Skip to content

Chapter 17.042 — RETAIL COMMERCIAL (C-1) ZONE

Pismo Beach Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · updated 2026-07-06 · Pismo Beach

17.042.010 Purpose of zone.

The retail commercial or C-1 zone is intended to provide:

  • A. Appropriately located areas and opportunities for retail store, offices and service establishments for the

convenience of the public in order to encourage mutually beneficial relationship to each other.

  • B. Stable, attractive commercial development which will afford a pleasant pedestrian shopping environment.

  • C. Adequate space for off-street parking and loading.

17.042.020 Permitted uses.

Uses in the C-1 zone are subject to the general provisions and exceptions set forth in Chapters 17.102, 17.105 and 17.121 and are as follows:

A. Retail stores, offices and service establishments which do not involve any kind of manufacturing and all retail outlets except those restricted to the C-2 and C-M zones. Examples of permitted uses include but are not limited to the following: antique shops, art studios, bakeries, grocery stores, drug stores, banks, offices, indoor theaters, laundromats, restaurants and similar retail, office or service uses.

  • B. Uses and structures which are incidental or accessory to any of the permitted uses in the C-1 zone.

  • C. Affordable housing as a secondary use (i.e., upper floors of C-1 buildings);

  • D. Vacation rental in existing residence; in new units, vacation rental shall only be a secondary use (i.e., second floor or rear of C-1 buildings in conjunction with a permitted business) ;

  • E. Check-cashing establishment (see Chapter 5.11);

  • F. Gold and silver exchange (see Chapter 5.11);

  • G. Massage establishment–accessory (see Chapter 5.11);

  • H. Pawn shop (see Chapter 5.11);

  • I. Resale establishment (see Chapter 5.11);

  • J. Smoke shop (see Chapter 5.11);

  • K. Tattoo establishment (see Chapter 5.11). (Ord. O-2019-006 § 5 (part), 2019: Ord. O- 2019-004 § 7, 2019: Ord. O-2015-006 § 2 (part), 2015: Ord. O-2014-005 § 2 (part), 2014)

17.042.030 Uses requiring conditional use permits.

  • A. Public parking lots (see Chapter 17.108);

  • B. Public and private parks, playgrounds, and other recreational facilities;

  • C. Service stations (see also Section 17.105.100);

  • D. Major medical facilities;

  • E. Public buildings, churches and schools;

  • F. Lodges and fraternal organizations;

  • G. Billiards, bowling alleys, miniature golf courses and skating rinks;

  • H. Amusement halls and arcades spaced at least five hundred feet apart from any other amusement hall, arcade or adult business or R-1, R-2, R-3, MH or P-R zones (See Chapter 17.068 of this Title);

  • I. Outdoor retail sales and services other than those permitted by this chapter, such as plant nurseries, pottery shops, etc., but not including uses restricted to the C-2 and C-M zones;

J. Apartments as secondary uses (i.e., second floor or rear of C-1 buildings in conjunction with a permitted business);

  • K. Uses allowed by overlay zones, if applicable, (i.e., visitor-serving overlay zone);

  • L. Hotels and motels;

  • M. Indoor auto, boat and similar sales;

  • N. Other similar uses deemed compatible by the planning commission;

  • O. Massage establishment–primary (see Chapter 5.11). (Ord. O-2019-006 § 5 (part), 2019)

Get a plain-English answer with a citation back to this text.

Ask AI about this code
Contents — Pismo Beach Zoning Code
Pismo Beach Zoning Code
  1. Chapter 17.003 — GENERAL
  2. Chapter 17.006 — DEFINITIONS
  3. Chapter 17.009 — ESTABLISHMENT AND DESIGNATION OF DISTRICTS
  4. Chapter 17.012 — AGRICULTURAL--EXCLUSIVE (A-E) ZONE
  5. Chapter 17.015 — UNCLASSIFIED (U) ZONE
  6. Chapter 17.018 — SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (R-1) ZONE
  7. Chapter 17.021 — TWO AND THREE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (R-2) ZONE
  8. Chapter 17.024 — MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (R-3) ZONE
  9. Chapter 17.027 — HOTEL-MOTEL AND VISITOR SERVING (R-4) ZONE
  10. Chapter 17.030 — RESORT-RESIDENTIAL (R-R) ZONE
  11. Chapter 17.033 — PLANNED RESIDENTIAL (P-R) ZONE
  12. Chapter 17.036 — COMMERCIAL RECREATION (C-R) ZONE
  13. Chapter 17.039 — MOBILE HOME (M-H) ZONE
  14. Chapter 17.042 — RETAIL COMMERCIAL (C-1) ZONE
  15. Chapter 17.045 — GENERAL COMMERCIAL (C-2) ZONE
  16. Chapter 17.048 — COMMERCIAL MANUFACTURING (C-M) ZONE
  17. Chapter 17.051 — OPEN SPACE--NATURAL RESOURCES PROTECTION (OS-…
  18. Chapter 17.054 — OPEN SPACE--RECREATIONAL USE (OS-R) ZONE
  19. Chapter 17.057 — GOVERNMENT (G) ZONE
  20. Chapter 17.060 — ESTABLISHMENT AND DESIGNATION OF OVERLAY ZONES
  21. Chapter 17.063 — ARCHAEOLOGY--HISTORIC SITES (A) OVERLAY LONE
  22. Chapter 17.066 — COASTAL ACCESS (AC) OVERLAY ZONE
  23. Chapter 17.068 — AMUSEMENT HALL/RETAIL COMMERCIAL (AH/C-1) OVE…
  24. Chapter 17.069 — ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW (AR) OVERLAY ZONE
  25. Chapter 17.072 — COASTAL APPEAL (CA) OVERLAY ZONE
  26. Chapter 17.075 — FLOODPLAIN (F) OVERLAY ZONE
  27. Chapter 17.078 — HAZARDS AND PROTECTION (H) OVERLAY ZONE (DRAI…
  28. Chapter 17.081 — HEIGHT LIMITATIONS (HL) OVERLAY ZONE
  29. Chapter 17.084 — NOISE PROBLEMS (N) OVERLAY ZONE
  30. Chapter 17.087 — OPEN SPACE (OS-2) OVERLAY ZONE
  31. Chapter 17.090 — PUBLIC OR VISITOR PARKING (P) OVERLAY ZONE
  32. Chapter 17.091 — RESIDENTIAL VERY HIGH DENSITY (RVHD) OVERLAY …
  33. Chapter 17.093 — TRANSFER DENSITY (TD) OVERLAY ZONE.
  34. Chapter 17.096 — VIEW CONSIDERATIONS (V) OVERLAY ZONE
  35. Chapter 17.099 — VISITOR SERVICES (VS) OVERLAY ZONE
  36. Chapter 17.100 — REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS
  37. Chapter 17.102 — GENERAL PROVISIONS: BUILDING HEIGHTS, YARD, A…
  38. Chapter 17.105 — GENERAL PROVISIONS: CONDITIONS, ARCHITECTURAL…
  39. Chapter 17.106 — STANDARDS FOR PLACING MOBILE HOMES ON SINGLE …
  40. Chapter 17.108 — OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING REQUIREMENTS
  41. Chapter 17.111 — SIGN REGULATIONS
  42. Chapter 17.113 — SHORT-TERM RENTALS
  43. Chapter 17.115 — HOME OCCUPATIONS
  44. Chapter 17.117 — ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS
  45. Chapter 17.118 — NONCONFORMING USES AND STRUCTURES
  46. Chapter 17.119 — TWO-UNIT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND URBAN LO…
  47. Chapter 17.121 — APPLICATIONS, PERMITS, PROCEDURES AND APPEALS
  48. Chapter 17.124 — COASTAL PERMITTING PROCEDURES
  49. Chapter 17.127 — AMENDMENTS
  50. Chapter 17.130 — INTERPRETATION
  51. Chapter 17.133 — ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURE AND PENALTIES
  52. Chapter 17.136 — ZONING MAP

GoCodebook provides public access, search, citation, multilingual explanation, and practical interpretation of legally adopted building regulations. It is not a substitute for the official ICC or California code publications.