing work program and related 6th Cycle Housing Element implementation efforts. The amendments focus on aligning zoning provisions with applicable General Plan density ranges, reducing certain residential setback constraints, clarifying and expanding the treatment of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), revising accessory building standards, and providing limited parking flexibility where site specific conditions support reduced demand.
Contact Information
Name
Cathreen Richards
Agency Name
Inyo County
Job Title
Planning Director
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant
Phone
Email
Location
Counties
Inyo
Regions
Countywide
Total Acres
Countywide
Parcel #
Countywide
Other Location Info
The project affects all areas of the county located within the One Family Residential (R1) and Multiple Family Residential 2 units (R2) zones.
Countywide
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Other
Type, Section or Code
15061(b)(3) Commonsense
Reasons for Exemption
The proposed zone text amendments are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under the "common sense" exemption in State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3). This exemption applies where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility the activity may have a significant effect on the environment.
The amendments do not change General Plan land use designations or adopted General Plan density ranges. The changes clarify how existing General Plan densities may be realized on individual parcels (for example, by allowing multiple dwelling units in R 1 and R 2 where the General Plan already supports more than one unit per lot), introduce limited flexibility in applying parking and yard standards, and confirm that ADUs are allowed consistent with State law. The amendments do not authorize development beyond the intensity already contemplated by the General Plan and do not expand the geographic extent of urban development.
Because the project maintains existing General Plan density limits and growth patterns and primarily reorganizes and modernizes existing regulations to remove internal inconsistencies and better align with State housing law, there is no substantial evidence that the amendments would result in new or more severe environmental impacts compared to existing conditions and entitlements. The zoning text amendments therefore have no possibility of causing a significant effect on the environment and are exempt from CEQA pursuant to Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3).
County Clerk
Inyo
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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