Monterey County, CA Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)

65. 050, a housing development of five or more units qualifies for a density bonus plus at least one additional incentive if the applicant sets aside units for very low, low, or moderate income households, builds a senior citizen housing development, donates land to the County, or includes a qualifying child care facility. 060 fixes a sliding-scale bonus: setting aside 5 percent of base units for very low income households earns a 20 percent density bonus, rising toward the chapter's 35 percent cap as the set-aside percentage climbs; the low income and moderate income tables run on comparable sliding scales, and a senior housing development earns a flat 20 percent bonus.

No single application can exceed a combined 35 percent bonus, though a child care facility or land donation bonus can stack on top of an affordability-based bonus up to that same ceiling. 070 entitles a qualifying project to one to three additional incentives, such as reduced setbacks, increased lot coverage, increased building height, or reduced parking, scaled to how much affordable housing it provides. 40. 65 runs the same program inside the certified Local Coastal Program boundary, where the recorded affordability covenant runs 55 years instead of 30.