Earlier editions: 2026-07
Title 17 — Zoning›Division III — Zoning Districts, Allowed Uses, and Development Standards
San Pablo Municipal Code § 17.36.010 Purpose
San Pablo Municipal Code · 2026-10 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · San Pablo
Cite as: San Pablo Municipal Code § 17.36.010 · Text as of 2026-10-04
§ 17.36.010. Purpose.¶
The purpose of this chapter is to provide locations for uses that support civic, cultural, health, educational, infrastructure, and open space uses for the community, consistent with the policy direction in the San Pablo general plan. The intent of each of the public and semi-public zoning districts is described below.
(Ord. 2015-002 § 3 (Exh. 1)(part), 2015)
§ 17.36.020. Intent of individual districts.¶
A. I district. The I institutional district is intended to implement the public/semi-public land use designation in the general plan by providing for uses such as parks, government administrative offices, schools and school playgrounds, hospitals, convalescent homes, fire stations, public utility stations, post offices, and various types of state and federal facilities. In some situations, other types of complementary uses are allowed with a use permit.
B. OS district. The OS open space district is intended to implement the open space land use designation in the general plan by providing for non-recreational open space, active recreational open space, creeks, and passive recreational open space. This district is to be applied to lands owned by a public agency. In some situations, other types of complementary uses are allowed with a use permit.
(Ord. 2015-002 § 3 (Exh. 1)(part), 2015)
§ 17.36.030. Uses allowed.¶
A. Exceptions along railroad lines and streams. Notwithstanding the provisions of Table 17.36-A, the following provisions apply:
Any development within 300 feet of a railroad line that is used at least once daily shall require a use permit to ensure that the development adequately mitigates noise and vibration from the rail operations, pursuant to the relevant policies and actions under Goal PS 4 of the general plan.
Any development, including land disturbance, that is within 50 feet of any stream shall require a use permit to ensure that the development adequately avoids impacts to wetland features or woodlands, reduces impacts to the creek, and prevents degradation of riparian and wetland features from potential urban pollutants, pursuant to the relevant policies and actions related to creeks under Goal ER 1 of the general plan.
"Sensitive Uses" as defined in Section 17.38.050B which are located in the Air Quality Health Risk Overlay District (D3) must obtain a conditional use permit unless the sensitive use is required by State Law to be permitted by right or is considered a residential use by this Zoning Ordinance or State Law. Sensitive uses are also subject to the requirements in Section 17.38.050C.
B. Exceptions along railroad lines and streams. Notwithstanding the provisions of Table 17.36-A, the following provisions apply:
Any development within three hundred feet of a railroad line that is used at least once daily shall require a use permit to ensure that the development adequately mitigates noise and vibration from the rail operations, pursuant to the relevant policies and actions under Goal PS 4 of the general plan.
Any development, including land disturbance, that is within fifty feet of any stream shall require a use permit to ensure that the development adequately avoids impacts to wetland features or woodlands, reduces impacts to the creek, and prevents degradation of riparian and wetland features from potential urban pollutants, pursuant to the relevant policies and actions related to creeks under Goal ER 1 of the general plan.
C. Design review. Certain uses also require design review. A list of those uses is contained in Section 17.18.090, Minor design review, and Section 17.20.030, Major design review.
D. Principal uses only. Only principal uses are listed in Table 17.36-A. Accessory uses are addressed in Section 17.36.050, Accessory uses.
E. Other regulations. Some uses are also subject to the provisions of Title 5 and other titles of the San Pablo Municipal Code. Those provisions are in addition to the provisions in this chapter.
F. Special provisions. Special provisions related to a use are referenced in the special provisions column of Table 17.36-A.
Table 17.36-A—Public and Semi-Public Districts: Use Regulations
| Land Use/ |
I | OS | Special Provisions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential Uses | Residential Uses | Residential Uses | Residential Uses |
| Accessory Dwelling Unit | – | – | Section 17.60.070 |
| Assisted Living Facilities | – | – | |
| Boarding Houses | U | – | |
| Community Care Facilities | U | – | |
| Day Care, Small Family | – | – | |
| Day Care, Large Family | – | – | |
| Dwellings, Multiple-Family | – | – | |
| Dwellings, Single-Family Attached | – | – | Section 17.32.040 |
| Dwellings, Single-Family Detached | – | – | Section 17.32.040 |
| Dwellings, Two-Family (Duplexes) | – | – | Section 17.32.040 |
| Home Occupations | – | – | Section 17.60.030 |
| Incidental Residences | U | U | |
| Live-Work Facility | – | – | Section 17.60.040 |
| Mobile Home Parks | – | – | Section 17.60.060 |
| Residential Care Facilities | U | – | |
| Recreation, Resource Preservation, Open Space, Education, and Public Assembly Uses | |||
| Cemeteries | U | U | |
| Community Facilities | U | – | |
| Community Gardens | A | A | |
| Day Care Centers | U | – | |
| Hospitals and Clinics | U | – | |
| Public Services | A | – | |
| Recreation, Amusements | – | – | |
| Recreation, Indoor | U | – | |
| Recreation, Major Arcades | – | – | |
| Recreation, Minor Arcades | – | – | |
| Recreation, Outdoor Passive | U | R | |
| Recreation, Parks and Playgrounds | U | R | |
| Religious Institutions | U | – | |
| Schools, Private | U | – | |
| Schools, Public | U | – | |
| Utility, Transportation, Public Facility, and Communication Uses | |||
| Wireless Facilities | – | – | Sections 17.62.200 and 17.62.300 |
| Utilities, Major | U | U | |
| Utilities, Minor | R | U | |
| Retail, Service, and Office Uses | Retail, Service, and Office Uses | Retail, Service, and Office Uses | Retail, Service, and Office Uses |
| Adult-Oriented Businesses | – | – | Section 17.62.010 |
| Alcoholic Beverage Sales | – | – | Section 17.62.020 |
| Animal Boarding | – | – | |
| Animal Care | – | – | |
| Bed and Breakfast | – | – | |
| Business and Professional Services | – | – | |
| Cannabis, Retail Business | – | – | Section 17.62.130 |
| Cannabis, Limited Personal Cultivation | – | – | Section 17.62.130 |
| Cannabis, Outdoor Cultivation | – | – | Section 17.62.130 |
| Check Cashing Businesses | – | – | Section 17.62.050 |
| Dance and Fitness Studios | – | – | |
| Escort Services | – | – | Section 17.62.120 |
| Farmers Markets | A | A | |
| Food and Beverage Sales, Convenience | – | – | |
| Food and Beverage Sales, General | – | – | |
| Funeral and Interment Services | U | – | |
| Health Food Stores | – | – | Section 17.62.090 |
| Hotels and Motels | – | – | |
| Massage Establishments | – | – | Section 17.62.120 |
| Mobile Vending | – | – | Section 17.62.140 |
| Nurseries | – | – | |
| Offices | – | – | |
| Personal Services | – | – | |
| Repair Services, General | – | – | |
| Repair Services, Limited | – | – | |
| Restaurants, Fast Service | – | – | Section 17.62.160 |
| Restaurants, Full Service | – | – | |
| Retail Sales, General | – | – | |
| Retail Sales, Local | – | – | |
| Retail Sales, Outdoor | – | – | |
| Retail Sales, Regional | – | – | |
| Secondhand Dealers | – | – | Section 17.62.170 |
| Smoke Shops | – | – | Section 17.62.180 |
| Tattoo Parlors | – | – | Section 17.62.190 |
| Wholesaling | – | – | |
| Automobile and Vehicle Uses | Automobile and Vehicle Uses | Automobile and Vehicle Uses | Automobile and Vehicle Uses |
| Automotive, General Repair | – | – | Section 17.62.040 |
| Automotive, Limited Repair | – | – | Section 17.62.040 |
| Automotive, New Car Sales | – | – | |
| Automotive, Parking | – | – | |
| Automotive, Parts Sales | – | – | |
| Automotive, Service Stations | – | – | |
| Automotive, Used Car Sales | – | – | |
| Automotive, Washing | – | – | |
| Boat and RV Sales | – | – | |
| Taxicab Companies | – | – | |
| Truck Repair and Sales | – | – | |
| Industrial, Manufacturing, and Processing Uses | |||
| Building Materials | – | – | |
| Industry, General | – | – | |
| Industry, Limited | – | – | |
| Junkyards | – | – | Section 17.62.110 |
| Maintenance Yards | – | – | |
| Recycling Services, Consumer | U | – | |
| Recycling Services, Donation/ |
U | – | |
| Recycling Services, General | U | – | |
| Research and Development | U | – | |
| Storage, Personal | U | – | |
| Warehousing and Storage, Enclosed | U | – | |
| Warehousing and Storage, Outdoors | – | – |
(Ord. 2015-002 § 3, 2015; Ord. 2016-001 § 4, 2016; Ord. 2017-003 § 4, 2017; Ord. 2017-005 § 4, 2017; Ord. 2020-002 § 10, 2020; Ord. 2025-001, 3/3/2025; Ord. 2026-002, 4/20/2026)
§ 17.36.040. Development standards.¶
A. General. No minimum parcel area is required.
B. Height. The maximum building height is twenty-seven feet; provided, that a greater height may be allowed pursuant to a use permit.
C. Floor area ratio. A maximum floor area ratio is not applicable.
D. Setbacks. The following setbacks are required:
No front yard setback is required except where the frontage in a block is partially in a residential district, in which case the front yard shall be the same as the residential district.
No side yard setback is required except where the side of a parcel abuts the side of a parcel in a residential district or a parcel on which a residential use is located, in which case the side yard shall be not less than ten feet.
No rear yard setback is required except where the rear of a parcel abuts a residential district or a parcel on which a residential use is located, in which case the rear yard shall not be less than ten feet.
E. Stormwater management. For rules on stormwater management, see Chapter 8.40.
(Ord. 2015-002 § 3 (Exh. 1)(part), 2015)
§ 17.36.050. Accessory uses.¶
Accessory uses normally incidental to the type of principal use located on the parcel are allowed. In case of dispute, the zoning administrator shall determine if a use is an accessory or a principal use.
(Ord. 2015-002 § 3 (Exh. 1)(part), 2015)
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