Chapter 17.18 — BUSINESS AND INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICTS

Sections:

• 17.18.010 Purpose and applicability.

• 17.18.020 Use regulations.

• 17.18.030 Development standards.

• 17.18.040 Design standards.

This chapter encourages business and industrial uses by providing areas exclusively for development subject to regulations necessary to ensure the protection of adjoining uses. This chapter establishes use regulations, development standards, and design standards for the Business and Professional Office and Industrial zoning districts as follows:

Business and Professional Office (BPO). The BPO zone is intended to provide for professional and administrative offices, medical and dental offices, research and development uses, financial institutions, public and quasi-public uses, and similar and compatible uses. Residential uses in this designation can be considered for a building’s upper floors. This zone implements the office general plan land use designation.

Industrial (I). The I zone is intended to provide for industrial parks, warehouses, light manufacturing, auto and farm-related equipment sales and repairs, viticulture, and winery support services and similar and compatible uses. This zone implements the industrial general plan land use designation. (Ord. 23-4 § 5 (Exh. A))

Table 17.18.020(A): Use Regulations—Business and Industrial Zoning Districts, lists the uses permitted (“P”), permitted with a minor use permit (“MUP”) granted by staff-level review, and permitted with a conditional use permit (“CUP”) granted at a public hearing. The right-hand column provides references to additional regulations beyond those of the base zoning district development and design standards. Any projects that qualify for ministerial approval under state law will be processed ministerially as required by that state law.

The St. Helena Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 26-4, passed May 12, 2026.

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Table 17.18.020(A). Use Regulations—Business and Industrial Zoning Districts

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Use Classification BPO I Additional Regulations
“P” = Permitted; “MUP” = Minor Use Permit; “CUP” = Conditional Use Permit; “—” = Use Not Allowed
Residential Uses
Emergency shelters P —
Live/work MUP CUP Sec. 17.22.140, Live/work units
Multifamily dwellings CUP [1 ] —
Single-room occupancy (SRO) CUP [1 ] — Sec. 17.22.210, Single-room
occupancy units
Commercial Uses
Agricultural supply sales — P
Animal care and service
Animal boarding facility/kennel — CUP
Veterinary clinic — P
Automobile/vehicle sales and services
Farm/agricultural equipment — P
sales, service, and rental
Towing and impound yard — CUP
Banks and financial institutions P —
Business services
Equipment rental and leasing — P
General business services P P
Printing and copy services P P
Security services — P
Eating and drinking establishments
Brewpub — CUP See Sec. 17.22.050, Alcoholic
beverage sales
Maker’s space
Candle-making MUP P
Ceramics/pottery MUP P
Glass blowing MUP P
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The St. Helena Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 26-4, passed May 12, 2026.

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Table 17.18.020(A). Use Regulations—Business and Industrial Zoning Districts

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Use Classification BPO I Additional Regulations
“P” = Permitted; “MUP” = Minor Use Permit; “CUP” = Conditional Use Permit; “—” = Use Not Allowed
Jewelry P P
Multimedia MUP P
Mobile food vendor CUP CUP Sec. 17.22.150, Mobile food
vendors
Food preparation — P
Funeral homes and mortuaries — P
Health clubs and fitness centers MUP P
Heavy equipment repair — P
Indoor recreation — CUP
Offices
Business, professional, and P —
technology
Medical and dental P —
Walk-in clientele P —
Wholesale offices P [2 ] —
Winery offices (off-site) P/CUP [3 ] —
Personal services
Massage establishment P —
Retail
Building materials and supply — P
Firearms sales — MUP
Health care equipment P —
Saddle and equestrian store and — P
repair
Reupholstery and furniture repair — P
Industrial Uses
Commercial laundry — P
Construction and material yard — P [4 ]
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The St. Helena Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 26-4, passed May 12, 2026.

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Table 17.18.020(A). Use Regulations—Business and Industrial Zoning Districts

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Use Classification BPO I Additional Regulations
“P” = Permitted; “MUP” = Minor Use Permit; “CUP” = Conditional Use Permit; “—” = Use Not Allowed
Contractor shop — P
Contractor’s office and showroom, P —
excluding storage yard
Contractor’s yard — P
Crop service — P
Custom and artisan manufacturing MUP MUP
Dry cleaning facility — P
Fuel storage — CUP
Industrial, general — MUP [4 ]
Manufacturing, packaging, and — CUP
processing
Micro-brewery — CUP See Sec. 17.22.050, Alcoholic
beverage sales
Micro-distillery — CUP Sec. 17.22.050, Alcoholic beverage
sales
Research and development CUP P/CUP [5 ]
Storage, personal — CUP
Tanks for storage — CUP
Warehousing, wholesale, and — P [4 ]
distribution
Wine warehousing — CUP
Transportation, Communications, and Utilities
Communication facilities
Audio/video recording studio — P
Telecommunications Sec. 17.22.270, Wireless telecommunication facilities
Emergency services — CUP [6 ]
Public services, major (city facilities P P
only)
Public services, major CUP CUP
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The St. Helena Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 26-4, passed May 12, 2026.

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Table 17.18.020(A). Use Regulations—Business and Industrial Zoning Districts

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Use Classification BPO I Additional Regulations
“P” = Permitted; “MUP” = Minor Use Permit; “CUP” = Conditional Use Permit; “—” = Use Not Allowed
Public services, minor (city facilities P P
only)
Public services, minor MUP MUP
Solar energy systems Sec. 17.22.240, Solar energy systems
Transit stations and terminals — CUP
Agriculture and Extractive Uses
Mining and quarrying of — CUP [7 ]
nonmetallic minerals
Wineries, large — CUP [8 ]
Public/Institutional Uses
Colleges and trade schools CUP —
Community assembly CUP —
Day care facility
Seven or more persons CUP —
Six or fewer persons MUP —
Government offices CUP CUP
Hospitals and clinics P —
Instructional services — P
Low-barrier navigation center P —
Parking facilities CUP —
Schools CUP —
Accessory Uses—See also Sec. 17.22.020, Accessory uses
Accessory dwelling unit Sec. 17.22.030, Accessory dwelling units
Beekeeping — P Sec. 17.22.070, Beekeeping
Caretaker residence [9 ] — MUP
Cottage food operations P — Sec. 17.22.110, Cottage food
operations
Family day care, large CUP —
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The St. Helena Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 26-4, passed May 12, 2026.

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Table 17.18.020(A). Use Regulations—Business and Industrial Zoning Districts

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Use Classification BPO I Additional Regulations
“P” = Permitted; “MUP” = Minor Use Permit; “CUP” = Conditional Use Permit; “—” = Use Not Allowed
Family day care, small P —
On-site storage facilities CUP CUP
Small recycling facility MUP MUP Sec. 17.22.220, Small recycling
facilities
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End Notes:

• 1 Permitted on upper floors only.

• 2 Storage or on-site shipping and receiving of products not permitted.

• 3 CUP required for nonpublic wine tasting, offered to wine distributors and wine merchants only. No public sales or tasting allowed.

4 CUP required where adjacent to property zoned residential or an existing residential use.

5 A CUP is required when uses involve the use of hazardous substances.

• 6 May include cooking and sleeping facilities for employees on duty only.

• 7 Subject to the provisions of the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975 (Section 2710 et seq. of the Public Resources Code).

• 8 Retail sales and tasting not permitted.

9 Residence must be occupied by employees and their immediate families, employed for the purpose of on-site management, maintenance, or upkeep. Temporary business guests and employees on temporary assignment are also allowed to reside in the unit.

• (Ord. 23-4 § 5 (Exh. A))

Table 17.18.030(B): Development Standards—Business and Industrial Zoning Districts, establishes the development standards for the Business and Professional Office and the Industrial zoning districts. The numbers in each illustration refer to corresponding regulations in the table.

The St. Helena Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 26-4, passed May 12, 2026.

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Table 17.18.030(B). Development Standards—Business and Industrial Zoning

Districts

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Standard BPO I Key
Density/Intensity
Density Max. 20 du/ac n/a
FAR Max. 0.50 Max. 0.50 for uses
including <90%
warehousing
Max. 0.60 for uses
including >90%
warehousing
Lot Size
Min. Lot Area 7,000 sq ft 20,000 sq ft
Min. Lot Width none 100 ft ❶
Height
Principal Structure 30 ft 45 ft
No roof pitch must be 35 ft within 100 feet of a
less than 4:12 residential, A-20, or W
district
Setbacks
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The St. Helena Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 26-4, passed May 12, 2026.

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Table 17.18.030(B). Development Standards—Business and Industrial Zoning

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Districts
Standard BPO I Key
Min. Front Setback 20 ft 25 ft from 35 ft from a ❷
any street residential,
Min. Street Side 10 ft or public A-20, or W ❸
Setback right-of-way district
Min. Interior Side 10 ft ❹
Setback
Min. Rear Setback 15 ft ❺
Min. Setback From Min. 50 ft from top of bank of Napa River ❻
Abutting Waterway
Min. 20 ft from top of bank of all other waterways
Landscaping and Open Space
Private Open Space for Min. 80 sq ft per unit n/a
Multifamily
Development
Min. Dimension for 6 ft n/a ❼
Private Open Space
Min. 15% of lot area. Min. 10% of lot area.
Landscaped Area [1 ]
Required Buffer A landscaped buffer min. 15 ft width with street trees
Abutting Agricultural at 30 ft on center
Use and Residential
Uses
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End Note:

1 Landscaped setback areas count toward this requirement.

(Ord. 23-4 § 5 (Exh. A))

• A. General Standards. All development is subject to the provisions of Division IV of this title, Citywide Standards.

B. Residential—Mixed-Use Buildings. Buildings where a minimum of two-thirds of the floor area of the building is residential must meet the requirements of Section 17.16.040, Design standards, as well as those in this section. In the event of a conflict between the standards of these two sections, the most restrictive shall apply.

The St. Helena Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 26-4, passed May 12, 2026.

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• C. Design Standards in the BPO District.

  1. Building Design. Building design must emphasize active frontages and establish a connection to the rightof-way street.

     • a. Frontages must feature at least one entry.

     • b. Buildings more than fifty (50) feet in length along a right-of-way must incorporate at least one recessed entry with a minimum depth of six feet from the front facade.

  2. Building Facades Visible From a Public Street. Horizontal articulation must include an eave, awning, overhang, a differentiated building base, or other architectural element that articulates the building facade.

  3. Front and Street Side Setback Improvements. Where front or street side setbacks are provided, these areas must be improved with planters, paving, low walls, climbing vines, outdoor dining/seating areas, or other features that:

     • a. Visually distinguish parking areas from pedestrian areas;

     • b. Emphasize the building entrance and any on-site open space; and

     • c. Frame the building’s ground-level windows.

  4. Fencing. No fence in the front setback may exceed three feet in height. All other fencing outside the front setback may not exceed six feet in height.

5. Trash Enclosures. Unless specifically waived by the design review processes described in Chapter 17.05, Planning Permits and Approvals, all development projects shall have a refuse enclosure constructed of such materials as to be opaque and of sufficient size to permit the storage, removal, and replacement of standard commercial size refuse containers. No collection, storage or stacking of refuse is permitted outside the refuse enclosure. Trash enclosures must be illuminated for nighttime security and use.

   6. Parking. Parking spaces may be paved with all-weather pervious materials, but travelways must be of concrete or asphalt.

• D. Design Standards in the I District.

  1. Building Design. Buildings more than fifty (50) feet in length along a right-of-way must incorporate at least one recessed entry with a minimum depth of six feet from the front facade.

  2. Building Facades Visible From a Public Street. Horizontal articulation must include an eave, awning, overhang, a differentiated building base, or other architectural element that articulates the building facade.

  3. Front and Street Side Setback Improvements. Where front or street side setbacks are provided, these areas must:

     • a. Visually distinguish parking areas from pedestrian areas;

The St. Helena Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 26-4, passed May 12, 2026.

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• b. Emphasize the building entrance and any on-site open space; and

• c. Frame the building’s ground-level windows.

4. Required Screening Abutting a Nonindustrial District.

   • a. Abutting All Residential Districts. Where abutting a residential district, an eight-foot opaque, landscaped, soundproofed wall is required.

   • b. Abutting All Nonindustrial and Nonresidential Districts. Where abutting a nonindustrial or nonresidential district, an eight-foot opaque landscaped fence or wall is required. The eight-foot screening element need not be located on the property line.

5. Landscaped Buffer. In addition to the requirements of Table 17.18.030(B): Development Standards—Business and Industrial Zoning Districts, landscape requirements for buffer areas are as follows:

   • a. A landscaped buffer at least twenty-five (25) feet in width with street trees at thirty (30) feet on center is required along all street frontages;

   • b. Trees shall be at least fifteen (15) gallon size at time of planting; and

   • c. Ground cover must be installed under trees and maintained in accordance with approved plans.

Figure 17.18.040(A). Landscape Buffer

The St. Helena Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 26-4, passed May 12, 2026.

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6. Fencing. No fence in the front setback may exceed three feet in height. All other fencing outside front setback may not exceed eight feet in height.

   • a. An eight-foot opaque landscaped fence or wall (side/rear setback) is required where abutting a nonindustrial zone. If a residential zone abuts the property, subsection (D)(6)(b) of this section applies;

b. An eight-foot opaque, landscaped, and soundproofed wall is required where abutting a residential zone.

7. Parking and Loading.

The St. Helena Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 26-4, passed May 12, 2026.

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• a. Off-street parking is not permitted in the required front setback. If a property is located in the Highway 29 Specific Plan area, the parking site design must comply with the standards of the specific plan if more restrictive.

• b. Parking spaces may be paved with all-weather dust-free pervious materials; however, travelways must be of concrete or asphalt.

• c. No loading/unloading may be conducted in a public right-of-way.

d. There must be at least one off-street loading space per use. Additional loading dock and truck standing requirements must be based on proposed uses and must ensure that trucks will not block traffic or obstruct on-street parking spaces. Additional requirements may be specified as a condition of a conditional use permit.

8. Other Standards.

a. An interior fire sprinkler system approved by the chief building official must be installed in all buildings.

b. One-hour minimum fire-resistant construction on all exterior walls within ten (10) feet of all property lines must be installed. Fire resistant construction of interior walls shall be determined by type of occupancy and approved by the chief building official.

• c. Low flow (water restricting) plumbing devices shall be installed. (Ord. 23-4 § 5 (Exh. A))