COTTAGE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS (POCKET NEIGHBORHOODS).
Fresno Municipal Code § 15-2723
in effectSEC. 15-2723. - COTTAGE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS (POCKET NEIGHBORHOODS).
A. Purpose.
1. To provide a diverse range of housing to support a diversity of households.
2. To provide infill development opportunities.
3. To protect the character of single-unit neighborhoods.
4. To promote community interaction and safety through design.
B. Alterations Required by the Fire Department. Any of the provisions found in this section may be altered by request of the Fire Department in order to meet safety standards.
C. Unit Types and Sizes. One-unit and two-unit cottages are permitted.
D. Density and Number of Units.
1. The allowed number of units is up to 1.33 percent of the number permitted in the underlying district.
2. There shall be a minimum of four units and a maximum of twelve units per cluster.
3. A two-unit cottage is allowed for the fifth and sixth, and eleventh and twelfth units.
E. Common Open Space.
1. Four hundred square feet of common open space shall be provided per unit. If multiple clusters are located within a development, up to 200 square feet per unit may be used for a development-wide or multi-cluster common open space.
2. Required setbacks, private open space, utility areas, and areas less than 10 feet in width cannot count toward the common open space requirement.
3. Common open space for each cluster shall be in one contiguous, useable piece with a minimum dimension of 15 feet on all sides.
4. Common open space and community buildings shall be centrally located and easily accessible to all units.
5. Common open space should have a sense of openness and be maintained to provide for passive and/or active recreational activities. Some encouraged uses are lawns, gardens, patios with tables and chairs, etc. More active uses such as playing courts are also encouraged as long as they do not dominate the common open space.
6. Fences may not be located within required common open space areas.
7. Required trails may count towards the common open space requirement provided each unit has pedestrian access to the trail(s).
8. Any open space that cannot be used for enjoyment of residents may not count towards the required total. These include, but are not limited to, ponding basins, buffers, areas with a steep slope, etc.
9. Community Building.
a. If a community building is provided, it may count for 200 square feet of required common open space per unit up to 25 percent of the total requirement.
b. Community buildings must be limited to one story, be incidental in size and use, and be architecturally consistent with the rest of the development.
c. Community buildings must be located on the same site as the cottage housing development and be easily accessible to all units within the development.
d. Community buildings must be under common ownership by the residents.
F. Design Standards of Units. Dwellings within a cottage housing development should be oriented to promote a sense of community both within the development and with respect to the larger community. They must be architecturally compatible with the surrounding neighborhood and must not be designed to be enclosed or hidden from the surrounding neighborhood.
1. Orientation to Public Street.
a. For units abutting a public street, no less than 20 percent and no more than 40 percent of street-facing elevations shall consist of windows. Windows shall have a vertical orientation, meaning the height of each window is greater than its width.
b. Units abutting a public street shall orient their primary entrance to the public street.
2. Orientation to Common Open Space.
a. With the exception of units abutting a public street, all units must have their primary entryway oriented towards the common open space.
b. Cottages must surround the common open space on at least two sides.
3. Pedestrian Circulation.
a. Pedestrian paths shall link all units to common open space within the development, to parking areas, and to sidewalks, especially where there are transit stops. Paths entering the development from the sidewalk shall be at least five feet wide to promote a sense of openness.
4. Private Open Space.
a. A minimum of 250 square feet of private open space is required per unit. This is inclusive of required porch and yard space.
b. Each unit must have a covered porch over the primary entryway with a minimum area of 64 square feet per unit and a minimum of seven feet on all sides. Railings are encouraged.
c. A yard, with a minimum dimension of 10 feet, is required adjacent to primary entryway porch.
d. Fences or hedges shall not exceed three feet in height.
e. Yards and porches should add to the visual variation of each unit.
5. Floor Area and Height.
a. Unit floor area shall be between 600 and 1,200 square feet.
b. Cottages shall not have the appearance of "tall, skinny houses."
c. Cottages shall be no more than two stories. Height must comply with the underlying zone district.
6. Variation between Units.
a. There shall be variation between units, while maintaining architectural consistency, to prevent repetitive use of building styles within any cluster, development, and adjacent dwellings. Some ways to achieve this variation include varied rooflines, elevations and height, floor area, stories, entryways, yards, etc. Multi-cluster developments may repeat one design per every three clusters, but repeated designs may not be placed in proximity to one another.
7. Roof Design.
a. Units shall have a minimum 6:12 pitched roof. Roof slopes lower than 6:12 are limited to architectural features such as dormers and porch roofs and may not be less than 4:12.
b. Alternate roof designs may be approved if it is found that they meet all other compatibility and design requirements prescribed by this section.
8. Windows.
a. Placement of windows shall avoid creating privacy issues for adjacent units and neighboring properties.
b. Window trim shall be provided.
9. Setbacks.
a. All buildings shall be separated by at least eight feet. Minor architectural projections are allowed.
G. Parking.
1. Required Amount.
a. One garage is required per unit for use by residents of that unit.
b. 0.5 guest spaces are required per unit and may be provided under carports or on surface lots.
c. Guest parking may be provided off-site if the Director deems there is adequate space.
2. Design and Orientation. Parking areas shall be separated from the common open space area and, to the extent possible, shall not be visible from the street.
a. Attached Garages.
i. May be accessed from the side or rear of the unit.
ii. If oriented towards the street, may not dominate the façade, and must be either flush with or set back from the rear of the building.
iii. Garage doors shall provide windows, moldings, or other architectural features to help blend with the rest of the home.
iv. The first 250 square feet shall not be counted towards maximum floor area.
b. Detached Garages and Carports.
i. Must be architecturally consistent with the development (e.g., similar rooflines).
ii. May not exceed a total of four spaces per parking structure.
iii. If located in-between units, may not exceed two spaces and must be setback 10 feet from the primary façade.
c. Surface Lots.
i. For every six spaces provided there must be a landscaped area of no less than 10 square feet, which may include a pedestrian path.
ii. If located in-between units, may not exceed two spaces and must be setback 10 feet from the primary façade.
d. Private Driveways.
i. Must be designed as a woonerf.
ii. Driveways must be located to the rear of units.
e. Preferred Location of Lots and Structures.
i. 1.
To the rear of the development, accessed via an alley.
2. To the side or rear of the development, accessed by a private driveway.
3. To the side of the development accessed from a non-primary street.
H. Trash Enclosures. See Section 15-2016, Trash and Refuse Collection Areas.
I. Homeowners' Association. A homeowners' association is required for the maintenance of common areas.
J. General Provisions.
1. Reserved.
2. An existing single-unit home or duplex that does not meet the requirements of this section is permitted to remain on the site, provided that the extent of its nonconformity is not increased.
3. A covenant restricting any increases in unit size after initial construction shall be recorded against the property.
(Added Ord. 2015-39, § 1, eff. 1-9-16; Am. Ord. 2025-024, § 59, eff. 7-27-25).
Source: City of Fresno, California, Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ca/fresno/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=MUCOCHFRCA_CH15CIDECOINRE_PTIIIREAPSOALDI_ART27STSPUSAC_S15-2723COHODEPONEFetched: 11/1/2026