Barstow — Zoning

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

Barstow's local zoning ordinance is codified as Title 19 - ZONING; it establishes land‑use districts, permitted uses, and the development standards that apply across the city and implements the General Plan (§ 19.00.010, § 19.04.010) . The official district boundaries are shown on the city's zoning ordinance maps; the code sets procedures for rezones, conditional uses, site plan review and specific plans (§ 19.04.020, § 19.32.010) . This page summarizes the zoning districts, the most decision‑relevant numeric standards, and the process points that most frequently affect proposals.

Note: whenever you see references to required vehicle or loading counts, parking design and related calculations, consult the city's parking rules and the development‑standards tables; the code ties those together (§ 19.06.050) . For submittal design requirements also check the city's design review guidance (§ 19.08) .

How to read this page's citations and links

• Every numeric standard below is grounded in the Barstow Municipal Code (Title 19) with the ordinance paragraph cited (for example, § 19.10.010).
• Links to related Barstow menu pages are embedded at the first natural mention of each topic: parking, development standards, design review, overlays, ADUs, building code, signage, nonconforming uses, variances, landscaping.

District-by-district breakdown

Below are the districts established in Barstow (§ 19.04.010) — the code lists the districts as ER, LDR, SFR, MDR, DU, HS, C, I, O, MZ, PF, and SP — and the controlling code sections for each district are cited in the text that follows (§ 19.04.010) .

Note: the ordinance states that the official district boundaries are shown on the zoning ordinance maps; parcel‑level application requires checking that map and/or the Community Development Department (see § 19.04.020) .

ER — Estate Residential (§ 19.10.020)

• Purpose: very low density residential to protect desert amenities and open character (§ 19.10.020) .
• Typical permitted uses: one dwelling per parcel, ranchettes and limited agricultural/animal uses, accessory structures and a limited list of conditional uses (§ 19.10.020–.030) .
• Key dimensional standards: front/street side 25 ft (15 ft street side in some tables), side 10 ft, rear 25 ft, garage setback 25 ft, maximum height up to three stories; minimum lot area commonly 2.5 acres (see table in § 19.10.010) (§ 19.10.010, § 19.10.020) .
• Where it applies: parcels mapped as ER on the official zoning map; verify parcel zoning with the city (§ 19.04.020) .

LDR — Low Density Residential (§ 19.10.010 / § 19.10.030)

• Purpose: low‑density residential neighborhoods (§ 19.10.010) .
• Typical uses: single‑family homes (and limited accessory uses), some agricultural and residential accessory uses; other uses may need a conditional use permit (§ 19.10.030) .
• Standards: front/street side 25 ft (15 ft street side), side 10 ft, rear 25 ft, garage 25 ft, max height three stories, lot width/depth and minimum lot area per table in § 19.10.010 (§ 19.10.010) .

SFR — Single‑Family Residential (§ 19.10.040)

• Purpose: medium density single‑family neighborhood district (§ 19.10.040) .
• Typical uses: one detached single‑family dwelling, accessory structures, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) subject to code limits (§ 19.10.060), home occupations, bed & breakfast (limited), daycare per state law (§ 19.10.040; see also ADU rules) file.
• Standards: front 10 ft, side 5 ft, rear 5 ft, garage/carport 24 ft (when facing the street), max building height two stories, lot coverage 45% for SFR (§ 19.10.010) .
• Practical note: ADUs and second units are governed by local standards in Title 19 plus state ADU law — see the city's ADU rules and California ADU law for how state preemption interacts with local ordinance (§ 19.10.060 et seq.; see § 19.00.030 for interpretation rules) file.

MDR — Medium Density Residential (§ 19.10.050)

• Purpose: higher density, multiple‑family residential uses (§ 19.10.050) .
• Typical uses: multi‑family dwellings, boarding/lodging houses, hotels/apartment hotels (with conditions), senior/group care facilities subject to standards; many SFR uses are also allowed subject to MDR standards (§ 19.10.050) .
• Standards: the MDR section specifies unit sizes, required outdoor living area (options of 15% of gross floor area or 5% with conditions), minimum dimensions for outdoor living, and other development controls (§ 19.10.050) .
• Checklist item: parking, landscaping and trash/loading screening per general rules apply (see parking and landscaping and screening) (§ 19.06.050; § 19.18.100) file.

DU — Diverse Use (mixed‑use) (§ 19.12.030–.070)

• Purpose: allow mixed commercial/residential and other combined uses with flexible standards (§ 19.12.040) .
• Typical uses: commercial, office, light industrial with small employee counts, truck repair/service centers in limited form, and mixed commercial/residential developments (§ 19.12.030) .
• Standards: setbacks front 15 ft, interior side 5 ft, rear 5 ft, garage 20 ft; building heights vary depending on adjacency (when adjacent to single‑family 35 ft, along collector/arterial/hwy or next to multi‑family 45 ft) (§ 19.12.040) .
• Lot standards: minimum lot area 6,000 sq ft, coverage and FAR depend on mixed vs. single uses (e.g., mixed use FAR 150%, commercial only FAR 90%) (§ 19.12.040–.060) .

C — Commercial (§ 19.16.020–.070)

• Purpose: professional, administrative and commercial uses (§ 19.16.020) .
• Typical permitted uses: long list including offices, medical offices, restaurants (with outdoor seating rules), retail, bars (limited), auto‑oriented services (with conditions) — see § 19.16.020–.030 for full lists and conditional uses (§ 19.16.020–.030) file.
• Standards: minimum lot area 8,000 sq ft, building heights: 35 ft adjacent to single‑family, 45 ft when along collectors/arterials/highway, front and rear yards 15 ft where abutting residential (§ 19.16.040–.070) .

HS — Human Services (§ 19.14.010–.050)

• Purpose: locations for human services, shelters, SROs, sober living, navigation centers and related supportive uses (§ 19.14.010–.020) .
• Typical uses: a mix of residential, commercial/office and public services; emergency shelters, nursery/daycare, SROs are explicit (§ 19.14.020–.030) .
• Standards: setbacks similar to DU/C with front 15 ft, interior side 10 ft, rear 5 ft, with building heights stepped adjacent to residential (35 ft/45 ft rules), minimum lot 6,000 sq ft (§ 19.14.040) .

I — Industrial (§ 19.18.*)

• Purpose: industrial, warehousing, freight and manufacturing uses; industrial standards emphasize buffering and pollution control (§ 19.18.010 et seq.) .
• Typical uses: manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, service industrial and related uses (with conditions and screening) (§ 19.18.030 et seq.) .
• Standards: landscaping and setbacks specified; max building height 35 ft adjacent to residential and up to 55 ft otherwise; noise and emissions restrictions apply (§ 19.18.160–.170) .

O — Open Space, PF — Public Facilities, MZ — Military, SP — Specific Plan (§ 19.20, § 19.22)

• Purpose and uses: O preserves natural/open areas and park/recreation infrastructure (§ 19.20.010) ; PF governs public facilities (maintenance yards, utilities) with tailored standards (§ 19.20.020–.030) . SP is applied when a Specific Plan replaces standard Title 19 standards inside an SP area (§ 19.22.030) .
• Specific plans change a parcel's zoning to SP on adoption; the SP text and map become controlling inside that area (§ 19.22.030) .

Quick standards & permitted‑use table (decision‑relevant)

Checklist — what an applicant must satisfy (high level)

• Confirm the parcel's zoning on the official zoning map and identify applicable overlays and specific plan status (verify with staff) (§ 19.04.020) .
• Determine whether the proposed use is listed as permitted, conditionally permitted, or requires a discretionary permit in that district (see the district's § — e.g., § 19.10.040, § 19.12.030, § 19.16.020) file.
• Meet dimensional standards: setbacks, lot coverage, height, floor‑area ratio as listed in the district tables (§ 19.10.010; § 19.12.040; § 19.16.040–.050) filefile.
• Provide required parking and loading per parking rules and § 19.06.050 and any lot‑specific loading rules (§ 19.12.090) file.
• Determine whether Site Plan Review, administrative review, Planning Commission hearing, or a Conditional Use Permit is required; follow procedures in § 19.05 and chapter 19.30 (§ 19.05.020; § 19.30.120) file.
• For design, landscaping, signage, and screening, comply with design guidelines and landscaping/screening rules; refer to design review, landscaping and screening, and signage pages as appropriate (§ 19.08; § 19.06.060; § 19.18.100) filefile.
• If proposing an ADU, follow local ADU rules in Title 19 plus applicable California ADU law; deed restrictions and owner‑occupancy rules may apply (§ 19.10.060–.070) .
• If a rezone or amendment is needed, follow the rezoning filing and findings process (§ 19.32.020–.030) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English Summary

Barstow's zoning rules live in Title 19: they divide the city into named districts (ER, LDR, SFR, MDR, DU, HS, C, I, O, PF, SP), each with a list of allowed uses and numeric rules for setbacks, heights, coverage, and parking; the official zoning map defines where each district applies and discretionary approvals (site plan review, CUPs, rezonings) follow the procedures in Title 19 (§ 19.04.010; § 19.10.010; § 19.05; § 19.32) filefile.

Information Gaps

• Official, parcel‑level zoning map graphic and parcel tabulation: Not found in retrieved materials; § 19.04.020 confirms maps exist but the image/map itself was not in the provided materials .
• City council resolutions that identify allowed subsets for cannabis and other overlay/subset mapping: ordinance references these resolutions but the actual resolution maps are not in the retrieved files (§ 19.27.080) .
• Any recently adopted local amendments or administrative guidelines published after the file export: Not found in retrieved materials — verify with Community Development.
• Parcel‑specific exceptions, pre‑existing conditional uses, or recorded deed restrictions on a given lot: Not available inside the code; verify with city records.

Source References

• Barstow Municipal Code, Title 19 — ZONING: § 19.00.010 et seq. (Title identification and purpose) .
• Residential district standards and tables: § 19.10.010, § 19.10.020, § 19.10.040, § 19.10.050 (ER, LDR, SFR, MDR) file.
• Diverse Use district (DU) standards: § 19.12.040–.070 (setbacks, height, FAR, open space) .
• Commercial district permitted uses and standards: § 19.16.020–.070 (permitted uses, lot area, height, yards) file.
• Human Services district: § 19.14.010–.110 (purpose, permitted uses, SRO standards) .
• Industrial district requirements and limits (noise, screening, height): § 19.18.160–.170 .
• Open Space, Public Facilities, Specific Plan chapters: § 19.20, § 19.22 (purpose and SP controls) file.
• Site plan review, review categories and exemptions: § 19.05.020 and Chapter 19.05 (§ 19.05.020) .
• Zoning amendments / rezoning procedures: § 19.32.010–.030 (rezoning purpose, filing, findings) .
• Loading area standards (DU): § 19.12.090 .
• Cannabis local rules (location restrictions): § 19.27.080–.090 .
• Design Guidelines and incentives: Chapter 19.08 (design review, incentives) .

(Where the ordinance text refers to other internal rules — for example parking counts (§ 19.06.050), signage (§ 19.06.060) and landscaping/screening — those specific sections are referenced above and in the code snippets cited) file.

Retrieved passages

• Barstow Zoning Code (section 19.05.110) High relevance show source text
• Barstow Zoning Code (§ 2) High relevance show source text
• Barstow Zoning Code (§ 19.30.110) High relevance show source text
• Barstow Zoning Code (chapter shall) High relevance show source text
• Barstow Zoning Code (§ 19.12.030) High relevance show source text
• Barstow Zoning Code (title within) Medium relevance show source text
• Barstow Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Barstow Zoning Code (§ 19.16.010) Medium relevance show source text
• Barstow Zoning Code (§ 19.08.090) Medium relevance show source text
• Barstow Zoning Code (§ 19.10.030) Medium relevance show source text
• Barstow Zoning Code (§ 19.08.080) Medium relevance show source text
• Barstow Zoning Code (section 19.10.060) Medium relevance show source text
• Barstow Zoning Code (Title 19) Medium relevance show source text
• Barstow Zoning Code (section 19.10.040) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Barstow Municipal Code, Title 19 — ZONING: § 19.00.010 et seq. (Title identification and purpose) . (Title 19)
• Residential district standards and tables: **§ 19.10.010**, **§ 19.10.020**, **§ 19.10.040**, **§ 19.10.050** (ER, LDR, SFR, MDR) file. (§ 19.10.010)
• Diverse Use district (DU) standards: **§ 19.12.040–.070** (setbacks, height, FAR, open space) . (§ 19.12.040)
• Commercial district permitted uses and standards: **§ 19.16.020–.070** (permitted uses, lot area, height, yards) file. (§ 19.16.020)
• Human Services district: **§ 19.14.010–.110** (purpose, permitted uses, SRO standards) . (§ 19.14.010)
• Industrial district requirements and limits (noise, screening, height): **§ 19.18.160–.170** . (§ 19.18.160)
• Open Space, Public Facilities, Specific Plan chapters: **§ 19.20**, **§ 19.22** (purpose and SP controls) file. (§ 19.20)
• Site plan review, review categories and exemptions: **§ 19.05.020** and Chapter 19.05 (§ 19.05.020) . (§ 19.05.020)
• Zoning amendments / rezoning procedures: **§ 19.32.010–.030** (rezoning purpose, filing, findings) . (§ 19.32.010)
• Loading area standards (DU): **§ 19.12.090** . (§ 19.12.090)
• Cannabis local rules (location restrictions): **§ 19.27.080–.090** . (§ 19.27.080)
• Design Guidelines and incentives: Chapter **19.08** (design review, incentives) .
• Barstow_ZoningCode.md

• Official Barstow code library