Chapter 18 — xx – Name of Chapter
Truckee Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · ingested 2026-07-07 · Truckee
18.xx.xx – Section
A. Subsection 1. Subsection a. Paragraph (1) Subparagraph (a) Subparagraph
2. References, Citations
Provisions of the Development Code often include cross-references to other parts of the code, other Town documents, and requirements of California State law that relate to the particular Development Code section where the cross-reference appears. Cross-references and citations of other documents are handled as follows:
Outside of the same section. When a cross-reference is to text outside of the same section being referenced, the cross-reference starts with the Title number (i.e., 18) and continues to the appropriate level for the reference. For example, 18.010.050.B refers to Subsection B. of Section 050, of Chapter 010, of Title 18. The terms Title, Chapter and Section are used if the reference is to an entire Title, Chapter or Section. Cross-references will include the applicable Title, Chapter or Section number, followed by the name of the Title, Chapter or Section in parentheses. For example, “Chapter 18.02 (Development and Land Use Approval Requirements).”
Within the same section. When a cross-reference is to text within the same section, the name of the division level is used (i.e., Subsection) and the reference “number” starts with the appropriate subsection letter. For example, “See Subsection D.2, below,” refers to Paragraph 2, of Subsection D, of the same Section.
External documents. Provisions of State law that are cited in the Development Code will be referenced by the name of the applicable State Code, and either individual or multiple section numbers (for example, “Government Code Section 65091,” “Map Act Section 66749,” etc.). The reference will include the abbreviations “et seq.” (the Latin “et sequitur,” which means “and following”) when also referring to all following sections that are relevant to the reference. For example, “Government Code Section 65090 et. seq.” refers to Section 65090 of the California Government Code, and all of the following sections of the Government Code that relate to the same topic.
Availability of cited documents. Any external document referenced or cited in the Truckee Development Code, including the Truckee General Plan, Truckee Municipal Code, California Government Code, Subdivision Map Act and others, is available for review at the offices of the Truckee Community Development Department.
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3. Terms
The Development Code has been written in a “plain English” style and the meaning is intended to be clear as read. However, it is also a legal document and because of the need for technical terms with specific meanings, the Development Code also provides guidance on how specific terms are used. Article VII (Definitions) defines words that have a specific meaning in the Development Code. Chapter 18.03 (Interpretation of Code Provisions) contains other information on how terms are used in the Development Code.
D. Using the Development Code
1. Determining the Zoning Regulations for a Specific Site
To determine the zoning regulations applicable to a specific property, you must first find the site on the Truckee Zoning Maps. The Zoning Maps, contained in Appendix 3, will show the zoning applied to the site and whether the site is subject to any overlay zoning districts or limitations on maximum residential density. After determining the zoning of the property, you use the Development Code to look up all the corresponding regulations.
- a. Allowed uses and zone-based development standards. Look in Article II (Zoning Districts and Allowable Land Uses) under the applicable zoning district or the Master Use Table in Appendix 2 to determine which land uses are possible on the property and what type of land use permit is required for each use. Chapter 18.08 covers the residential zoning districts, Chapter 18.12 covers the commercial and manufacturing districts, and Chapter 18.16 covers a series of “special purpose” districts. The zoning districts are referred to as a base or primary zoning district.
Each chapter contains tables listing land uses allowed in each zoning district and the permit required for each use. Where the Development Code provides unique standards and requirements for a particular land use (for example, child day care centers, home occupations, etc.), these tables also list the Development code section where the specific standards can be found.
Additional tables describe the basic standards for development in each zoning district: the minimum size for lots proposed in new subdivisions, the maximum allowed residential density, maximum floor area ratio, maximum site coverage, minimum setback/yard requirements and the maximum height for proposed structures.
In some cases, a property in a particular base or primary zoning district may also have an overlay zoning district applied to the property that can limit the land uses normally allowed. For example, a site in the RL (Low Density Residential) zoning district could also be designated within the Snow Avalanche (-SA) overlay district. The requirements of the Snow Avalanche overlay district (Section 18.20.060) will need to be reviewed in addition to those of the base or primary zoning district.
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- b. Additional development standards. Look in Article III to find the remaining development standards that apply to proposed uses (in addition to those established for each zoning district in Article II). Each chapter in Article III applies to all development and new land uses within the Town, depending upon the specific land use proposed, the characteristics of the particular site and its location. Each of the chapters in Article III should be reviewed in the following order to find the development standards that apply to a proposed land use:
e established for each zoning district in Article II). Each chapter in Article III applies to all development and new land uses within the Town, depending upon the specific land use proposed, the characteristics of the particular site and its location. Each of the chapters in Article III should be reviewed in the following order to find the development standards that apply to a proposed land use:
Chapter 18.30 – General Property Development and Use Standards. This chapter contains sections that each cover one topic and that apply to most land use types. Each section should be reviewed to determine whether it applies to a particular use.
Chapter 18.34 – Flood Plain Management. This chapter applies to development proposed within areas subject to flooding and carries out the federal requirements for flood safety.
Chapter 18.36 – Hillside Development. This chapter establishes requirements for development proposed on property with slopes of 10 percent or greater.
Chapter 18.38 – Lake and River/Stream Corridor Development. This chapter establishes requirements for development proposed on parcels which include river or stream frontage and/or are adjacent to Donner Lake.
Chapters 18.40 and 18.42 – Landscape Standards and Design Guidelines. These chapters apply to all land uses and development, and provide standards and guidelines for the planting and installation of landscaping for various types of projects.
Chapter 18.44 – Noise. This chapter contains the Town’s Noise Ordinance.
Chapter 18.46 – Open Space/Cluster Requirements . This chapter applies to all projects and establishes requirements for the preservation of open space.
Chapters 18 . 48 and 18.50 – Parking and Loading Standard and Design Guidelines. These chapters apply to all land uses and development, and provide standards and guidelines for the location and layout of parking facilities for various types of projects.
Chapter 18 . 52 – Rail Corridor Standards . This chapter applies to parcels adjacent to the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way.
Chapters 18.54 and 18.56 – Signs and Design Guidelines. These chapters contain the Town’s sign ordinance and sign design guidelines and apply to all land uses and development proposing signs.
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Chapter 18.58 – Standards for Specific Land Uses. The sections in this chapter each provide standards applicable to specific land uses and activities, such as child day care facilities, home occupations, multifamily residential projects and others.
Chapter 18.60 – Surface Mining and Reclamation. This chapter provides standards for surface mining operations and their reclamation, as required by the California Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA).
Chapter 18.62 – Temporary Uses and Events. This chapter provides standards for temporary uses and events, which also require permits in compliance with Chapter 18.80 of the Development Code (Temporary Use Permits).
Chapter 18.64 – Truckee-Tahoe Airport Area Restrictions. This chapter applies to parcels in the Aircraft Operations (-AO) overlay district and establishes special height, noise and land use standards to implement the Airport Comprehensive Land Use Plan.
2. Determining Where a Specific Use May Locate
- a. The allowable use tables. To determine in what zones a specific use may be located, first review the Master Use Table in Appendix 2 or the tables on “zoning districts and allowable land uses” in the various chapters of Article II dealing with the specific residential, commercial, manufacturing, special purpose or downtown zoning district that applies to the property in question.
The left column of the tables lists the land uses allowed in each zoning district, organized into categories:
Agriculture, Resource and Open Space Uses
Manufacturing and Processing Uses
Recreation, Education and Public Assembly Uses
Residential Uses
Retail Trade Uses
Service Uses
Temporary Uses
Transportation, Infrastructure and Communications Uses
Under each land use type is a list of the individual land uses that may be allowed in each zoning district. The names of the individual land uses are intended to generally describe each use so that the lists do not need to exhaustively itemize every possible land use that may be allowed. Each land use is then defined in detail in Article VII (Development Code Definitions), with examples of the specific land uses that are included under the general heading.
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For an example of how this works, review the table of Commercial District Land Uses and Permit Requirements in Development Code Section 18.12.030. The page of the table that lists “Retail Trade Uses” includes “Retail Stores, General Merchandise” as one of the general land uses allowed in the commercial zoning districts. The definition of “Retail Stores, General Merchandise” in the Development Code Article VII then lists 30 separate land uses/businesses as examples of those that are considered to be included under the general title of “Retail Stores, General Merchandise.”
Each of the middle columns in the tables covers one zoning district, and the rows in the tables corresponding to each land use show whether a particular use may be allowed in the zoning district and what permit is required to obtain permission for the use. A key at the bottom of each page explains the meaning of the symbols found within the tables.
The left column of the tables shows whether any unique Development Code standards apply to the particular land use, which are located in Article III under the cited Development Code section.
b. Using the tables. Use the tables by first finding the general type of your land use as described above, and then look down the alphabetical list of specific uses to find your use. If you use cannot readily be found, try to find a use that looks similar or appears to generally describe your use, and then look up the definition of the land use in Article VII (Development Code Definitions). If your use is not listed in the tables for a particular zoning district, it is prohibited in that zoning district.
c. Checking overlay zone requirements. In some cases, a property in a particular base or primary zoning district may also have an overlay zoning district applied to the property that can limit the land uses normally allowed. For example, a site in the RL (Low Density Residential) zoning district could also be designated within the Snow Avalanche (-SA) overlay district. The requirements of the Snow Avalanche overlay district (Section 18.20.060) will need to be reviewed in addition to those of the base or primary zoning district.
d. Checking specific use standards. In some cases, the standards for specific land uses in Chapter 18.58 of Article III may affect a particular land use based on the characteristics of its proposed site. The left column of the allowable use tables in Article III will show a section number if the Development Code provides unique standards for a particular use. The listed section should be carefully reviewed to determine whether a particular site and project plan can qualify for approval.
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