Solano County Zoning Code § 28.51 Watershed

A. Purpose:

The Board of Supervisors finds that the watershed and conservation district areas of Solano County are very valuable natural resources, and in order to protect these areas from the constant threat of wildfire, subsidence, and landslide leading to the destruction and financial loss to private and public property; and in order to prevent increased threats of these hazards through overdevelopment of these areas; and in order to protect the general welfare of the County as a whole, there is hereby created a zone classification within which the establishment, perpetuation and protection of watershed and conservation district shall be encouraged.

The provisions of this Section shall be liberally interpreted insofar as they apply to the protection of watershed and conservation district areas. It is the intention of this Section to deter developer from considering lands in a “W” zone as potential urban subdivision property, as residential uses are not compatible with watershed and conservation district areas by the fact that such areas are characterized by slope instability, fire hazards, and the unavailability of water and public services.

Those areas to be designated under this zone are fire hazard areas and are subject to slope instability as determined by the Solano County general plan, and are characterized by the following conditions:

1. Steep topography (defined as slopes in excess of twenty-five percent grade).

2. Excessive vegetation coverage (defined as fifty percent or more of the area or parcel being covered with chaparral or woodland).

3. Inadequate roads (defined as roads below the County standards as to width, alignment, grade or improvement).

4. Lack of available water (defined as insufficient water to sustain a flow of two hundred gallons a minute for twenty minutes).

5. Land susceptible to subsidence or landsliding (defined as characterized by slopes greater than fifteen percent underlain by landslide-prone deposits, or by existing landslide deposits).

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A range of agricultural uses are found to be compatible with watershed management. However, these uses are specifically defined and prescribed to prevent an increase in the fire or landslide hazards that now exit, and such uses would not require additional public services. These agricultural uses should not attract increased habitation or encourage activities that are not compatible with watershed management.

B. W District Land Uses and Permit Requirements. Table 28-51A identifies the land uses allowed by this Zoning Ordinance in the W District and the land use permit required to establish each use. In addition to the land use permit required by Table 28-51A, special requirements may apply to certain uses. Architectural Approval may also be required for certain uses in compliance with Section 28.102 (Architectural Approval). A building permit shall also be required prior to any construction, alteration, remodeling or change in occupancy from a previous building permit.

Note: Where the last column in Table 28-51A ( “ Land Use Regulations ” ) includes a section number, e.g. 28.74, the zoning regulations in the referenced section apply to the use. Where the last column includes a chapter number, e.g. Chapter 13.6, the regulations in the referenced Solano County Code apply to the use. Provisions in other sections of this Zoning Ordinance may also apply.

TABLE 28.51A TABLE OF ALLOWED USES

TABLE 28.51A TABLE OF ALLOWED USES
A = Allowed by right, AP = Administrative Permit, MUP = Minor Use Permit, UP = Use Permit, E = Exempt, - - - = Prohibited
ALLOWED USES* *See Definitions Section 28.01	Permitted Uses	Land Use Regulations See Section 28.70.10
	W District
28.71 AGRICULTURAL USES
A. CROP PRODUCTION AND GRAZING
Crop Production	A	28.70.10
Grazing	A	28.70.10
B. AGRICULTURAL PROCESSING USES
None Allowed	- - -
C. ANIMAL FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS
Fowl and Poultry Ranch	UP1	28.71.30(B)(2)
D. OTHER AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS
Additional One-Family Homes for persons employed in agriculture	UP	28.71.40(A)

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TABLE 28.51A TABLE OF ALLOWED USES (Continued)

A = Allowed by right, AP = Administrative Permit, MUP = Minor Use Permit, UP = Use Permit, E = Exempt, - - - = Prohibited
ALLOWED USES* *See Definitions Section 28.01	Permitted Uses	Land Use Regulations See Section 28.70.10
	W District
28.72 RESIDENTIAL USES
A. DWELLINGS
Guest house	A	28.72.30(B)(1)
Primary dwelling	A	28.72.10(A)
Cannabis Cultivation – Adult Use (Recreational)
Personal Indoor	A	28.82
Personal Outdoor	- - -	28.82
Cannabis Cultivation – Medicinal
Caregiver Indoor	AP	28.82
Caregiver Outdoor	- - -	28.82
Personal Indoor	A	28.82
Personal Outdoor	- - -	Unless Exception Request Granted per 28.82
B. TEMPORARY RESIDENTIAL USES
None Allowed	- - -
C. AGRICULTURAL AND ANIMAL FACILITIES INCIDENTAL TO A RESIDENCE
Private stable	A	28.72.30(A) & (B)(5)
D. OTHER RESIDENTIAL USES
Hosted rental	AP	28.72.40(A) & (B)(5)
28.73 RECREATION, EDUCATION AND PUBLIC ASSEMBLY USES
A. RECREATION USES
Lodge, club, resort for swimming, boating, fishing, hunting or shooting	UP	28.73.10(A) & (B)(1)
Public Stable	UP	28.73.10(A) & (B)(3)
B. EDUCATION USES
None Allowed	- - -

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TABLE 28.51A TABLE OF ALLOWED USES (Continued)

TABLE 28.51A TABLE OF ALLOWED USES (Continued)
A = Allowed by right, AP = Administrative Permit, MUP = Minor Use Permit, UP = Use Permit, E = Exempt, - - - = Prohibited
ALLOWED USES* *See Definitions Section 28.01	Permitted Uses	Land Use Regulations See Section 28.70.10
	W District
C. PUBLIC ASSEMBLY USES
None Allowed	- - -
28.74 RETAIL AND OFFICE USES
A. RETAIL USES
None Allowed	- - -
B. OFFICE USES
None Allowed	- - -
28.75 TOURIST USES
A. AGRITOURISM
Vacation house rental	- - -
B. TEMPORARY AGRITOURISM
None Allowed	- - -
28.76 COMMERCIAL SERVICE USES
A. AGRICULTURAL SERVICES
None Allowed	- - -
B. COMMERCIAL SERVICES
None Allowed	- - -
28.77 INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING, PROCESSING AND WHOLESALE USES2
A. INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND PROCESSING USES
None Allowed	- - -
B. WHOLESALE USES
None Allowed	- - -
28.78 COMMUNICATION, INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICE USES		See Section 28.78
A. COMMUNICATION USES
Wireless communication facility
Co-location	MUP	28.81
New tower	UP	28.81

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TABLE 28.51A TABLE OF ALLOWED USES (Continued)

TABLE 28.51A TABLE OF ALLOWED USES (Continued)
A = Allowed by right, AP = Administrative Permit, MUP = Minor Use Permit, UP = Use Permit, E = Exempt, - - - = Prohibited
ALLOWED USES* *See Definitions Section 28.01	Permitted Uses	Land Use Regulations See Section 28.70.10
	W District
B. INFRASTRUCTURE USES
Battery energy storage system	- - -
Commercial solar energy facility	- - -
Commercial wind turbine generator	UP	28.80
Non-commercial wind turbine
100 feet or less in height	A	28.80
Over 100 feet in height	MUP	28.80
Pipeline, transmission or distribution line in R.O.W.	A	28.78.20(A) & (B)(8)
Utility facilities or infrastructure, outside of R.O.W.	UP	28.78.20(A) & (B)(9)
C. SERVICE USES
Cemetery	UP	28.78.30(A) & (B)(1)
Public Service Facility	UP	28.78.30(A) & (B)(4)
D. TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Meteorological Tower, 100 feet or less in height	AP	28.78.20(A) & (B)(6)
Meteorological Tower, greater than 100 feet in height	MUP	28.78.20(A) & (B)(6)
28.79 RESOURCE CONSERVATION USES
None Allowed	- - -

C. General Development Standards:

Subdivisions, new land uses, main buildings including primary dwellings, and alterations to existing land uses and buildings shall be designed, constructed, and/or established in compliance with the applicable development standards delineated or referenced in Table 28.51B.

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TABLE 28.51B DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR MAIN BUILDING, ACCESSORY STRUCTURES AND USES
	W District
PRIMARY BUILDING
Minimum Lot Area	160 acres
Setbacks
Front	Thirty feet; except that buildings shall not be less than fifty feet from the centerline of the street, and unless otherwise indicated by building lines on the zoning maps.
Sides (each)	20 feet
Rear	20 feet
Between structures	10 feet
Height limit	Thirty-five feet; provided, that additional height may be permitted for non-dwelling structures, including windmills, silos, private water tanks, and provided further, that no such structure shall exceed the heights allowed in Section 28-99, if located in an airport flight obstruction area.
Accessory Structures	Accessory buildings shall not be less than sixty feet from the front property line or less than twenty feet from any side or rear property line, nor less than thirty feet from any dwelling unit on the property.
OTHER STANDARDS
Parking Requirements	Parking shall be provided in conformance with the parking standards in Section 28.94
Signs	All signs shall comply with the sign requirements in Section 28.96

Special yards and distances between buildings required: accessory buildings shall not be less than sixty feet from the front property line nor less than twenty feet from any side or rear property line, nor less than thirty feet from any dwelling unit on the property.

D. Maximum building height: Thirty-five feet; provided, that additional height may be permitted for non-dwelling structures, including windmills, silos, private water tanks, and provided further, that no such structure shall exceed the heights allowed in Section 28-99, if located in an airport flight obstruction area.

(Ord. No. 1764, §11 (Exh. I); Ord. No. 1788, §2 (Att. A); Ord. No. 1798, §5; Ord. No. 1817, §§22, 23; Ord. No. 1845, §§23, 24; Ord. No. 1864, §11)

(Revised 12/25)

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