Division I — AGRICULTURAL, RESOURCE AND OPEN SPACE DISTRICTS
Article 17.14 — Open Space (O) District
Placer County Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · ingested 2026-07-06 · Placer County
17.14.010. Open space (O). ¶
- A. Purpose and Intent. The purpose of the open space (O) district is to protect important open space lands within Placer County by limiting allowable land uses to low intensity agricultural, fish and wildlife habitat, and public recreational
uses, with structural development being restricted to accessory structures necessary to support the primary allowed uses, and critical public facilities.
- B. Allowable Land Uses and Permit Requirements. The following land uses are allowed in the O zone as provided by Sections 17.06.030 et seq. (Allowable land uses and permit requirements), subject to the land use permit shown for each use, any applicable specific standards, and all other applicable provisions of this chapter.
| ALLOWABLE LAND USES | LAND USE PERMIT | LAND USE PERMIT | SPECIFIC STANDARDS IN SECTION: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural, Resource and Open Space Uses | |||
| Agricultural accessory structures | C | 17.56.020 | |
| Animal raising and keeping | See Section 17.56.050 |
See Section 17.56.050 |
|
| Crop production | A | ||
| Equestrian facilities | MUP | 17.56.050 | |
| Fisheries and game preserves | A | ||
| Forestry | A | ||
| Grazing | A | 17.04.030 | |
| Mining, surface and subsurface | CUP | 17.56.270 | |
| Oil and gas wells | CUP | ||
| Plant production nurseries | See Section 17.56.165 |
See Section 17.56.165 |
|
| Water extraction and storage (commercial) | CUP | ||
| Recreation, Education and Public Assembly Uses | |||
| Campgrounds | MUP | 17.56.080 | |
| Camping, incidental | A | 17.56.080 | |
| Parks, playgrounds, golf courses | CUP | ||
| Rural recreation | MUP | ||
| Shooting ranges, commercial | MUP | ||
| Ski lift facilities and ski runs | CUP | ||
| Sport facilities and outdoor public assembly | CUP | ||
| Temporary events | MUP | 17.56.300 | |
| Service Uses | |||
| Offces, temporary | C | 17.56.300 | |
| Public utility facilities | MUP | ||
| Storage, accessory | A | 17.56.250 | |
| Storage of petroleum products for on-site use | MUP | 17.56.250 | |
| Transportation and Communications | |||
| Airfelds and landing strips | CUP | 17.56.040 | |
| Antennas, communications facilities | See Section 17.56.060 |
See Section 17.56.060 |
|
| Pipelines and transmission lines | A | ||
| KEY TO PERMIT REQUIREMENTS | |||
| Allowed use, zoning compliance required (17.06.050) | A | ||
| Zoning clearance required (17.06.050) | C | ||
| Minor use permit required (17.06.050) | MUP | ||
| Conditional use permit required (17.06.050) | CUP | ||
| Administrative review permit (17.06.050) | ARP |
C. Minimum Parcel Size. Each parcel proposed for development or a new land use, and each new parcel proposed in a subdivision shall comply with the following provisions and Section 17.54.040 (Minimum parcel size). New parcels proposed in a subdivision shall also satisfy all applicable provisions of Chapter 16 of this code (Subdivisions).
- Minimum Lot Area. Two hundred thousand square feet, unless a -B combining district (Section 17.52.040 ) applies to the site, or a greater area is required by the Health Department, or the provisions of Article 17.56 (Specific Use Requirements) for a particular land use.
- Minimum Lot Width. Two hundred feet. Other minimum lot widths may be required by a -B combining district (Section 17.52.040 ) applicable to the site.
- D. Site Development Standards. The following requirements shall apply to all new development in the O zone, except where otherwise provided by Articles 17.54 (General Development Standards) or 17.56 (Specific Use Requirements) for a particular use or situation. Proposed buildings and structures shall be designed and constructed to satisfy the following setback, site coverage, and height limit requirements:
| Development Feature | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Setbacks (1) (2) | |
| Front | 50 feet minimum |
| Street-side | 30 feet minimum |
| Side | 30 feet minimum |
| Rear | 30 feet minimum |
| Site coverage (3) | 1 percent maximum |
| Height limit (4) | 25 feet maximum |
Notes:
(1) Additional requirements for setbacks from watercourses and all roads identified in the highway deficiency report a countywide capital improvement program, setbacks between structures on the same site, and setbacks in other situations are established by Section 17.54.140 (Exceptions to front, street-side, side and rear setbacks) and by Article 17.56 for certain specific land uses.
(2) As required by the California Board of Forestry Fire Safe regulations, Section 1276.01 , Title 14, California Code of Regulations, if lot is one acre or larger in size.
(3) The percentage of total site area that may be covered by buildings or structures.
(4) Except as otherwise provided by Section 10.020 (Height limits and exceptions), or by Article 17.56 for a specific use.
(Ord. 5126-B, 2001; Ord. 5304-B Exh. 1, 2004; Ord. 5459-B Exh. A, 2007; Ord. 6041-B § 6, 2020; Ord. 6048-B § 8, 2020)