Where is a single-family home allowed in Butte County?

Find your lot's zone on the city zoning map, then read its row. Every status below was read from the Butte County Municipal Code use tables (read October 2026). Base zones only. General information, not legal advice — check with the city before you apply.

Zones where a single-family home can go

Butte County's code calls this use “Single-Family Home”. Each row links to the use table it comes from. A zone marked “see note” has a condition in the code, for example upper floors only or a larger lot.

Zone	Status	Code
AG Agriculture	Allowed — see note Note 4: One (1) single-family home and an accessory dwelling unit is permitted per legal parcel. Accessory dwelling units are not allowed on parcels subject to Williamson Act contracts.	§ 24-13
TM Timber Mountain	Allowed	§ 24-16
TPZ Timber Production	Allowed	§ 24-16
RC	Allowed	§ 24-16
FR Foothill Residential	Allowed — see note Note 6: One single-family home and an accessory dwelling unit is permitted per legal parcel.	§ 24-19
FCR Foothill Country Residential	Allowed — see note Note 6: One single-family home and an accessory dwelling unit is permitted per legal parcel.	§ 24-19
RR Rural Residential	Allowed — see note Note 6: One single-family home and an accessory dwelling unit is permitted per legal parcel.	§ 24-19
RCR Rural Country Residential	Allowed — see note Note 6: One single-family home and an accessory dwelling unit is permitted per legal parcel.	§ 24-19
VLDR Very Low Density Residential	Allowed — see note Note 6: One single-family home and an accessory dwelling unit is permitted per legal parcel.	§ 24-19
VLDCR Very Low Density Country Residential	Allowed — see note Note 6: One single-family home and an accessory dwelling unit is permitted per legal parcel.	§ 24-19
LDR Low Density Residential	Allowed	§ 24-19
MDR Medium Density Residential	Allowed	§ 24-19
MHDR Medium High Density Residential	Allowed	§ 24-19
HDR High Density Residential	Allowed	§ 24-19
VHDR Very High Density Residential	Allowed	§ 24-19
CC Community Commercial	Allowed	§ 24-22
MU Mixed Use	Allowed	§ 24-22
RBP	Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 3: Permitted only as an accessory use. The maximum number of units shall not exceed one (1) unit per acre of gross project area.	§ 24-29

Zones where it is not allowed

AS, GC, NC, REC, SE, LI, GI, HI, PB, AIR.

What else applies

State law: State law lets most single-family lots add an ADU and a JADU (California ADU law) and a second home or a lot split under SB 9 (Gov. Code § 65852.21).
Not covered here: PD (Planned Development) zone: follows General Plan designation, no use table; Overlay zones such as the Unique Agriculture Overlay Zone (named in S3 note 11). Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.

Other uses in Butte County

Who this affects

HomeownersBuyersReal estate agentsSmall developers

Frequently asked questions

Can I have a single-family home in the RBP zone in Butte County?

Only with a conditional use permit. Butte County's use table lists it that way in RBP (§ 24-29). The code adds a condition: “Permitted only as an accessory use. The maximum number of units shall not exceed one (1) unit per acre of gross project area.”

Can I have a single-family home in the AS zone in Butte County?

No. Butte County's use table does not allow it in AS (§ 24-13).

Can I have a single-family home in the AG zone in Butte County?

Yes, with a condition. Butte County's use table lists it as allowed in AG (Agriculture) (§ 24-13). The code adds a condition: “One (1) single-family home and an accessory dwelling unit is permitted per legal parcel. Accessory dwelling units are not allowed on parcels subject to Williamson Act contracts.”

General information, not legal advice.