Article 3 — Specific Plan Standards

17.30.010 - Purpose of Chapter

This Chapter lists the land uses that may be allowed within the Central District (CD) zoning district established by Section 17.20.020 (Zoning Map), determines the type of land use permit/approval required for each use, and provides basic standards for site layout and building size. The Central District Zoning Districts are shown in Figure 3-1 (Central District Zoning Districts).

17.30.020 - Purposes of CD Zoning Districts

The primary purpose of the CD zoning district is to implement the objectives and policies of the Central District Specific Plan by providing for a diverse mix of land uses designed to create the primary business, financial, retailing, and government center of the City. It emphasizes the concept of a higher density, mixed-use environment that will support transit- and pedestrian-oriented mobility strategies. The additional purposes of each subdistrict within the CD zoning district are as follows.

CD-1 - Old Pasadena. This subdistrict is intended to maintain and reinforce the historic character of the area, and to support its long-term viability as a regional retail and entertainment attraction through the development of complementary uses, including medium to high-density housing near light rail stations.
CD-2 - Civic Center/Midtown. This subdistrict is intended to strengthen its role as the symbolic and governmental center of the City, supporting civic, cultural, and public service institutions, while augmenting the character of the area with a complementary mixture of uses.
CD-3 - Walnut Housing. This subdistrict is intended to promote the development of a high-density residential area north of Colorado Boulevard and in close proximity to the Lake Avenue Light Rail Station, as well as to balance the institutional growth and historic preservation activities of Fuller Seminary, prominently located within the subdistrict.
CD-4 - Pasadena Playhouse. This subdistrict is intended to provide for a vibrant mixed-use environment that encompasses cultural and arts activities, centered on Colorado Boulevard and the Pasadena Playhouse.
CD-5 - Lake Avenue. This subdistrict is intended to support Lake Avenue as a pedestrian-oriented high-end commercial street, including regional office space and local shopping.
CD-6 - Arroyo Corridor/Fair Oaks. This subdistrict is intended to provide for a broad mix of uses at the periphery of the urban core, including employment generating uses that are adaptable to changing economic conditions, as well as to establish Arroyo Parkway as a visually important and attractive gateway to Downtown.

Because the Subdistricts identified above are not uniform in character, they are further divided into Precincts, shown in Figure 3-2 (Central District Zoning Precincts). Some requirements in this Chapter may vary based on the location of a site within a specified precinct.

17.30.030 - CD District Land Uses and Permit Requirements

Allowable land uses and permit requirements. Table 3-1 identifies the uses of land allowed by this Zoning Code in each CD zoning district, and the land use permit required to establish each use, in compliance with Section 17.21.030 (Allowable Land Uses and Permit Requirements). The land use permit requirements established by Table 3-1 are as follows.

Symbol	Permit Requirement	Procedure is in Section:
P	Permitted use, Code Compliance Certificate required.	17.61.020
MC	Conditional use, Minor Conditional Use Permit required.	17.61.050
C	Conditional use, Conditional Use Permit required.	17.61.050
E	Conditional use, Expressive Use Permit required.	17.61.060
TUP	Temporary use, Temporary Use Permit required.	17.61.040
—	Use not allowed. (See Section 17.21.030.A regarding uses not listed.)

Note: the right column in the tables ("Specific Use Standards") will show a section number for regulations that apply to the particular use listed, in addition to the other general standards of this Zoning Code.

Ground floor pedestrian-oriented use requirement. The ground floor along the streets indicated in Figure 3-3 (Central District - Pedestrian-Oriented Use Areas), shall be limited to pedestrian-oriented uses for at least 50 percent of a building's street frontage; the remaining 50 percent may contain uses otherwise permitted and/or accommodate pedestrian and vehicular access. Pedestrian-oriented uses shall include uses classified under "Retail Sales" and "Services" that are identified in Table 3-1 as pedestrian oriented. The streets requiring ground floor pedestrian-oriented uses are:
1. Colorado Boulevard;
2. Delacey Avenue, between Valley Street and Union Street;
3. El Molino Avenue, between Green Street and Union Street;
4. Fair Oaks Avenue, between Del Mar Boulevard and Union Street;
5. Green Street, between Pasadena Avenue and Raymond Avenue;
6. Lake Avenue, between Corson Street and California Boulevard;
7. Raymond Avenue, between Del Mar Boulevard and Union Street; and
8. Holly Street, between Fair Oaks Avenue and Raymond Avenue.
Limitations on housing. Residential development is limited in the following selected areas of the Central District, where a nonresidential character or existing shopping areas are to be emphasized and supported, or where high traffic volumes detract from housing compatibility. See Figure 3-4 (Central District Housing/Ground Floor Map).
1. Housing prohibited.
  1. Arroyo Parkway. Housing is prohibited along Arroyo Parkway from south of the California Boulevard intersection south to the 110 Freeway entrance ramp in the Arroyo Entrance Corridor Precinct.
  2. Lake Avenue. Housing is prohibited along Lake Avenue from Green Street north to the 210 Freeway.
2. Housing prohibited on ground floor.
  1. Colorado Boulevard, Old Pasadena, and Playhouse Subdistrict. In order to maintain retail continuity within principal shopping areas, ground floor housing is prohibited along Colorado Boulevard, and within those areas of the Old Pasadena Historic Core and Pasadena Playhouse Subdistrict shown on Figure 3-4 Central District Housing/Ground Floor Map).
  2. Lake Avenue. Ground-floor housing is prohibited, and housing shall not occupy more than 50 percent of total building floor area along Lake Avenue from Green Street south to California Boulevard, to maintain the commercial retail and service character of the South Lake Shopping Area. Housing is allowed on upper floors and adjacent parcels to stimulate and activate the area.
3. Housing limited to work/live units - Fair Oaks Employment Village. Housing is limited to work/live within the Fair Oaks Employment Village Precinct, where new employment activities are emphasized, especially arts, technology, and knowledge-based enterprises.
Limitations on nonresidential uses. Area 4 on Figure 3-4 (Central District Housing/Ground Floor Map) requires residential uses above the ground floor. It allows for a limited range of commercial uses on the ground floor of mixed-use buildings. These commercial uses are shown on Table 3-1.
Transit-Oriented Development. Within the Central District, the Transit-Oriented Development requirements of 17.50.340 shall be applicable to the area as shown on Figure 3-5 (Central District Transit-Oriented Development Area).

Figure 3-1 - Central District Zoning Districts

Figure 3-2 - Central District Precincts

Figure 3-3 - Pedestrian Oriented Areas

Figure 3-4 - Central District Housing/Ground Floor Map

Figure 3-5 - Central District Transit-Oriented Area

Table 3-1 — Allowed Uses and Permit Requirements for CD Zoning Districts

LAND USE ⁽¹⁾		PERMIT REQUIREMENT BY ZONE						Specific Use Standards
LAND USE ⁽¹⁾		CD-1	CD-2	CD-3	CD-4	CD-5	CD-6	Specific Use Standards
RESIDENTIAL USES
Boarding houses		P	P	P	P	P	P
Caretaker quarters		P	P	P	P	P	P
Dormitories		C	C	C ⁽²⁾	C	C	C
Fraternities, sororities		C	C	C ⁽²⁾	C	C	C
Home occupations		P	P	P	P	P	P	17.50.110
Mixed-use projects ⁽¹³⁾		P ⁽³⁾	P ⁽³⁾	P ⁽³⁾	P ⁽³⁾	P ⁽³⁾	— ⁽³⁾⁽⁴⁾	17.50.160
Multi-family housing/urban housing		P ⁽³⁾	P ⁽³⁾	P ⁽³⁾	P ⁽³⁾	P ⁽³⁾	— ⁽³⁾⁽⁴⁾	17.50.350
Residential accessory uses and structures		P ⁽³⁾	P ⁽³⁾	P ⁽³⁾	P ⁽³⁾	P ⁽³⁾	— ⁽³⁾⁽⁴⁾	17.50.210, 250
Residential care, general		C	C	C	C	C	C
Residential care, limited		— ⁽⁶⁾	—	P	— ⁽⁸⁾	—	—
Single-family housing		— ⁽⁶⁾	—	P	— ⁽⁸⁾	—	—
Single-room occupancy		C	C	C ⁽¹¹⁾	C	C	C	17.50.300
Transition housing		P ⁽¹²⁾	P ⁽¹²⁾	P ⁽¹²⁾	P ⁽¹²⁾	P ⁽¹²⁾	P ⁽¹²⁾
RECREATION, EDUCATION & PUBLIC ASSEMBLY USES
Clubs, lodges, private meeting halls		C	C	C ⁽¹¹⁾	C	C	C
Colleges - traditional campus setting		C	C	C ⁽¹¹⁾	C	C	C
Colleges - nontraditional campus setting ⁽¹³⁾		P	P	C ⁽¹¹⁾	P	P	P
Commercial entertainment*		E ⁽¹³⁾	E ⁽¹³⁾	—	E ⁽¹³⁾	E ⁽¹³⁾	E ⁽¹³⁾	17.50.130
Commercial recreation - indoor*		C	C	C ⁽¹¹⁾	C	C	C	17.50.130
Commercial recreation - outdoor		C ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	—	C ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	17.50.130
Conference centers		C ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	—	C ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾
Cultural institutions*		P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾
Electronic game centers		C ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	—	C ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	17.50.100
Internet access studios		C ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	—	C ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	17.50.100
Park and recreation facilities		C	C	C	C	C	C
Religious facilities		P	P	MC	MC	MC	MC	17.50.230
	with columbarium	P	P	MC	MC	MC	MC	17.50.230
	with temporary homeless shelter	P	P	MC	MC	MC	MC	17.50.230
Schools - public and private		C	C	C	C	C	C	17.50.270
Schools - specialized education and training ⁽¹³⁾		P	P	C ⁽¹¹⁾	P	P	P
Street Fairs		P	P	P	P	P	P
Tents			P	P	P	P	P	P
OFFICE, PROFESSIONAL & BUSINESS SUPPORT USES
Automated teller machines (ATM)*		P	P	P ⁽¹¹⁾	P	P	P	17.50.060
Banks, financial services* ⁽¹³⁾		P	P	P ⁽¹⁴⁾	P	P	P
	with walk up services*	P	P	P	P	P	P	17.50.060
Business support services		P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾
Offices - accesory		P	P	P ⁽¹⁴⁾	P	P	P
Offices - administrative business professional ⁽¹³⁾		P	P	P ⁽¹⁴⁾	P	P	P
Offices - government ⁽¹³⁾		P	P	P⁽¹¹⁾	P	P	P
Offices - medical ⁽¹³⁾		P	P	P ⁽¹¹⁾	P	P	P
Research and development - Offices		P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	17.50.240
Work/live units ⁽¹³⁾		P	P	MC	P	MC	P ⁽¹⁰⁾	17.50.370
RETAIL SALES
Alcohol sales - Beer and wine		C	C	C ⁽¹¹⁾	C	C	C	17.50.040
Alcohol sales - Full alcohol sales		C	C	C ⁽¹¹⁾	C	C	C	17.50.040
Animal services - retail sales* ⁽¹³⁾		P	P	P ⁽¹¹⁾	P	P	P
Bars or taverns* ⁽¹³⁾		C	C	C ⁽¹¹⁾	C	C	C	17.50.040
	with live entertainment	C	C	C ⁽¹¹⁾	C	C	C	17.50.130
Commercial nurseries		—	—	—	—	—	P ⁽¹³⁾
Convenience stores*		C	C	C ⁽¹¹⁾	C	C	C
Food sales		P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾
Internet vehicle sales		P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾
Liquor stores* ⁽¹³⁾		C	C	C ⁽¹¹⁾	C	C	C
Pawnshops*		C ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	—	C ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	17.50.200
Restaurants* ⁽¹³⁾		P	P	P ⁽¹¹⁾	P	P	P	17.50.260
Restaurants, fast food* ⁽¹³⁾		P	P	P ⁽¹¹⁾	P	P	P	17.50.260
Restaurants, formula fast food* ⁽¹³⁾		P	P	P ⁽¹¹⁾	P	P	P	17.50.260
Restaurants with limited live entertainment*		P	P	P ⁽¹¹⁾	P	P	P
Restaurants with walk-up window*		C	C	C ⁽¹¹⁾	C	C	C	17.50.260
Retail sales * ⁽¹³⁾		P	P	P ⁽¹⁴⁾	P	P	P
Seasonal merchandise sales		P	P	P ⁽¹¹⁾	P	P	P	17.50.180
Significant tobacco retailers* ⁽¹³⁾		C	C	C ⁽¹¹⁾	C	C	C	17.50.330
Swap meets		—	—	—	—	—	C ⁽¹³⁾
Temporary uses		TUP	TUP	TUP	TUP	TUP	TUP
Vehicle services - automobile rental		C ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	—	C ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾
Vehicle services - sales and leasing - limited*		MC	MC	—	MC	MC	MC
SERVICES
Adult day-care, general		C	C	C	C	C	C
Adult day-care, limited		P	P	P	P	P	P
Ambulance services ⁽¹³⁾		C	C	—	C	C	P
Animal services - boarding ⁽¹³⁾		—	—	—	—	—	C
Animal services - Grooming ⁽¹³⁾		P	P	P ⁽¹¹⁾	P	P	P
Animal services - Hospitals ⁽¹³⁾		—	—	—	—	—	C	17.50.050
Animal shelters		C ⁽¹⁵⁾	—	—	—	—	—
Catering services ⁽¹³⁾		P	P	P ⁽¹¹⁾	P	P	P
Charitable institutions		C	C	C ⁽¹¹⁾	C	C	C
Child day-care centers		P	P	C ⁽²⁾	P	P	P	17.50.080
Child day-care, large care homes, 9 to 14 persons		P	P	P	P	P	P	17.50.080
Child day-care, small care homes, 1 to 8 persons		P	P	P	P	P	P
Detention facilities		—	— ⁽⁷⁾	—	—	—	C
Emergency shelters		MC	MC	MC ⁽¹¹⁾	MC	MC	MC
Filming, long-term		C	C	C	C	C	C
Filming, short-term		P	P	P	P	P	P
Laboratories ⁽¹³⁾		P	P	P ⁽¹¹⁾	P	P	P
Life/care facilities		C	C	C	C	C	C	17.50.120
Lodging - bed and breakfast inns		P ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	17.50.140
Lodging - hotels, motels ⁽¹³⁾		C	C	C ⁽¹¹⁾	C	C	C	17.50.150
Maintenance or repair services		P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾
Massage establishments		C ⁽¹³⁾	—	—	C ⁽¹³⁾	—	C ⁽¹³⁾	17.50.155
Medical services - hospital							C
Mortuaries, funeral homes		—	—	—	—	—	C ⁽¹³⁾
Personal improvement services*		P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾
Personal services *		P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾	P ⁽¹³⁾
Personal services restricted		C ⁽¹³⁾	—	—	C ⁽¹³⁾	—	C ⁽¹³⁾	17.50.200
Printing and publishing		C ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	—	C ⁽¹³⁾	—	P ⁽¹³⁾
Printing and publishing, limited*		P	P	P ⁽¹¹⁾	P	P	P
Public safety facilities		C	C	C	C	C	C
Vehicle services - washing and detailing, small-scale		P	P	P ⁽¹¹⁾	P	P	P	17.50.290
Vehicle services - washing and detailing, temporary		P	P	P ⁽¹¹⁾	P	P	P	17.50.290
INDUSTRY, MANUFACTURING AND PROCESSING USES
Industry, restricted		C ⁽¹³⁾	C ⁽¹³⁾	—	C ⁽¹³⁾	—	C ⁽¹³⁾
Industry, restricted, small scale		P	P	—	P	—	P
Industry, standard		—	—	—	—	—	C ⁽¹³⁾
Recycling - small collection facilities		MC	MC	MC ⁽¹¹⁾	MC	MC	MC	17.50.220
Research and development - Non-Offices ⁽¹³⁾		P	P	C ⁽¹¹⁾	P	P	P	17.50.240
Wholesaling, distribution and storage, small scale		P	—	—	P	—	P
TRANSPORTATION, COMMUNICATIONS, AND UTILITY USES
Alternative fuel/recharging facilities		C	C	C ⁽¹¹⁾	C	C	C
Accessory antenna array		P	P	P	P	P	P
Communications facility ⁽¹³⁾		P	P	C ⁽¹¹⁾	P	P	P
Commercial off-street parking		MC	MC	MC ⁽¹¹⁾	MC	MC	MC
Heliport		—	C ⁽⁵⁾	—	—	C ⁽⁵⁾	—
Transit terminal		C	C	C ⁽¹¹⁾	C	C	C
Utility, major		C	C	C	C	C	P
Utility, minor		P	P	P	P	P	P
Wireless telecommunication facilities, minor		MC	MC	MC	MC	MC	MC	17.50.310
TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT
Transit-oriented development		P	P	P	P	P	P	17.50.340

Notes:

See Section 17.80.020 for definitions of the listed land uses.
Permitted within the Ford Place/Fuller Seminary Precinct.
See Figure 3-4 - Central District Housing/Ground Floor Map for additional restrictions on residential uses.
Permitted within the Arroyo Corridor Transition Precinct.
Conditionally Permitted within 350 feet from the south curb line of Corson Street.
Conditionally Permitted within the West Downtown Transit Village Precinct.
Conditionally Permitted within the Civic Center Core Precinct.
Permitted within the Playhouse South/Green Street Precinct.
Conditionally Permitted within the Arroyo Entrance Corridor Precinct.
Not Permitted within the Arroyo Entrance Corridor Precinct.
Not permitted 140 feet north or south of Walnut Street in the Walnut Street Urban Village Precinct.
The maximum area (either interior or exterior) in which support services are offered or located shall not exceed 250 sq. ft.
Conditional Use Permit approval required for new nonresidential projects and nonresidential portions of mixed-use projects exceeding 25,000 sq.ft. of gross floor area. Projects within the Central District Transit-Oriented Development Area (Figure 3-5) shall meet the requirements of 17.50.340. This requirement does not apply to a project with an approved master development plan, government offices, tenant improvements, or projects in the City's approved capital improvement budget.
Allowed only as part of a mixed-use project when 140 feet south or north of Walnut Street.
Allowed only south of Green Street and west of Arroyo Parkway.

* Qualifies as a pedestrian-oriented use.

17.30.040 - CD General Development Standards

Subdivisions, new land uses and structures, and alterations to existing land uses and structures, shall be designed, constructed, and established in compliance with the requirements in Table 3-2, in addition to the applicable standards (e.g., landscaping, parking and loading, etc.) in Articles 4 (Site Planning and General Development Standards) and 5 (Standards for Specific Land Uses). Principal and accessory structures shall meet the same development standards unless otherwise modified in this Zoning Ordinance.

Table 3-2 — CD District General Development Standards

Development Feature	CD Zoning District Requirement
Minimum lot size ⁽¹⁾	Minimum area and width for new lots.
Minimum area, width	Determined through subdivision process, consistent with General Plan
Residential uses	Standards applicable to residential uses where allowed in nonresidential districts.
Maximum density	As determined by Figure 3-6 (Central District Maximum Residential Density). See also Section 17.30.030.C (Limitations on Housing).
Residential Standards	Single-family uses comply with the RS-6 standards; two units on a lot comply with the RM-12 standards; 3 or more units comply with the Urban Housing Standards of 17.50.350.
Setbacks	Minimum and maximum setbacks required. See Section 17.40.160 for setback measurement, allowed projections into setbacks, and exceptions to setbacks.
Front	As determined by Figure 3-7 (Central District - Required Setbacks), except as provided in Section 17.30.050.A (Setback exceptions).
Sides	Residential - See Section 17.50.350 (Urban Housing); Nonresidential - none required.
Corner	As determined by Figure 3-7 (Central District - Required Setbacks), except as provided in Section 17.30.050.A (Setback exceptions).
Rear	Residential - See Section 17.50.350 (Urban Housing); Nonresidential - none required.
Height limit	Maximum allowed height of structures. See Section 17.40.060 for height measurement, and exceptions to height limits.
Maximum height	As determined by Figure 3-8 (Central District - Maximum Height), except as provided by Section 17.30.050.B (Height limit exceptions).
Height - ground floor	The minimum height of the ground floor of all non-residential buildings (including mixed use projects) shall be 15 ft. This height shall be measured from the floor of the first story to the floor of the second story. If there is no second story, the height shall be measured to the top of the roof.
Floor area ratio (FAR)	Maximum allowable floor area ratio.
Maximum FAR	As determined by Figure 3-9 (Central District - Maximum FAR), except as provided by Sections 17.30.050.C (Floor Area Ratio (FAR), and 17.30.050.E (Parking requirements).
Landscaping	As required by Chapter 17.44 (Landscaping)
Lighting	As required by Section 17.40.080 (Outdoor Lighting)
Parking	Parking shall comply with Chapter 17.46 (Parking and Loading), Section 17.30.050.E (Parking), and 17.46.250 (Central District Additional Standards for Parking) provided that parking areas shall not be located between a building and a street, but shall be to the side or rear of the buildings on the site.
Signs	As required by Chapter 17.48 (Signs)

Notes:

See Section 17.40.030 regarding development on an undeveloped lot and section 17.40.040 regarding development on a substandard lot.

Figure 3-6 - Central District Maximum Residential Density (Dwelling Units/Acre)

Figure 3-7 - Central District Required Setbacks

Figure 3-8 - Central District Maximum Height

Figure 3-9 - Central District Maximum Floor Area Ratio

17.30.050 - CD Exceptions to General Development Standards

In order to achieve the objectives of the Central District Specific Plan, the following exceptions to the general development standards in Section 17.30.040 may be granted as noted.

Setback exceptions. The setback requirements of Section 17.30.040 are modified as follows. See Figure 3-7 (Central District Setback Requirements) for identification of street frontages where setbacks from the street are required for nonresidential and/or residential uses.
1. Street wall continuity. In general, side and rear yard setbacks/stepbacks should not be required under the following circumstances:
  1. Nonresidential and residential uses that front streets where an intense pedestrian-oriented character is strongly encouraged and street setbacks are not required. Side yard setbacks are discouraged where they will interrupt the visual continuity of the street wall;
  2. However, exceptions may be encouraged for the purpose of providing a well-designed pedestrian paseo and/or to protect the character of an architecturally significant building or landscape.
2. Increased openness. Side and rear yard setbacks are recommended under the following circumstances:
  1. Nonresidential and residential uses that front along streets where a setback is required, thereby establishing a more open character. This is appropriate to areas where less intense pedestrian activity and/or a higher percentage of residential development is anticipated. A minimum 10-foot side and rear yard setback is recommended.
  2. Additional setbacks/stepbacks are encouraged where necessary to protect the character of an architecturally significant building or landscape.
Height limit exceptions. The height limit established by Figure 3-8 (Central District Maximum Height) may be exceeded through the following height averaging standards. These exceptions are in addition to the exceptions provided by Section 17.40.060.D (Height limit exceptions).
1. Purposes of height averaging. The purposes of height averaging are to provide for the following.
  1. Additional building height is counterbalanced by lower

Article 3 — Specific Plan Standards

Chapter 17.30 - Central District Specific Plan

Chapter 17.31 - East Colorado Specific Plan

Chapter 17.32 - East Pasadena Specific Plan

Chapter 17.33 - Fair Oaks-Orange Grove Specific Plan

Chapter 17.34 - North Lake Specific Plan

Chapter 17.35 - South Fair Oaks Specific Plan

Chapter 17.36 - West Gateway Specific Plan