Melanie Kush, Planning Director Santee City Hall, Building 4 10601 Magnolia Avenue, Santee CA 92071 Phone: 619-258-4100 ext. 152 Fax : 619-562-9376
The Development Services counter is open:		Monday to Thursday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Friday: 8:00 am – 1:00 pm.

The Planning Department guides land uses and the planned physical development of Santee in a manner that preserves the quality of life for its residents, by ensuring that all new planning programs, land uses, and development projects comply with City codes, the General Plan, City Council policies, and state law requirements.

Advice and technical support is provided to the City Council regarding the compliance of all development proposals with the City's zoning, subdivision and environmental ordinances. Approval of projects through the planning process is often required prior to issuing grading and building permits. The Planning Division also handles environmental review of public and private projects.

In addition, the Planning Department does analysis and prepares reports dealing with long-range planning matters, such as demographic projections, open space protection, General Plan updates, and conducting special land use studies as directed by the City Council.


General Plan 2020 - California State law requires each city and county to prepare and adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan every ten years to guide development and provide a vision of what Santee should become. As a policy document, it articulates the goals, strategies, and in some areas, regulations regarding the distribution of land and its type and intensity of use, both public and private. The most recent Housing Element of the General Plan was adopted in March 2010. The General Plan Map identifies the intentions of future development and growth through Land Use designations for all properties in Santee.

Land Use Code – Chapter 17 of the Municipal Code is the City’s Zoning Ordinance and is the primary tool for implementing the General Plan. The Land Use Code provides detailed standards for the development and use of land, including what types of uses are permitted in particular zones, minimum lot sizes, height restrictions, building setbacks, parking requirements, wall heights, sign criteria and other standards. The City’s Zoning District Map identifies the zone designation of all properties in town.Preparing and administering the General Plan

Town Center Specific Plan – Town Center is a master planned focal point for the City of Santee. The Town Center Specific Plan provides guidelines for creating a people-oriented hub for commercial, business, civic and residential uses along the San Diego River, and also for protecting and enhancing the natural features of the Town Center site.

Many Planning Applications and Application Guidelines are available online for download here.

Environmental documents available for public review and/or comment are available here.

 Frequently Asked Questions:

When would I contact the Planning Division?

What is the zoning on my property?

Where can I find the Assessors Parcel Number (APN) for my property?

What can I build on my property?

I want to build a room addition. What are my setbacks?

Can I build a granny flat/second unit on my residential lot?

What is the height limit for a fence or wall at my residence?

Can I set up a business in my home?

What can I do if I think my neighbor is violating the Zoning Ordinance?

What is the parking requirement for my business?

Do I need a sign permit for all signs?

I would like to obtain a temporary banner permit for my business. What is the process?

What are the fees of the Planning Division?

I would like to landscape my property. Are there any requirements that I must meet?

 

Q: When would I contact the Planning Division? (return to FAQ list)
A: You should contact the Planning Division when you want to find out what improvements or land uses are permitted on a particular property. Zoning regulates setbacks, size, parking, height, and other construction requirements, as well as the type of uses or businesses allowed.

Q: What is the zoning on my property? (return to FAQ list)
A: You can obtain zoning information in this website on the Zoning Map (PDF), if you know the street address or cross streets. If you want, you can also contact the Planning Division at (619) 258-4100 ext. 152.

Q: Where can I find the Assessors Parcel Number (APN) for my property? (return to FAQ list)
A: Assessor Parcel Numbers can be found on tax bills for your property. Also, if you know the property's address you can either call the San Diego County Assessors Office at (619) 236-3771 or the Planning Division at (619) 258-4100 extension 152 to research this information.

Q: What can I build on my property? (return to FAQ list)
A: Once you obtain the Zoning and General Plan designation for your property, you can view our Zoning Code (Chapter 17: Zoning Ordinance) and review all permitted uses within your zoning district.

Q: I want to build a room addition. What are my setbacks? (return to FAQ list)
A: You must know the zoning designation of your property in order to determine the setback information. You can obtain zoning information on the Zoning Map (PDF), in this website if you know the street address or cross streets. Zoning information is also available by contacting the Planning Division at (619) 258-4100 ext. 152. If you know your zoning designation you can view the setbacks online using the Land Use Code.

Q: Can I build a granny flat/second unit on my residential lot? (return to FAQ list)
A: Second units or granny flats are allowed in all single-family residential zones within the City. A City handout on Second Dwelling Units (PDF) can answer most questions about the process. A discussion with Planning Department counter staff can further verify your property’s zoning and potential for more than one unit.

Q: What is the height limit for a fence or wall at my residence? (return to FAQ list)
A: In single-family residential zones, fences and freestanding walls may be built up to 6 feet in height, in a required exterior side yard, interior side yard, or rear yard. In front yards, solid fencing (view obscuring) shall not exceed 3 ½ feet in height. Open, non-view obscuring fencing may be permitted in front yards up to 6 feet in height. Corner lots at the intersection of two streets shall provide a visibility clearance area, where nothing shall be higher than 3.5 feet in height for safety purposes (contact the Planning Counter for more information at 619-258-4100 ext 152).

Q: Can I set up a business in my home? (return to FAQ list)
A: Currently the City does permit Home Occupation businesses, subject to regulations to assure they remain compatible with the surrounding neighborhood. Those regulations can be found in Municipal Code Section 17.06.060. Additional information can be obtained from the City Finance Department, who processes business license applications, at 619-258-4100 extension 146.

Q: What can I do if I think my neighbor is violating the Zoning Ordinance? (return to FAQ list)
A: If you think your neighbor is violating the Zoning Ordinance, contact the City’s Code Compliance staff.

Q: What is the parking requirement for my business? (return to FAQ list)
A: The parking requirements differ depending on the type of the use proposed. Single-family residences are required to provide 2 garage parking spaces per home. Specific parking requirements for multi-family residential and commercial uses are available in the Santee Zoning Ordinance, Section 17.24.

Q: Do I need a sign permit for all signs? (return to FAQ list)
A: Most all signs, both Temporary and Permanent, require permits from the Planning Division. Many sign permits can be issued over the counter by the Planning Division, including: Temporary Sign Permits (application pdf), and Permanent Sign Permits (application pdf). Building permits to install the approved permanent signs are also often required, and will require a separate submittal to that Division.

Q: I would like to advertise my business with a banner. What is the process? (return to FAQ list)
A: You will need to fill out a Temporary Sign Permit application (PDF) and submit the application to the Planning Division. Information on how many banners you are allowed, where they can be placed, and how often they can be used is available in the TSP information handout (pdf).

Q: What are the fees of the Planning Division? (return to FAQ list)
A: Click here for fee information (PDF).

Q: I would like to landscape my property. Are there any requirements that I must meet? (return to FAQ list)
A: Santee recognizes and promotes the use of water efficient landscaping practices throughout the city. Permits are not generally required to simply landscape your property. However, if you have a project that requires a building or grading permit and includes new landscaping and irrigation areas equal to 2,500 square feet or more, the City's Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance may apply. If you have questions about the Landscape Ordinance you can contact the Planning Division at (619) 258-4100 extension 152. Padre Dam Municipal Water District also has standards for irrigation and landscaping. Padre Dam can be reached at (619) 258-4600.