Local zoning · Alturas

Alturas — Parking

Q: What are the required parking counts in Alturas for commercial and residential uses?

Alturas requires off‑street parking according to Table 28.45.020 ; the table (and rounding rule) are in § 28.45.020.A and § 28.45.020.A.1 . The ordinance text obliges you to use the table for counts; if a use is not shown the Director assigns a comparable requirement. The table itself (numeric ratios) and Figure 28.45.020 (stall dimensions) must be consulted in the adopted ordinance.

Q: What if I need a different number of spaces than the table requires?

A Use Permit or a Variance may be used to authorize departures when findings can be made (Use Permit) or special circumstances exist (Variance). For discretionary approvals the Decision Making Authority can impose conditions including changes to parking. See § 28.52.040 (Use Permit), § 28.52.050 (Variance) and § 28.51.040 (conditions of approval).

Parking under the Alturas local zoning and planning code, with the controlling citations.

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Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

This page explains how the City of Alturas regulates off‑street parking, loading and related site design under the local zoning ordinance (Chapter 28). The controlling parking rules live in § 28.45.010 and § 28.45.020; they set the process (parking schedule, rounding, design figure), tie accessible spaces to the California Building Code, and create a narrow exemption for the -DH overlay. See the City's Land Use and development standards for how parking interacts with setbacks, site plan review and overlays.

Note: throughout this page I link the first natural mention of related topics: parking, development standards, land use, design review, overlays, ADUs, and the California Building Standards Code to the local site pages listed in the menu. These links point you to related guidance (use them before applying). /us/california/alturas /us/california/alturas/development-standards /us/california/alturas/land-use /us/california/alturas/design-review /us/california/alturas/overlay-districts /us/california/alturas/adu /us/california/building-codes

What the ordinance actually says — core rules

Required off‑street parking is set by a parking schedule called Table 28.45.020; developers must provide the number of spaces from that table unless another provision applies. § 28.45.020.A.
Fraction handling: calculated fractional spaces are rounded to the nearest whole space. § 28.45.020.A.1.
Gross floor area basis: any SF‑based ratios use gross square footage of enclosed structures; small sheds and trash enclosures may be excluded. § 28.45.020.A.2.
If a use isn't in the table: the Director determines the requirement by comparison to the most similar listed use. § 28.45.020.B.
Combined uses: calculate parking separately for each use unless the schedule says otherwise. § 28.45.020.C.
On‑street credit in commercial zones: the Planning Commission may count new on‑street parking created by the applicant toward off‑street requirements during Site Plan Review. § 28.45.020.D.
Downtown Historic (-DH) overlay exemption: commercial businesses inside the -DH overlay are explicitly exempt from providing off‑street parking (the ordinance assumes street/grid parking serves downtown). § 28.45.020.E and the -DH Overlay description § 28.23.050.
Accessible parking: the number required by the table is inclusive of disabled/accessible spaces; the California Building Standards Code (CBC) controls the count, location and design (CBC 1129B referenced). § 28.45.020.F.
Parking design/dimensions: vehicle parking areas must follow the illustration and dimensions in Figure 28.45.020 and related design text. § 28.45.020.G.

Because the printed Table and Figures were omitted from the file previews you have, numeric ratios and exact stall dimensions are shown in Table 28.45.020 and Figure 28.45.020 in the code text; consult the adopted ordinance file or the City for the full images and numeric values before designing. Verify with the jurisdiction.

District‑by‑district (how parking practices interact with Alturas zones)

Below are the Primary Zone districts established by the ordinance and the decision‑relevant parking/development notes for each. The ordinance lists the Primary Zones in § 28.12.010 and the Land Use Matrix in § 28.22.020; general development standards (setbacks, lot sizes, heights) that affect how parking fits on a site are in § 28.41.020 and Table 28.41.020.

AG (Agriculture)

Purpose: protect agricultural uses and support farm operations. § 28.12.010.
Typical uses: crop operations, agricultural product processing (see Land Use Matrix). § 28.22.020.
Parking implications: expect on‑site vehicle and equipment parking; off‑street parking required per Table 28.45.020 where a non‑agricultural use is proposed. For large agricultural machinery/vehicle storage the ordinance directs special limits on outdoor storage and may require Use Permit review. § 28.45.020, and Land Use Restrictions.

RR (Rural Residential)

Purpose: very low‑density residential lots; supports rural living. § 28.12.010.
Uses: single‑family homes, accessory structures; where higher‑impact uses appear they typically require Use Permits. § 28.22.020.
Parking: single‑family projects follow the General Development Standards; accessory garages/carports are regulated by setback and accessory structure rules (e.g., detached garage placement). Off‑street parking counts use Table 28.45.020. § 28.41.040, § 28.45.020.

R‑1, R‑2, R‑3 (Low / Medium / High Density Residential)

Purpose: residential neighborhoods with increasing density from R‑1 to R‑3; uses and dimensional standards vary by zone. § 28.12.010 and Land Use Matrix § 28.22.020.
Typical uses: single‑family (R‑1), multi‑family (R‑2/R‑3) and accessory dwellings. § 28.22.020; ADU rules also interact with parking (see ADU page).
Parking specifics: residential parking counts are determined by Table 28.45.020. In addition, the General Development Standards (setbacks, lot width, accessory structure placement) determine whether parking can be located in front or side yards; some residential uses (e.g., rooming houses) have explicit per‑bedroom space rules. See § 28.41.020, § 28.45.020, and Rooming House rules § 28.38.110.

C‑1 (Retail/Office Commercial) and C‑2 (General Commercial)

Purpose: retail/office neighborhood center (C‑1) and broader commercial uses (C‑2). § 28.12.010 and § 28.22.020.
Typical uses: shops, restaurants, offices, services. In the -DH overlay portion of downtown (usually within the C‑1 area) special rules apply (zero setbacks; parking exemption). § 28.23.050.
Parking notes: On‑site parking is set by the parking table; however, the Planning Commission can credit newly created on‑street parking during Site Plan Review (§ 28.45.020.D) and the -DH overlay exempts downtown commercial uses from off‑street parking (§ 28.45.020.E, § 28.23.050). Expect Site Plan and Design Review to examine curb cut reduction, pedestrian orientation, and parking layout.

M‑1, M‑2 (Light / Heavy Industrial)

Purpose: manufacturing, warehousing and industrial activities. § 28.12.010.
Typical uses: warehouses, light manufacturing, equipment yards. Off‑street parking often includes employee parking plus dedicated loading/vehicle circulation; the Land Use Restrictions include rules for outdoor storage, repair and vehicle storage which affect parking and layout. § 28.34.xx and parking standards § 28.45.020.

RC (Recreation) and OS (Open Space)

Purpose: RC for higher‑intensity public/private recreation; OS for preserving open land or scenic resources. § 28.12.010 and zone descriptions.
Typical uses: large playing fields, event venues (RC); parks, habitat preservation (OS). Parking requirements: the parking schedule applies (Table 28.45.020), and many recreational uses will require a Use Permit with site‑specific parking, circulation and trailer/overflow parking conditions. For campgrounds and mobile home parks the code specifically requires off‑street parking per Article IV, Division 6.

Quick reference table — decision‑relevant parking rules

Issue / standard	What the code requires or allows	Code reference
Where to get the number of spaces	Use Table 28.45.020 (parking schedule)	§ 28.45.020.A
Fractions	Round calculated fractions to the nearest whole space	§ 28.45.020.A.1
Gross SF basis	SF ratios use gross enclosed SF (small sheds/trash enclosures excluded)	§ 28.45.020.A.2
Uses not listed	Director assigns by most similar use	§ 28.45.020.B
On‑street credit in commercial zones	Planning Commission may count new on‑street parking created by the project	§ 28.45.020.D
Downtown Historic (-DH) exemption	Commercial businesses in -DH are exempt from off‑street parking	§ 28.45.020.E and § 28.23.050
Accessible parking	Table totals include accessible spaces; follow CBC (see CBC 1129B) for count/design	§ 28.45.020.F
Stall dimensions & layout	Use Figure 28.45.020; parking area design must conform to this figure	§ 28.45.020.G

Practical guidance / interpretation notes

Always start with Table 28.45.020 to calculate spaces; if your use is unusual ask the Director for a comparative determination. § 28.45.020.B.
If your property is inside the -DH overlay, you might not need to provide off‑street parking for a commercial use — but the -DH overlay also exempts other site planning standards downtown (zero setbacks encouraged), so include a site plan that shows how pedestrian access and curbside parking will work. § 28.45.020.E and § 28.23.050.
Accessible parking design follows the CBC (the ordinance defers to CBC 1129B for accessible counts/layout). Include those stalls in your Table calculation rather than adding them on top. § 28.45.020.F.
The Planning Commission can accept on‑street parking you create as credit in commercial zones during Site Plan Review — show before/after curb layout and striping if you expect credit. § 28.45.020.D and Site Plan rules § 28.42.030.
Many development standards (setbacks, lot width, accessory structure placement) affect where you can put stalls, drive aisles and garages — consult Table 28.41.020 and the General Development Standards (§ 28.41.020 – § 28.41.050).

Checklist (what to submit / prove to comply)

Calculate required spaces from Table 28.45.020 and show math on the site plan. § 28.45.020.A.
Round fractional spaces to the nearest whole number and note the rounding rule on the calculations. § 28.45.020.A.1.
Show accessible stalls per CBC and note that required accessible stalls are included in the Table total. § 28.45.020.F.
Provide a dimensioned parking layout that follows Figure 28.45.020 (stall width/aisle widths) and show circulation. § 28.45.020.G.
If you want on‑street credit, show proposed curb, striping and demonstrate the net new on‑street stalls; request credit in Site Plan Review. § 28.45.020.D and § 28.42.030.
If located in -DH, show overlay status and include supporting materials demonstrating pedestrian orientation; flag the parking exemption. § 28.23.050, § 28.45.020.E.
If your use is not listed in the table, prepare a short memo mapping your use to the “most similar” use for Director determination. § 28.45.020.B.

Risks & Ambiguities

Issue	Why it matters	What to verify
Missing numeric ratios/figures in the preview	Table 28.45.020 and Figure 28.45.020 images were omitted from the retrieved preview — you cannot compute required stalls without them	Obtain the full ordinance PDF or city planning counter copy to read Table 28.45.020 and Figure 28.45.020 (verify stall sizes and any land‑use specific ratios). Verify with the jurisdiction.
Bicycle parking & loading spaces	The searchable excerpts do not show a specific bicycle‑parking or off‑street loading schedule in the preview	Confirm whether Alturas includes bicycle parking or loading ratios in Table 28.45.020, another section, or via administrative policy. If not stated, plan to provide adequate bike parking per best practice and confirm with the Director. Not found in retrieved materials.
Applicability of -DH exemption	The -DH exemption applies to commercial businesses in the overlay; mixed‑use or noncommercial uses may not be exempt	Verify the exact map parcel/overlay boundaries and that your proposed use qualifies as a “commercial business” under the overlay language. § 28.23.050, § 28.45.020.E.
Accessible parking design details	Alturas defers to CBC; local enforcement/interpretation can vary	Use CBC guidance for layout (CBC 1129B) and confirm any additional local accessible stall placement preferences during plan check. § 28.45.020.F.
Director discretion for unlisted uses	Director can assign requirements by analogy; that may be stricter than applicant expects	If your use is unique, request a pre‑application meeting and a written Director Determination so requirements are clear. § 28.45.020.B; see Director Determination process.

Plain‑English summary

Alturas requires off‑street parking per a parking schedule in § 28.45.020 (round fractions, include accessible stalls, follow the parking figure for dimensions); downtown businesses inside the -DH overlay are exempt. If a use isn’t listed, the Director assigns a comparable requirement — so show clear parking math on your site plan and confirm any credits for on‑street parking during Site Plan Review.

Source References

Alturas Zoning Ordinance — § 28.45.010: Content summary for the Parking Standards Division.
Alturas Zoning Ordinance — § 28.45.020: Off‑street parking requirements (parking schedule, rounding, gross SF, on‑street credit, -DH exemption, accessible parking, design figure).
Alturas Zoning Ordinance — § 28.23.050: Downtown Historic District (-DH) overlay (exemptions and overlay rules).
Alturas Zoning Ordinance — § 28.12.010: Primary zones list (AG, RR, R1, R2, R3, C1, C2, M1, M2, RC, OS).
Alturas Zoning Ordinance — § 28.22.020: Land Use Matrix (shows permitted uses by zone).
Alturas Zoning Ordinance — § 28.41.020 / Table 28.41.020: General development standards (setbacks, lot size, heights) that affect parking layout.
Alturas Zoning Ordinance — § 28.42.030: Relationship of Site Plan Review to parking/circulation review.
California Building Standards Code (referenced for accessible parking design — CBC 1129B).

If you want me to extract the numeric parking ratios and the stall/aisle dimensions from the ordinance (Table 28.45.020 and Figure 28.45.020), I can pull those next — or you can upload the full ordinance PDF and I’ll transcribe the exact entries into a machine‑readable table. Verify all parcel‑specific questions with the City of Alturas planning staff (overlay mapping, Director determinations, and Site Plan Review).

Sources

Retrieved passages

CBC § 1129B (Section 1129B) High relevance
Alturas Zoning Code (Section may) Medium relevance
Alturas Zoning Code (chapter and) Medium relevance
Alturas Zoning Code (Section 18860) Medium relevance
Alturas Zoning Code (Article II) Medium relevance
Alturas Zoning Code (Section 28.52.020) Medium relevance
Alturas Zoning Code (Article VI) Medium relevance
Alturas Zoning Code (Article II) Medium relevance
Alturas Zoning Code Medium relevance
Alturas Zoning Code Medium relevance
Alturas Zoning Code (chapter in) Medium relevance
Alturas Zoning Code (Article II) Medium relevance
Alturas Zoning Code (Section 28.38.070) Medium relevance
Alturas Zoning Code (Section 113893) Medium relevance
Alturas Zoning Code (Chapter 28) Medium relevance
Alturas Zoning Code (Article 8) Medium relevance
Alturas Zoning Code (Section 28.52.090) Medium relevance
CBC § 1129B (Section 1129B) Medium relevance
Alturas Zoning Code (Article V) Medium relevance
CBC § 66314 (§ 66314) Medium relevance
Alturas Zoning Code (Article III.) Medium relevance
Alturas Zoning Code (Article IV) Medium relevance
Alturas Zoning Code (CHAPTER 28.) Medium relevance
CBC § 453.6.1 (Section 453.6.1._) Medium relevance
CBC § 28.52.050 (Article IV) Medium relevance

Cited sections

Official Alturas code library

Frequently asked questions

What are the required parking counts in Alturas for commercial and residential uses?

Alturas requires off‑street parking according to Table 28.45.020; the table (and rounding rule) are in § 28.45.020.A and § 28.45.020.A.1. The ordinance text obliges you to use the table for counts; if a use is not shown the Director assigns a comparable requirement. The table itself (numeric ratios) and Figure 28.45.020 (stall dimensions) must be consulted in the adopted ordinance.

Do downtown Alturas businesses have to provide parking on site?

Generally no for downtown commercial properties inside the Downtown Historic District overlay: commercial businesses located in the -DH overlay are exempt from providing off‑street parking — see § 28.45.020.E and the -DH overlay description § 28.23.050. Confirm parcel overlay status before relying on the exemption.

Can newly created on‑street spaces count toward off‑street requirements?

Yes — where your project creates additional on‑street parking (for example by installing curbs and gutters), the Planning Commission may count that new on‑street parking toward the off‑street parking requirement during Site Plan Review. See § 28.45.020.D and Site Plan Review rules § 28.42.030.

How does Alturas treat accessible (disabled) parking stalls?

The ordinance states the parking-table totals are inclusive of accessible parking; the City defers to the California Building Standards Code for the number, location and design of all accessible parking (CBC 1129B). Show accessible stalls in your count and follow CBC layout requirements. § 28.45.020.F.

Are bicycle parking and loading space rules in the Alturas code?

In the retrieved ordinance excerpts the explicit bicycle‑parking ratios and off‑street loading standards are not visible in the previewed text (the core parking table and figures were omitted from the file preview). The code does reference off‑street loading as a general concept elsewhere, but specific bike/loading ratios were Not found in retrieved materials in the preview. You should request the full Table 28.45.020 and any separate loading/bicycle provisions from the City.

If my proposed use is not listed in the Table, what do I do?

The Director will determine the required parking by comparing your use to the most similar listed use in the schedule. Provide a short memo mapping your operational profile (staffing, peak customer counts, guest rooms, etc.) to a listed use to speed the Director Determination. § 28.45.020.B.

Do parking design dimensions (stall widths / aisle) have to follow a local figure?

Yes — Alturas requires off‑street parking areas to conform to the dimensions and design standards shown in Figure 28.45.020; accessible stall design follows CBC requirements. § 28.45.020.G and § 28.45.020.F.

Where do I find the set‑back/lot rules that affect where stalls can go?

General development standards (setbacks, minimum lot size, height, accessory structure rules) live in the General Development Standards matrix Table 28.41.020 and related sections § 28.41.010 – § 28.41.050; these determine whether parking/driveways can sit in front yards or must be to the side/rear.

Do ADUs in Alturas trigger replacement parking requirements?

State ADU law and local ADU rules interact with parking; Alturas defers to the state ADU framework where applicable. Check the local ADU page and state ADU law; the ordinance discusses ADU/parking interactions in the ADU guidance and in the Land Use Restrictions. Confirm with the City because the ordinance references state law limits on local ADU parking rules.

What if I need a different number of spaces than the table requires?

A Use Permit or a Variance may be used to authorize departures when findings can be made (Use Permit) or special circumstances exist (Variance). For discretionary approvals the Decision Making Authority can impose conditions including changes to parking. See § 28.52.040 (Use Permit), § 28.52.050 (Variance) and § 28.51.040 (conditions of approval).

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