Tuolumne County Municipal Code Art. 2 Chapter 17.18

SPECIAL PURPOSE ZONING DISTRICTS Sections:

• 17.18.010 Purpose.
• 17.18.020 Public District or (P) District.
• 17.18.030 Timberland Production District.
• 17.18.040 Mineral Preserve (MPZ) District.

types of special purpose zoning districts and establishes the respective regulations for permitted land uses, conditional uses, minimum parcel size, building intensity, and transfer of ownership.
A. Purposes of Special Purpose Zoning Districts. 1. Public District or (P) District. The purpose of the Public (P) District is to acknowledge the limited ability of the County to impose regulations on land under the jurisdiction of public agencies, including, but not limited to, federal, state and local governmental bodies and public utilities. This zoning is compatible with all General Plan land use designations. 2. Timberland Production District. The Timberland Production (TPZ) District is for the protection of timberland and in order to prevent encroachment upon it by incompatible uses of land, and for the general welfare of the County as a whole. This zone is intended to qualify its land pursuant to Z'berg- Warren-Keene-Collier Forest Taxation Reform Act of 1976 or such other legislative statutes or constitutional authorization as may be developed for defining a timberland preserve.
3. Mineral Preserve (MPZ) District. The Mineral Preserve (MPZ) District is for the protection of lands best suited for mineral or aggregate extraction from the encroachment of incompatible uses and to preserve such land for resource production.

A. Allowed uses. Table 17.18.1 lists uses allowed and the level of review required within any Public (P) District.
B. Minimum parcel size. Within the Public District, there shall be no minimum parcel size requirement for the purposes of creating new parcels.
C. Building intensity. Within the Public District, there shall be no limit to the building intensity.
D. Transfer of ownership. Upon transfer of lands from a public agency to a private individual or nonpublic entity, land uses shall be limited to those listed in Table 17.18.1 until such time as the land is reclassified to another zoning district. No entitlements, such as use permits or land division, shall be approved by the county until such time as this zoning reclassification becomes effective.

A. Allowed uses. Table 17.18.1 lists uses allowed and the level of review required within any Timberland Production (TPZ) District.

B. Rezoning land. Land may be rezoned as a Timberland Production (TPZ) District upon a finding that the criteria of Government Code Section 51113(c) have been met. C. Additional regulations. The term of the TPZ District shall be as set forth in Government Code Section 51114.
D. Inclusion of additional lands. Additional lands may be zoned TPZ and added to an existing timberland preserve pursuant to Government Code Section 51113.5.
E. Minimum parcel size. Within any TPZ District, no parcel of real property shall be divided or reconfigured where any parcel so created will be less than 160 gross acres in area, except as provided by Government Code Section 51119.5. An existing parcel that does not meet the minimum parcel size regulation may be reconfigured to a resulting parcel that does not meet the minimum parcel size provided the reconfiguration does not result in a decrease in the size of the existing parcel. Parcels resulting from a merger shall be exempt from the minimum parcel size requirement.
F. Building intensity. Within any Timberland Production (TPZ) District, the maximum residential building intensity shall be one dwelling per 37 acres without discretionary review. The maximum ratio of the coverage of all buildings on a parcel, referred to as the floor area ratio (FAR), shall be 0.05. Additional units/building coverage are possible through a density bonus for the provision of affordable housing in accordance with the California Government Code.
G. Rezoning. Parcels zoned TPZ may be rezoned pursuant to Government Code Sections 51120 et seq., or 51130 et seq.
H. Minimum parcel size requirement. Parcels of less than 37 acres shall not be zoned TPZ unless the parcel adjoins either lands within an existing TPZ District or the Stanislaus National Forest.

A. Allowed uses. Table 17.18.1 lists uses allowed and the level of review required within any Mineral Preserve(MPZ) District. B. Minimum parcel size. Within any Mineral Preserve(MPZ) District, no parcel of real property shall be divided or reconfigured where any parcel so created will be less than 20 gross acres in area or have an average width of less than 500 feet. An existing parcel that does not meet the minimum parcel size and average width requirements may be reconfigured to a resulting parcel that does not meet the minimum parcel size and average width requirements provided the reconfiguration does not result in a decrease in the size of the existing parcel and in the average width of the existing parcel. Parcels resulting from a merger shall be exempt from the minimum parcel size and average width requirements.
C. Building intensity. Within any Mineral Preserve (MPZ) District, the maximum residential building intensity shall be one dwelling per 20 acres without discretionary review. The maximum ratio of the coverage of all building on a parcel, referred to as the FAR, shall be 0.2. Additional units/building coverage are possible through a density bonus for the provision of affordable housing in accordance with the California Government Code.

TABLE 17.18.1 ALLOWED LAND USES AND PERMIT REQUIREMENTS
Key Blank Cell – Not Permitted
“P” – Permitted without Discretionary Review “C” – Discretionary Review Required
A. Land Use Classification B. P C. TPZ D. MPZ E. Additional Regulations Residential Uses One single-family dwelling per parcel

P1 P

Additional single-family dwellings

C1,2

Accessory dwelling unit

P P Ch. 17.36 Junior accessory dwelling unit

P P Ch. 17.36 Residential care homes of any size regardless of state licensing

P1,3 P3

Day care centers and small family day care homes, for not more than eight nonemployee occupants

P3,1 P3

Transitional housing or supportive housing within a permitted single-family dwelling

P1 P

Employee housing C C1 C

Employee housing for six persons or less

P3 P3

Agricultural laborer housing P P P

Dormitory P

Agricultural and Resources Uses Christmas tree farms P P1 P

Uses integrally related to the growing, harvesting and processing of forest products, including but not limited to roads, log landings, and log storage areas P P1

Management for watershed P P1 P

Management for fish and wildlife habitat or hunting and fishing P P1 P

General farming and ranching - irrigated P C1 C

General farming and ranching – non-irrigated P P P

Agricultural processing P

Nurseries and greenhouses

C1

Wholesale nurseries

C

Agricultural processing facilities and activities and related accessory uses for products primarily from the farm or ranch located on the parcel or a combination of the

C1 C

Key Blank Cell – Not Permitted
“P” – Permitted without Discretionary Review “C” – Discretionary Review Required
A. Land Use Classification B. P C. TPZ D. MPZ E. Additional Regulations parcel and other parcels under the same ownership, all of which are located in the county Roadside stand for the sale of agricultural products primarily from the farm or ranch located on the parcel or a combination of the parcel and other parcels under the same ownership, all of which are located in the county

C1

Sawmills

C1

Portable sawmills and portable planing mills

C

Growing and harvesting of forest products

P P

Institutional and Recreation Uses Refuse and sewage disposal sites P

Water and sewer treatment plants P C1

General recreation and parks open to the public P

General recreational use incidental to the primary use of the parcel

C1

Recreational development

C1

Noncommercial recreational development

C

On- and off-shore marina facilities P C1

Airports and heliports P C1 C

Airstrips

C

Public utility distribution facilities/public water or sewer system P

Public transportation facilities P

Churches, public schools, libraries, museums, art galleries, visitor centers, fire stations, post offices, and cemeteries P

Law enforcement and judiciary facilities P

Public safety facilities P C1

Health care facilities P C1

Tent revivals, circuses, and carnivals

C1 C

Weddings and Commercial Events4

C1 C

Flea market

C

Key Blank Cell – Not Permitted
“P” – Permitted without Discretionary Review “C” – Discretionary Review Required
A. Land Use Classification B. P C. TPZ D. MPZ E. Additional Regulations Civic events P

Music festivals P

Commercial Uses Administrative offices and related uses P

Bed and breakfast establishments, not to exceed six guest bedrooms

C1,2

Industrial Uses Prospecting

P1 P5

Mining, mineral processing, and any use related to subsurface or surface development of mineral resources

P5

Green waste uses C C1

Development of aggregate resources

C1 C

Commercial refuse and sewage sludge disposal sites and public water and sewer treatment plants C C1

Outdoor storage of equipment and materials P C1 C Ch. 17.90 Auto wrecking

C

Biomass facilities

C1

Storage tanks for liquids or gases P

P Ch. 17.90 Communications Facilities Construction, alteration or maintenance of gas, electric, water or communication transmission facilities P C1

Wireless Communication Facilities C C C Ch. 17.94 Accessory Uses Accessory uses and structures appurtenant to permitted uses P P1 P

Accessory buildings and structures appurtenant to permitted uses P

P

Accessory uses and structures appurtenant to conditional uses C C1 C

1 The following use is permitted subject to first securing the applicable permit if it is found that, in the specific instance, such a use would not significantly detract from the use of the parcel for, or inhibit, growing and harvesting of timber. 2 Up to 37 acres per unit maximum density. 3 Within a permitted single-family dwelling.

4 Where a fee is required. 5 Subject to the requirements of Title 8. (Ord. 3471 § 7, 2024).