Solano County Zoning Code § 28.74 Retail and Office Uses
Solano County Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · updated 2026-09-24 · Solano County
Cite as: Solano County Zoning Code § 28.74 · Text as of 2026-09-24
28.74.10 RETAIL USES¶
A. General Requirements
Retail uses shall comply with the following general standards:
1. Access. Shall provide adequate truck loading area as required by the Zoning Administrator or Planning Commission, together with ingress and egress designed to avoid traffic hazard and congestion; All connections to County roads shall meet the encroachment permit requirements of the Director of Resource Management, which generally include, but shall not be limited to, paving of the connection within the County road right-of-way.
2. Roads. Shall be located on a public road or a private road in accordance with the general development standards set forth in Section 28.70.10.
3. Setbacks. Minimum setback from an adjacent street shall be the same as required for the main building.
B. Specific Requirements
The specific retail uses listed below shall comply with the general requirements in subsection (A) of this section and the following specific standards:
1. Automobile, Mobilehome, Recreational Vehicle or Boat Sales Lots.
a. Automobile, mobilehome, recreational vehicle or boat sales lots shall show that adequate controls or measures will be taken to prevent offensive light, noise or vibrations.
b. Automobile parking lots adjacent to a C or M District shall be paved; shall have a minimum six-foot high, solid board fence, or a minimum six-foot high masonry wall separating the parking lot from the abutting residential uses; and shall provide lighting
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only constructed in such manner so as to in no way disturb the living environment in the abutting residential district.
c. Automobile, mobilehome, recreational vehicle, or boat storage garages shall provide ingress and egress so designed as to avoid traffic congestion.
d. Automobile, mobilehome, recreational vehicle or boat storage lots shall provide ingress and egress designed to avoid traffic congestions; shall be enclosed and screened by a solid fence or wall of a minimum height of eight feet or vegetation except as may be waived by the Zoning Administrator or Planning Commission; and shall provide traffic surfaces that are maintained in a dust-free manner.
2. Automobile Parking Lots.
Automobile parking lots in R Districts, except RR Districts, adjacent to a C, M or R-TCMU District shall meet the following standards in addition to the standards set forth in Section 28.94:
a. The parking lot must be appurtenant to a permitted use in the C, M or R-TC-MU District.
b. The parking area shall be paved.
c. A minimum six-foot high, solid board fence, or a minimum six-foot high masonry wall shall separate the parking lot from the adjoining residential uses.
d. Lighting capable of providing adequate illumination for security and safety and directed away from adjacent properties and public rights-of-way to prevent offensive light or glare.
3. Automobile Repair Garages. Automobile repair garages shall be entirely enclosed within a building and shall show that adequate controls or measures will be taken to prevent offensive noise and vibrations.
4. Recodified as Section 28.76.10(B)(4).
5. Recodified as Section 28.76.10(B)(5).
6. Neighborhood Commercial Uses.
A commercial center where building(s) or uses do not exceed one thousand five hundred square feet of floor area, unless the Director of Resource Management for determines the proposed use is consistent with the intent of the Neighborhood Commercial (C-N) District.
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7. Outdoor Sales and Rental Lots
Outdoor sales and rental lots shall show that adequate measures and controls shall be taken to prevent offensive noise, odors and dust, and shall have a minimum six-foot high, solid board fence or masonry wall separating the lot from abutting residential uses.
8. Farm Stand
General. Farm stands, food establishments open to the outside air, and retail dairies shall have ingress and egress designed so as to avoid traffic congestion and hazards; shall provide adequate controls or measures to prevent dust, odor or light; shall provide adequate off-street parking; shall obtain Environmental Health Division approval prior to issuance of the use permit; and shall be determined to be in harmony with the committed character of the subject locality.
a. Farm Stands Within the (R) Districts. A farm stand incidental to a dwelling as permitted in an (R) District must meet the following specific development standards:
(1) Maximum Size. Shall not be greater than 2,500 square feet in size, as determined by measuring the gross floor area.
(2) Product Sales Requirement. The following table lists product sales requirements for a farm stand, subject to the restrictions set forth in subdivisions (B)(8)(a)(3) and (B)(8)(a)(4) of this section:
| Product Type | Maximum Square Footage of Total Stand Size |
|---|---|
| Agricultural Products | Up to 100% of total square footage. |
| Local Products | Up to 50% of total square footage. |
| Other Products | Up to 10% of total square footage. |
- (3) Prepackaged Food Sales. A maximum area of 50 square feet may be used for the sale and inventory of prepackaged food; provided, that such food sales and inventory comply with the requirements of the Department of Resource Management, Environmental Health Services Division. Such food sales and inventory must be from an “approved source” and not a “potentially hazardous food” as defined by the California Health and Safety Code.
Any prepackaged food sales that do not meet these criteria, including the square footage requirement, are not allowed.
- (4) On-Site Growing Requirement. At least 50 percent of agricultural products sold shall be grown or produced on site or off site on land within Solano County owned or leased by the farm stand operator. The remainder of agricultural products sold may be produced off site.
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(5) Setbacks. Minimum setback from an adjacent paved street, measured from the nearest edge of the pavement to the property, shall be the same as required for the main building.
(6) Ingress and Egress. Shall have ingress and egress designed so as to avoid traffic congestion and hazards. All connections to County roads shall meet the encroachment permit requirements of the Director of Transportation, which generally include, but shall not be limited to, paving of the connection within the County road right-of-way.
(7) Operational Controls. Shall provide adequate controls or measures to prevent dust, odor or light.
(8) Off-Street Parking Requirements. Shall provide off-street parking in accordance with Section 28.94 in addition to paved parking spaces, aisles and pathways for the disabled in accordance with the Building Code.
(9) Environmental Health Approval. If required, shall obtain Department of Resource Management, Environmental Health Services Division approval prior to operation.
(10) Compatibility With Community. Shall be determined to be in harmony with the community character of the subject locality.
(11) Farm Stand Signs. A maximum of one awning, freestanding, or wall sign is allowed reflecting the farm stand business on the property, with a maximum sign area of 16 square feet, notwithstanding and in addition to the signs contemplated by Section 28.96.80 (Zoning District Sign Standards). In addition, one sandwich board (i.e., A-frame) sign is allowed reflecting the farm stand business on the property, with a maximum sign area of nine square feet. All other applicable provisions of Section 28.96 (Sign Regulations) remain in effect.
b. Farm Stands Within the (A), (C), (IAS), and (P) Districts. A farm stand as permitted in any (A), (C), (IAS), and (P) District must meet the applicable development standards delineated in the applicable zoning district, as well as the following specific development standards:
- (1) Determining the Size of a Farm Stand. Size, as regulated in the applicable zoning district, shall be determined by measuring the gross floor area. Where a farm stand is operated within a portion of a larger building, the farm stand shall be functionally separated from the remainder of the building by either temporary or permanent walls and size shall be determined by measuring the gross floor area of the enclosed space plus any outdoor display area.
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- (2) Product Sales Requirement. The following table lists product sales requirements for a farm stand, subject to the restrictions set forth in subdivisions (B)(8)(b)(3) and (B)(8)(b)(4) of this section:
| Product Type | Maximum Square Footage of Total Stand Size |
|---|---|
| Agricultural Products | Up to 100% of total square footage. |
| Local Products | Up to 50% of total square footage. |
| Other Products | Up to 10% of total square footage. |
- (3) Prepackaged Food Sales. A maximum area of 50 square feet may be used for the sale and inventory of prepackaged food; provided, that such food sales and inventory comply with the requirements of the Department of Resource Management, Environmental Health Services Division. Such food sales and inventory must be from an “approved source” and not a “potentially hazardous food” as defined by the California Health and Safety Code.
Any prepackaged food sales that do not meet these criteria, including the square footage requirement, are not allowed.
(4) On-Site Growing Requirement. At least 50 percent of agricultural products sold shall be grown or produced on site or off site on land within Solano County owned or leased by the farm stand operator, or grown or produced within Solano County and provided to the farm stand pursuant to a documented contractual agreement. The remainder of agricultural products sold may be produced off site. Please note that nursery stock may only be grown and produced on land within Solano County.
(5) Setbacks. Minimum setback from an adjacent street shall be the same as required for the main building.
(6) Ingress and Egress. Shall have ingress and egress designed so as to avoid traffic congestion and hazards. All connections to County roads shall meet the encroachment permit requirements of the Director of Transportation, which generally include, but shall not be limited to, paving of the connection within the County road right-of-way.
(7) Operational Controls. Shall provide adequate controls or measures to prevent dust, odor or artificial light and glare.
(8) Off-Street Parking Requirements. Shall provide off-street parking in accordance with Section 28.94 in addition to paved parking spaces, aisles and pathways for the disabled in accordance with the Building Code.
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(9) Environmental Health Approval. If required, shall obtain Department of Resource Management, Environmental Health Services Division approval prior to operation.
(10) Compatibility With Community. Shall be determined to be in harmony with the community character of the subject locality.
(11) Farm Stand Signs. A maximum of one awning, freestanding, projecting or wall sign is allowed reflecting the farm stand business on the property, with a maximum sign area of 32 square feet, notwithstanding and in addition to the signs contemplated by Section 28.96.80 (Zoning District Sign Standards). In addition, one sandwich board (i.e., A-frame) sign is allowed reflecting the farm stand business on the property, with a maximum sign area of nine square feet. All other applicable provisions of Section 28.96 (Sign Regulations) remain in effect.
(Ord. No. 1831, §10; Ord. No. 1840, §26; Ord. No. 1860, §6; Ord. No. 1861, §4; Ord. No. 1863, §§2, 4, 5)
28.74.20 OFFICE USES¶
A. General Requirements
Recreation uses shall comply with the following general standards:
1. Access. Shall provide adequate truck loading area as required by the Zoning Administrator or Planning Commission, together with ingress and egress designed to avoid traffic hazard and congestion; All connections to County roads shall meet the encroachment permit requirements of the Director of Resource Management, which generally include, but shall not be limited to, paving of the connection within the County road right-of-way.
2. Roads. Shall be located on a public road or a private road in accordance with the general development standards set forth in Section 28.70.10.
3. Setbacks. Minimum setback from an adjacent street shall be the same as required for the main building.
B. Specific Requirements
The specific office uses listed below shall comply with the general requirements in subdivision (A) of this section and the following specific standards:
1. Agricultural Research Facilities
Agricultural research facilities shall be permitted, subject to the standards below:
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a. Standards.
(1) Public Road Access. Shall be located on a public road.
(2) In the A-40, A-80, A-20, and A-160 zoning districts, if an agricultural research facility that has 40,000 square feet or less of buildings or other structures is not an incidental activity to the production and/or processing of crops or other agricultural products, the facility shall be regulated as a large agricultural processing facility.
2. Medical and Dental Laboratories
Medical and dental laboratories shall maintain a minimum ten-foot landscaped strip on all property lines abutting residential property and residential streets.
(Ord. No. 1831, §11; Ord. No. 1840, §27; Ord. No. 1861, §4)
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