San Joaquin County Municipal Code Ch. 9-202 Industrial Zones

The specific purposes of the Industrial zones are to:

(a) Designate adequate land, consistent with the General Plan, for business use, manufacturing and industrial operations, agricultural industry, oil and gas facilities, research and technology, wholesaling, distribution and related storage, and services supporting industrial growth and agricultural activity;

(b) Maintain and strengthen the County's economic and fiscal resources, and provide employment opportunities for residents of the County;

(c) Establish appropriate development standards and buffering requirements to protect adjacent uses and ensure land use compatibility; and

(d) Minimize the impacts of industrial development on adjacent residents.

The following Industrial zones implement the General Plan Industrial land use classification.

I-W Zone. The Warehouse Industrial (I-W) Zone is intended to accommodate wholesale distribution and warehouses and service establishments catering to those uses whose primary distinguishing features are independence from public sewage disposal systems using septic tanks and the minimal production of industrial wastes. This zone implements the Warehouse Industrial land use designation of the General Plan.

I-P Zone. The Industrial Park (I-P) Zone is intended to allow for the development of a combination of corporate and technology service offices, warehousing, light manufacturing, wholesaling, and professional offices, as well as the services necessary to support those uses. Development standards may be established for this zone to allow for locations near existing and planned residential areas with a minimum of environmental conflict and adverse land use impacts. This zone implements the Limited Industrial land use designation of the General Plan.

I-L Zone. The Limited Industrial (I-L) Zone is intended to provide for light impact manufacturing, warehousing, wholesaling, construction contracting, and distribution uses. Activities within this zone have external physical effects that are generally restricted to the immediate area, are compatible with surrounding uses, are conducted entirely within enclosed buildings. Business and professional offices are permitted within this zone as a secondary use. This zone implements the Limited Industrial land use designation of the General Plan.

I-G Zone. The General Industrial (I-G) Zone provides for a wide range of manufacturing, distribution, and storage uses. Uses within this zone tend to have moderate to high nuisance characteristics, such as noise, heat, glare, odor, and vibration, requiring segregation from other land uses, and/or may require extensive outside storage areas. This zone implements the General Industrial land use designation of the General Plan.

I-T Zone. The Truck Terminals (I-T) Zone is intended to provide locations within one mile of a freeway interchange for the transfer of goods from large freight trucks and trains to smaller local distribution trucks or to consolidate small loads to large freight trucks and trains for delivery to distant locations, and for the storage and transfer of uncontainerized materials. The Truck Terminals zone is limited to areas outside urban and rural communities. It also may not be applied land adjacent to residential, commercial (other than Freeway Service), or Resource Conservation areas designated in the General Plan. This zone implements the Trucking Terminals land use designation of the General Plan.

TABLE 9-202.020-1 prescribes the land use regulations for the Industrial zones. Use types are defined in Chapter 9-901, Use Classifications; key terms used in the classifications are defined in Chapter 9-900, Terms and Definitions. In cases where a specific land use or activity is not defined, the Zoning Administrator shall assign the land use or activity a classification that is substantially similar in character. Use classifications and sub classifications not listed in the table or not found to be substantially similar to the uses listed in the table are prohibited. Numbered limitations for a specific use in an individual zone ("L1, L2, etc.") refer to limitations listed at the end of the table. The right-hand column in the table includes specific section references for other regulations in this Title, in Chapter 9-409, Standards for Specific Uses and Activities.

TABLE 9-202.020-1: USES IN INDUSTRIAL ZONES P = Permitted Use (Building Permit may be required); T = Temporary Use Permit required; Z = Zoning Compliance Review required; A = Administrative Use Permit by Zoning Administrator; C = Conditional Use Permit by Planning Commission; SPP = Special Purpose Plan required; L# = Numbered limitation at end of table; "-" = Not permitted

(a) Expansion of Uses and Structures. Uses or structures that require discretionary review may be expanded with a Zoning Compliance Review, provided the following conditions are met:

(1) The proposed expansion or construction of a structure involves less than a 25-percent increase in the existing, approved floor area as shown on the most recent land use permit or Zoning Compliance Review on file, but no more than 10,000 square feet;

(2) The proposed expansion involves less than a 25-percent increase in the developed area of the site; and

(3) The proposed expansion will not have a substantial, adverse effect on the environment.

(4) The expansion complies with existing requirements of agencies having jurisdiction and any other appropriate regulatory agency.

Where conditions in Subsections (a)(1) through (a)(4) of this Section are not met, the level of review for the expansion shall be the same as the level of review required in Table 9-202.020-1 for a new use.

(b) Change in Use. Any change in an existing use to a new use that requires a land use permit shall be permitted without a land use permit, provided the Zoning Administrator finds that the proposed use:

(A) will have no greater impact than the existing use; and

(B) occupies the same floor area as the existing use.

The Zoning Administrator reserves the right to require a Zoning Compliance Review in lieu of the land use permit or to allow a minor expansion, as needed.

(c) Accessory Uses and Structures. Accessory uses and structures permitted, not permitted, and conditionally permitted are set forth in Table 9-202.020-2. Accessory uses and structures not specifically listed in Table 9-202.020-2 are allowed with a Zoning Compliance Review if the primary use is permitted or with an Administrative Use Permit if the primary use requires either an Administrative Use Permit or a Conditional Use Permit. All accessory uses are subject to the requirements of Section 9-409.040, Accessory Uses.

TABLE 9-202.020-2: ACCESSORY USES & STRUCTURES IN INDUSTRIAL ZONES P = Permitted Use (Building Permit may be required); T = Temporary Use Permit required; Z = Zoning Compliance Review required; A = Administrative Use Permit by Zoning Administrator; C = Conditional Use Permit by Planning Commission; SPP = Special Purpose Plan required; L# = Numbered limitation at end of table; "-" = Not permitted

(d) Temporary Uses and Structures. Temporary uses and structures permitted, not permitted, and conditionally permitted with a Temporary Use Permit are set forth in Table 9-202.020-3 and Section 9-409.450, Temporary Uses. Temporary uses and structures not specifically listed in Table 9-202.020-3 may be allowed by the Zoning Administrator, subject to the requirements of Section 9-804.080, Temporary Use Permits.

TABLE 9-202-020-3: TEMPORARY USES & STRUCTURES IN INDUSTRIAL ZONES P = Permitted Use (Building Permit may be required); T = Temporary Use Permit required; Z = Zoning Compliance Review required; A = Administrative Use Permit by Zoning Administrator; C = Conditional Use Permit by Planning Commission; SPP = Special Purpose Plan required; L# = Numbered limitation at end of table; "-" = Not permitted

(e) Additional Use Regulations.

(1) Permits Required. Unless a Conditional Use Permit is required in Table 9-201.020-1, an Administrative Use Permit is required for construction of more than 10,000 square feet of floor area for any permitted commercial use.

(2) Development in General Plan-Designated Open Space/Conservation Areas. See Section 9-706.050, Open Space/Resource Conservation Areas.

(3) Outdoor Sales. See Section 9-409.340.

(4) Outdoor Storage. Outdoor storage of heavy equipment used for agricultural activities on-site is permitted in the I-W and I-G Zones.

(5) Protection of the Delta Primary Zone. See Section 9-706.060. Protection of the Delta Primary Zone.

(Ord. No. 4623, §§ 9, 10, 5-2-2023; Ord. No. 4632, § 5, 9-26-2023; Ord. No. 4671, §§ 10—12, 5-13-2025; Ord. No. 4683, § 6, 12-9-2025)

Table 9-202.030 prescribes the development standards for Industrial Zones. The numbers in each illustration refer to corresponding regulations in the "#" column in the associated table.

TABLE 9-202.030: DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS & INDUSTRIAL ZONES 1

(a) Lot Area and Width. Lots shall have the minimum lot area and minimum width set forth in Table 9-202.030.

(b) Yards. Yards shall have the minimum dimensions set forth in Table 9-202.030, except as modified below.

(1) Reduction of Required Yard. Required yards may be reduced as follows:

(A) If more than 50 percent of the block on which the lot sits is developed, the required yard may be reduced to the average of the existing yard dimensions of the block. In no case, however, shall a street side yard be less than 10 feet in width.

(B) If the lot is less than 75 feet in width, the street side yard may be reduced to 10 feet in width.

(2) Increase in Required Yards. If a side or rear yard abuts land developed with conforming residential uses, land zoned residentially, or land shown on the General Plan Map for residential development, the required yard shall be 20 feet in width. The minimum building setback from a Residential zone boundary shall be 15 feet for interior side yards and 20 feet for rear yards.

(3) Development Within Required Yards. The following structures may be located in or extend within required yards, subject to the provisions specified:

(A) Architectural features, subject to the provisions of Chapter 9-400, General Site Regulations;

(B) Screening, including fences and gates, subject to the provisions of Sections 9-400.040, Fencing and Screening, and 9-400.050, Screening of Equipment;

(C) Additions to nonconforming single-unit dwellings, subject to the provisions of Chapter 9-405, Nonconformity Provisions; and

(D) Structures adjacent to and associated with railroad spurs.

(c) Height. Buildings and structures in the Industrial zones shall not exceed the heights set forth in Table 9-202.030-2, except as provided in Section 9-400.020, Building Projections into Required Yards; screening devices, including fences, gates, and gateposts, shall comply with the requirements specified in Chapter 9-402, Landscaping Regulations.

(1) Where an Industrial zone adjoins a Residential zone, the maximum height shall be 50 feet within 50 feet of the Residential zone boundary.

(d) Additional Development Standards.

(1) Access. All principal uses in the Industrial zones shall have access to a publicly-maintained road.

(2) Landscaping. Where an Industrial zone adjoins a Residential zone, a landscaped planting area, a minimum of 10 feet in width, shall be provided along all Residential zone boundaries. A tree screen shall be planted in this area with trees planted at a minimum interval of 15 feet.

(3) Drive-In and Drive Through Facilities. See Section 9-409.080.

(4) Parking Location. Parking shall be located at the side or rear of buildings wherever possible.

(Ord. No. 4671, § 13, 5-13-2025)