Placer County Municipal Code § 17.06.030 Allowable land uses and permit requirements

In order to classify and regulate the use of land, buildings and structures, and to establish appropriate minimum regulations and standards for the development of land within Placer County that will consistently implement the general plan, the unincorporated area of Placer County except for the area covered by the Squaw Valley Land Use Ordinance (Chapter 17, Appendix A, of this code); the areas covered by the Tahoe Basin Area Plan (Chapter 17, Appendix B, of this code); shall be divided into the following zone and combining districts, according to the zoning maps adopted pursuant to Section 17.06.020 (Zoning maps adopted) of this chapter:

A. Zone Districts.

B. Combining Districts.

C. Land Uses in Each District. Allowable land uses and land use permit requirements, development regulations and standards for each of the zone and combining districts established by subsections A and B of this section are established by Sections 17.06.030 through 17.52.140 of this chapter.

D. Open Space Zoning Ordinance. The intent and purpose of the agricultural exclusive, forestry, open space and timberland preserve zone districts and their regulations, as set forth in Articles 17.08 et seq., of this chapter, together with all other applicable provisions of this chapter, are consistent with the intent of the open space plan, and shall constitute the open space zoning ordinance of Placer County required by Section 65910 et seq., of the California Government Code.

(Ord. 5126-B, 2001; Ord. 5419-B (Exh. 1), 2006; Ord. 6048-B § 3, 2020)

The boundaries of the zone and combining districts established by Section 17.06.020 shall be shown upon the maps designated as the Placer County zoning maps. The Placer County zoning maps, together with all legends, symbols, notations, references, district boundaries, district map codes, and other information thereon shall be adopted by the Placer County board of supervisors pursuant to California Government Code Section 65800 et seq., and are incorporated into this Chapter 17 by reference as though they were fully set forth here. Any changes to the Placer County zoning maps after their adoption shall be accomplished as set forth in Section 17.60.090 (Ordinance amendments and rezonings).

(Ord. 5126-B, 2001)

A. Restriction on New Land Uses. No use of land, buildings or structures shall be established, constructed, reconstructed, altered, allowed or replaced unless:

1. The land use (as defined by Article 17.04 (Definitions)) is identified by Sections 17.06.050 (Land use and permit tables) and 17.06.060 through 17.52.140 (Zone district regulations) as being allowable in the zone and combining district applicable to the site; and

2. Any land use permit required by this chapter is obtained before the proposed use is constructed, otherwise established or put into operation, unless the proposed use is identified by following subsection (B) (Exemptions from Land Use Permit Requirements) as not needing a land use permit. The land use permit requirements of this chapter are established by Sections 17.06.050 through 17.52.140, and by Article 17.56 (Specific Use Requirements); and

3. The use satisfies all other applicable requirements of this chapter, including but not limited to the provisions of Article 17.54 (General Development Regulations) and Article 17.56 (Specific Use Requirements);

4. The use, building or structure is legal, non-conforming and any construction, reconstruction, alteration, etc. is accomplished pursuant to the provisions of Section 17.60.120 of this chapter.

B. Exemptions From Land Use Permit Requirements. The land use permit requirements of this chapter do not apply to the following activities, uses of land and structures:

1. Ordinary repairs and maintenance, if the work does not result in any change in the approved land use of the site or building, or the addition to, enlargement or expansion of the building. (Design review approval may be required in some cases);

2. Activities of the federal government on leased or federally owned land, when used exclusively for a governmental purpose, unless otherwise designated by the federal government;

3. Activities of Placer County or any district that the board of supervisors governs;

4. Activities of the state of California or an agency of the state acting in its sovereign (governmental) capacity on leased or state owned land when used exclusively for a governmental purpose, unless otherwise designated by the state of California;

5. Certain school, water, wastewater, and electrical power facilities of local agencies as provided by California Government Code Section 53091 et seq.

C. Temporary Uses. Requirements for establishing a temporary use are in Section 17.56.300 (Temporary uses and events).

D. Other Permits May Still be Required. An allowed land use that has obtained a required land use permit may still be required to obtain other permits, or authorizations before the use is constructed, or otherwise established and put into operation. Nothing in this article shall eliminate the need to obtain building, grading or other construction permits if they are required by Chapter 15 of this code, a business license if required by Chapter 5 of this code, subdivision approval if required by Chapter 16, a take authorization or an authorization to impact aquatic resources if required by Article 19.10, or any permit required by the county health department, air pollution control district, other county department, state or federal agency. All other necessary permits shall be obtained before starting construction, grading or vegetation removal, or establishing new uses in conjunction with any project. Where a California Land Conservation Act (Williamson Act) Agreement exists that includes a specific parcel of land, the provisions of that Agreement, as well as the provisions of Chapter 6, Placer County Administrative Rules and Section 51200 et seq., of the California Government Code also apply.

(Ord. 5126-B, 2001; Ord. 6041-B § 4, 2020)

Where Section 17.06.050 requires zoning clearance as a prerequisite to establishing a land use, evaluation of the proposed use by the planning department to determine whether such clearance may be granted shall be accomplished as follows. No building, grading or other construction permit, or business license or other authorization required by this code for a proposed use shall be issued by the responsible department until zoning clearance has been granted by the planning department, or a discretionary land use permit has been approved for the use pursuant to Article 17.58 (Discretionary land use permit procedures).

A. Timing of Clearance. A zoning clearance evaluation and the granting of such clearance shall be accomplished by the planning department at the time of their review of any building, grading or other construction permit, or business license or other authorization required by this code for the proposed use. Where no such other authorization is required, a request for zoning clearance shall be filed with the planning department using the forms provided, and shall be reviewed and approved or disapproved within five days of filing.

B. Criteria for Clearance. Zoning clearance shall be granted by the planning department only when the permit application needing clearance contains sufficient information for the planning department to verify that the proposed use will be consistent with the requirements for the filing of applications in Section 17.58.040 (Filing of applications).

(Ord. 5126-B, 2001)

A. Types of Land Uses Allowed. The uses of land allowed by this chapter in each zone and combining district established by Section 17.06.010 are identified in the following tables (subsection (D) of this section), and in Sections 17.06.060 et seq. (Zone district regulations). Land uses that are not listed on the tables in subsection (D) of this section, or are not shown in a particular zone district are not allowed, except where otherwise provided by Sections 17.06.030(B) (Exemptions from land use permit requirements), 17.56.300 (Temporary uses), or 17.02.050(C) (Allowable uses of land).

B. Type of Permit Required. When the tables in subsection (D) of this section and the zone and combining district requirements of Sections 17.06.060 et seq., show a particular land use as being allowable in a zone, the use is identified as being subject to one of the following land use permit requirements.

1. Zoning Compliance. These uses are allowed without land use permit approval subject to compliance with all applicable provisions of this chapter ("A" uses on the tables). No land use permit is required for "A" uses because they typically involve no or minimal construction activities, are accessory to some other land use that will be the primary use of a site (which will require a land use permit), or are otherwise entirely consistent with the purposes of the particular zone.

2. Zoning Clearance. These uses are allowable subject to zoning clearance ("C" uses on the tables) (see Section 17.06.040). Zoning clearance is a routine land use approval that involves planning department staff checking a proposed development to ensure that all applicable zoning requirements will be satisfied (e.g., setbacks, height limits, parking requirements, etc.). Zoning clearance is required by this ordinance for land uses that are consistent with the basic purposes of the particular zone (e.g., houses in residential zones), and are unlikely to create any problems that will not be adequately handled by the development standards of Article 17.54 of this ordinance (General Development Standards) and this subsection.

3. Administrative Review Permit (ARP). These uses are allowable subject to approval of an administrative review permit (see Section 17.58.100). Administrative review permit approval is required for certain land uses that are generally consistent with the purposes of the zone, but could create minor problems for adjoining properties if they are not designed with sensitivity to surrounding land uses. The purposes of an administrative review permit are to allow planning division staff and the zoning administrator to evaluate a proposed use to ensure that all applicable zoning requirements will be satisfied (e.g., setbacks, height limits, parking requirements, etc.) to determine if problems may occur, to work with the project applicant to adjust the project through conditions of approval to solve any potential problems that are identified, or to disapprove a project if identified problems cannot be acceptably corrected.

4. Minor Use Permit (MUP). These uses are allowable subject to approval of a minor use permit ("MUP") (Section 17.58.120). Minor use permit approval is required for certain land uses that are generally consistent with the purposes of the zone, but could create problems for adjoining properties, the surrounding area, and their populations if such uses are not designed to be compatible with surrounding land uses. The purpose of a minor use permit is to allow planning department staff and the zoning administrator to evaluate a proposed use to determine if problems may occur, to provide the public with an opportunity to review the proposed project and express their concerns in a public hearing, to work with the project applicant to adjust the project through conditions of approval to solve any potential problems that are identified, or to disapprove a project if identified problems cannot be acceptably corrected.

5. Conditional Use Permit (CUP). These uses are allowable subject to approval of a conditional use permit ("CUP") (Section 17.58.130). Conditional use permit approval is required for certain land uses that may be appropriate in a zone, depending on the design of the individual project, and the characteristics of the proposed site and surroundings. Such uses can either raise major land use policy issues or could create serious problems for adjoining properties, the surrounding area, and their populations if such uses are not appropriately located and designed. The purpose of a conditional use permit is to allow planning department staff and the Placer County planning commission to evaluate a proposed use to determine if problems may occur, to provide the public with an opportunity to review the proposed project and express their concerns in a public hearing, to work with the project applicant to adjust the project through conditions of approval to solve any potential problems that are identified, or to disapprove a project if identified problems cannot be acceptably corrected.

C. Land Use Definitions. Definitions of the titles of the land uses listed in the land use tables (subsection D of this section) are in Article 17.04 (Definitions).

D. Tables. The following tables, and the lists of allowable uses in Sections 17.06.060 et seq., contain the same requirements for allowable uses and land use permit requirements. The tables in this section are for convenience, to simultaneously show all zone districts, the uses allowed within them, and the permit requirements applicable to each use.

Key To Permit Requirements

Notes:

(Ord. 5126-B, 2001; Ord. 5375-B § 2, 2005; Ord. 5339-B Exh. A, 2004; Ord. 5416-B Exh. A, 2006; Ord. 5459-B Exh. A, 2007; Ord. 5471-B Exh. A, 2007; Ord. 5526-B § 2, 2008; Ord. 5568-B § 2, 2009; Ord. 5588-B § 2, 2010; Ord. 5647-B § 2, 2011; Ord. 5692-B § 2, 2012; Ord. 5710-B § 2, 2013; Ord. 5735-B § 2, 2014; Ord. 5746-B § 2, 2014; Ord. 5858-B § 1, 2017; Ord. 5895-B § 2, 2017; Ord. 6022-B § 2, 2020; Ord. 6041-B § 5, 2020; Ord. 6056-B § 1, 2020; Ord. 6144-B § 2, 2022; Ord. 6363-B, 2/17/2026)

A. Purpose. Sections 17.08.010 through 17.48.010 determine what land uses are allowed in each zone, what land use permit is required to establish each use, and the basic development standards that apply to allowed land uses in each of the zone districts established by Section 17.06.010 (Zone and combining districts established), except where other allowable land use, permit or development requirements are established by an applicable combining district (Sections 17.52.010 through 17.52.140).

B. Applicability—Additional Requirements. The requirements of Sections 17.08.010 through 17.48.010 apply to proposed land uses in addition to any applicable combining district requirements (Sections 17.52.010 through 17.52.140), provisions of Article 17.54 (General Development Regulations) or Article 17.56 (Specific Use Requirements), or any other applicable provisions of this chapter.

C. Conflicts Between Provisions. In the event of any conflict between the following zone district regulations (Sections 17.08.010 through 17.48.010) and the combining district regulations of this chapter (Sections 17.52.010 through 17.52.140), the combining district regulations shall control. In the event of any conflicts between the provisions of Sections 17.08.010 through 17.48.010 and Articles 17.54 or 17.56, the provisions of Articles 17.54 or 17.56, whichever is more restrictive, shall control. (See Section 1.050(D).)

D. Measurement of Setback and Height Standards. Explanations of how height limits and setback requirements apply to sites and projects are in Sections 17.54.020 through 17.54.130, respectively.

E. Injunction for Nuisance. Whenever this chapter has established zones or land use districts which expressly permit industrial and/or airport uses to take place, no person or persons, firm or corporation shall be enjoined or restrained by the injunctive process from the reasonable and necessary operation in any such industrial or airport zone of any use expressly permitted therein except as provided by Section 731(a) and/or Section 731(b) of the California Code of Civil Procedure.

(Ord. 5126-B, 2001; Ord. 6048-B § 4, 2020)