Murrieta, CA Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)
Key Facts
- Implements
- Gov. Code §§ 65915, 65915.5, 65915.7, 65917
- Commercial bonus available
- § 16.20.100
- Density bonus report due
- with first discretionary permit
- Fractional bonus units
- always rounded up
- Affordable agreement required
- recorded under § 16.20.080
- Zone change needed
- no, per § 16.20.030
Summary
Chapter 16.20 of Murrieta's Development Code implements California's State Density Bonus Law locally, letting a qualifying housing project add units and request incentives, concessions, waivers or parking reductions in exchange for reserving affordable, senior, or special-needs units, with a parallel commercial development bonus for projects partnered with affordable housing under Section 16.20.100.
16.20.010 Purpose. ... A. It is the purpose of this section to specify how compliance with Government Code §§ 65915, 65915.5, 65915.7, and 65917 ("State Density Bonus Law") will be implemented, as required by Government Code § 65915(a). 16.20.030 Applicability. A housing development as defined in State Density Bonus Law shall be eligible for a density bonus and other regulatory incentives that are provided by State Density Bonus Law when the applicant seeks and agrees to provide low, very-low, senior or moderate income housing units or units intended to serve transitional foster youth, disabled veterans, homeless persons, and lower income students in the threshold amounts specified in State Density Bonus Law.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-23: A Codification of the General Ordinances of the City of Murrieta, California through Ord. 634-26, passed 7-7-2026).
Full Breakdown
7 and 65917) at the local level, as Government Code § 65915(a) requires every city to do. 100 for qualifying commercial projects partnered with affordable housing. 040 lays out the local application mechanics: the applicant must file a density bonus report with the first discretionary permit application, showing the base unit count under current zoning, the requested bonus percentage and resulting unit count and density, a site plan locating the affordable and bonus units, and, for any requested incentive or concession, documentation that it produces actual, identifiable cost savings for the affordable units.
050 fixes the math rules the city uses, rounding every fractional unit up when calculating base density, bonus density, and the number of affordable units owed, and lets a developer accept a smaller bonus than they qualify for without reducing the required affordable-unit percentage. Granting a density bonus does not by itself require a general plan amendment or zone change.
Violations & Fines
The city rejects any density bonus report that is not complete under Section 16.20.040(A), consistent with Government Code § 65943's application-completeness process, and denies or unwinds the bonus if the recorded affordable housing agreement required by Section 16.20.080 lapses or is violated. Renting bonus units above the qualifying income limits, or building without recording that agreement, forfeits the bonus and subjects the project to the standard Development Code enforcement in Section 1.32.010.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Murrieta have its own density bonus ordinance?
What has to be submitted to apply for a density bonus in Murrieta?
Can I get more than one type of density bonus in Murrieta?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Murrieta
California rules heatmap·Compare Murrieta to another location·View the California zoning overlays & bonuses overview
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Density Bonus Law in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle density bonus law.