Bakersfield — Zoning

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

This page interprets the City of Bakersfield’s local zoning rules as codified in Title 17 (Zoning) of the Bakersfield Municipal Code. It explains how zones are established and mapped, the purpose and high‑level allowed uses of major districts, and the most decision‑relevant dimensional and procedural rules you will run into when planning a project in Bakersfield. For development details you will likely need to cross‑check site plan, parking and design review rules referenced below (links to those pages appear where first mentioned).

How the code organizes zoning

• The City’s zoning regulations are collected in Title 17 — ZONING (chapter list and district chapters) § 17.02–17.66 .
• The official boundaries are shown on the city’s Official Zoning Map; the map and its amendments are part of the code and are maintained by the Planning Department (the electronic file is not the “official” map) § 17.06.010–020 .
• If a use is not listed but is similar to listed uses, the city can process a determination of use; otherwise uses are limited to those explicitly allowed in each zone § 17.08.040 .
• Many procedural/administrative items (director review, conditional use permits, site plan review) are handled under the general procedural chapters; specific deviations can be authorized under Chapter 17.64 (modifications, director authority) § 17.64.010–040 .

Read this page alongside the city’s development standards (see the Bakersfield Development Standards), parking rules (see Bakersfield Parking), and the design review chapter (see Bakersfield Design Review).

District-by-district breakdown

Note: each district subsection states the ordinance’s stated purpose and where possible the typical permitted uses and development standards that appear in Title 17. Where the uploaded materials did not include a full use list or numeric standard, I note that the detailed schedule is "Not found in retrieved materials" and point you to the chapter cited.

R-S (Residential Suburban)

• Purpose: Provide areas for single‑unit detached dwellings and ADUs, promote larger‑lot single‑unit product types, and allow animal keeping under guideline standards § 17.10.010 .
• Typical permitted uses: single‑unit dwellings, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), limited accessory structures. (Full use schedule: see Chapter 17.10.)
• Key dimensional standards: Development standards referenced in Chapter 17.10 (detailed lot sizes and setbacks are in that chapter). Full numeric tables not present in retrieved snippets — Verify with the jurisdiction.
• Where applied: Residential neighborhoods shown on the Official Zoning Map § 17.06.010–020 .

R-1 (Single‑Unit Dwelling)

• Purpose: Provide land for single‑unit detached dwellings and ADUs, protect and preserve lower‑density neighborhoods; density range 2.1–6 du/acre § 17.10.010 .
• Typical uses: Single‑family homes, ADUs (subject to Chapter 17.65) § 17.65.030 .
• Key standards: See Chapter 17.10 for setbacks, lot coverage, and height. (Specific numeric setbacks for R‑1 were not included in the retrieved snippets — Verify with the jurisdiction.)

R-2 (Small‑Lot Single‑Unit / Duplex)

• Purpose: Allow single‑unit dwellings (with or without ADUs), duplex/triplex/quadplex; density 6.1–13 du/acre § 17.10.010 .
• Typical uses: small‑lot single family, duplexes, small multi‑unit housing.
• Key standards: See Chapter 17.10. (Numeric table not found in retrieved snippets.)

R-3 (Medium‑Density Multi‑Unit)

• Purpose: Medium‑density multi‑unit dwellings and two‑unit dwellings; density 13.1–20 du/acre § 17.10.010 .
• Typical uses: townhomes, small apartment buildings, ADUs.
• Key standards: See Chapter 17.10.

MX‑1 (Mixed‑Use Neighborhood)

• Purpose: Create pedestrian‑oriented, neighborhood‑serving mixed‑use areas; residential density 20–30 du/acre § 17.12.010 .
• Typical uses: small retail (coffee, groceries), upper‑floor housing, neighborhood offices.
• Key standards: Table 17.12‑2 sets site/structure regulations and references parking/landscaping/sign standards; consult Chapter 17.12 for precise lot and building standards § 17.12.030 .
• Where applied: Areas intended for pedestrian orientation and neighborhood commercial on the Official Zoning Map.

(First reference to mixed‑use links to the mixed‑use page: Bakersfield Development Standards.)

MX‑2 (Mixed‑Use Transit)

• Purpose: Transit‑oriented mixed‑use with high density 30.1–100 du/acre, targeted to corridors, interchanges and transit hubs § 17.12.010 .
• Typical uses: mid‑rise apartments/condos, ground‑floor commercial, transit‑supporting services.
• Key standards: See Chapter 17.12, Table 17.12‑2.

C‑O (Professional & Administrative Office)

• Purpose: Professional and administrative office uses for neighborhoods and employment Chapter 17.20 .
• Typical uses: offices, professional services (see Chapter 17.20 use list).
• Key dimensional standards (explicit in code):
  • Building height: maximum 60 ft (approx. four stories) § 17.20.060 .
  • Front yard: minimum 10 ft § 17.20.070 .
  • Side yard: 20 ft where abutting an R zone; corner street side 10 ft; otherwise none required § 17.20.080 .
  • Rear yard: 20 ft where abutting an R zone; otherwise may not be required § 17.20.090 .
  • Minimum lot area: No minimum § 17.20.100 .
• Where applied: Professional office areas shown on map.

(First natural mention of parking links to Bakersfield Parking.)

C‑1 (Neighborhood Commercial) and C‑2 (Regional Commercial)

• Purpose: Neighborhood commercial (C‑1) vs larger regional commercial (C‑2); see Chapters 17.22 and 17.24 for uses and permit requirements § 17.22.010, § 17.24.010 .
• Typical uses: Retail, restaurants, services — permit lists, director review, or CUP status vary by use; see chapter use charts (not all use tables included in retrieved snippets).
• Key standards: Chapter specific; design/retail development rules are citywide for retail projects (see § 17.08.140 on retail design standards) .

C‑B (Central Business) and C‑C (Commercial Center)

• Purpose and standards: See Chapters 17.25 and 17.26 (titles in TOC) § 17.25–17.26 .
• Typical uses and numeric standards: Not fully reproduced in retrieved materials — consult those chapters directly.

M‑1 (Light Manufacturing), M‑2 (General Manufacturing), M‑3 (Heavy Industrial)

• Purpose: Industrial/manufacturing activity with gradations by intensity Chapters 17.28–17.31 .
• Key numeric standards for M‑1 (explicit):
  • Front yard: 10 ft § 17.28.050 .
  • Side yard: 20 ft where abutting an R zone; corner street side 10 ft; otherwise none required § 17.28.060 .
  • Rear yard: 20 ft where abutting an R zone; otherwise may be none § 17.28.070 .
  • Minimum lot area: No minimum § 17.28.080 .
• Where applied: Manufacturing/industrial areas on Official Zoning Map.

A (Agriculture), RE (Recreation), OS (Open Space), HOSP (Hospital)

• Purpose: Reserved for agricultural uses, active recreation, open space conservation, and hospital use respectively; chapters titled 17.32 (A), 17.35 (RE), 17.37 (OS) and 17.38 (HOSP) (TOC) § 17.32–17.38 .
• Typical uses and numeric standards: Not fully present in retrieved materials — see the individual chapters.

PUD (Planned Unit Development) and PCD (Planned Commercial Development)

• PUD (Chapter 17.52) and PCD (Chapter 17.54) enable flexible project‑level standards and combinations of uses § 17.52; § 17.54.010–060 .
• PCD specifics:
  • Purpose: allow innovative commercial design and combine with base zones (e.g., C2/PCD) § 17.54.010 .
  • Rezoning procedure: when approved the zoning map is changed to include the PCD symbol; PCD can be exclusive or combining § 17.54.040 .
  • Final development plan and latitude to set standards different (more or less restrictive) than the base code are spelled out in § 17.54.050–060 .
• Where applied: Special commercial sites and masterplanned commercial areas.

Overlay and Special Districts (selected)

• HD (Hillside Development) — an overlay zone; HD regulations are in addition to base zone regulations and include specific hillside development standards § 17.66.010–160 .
• PE (Petroleum Extraction Combining District) — petroleum/extraction activity subject to Chapter 15.66 standards and special review § 17.47.130 .
• AA (Airport Approach), DI (Drilling Island), FP‑P/FP‑S (Floodplain Primary/Secondary) — chapters exist with special standards in Title 17 (see TOC) § 17.42–17.46 .
• TT (Travel Trailer Park) — separate chapter with minimum requirements and permit procedure § 17.48.010–090 .
• These overlays may add setbacks, grading, or other rules — consult the overlay chapter(s) for project‑level controls. (First mention of overlay districts links to Bakersfield Overlay Districts.)

Quick reference table — decision‑relevant standards & code refs

Checklist

• Confirm the Official Zoning Map designation for the parcel with the Planning Department and verify whether the electronic map is authoritative for your parcel (the physical/official map controls) § 17.06.010–020 .
• Verify that the proposed use is permitted in the parcel’s zone or determine whether a determination of use, director review, or conditional use permit (CUP) is required § 17.08.040; § 17.64.020–030 .
• Check the zone‑specific dimensional standards (height, setbacks, lot area) in the applicable chapter (e.g., C‑O: § 17.20.060–100; M‑1: § 17.28.050–080) .
• Assemble site plan showing building footprints, setbacks, access and landscaping in line with site plan review requirements (see Chapter 17.08) § 17.08.060–080 .
• Confirm parking requirements for the use (see Bakersfield Parking) and any applicable parking modification processes under Chapter 17.64 § 17.64.010 .
• If the property is in an overlay (e.g., HD, PE, AA), obtain the overlay standards and include them in the plan § 17.66.010; § 17.47.130 .
• For ADUs, follow Chapter 17.65 and state ADU law; ADUs are allowed in any zone that permits residential uses § 17.65.030 (refer also to California ADU law and the state building code for construction standards).
• If proposing a PCD or PUD, include a preliminary development plan and follow the rezoning / final plan procedures in 17.54 or 17.52 § 17.54.030–050 .

(First natural mention of design review links to Bakersfield Design Review. First natural mention of development standards links to Bakersfield Development Standards. First natural mention of Title 24 links to California Building Standards Code.)

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English summary

Bakersfield’s zoning lives in Title 17; each parcel is assigned a zone on the Official Zoning Map that controls what you can build and how (uses, setbacks, heights, density). For most residential, commercial, mixed‑use and industrial zones the code includes purpose statements and development rules — but you must check the specific chapter for numeric standards, confirm overlays, and use the Planning Department’s official map to be sure. Key procedural tools are a determination of use, director review, conditional use permits, PUD/PCD plans, and site plan review. See the cited sections below for where each rule is located.

Source References

• Official table of Title 17 chapters and TOC (Title 17 — ZONING) § 17.02–17.66
• Zoning Map adoption and maintenance — § 17.06.010–020
• General provisions, site plan review and determination of use — § 17.08.010–110, § 17.08.040
• Residential zone purposes and density ranges — § 17.10.010
• Mixed‑use zones, purposes and density — § 17.12.010–030 (Table 17.12‑2 referenced) § 17.12.020–030
• C‑O development standards (height, yards) — § 17.20.060–110
• M‑1 development standards (front/side/rear yards) — § 17.28.050–090
• PCD (Planned Commercial Development) zone: purpose, uses, rezoning and final plan — § 17.54.010–060
• ADU intent and applicability — § 17.65.020–030
• Authoritative chapters for overlays (HD, PE, etc.) — § 17.66.010–160; § 17.47.130
• Retail design standards and special geographic application (Northeast Bakersfield) — § 17.08.140

Retrieved passages

• Bakersfield Zoning Code (Chapter 17.64) High relevance show source text
• Bakersfield Zoning Code (Title 17) High relevance show source text
• Bakersfield Zoning Code (§ 17.60.010) High relevance show source text
• Bakersfield Zoning Code (Section Freestanding) High relevance show source text
• Bakersfield Zoning Code (Title 17) High relevance show source text
• Bakersfield Zoning Code (Title 17) High relevance show source text
• Bakersfield Zoning Code (§ 3) High relevance show source text
• Bakersfield Zoning Code (Title 17) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Official table of Title 17 chapters and TOC (Title 17 — ZONING) **§ 17.02–17.66** (Title 17)
• Zoning Map adoption and maintenance — **§ 17.06.010–020** (§ 17.06.010)
• General provisions, site plan review and determination of use — **§ 17.08.010–110**, **§ 17.08.040** (§ 17.08.010)
• Residential zone purposes and density ranges — **§ 17.10.010** (§ 17.10.010)
• Mixed‑use zones, purposes and density — **§ 17.12.010–030** (Table 17.12‑2 referenced) **§ 17.12.020–030** (§ 17.12.010)
• C‑O development standards (height, yards) — **§ 17.20.060–110** (§ 17.20.060)
• M‑1 development standards (front/side/rear yards) — **§ 17.28.050–090** (§ 17.28.050)
• PCD (Planned Commercial Development) zone: purpose, uses, rezoning and final plan — **§ 17.54.010–060** (§ 17.54.010)
• ADU intent and applicability — **§ 17.65.020–030** (§ 17.65.020)
• Authoritative chapters for overlays (HD, PE, etc.) — **§ 17.66.010–160; § 17.47.130** (§ 17.66.010)
• Retail design standards and special geographic application (Northeast Bakersfield) — **§ 17.08.140** (§ 17.08.140)
• Bakersfield_ZoningCode.md

• Official Bakersfield code library