What the Housing Element and Rezoning in Buena Park Mean for Property Owners

You’re a landlord in Buena Park with an 8–to 12-unit residential property. Costs keep rising, and zoning uncertainty never seems to quit. 

Now the City’s Housing Incentive Overlays (HIOs) and Objective Design and Development Standards (ODDS) are reshaping the rezoning process for your subject property. 

If your parcel is mapped in an HIO, some projects can move by right under objective standards, faster approval, and clearer math. 

If not, you’ll follow the city’s standard rezoning process to adjust your property’s zoning designation with the local planning department, city departments, and the City’s zoning ordinance. 

This isn’t theory, it’s real estate.

Key Takeaways

• HIOs in action: ODDS define objective standards for form, massing, building height, height limits, and setback requirements, often allowing ministerial review.
• Location matters: Inside an HIO, you can add units or change designated land use efficiently; outside, follow the standard rezoning application or conditional process.
• State law governs: Replacement, No Net Loss, and Density Bonus rules affect site plans, residential construction, and project feasibility.
• 2025 context: State-level changes reshape entitlements and values even as Buena Park’s local program remains in force.

What is a “Housing Element Deal”?

It’s not an official legal term but an investor shorthand for opportunities created by Housing Element–driven rezoning. In Buena Park, the rezoning changes (HIOs, ODDS, new zoning districts) were formally adopted in February 2024. 

When the zoning map and zoning ordinance change, introducing higher density, overlay districts, or objective standards, an owner may unlock by-right approvals, add more units, or gain a stronger exit. 

In short, policy changes create ideal conditions if your parcel and site plans fit the new rules.

How the Local Rezoning Process Fits Your Strategy

Every local municipality has a defined process for property rezoning. In Buena Park, the planning department and zoning department guide property owners through a clear sequence:

1. Pre-filing due diligence. Confirm your zoning designation and whether the site is in an HIO using the City’s zoning map. Inventory existing land conditions, surrounding land, surrounding area, and neighboring properties. Commission early traffic studies if unit counts increase.
2. Concept and site planning. Work with a city planner and consultants to sketch site plans that comply with ODDS setback requirements, building height, parking, and frontage requirements. 

Verify whether the subject property is zoned correctly for your intended land use, for example, whether high-density residential is permitted or whether you’ll need a rezoning request or a conditional use permit.

3. Formal application. Submit a rezoning application (or equivalent) and any parallel requests (e.g., map changes, permit approvals). This step can be time-consuming; complete checklists reduce back-and-forth with city staff.
4. Public review. Attend a public meeting at City Hall and the planning commission public hearing. Public input from adjacent property owners helps the governing body evaluate zoning changes against urban planning goals. The plan and zoning determine how your parcel fits the district and the surrounding context.
5. Recommendation and final action. The planning commission makes a recommendation; the city council, the final governing body, renders the final decision on your rezoning decision. In some regions, a planning board plays a similar role; in Buena Park, the planning commission leads.
6. Post-approval steps. Once approved, you’ll pursue building permits, refine site plans, and coordinate with city departments for inspections and compliance.

Throughout, remember that zoning determines what you can build on your property, from residential to commercial or mixed-use. 

If your goal includes commercial development or partial conversion to commercial, confirm the zoning classification allows it, or whether you must pursue rezoning property pathways.

What 2024–2025 Means in Practice for Owners

If your property sits inside an HIO, projects that meet the ODDS rules can be approved by right, a faster, more predictable path that often makes financing easier, though you still must meet infrastructure and safety standards. 

Outside an HIO, you follow the regular zoning ordinance or file a rezoning request to change what’s allowed. Check the zoning map; some areas shifted from open space or older labels to residential. 

For stores or mixed-use (shops below, homes above), confirm rules and whether a conditional use permit is needed. Always consider neighbors: height, setbacks, and privacy matter at public hearings.

Owner Decisions to Model Now

Redevelopment and Infill

On HIO parcels, test unit additions, reconfigured parking, or small expansions that satisfy ODDS. Where current zoning doesn’t allow your program, evaluate a rezoning application path. Good site plans can thread height limits, setback requirements, and circulation to hit target yields.

Parcel Assembly and Refinancing

Assemble lots that align with the zoning designation and district support future development, and where the zoning rules enable scale. Lenders will price certainty around approval timelines and whether your project is by right.

Affordability, Replacement, and Feasibility

Replacement obligations and any affordability commitments influence your plan, especially if removing existing units. Model these early; they affect development phasing, formal application timing, and equity needs.

Infrastructure, Studies, and Conditions

Expect traffic studies, utility confirmations, drainage, and frontage work. These are normal in urban planning and can be conditioned at approval.

Working with the City: Practical Tips

Start with the local planning department. A quick conversation with a city planner clarifies regulations applicable to your subject property and whether you can proceed by right or need property rezoning.

Align with city staff. Early technical meetings with city staff across city departments prevent late surprises.

Be ready for public input. Engage adjacent property owners early with clear diagrams of building height, massing, and screening.

Mind the clock. The process can be time-consuming, so sequence entitlements, financing, and construction carefully.

Market Implications

Buena Park’s HIOs and ODDS reflect a broader recalibration of zoning and land use, a shift toward objective standards and predictable outcomes. 

For small owners, that clarity can unlock value, provided the property is zoned correctly or you successfully rezone it to the proper classification for your business plan.

FAQ

Will my property automatically qualify for HIO benefits?
Only if your parcel is mapped within an HIO zoning district; adjacency doesn’t qualify.

How do I rezone a property?
File a rezoning request with the planning department, submit a formal application and site plans; the planning commission holds a hearing, and city council makes the final decision under zoning laws.

Do I need a conditional use permit (CUP)?
Some uses are by right; others need a CUP. Check the zoning ordinance.

How do setbacks/height affect me?
ODDS and the zoning ordinance set setback requirements and height limits that shape feasibility.

Your Next Move: Turn Zoning Into ROI

Inside an HIO, meeting ODDS can unlock by-right approvals, faster timelines, clearer underwriting, and potential new units. Outside an HIO, the standard rezoning process, formal application, public hearing, and final decision, can still realign your zoning designation. 

Either way, disciplined due diligence, innovative site plans, and early coordination with the planning department, planning commission, and city council, while following zoning regulations, turn entitlement into value.

Contact PMI Patron for a parcel check, density bonus screening, timeline/budget, lender package, free rental analysis, and neighbor/public-hearing strategy. Let’s convert policy into profit, starting with a quick consult!

Additional Resources

How to Keep Great Tenants in Your Buena Park Investment Property?

PMI Patron Welcome Guide for Rental Property Owners – Orange County