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Monrovia planning commission recommends city council approve incentives for bungalow courts
Summary
The commission voted unanimously to recommend City Council approval of an ordinance adding bungalow court recognition to the zoning code and allowing limited exceptions for decorative arbors and trellises within setbacks.
The Monrovia Planning Commission on Oct. 15 voted unanimously to adopt Planning Commission Resolution PCR2025-003, recommending that the City Council approve Ordinance No. 2025-11 to add bungalow courts to the city zoning code and allow limited minor exceptions for small, open-air, nonhabitable courtyard features.
City planning staff described the ordinance as a narrow change intended to encourage bungalow court development while protecting neighborhood character. Staff said the code amendment would add section 17.12.0.07 (incentives for bungalow court development) and amend section 17.52.110 (minor exceptions) to permit decorative arbors, trellises and pergolas to be placed within certain setback areas through a minor-exception review by the Development Review Committee.
According to the staff presentation, the ordinance defines bungalow court as a distinctive housing type and establishes dimensional limits for the allowed courtyard features. Staff described the dimensional limits in the draft ordinance as a maximum height of 10 feet in front yards and 8 feet in side yards; a maximum width of 20 feet; maximum depth of 8 feet in front yards; and in side yards a maximum width of 4 feet and depth of 3 feet. Staff also said each proposal would require review by the Development Review Committee to evaluate design, placement and safety.
Staff framed bungalow courts as a historic, “missing middle” housing type in Monrovia neighborhoods, citing local examples shown in the presentation including Harding Court (built in 1920), Myrtle Court and a recent approved project at 732 Mountain View Avenue. Staff said that during construction of the Mountain View project a decorative arbor was installed at a courtyard entry and was found to be nonconforming with front-yard setback rules, highlighting a gap the ordinance is intended to fix.
Staff further said the ordinance is consistent with the city General Plan land-use policies 9.3 and 9.4 and that the proposed code change is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under CEQA Guidelines section 15305, Class 5 (minor alterations in land use limitations). In recommending approval, staff characterized the change as context-sensitive and limited in scope.
No members of the public spoke for or against the ordinance during the public hearing. After discussion, a commissioner moved to adopt Resolution PCR2025-003 recommending City Council approval of Ordinance No. 2025-11; the commission then conducted a roll-call vote in which every commissioner present voted yes.
The commission’s recommendation is advisory; final adoption of Ordinance No. 2025-11 would require City Council action.
