Camarillo Zoning, Planning & Building Codes

Last reviewed: July 1, 2026

Overview

Camarillo's zoning rules are codified in the city's zoning ordinance in the Camarillo Municipal Code (the municipal zoning "title" and official zoning ordinance are located in Title 19 of the Camarillo code; the ordinance is expressly called the city's official zoning ordinance at § 19.02.040) . The code organizes zones, development standards, permitting paths (zone clearance, planned development permits, conditional use permits), and specialty rules (e.g., agricultural subzones and mixed‑use zones) across numbered chapters (for example, residential planned development rules in Chapter 19.16 and the Camarillo Commons Mixed‑Use zone in Chapter 19.21) . This page explains how the code is structured, the major district families used in Camarillo, where to find the citywide standards (setbacks, heights, lot coverage, parking), how discretionary review operates, key specific‑plan/overlay rules, the building permit/certificate of occupancy path, and how state housing laws (ADUs, SB 9, density bonus, etc.) interact with the local code (where local text exists or where a gap appears).

How Camarillo's code is organized

• The zoning ordinance is presented as a titled "Title" with numbered chapters and sections (e.g., definitions in Chapter 19.04 and general provisions in Chapter 19.08); the code says the ordinance "shall be known as the official zoning ordinance" at § 19.02.040 .
• The official zoning map and the process for establishing zone boundaries are adopted and maintained under § 19.06.040 (the zoning map is kept in the planning office) .
• Definitions that govern interpretation (for example, "zone", "yard", and other land‑use definitions) are collected in Chapter 19.04; see § 19.04.840 and following definitions for terminology used through the title .
• Permits and approvals are distributed across chapters: general permitting rules in Chapter 19.08 (e.g., permits required before a building or use is occupied in § 19.08.010) and certificate of occupancy requirements in Chapter 19.52 (see § 19.52.020) .
• Where the code defers to other administrative chapters (parking, signage, landscaping, nonconforming uses, conditional use procedures), it does so by cross‑reference (for example, parking rules are centralized in Chapter 19.44 and are cross‑referenced from zone chapters) .

For quick navigation on GoCodebook: the citywide rules below point to the relevant local topic pages (zoning, development standards, parking, design review, overlays and ADUs are linked in context).

Zoning district families (what the zones are called in Camarillo)

Camarillo uses a mix of residential, commercial, industrial, mixed‑use and special/overlay designations. Many of these district names are established as individual chapters or subzones:

• Residential / estate and agricultural subzones
  • R‑E (Rural Exclusive) — lot area subzone table and lot dimension/minimums are in § 19.12.050 – § 19.12.070; minimum yards and building rules are in § 19.12.080 and building height is limited in § 19.12.110 .
  • RPD (Residential Planned Development) — the RPD family (e.g., RPD‑8U, RPD‑20U) and planned development density designations are used to set project‑level densities; RPD development standards (yards, height, coverage, open space) appear in Chapter 19.16 (see § 19.16.080 – § 19.16.140 and § 19.16.090 for height) .
• Commercial / mixed use
  • C‑N (Commercial‑Neighborhood) — standards such as building height, coverage and landscaping are in Chapter 19.24 (see § 19.24.090 – § 19.24.110) .
  • R‑C (Regional/Community Commercial) — the R‑C zone has its own yard/height/coverage rules (for example, height limit in § 19.20.070 and yard rules in § 19.20.080) .
  • Camarillo Commons Mixed‑Use (CCM) — a precise mixed‑use zone created for the Commons area and described in Chapter § 19.21.010 – § 19.21.090; the CCM chapter sets permitted uses, planned‑development authorized uses, and yard/parking standards for that district (see § 19.21.010 and § 19.21.060 – § 19.21.080) .
  • Village Commercial Mixed‑Use (CMU) and Camarillo Old Town (COT) are specifically referenced later in the code as mixed‑use or Old Town locations for certain uses (e.g., low‑barrier navigation centers are allowed in these zones under standards) — see § 19.51.030 .
• Industrial / manufacturing
  • M‑1 (Light Manufacturing) — development standards (height, coverage, setbacks) are in Chapter 19.30 (see § 19.30.090 – § 19.30.130) .
  • M‑2 (Heavy/General Manufacturing) — M‑2 standards are in Chapter 19.32 (minimum parcel sizes, setbacks, height, coverage and landscaping are set out in § 19.32.060 – § 19.32.130) .
• Special agricultural/recreation subzones and overlays
  • The code uses subzone suffixes and specialized subzones (for example, RE‑40 AC provisions for agricultural uses and wineries are described in special subsections such as § 19.62.167 and § 19.62.168) .
• The code defines how earlier zone names were mapped into the current scheme (see the conversion table and zone establishment rules in § 19.06.030 and § 19.06.020) .

(For a quick GoCodebook entry on the city's overall zoning map, see Camarillo's main Camarillo Zoning page.)

Citywide development standards (setbacks, height, FAR/coverage, parking — where to look)

• Setbacks and yard rules are set zone‑by‑zone rather than in a single blanket table; representative examples: R‑E front yard 20 ft (minimum; see § 19.12.080.A), RPD front yard 20 ft (subject to RPD permit adjustments; see § 19.16.080.A) and M‑2 front yard 20 ft minima (see § 19.32.100.A) .
• Height limits are set in each zone: R‑E commonly limits buildings to 35 ft (§ 19.12.110), RPD defaults to 25 ft unless an RPD approval allows more (§ 19.16.090), and both M‑1 and M‑2 industrial zones list 40 ft as a typical limit unless a conditional use permit allows greater height (§ 19.30.090 and § 19.32.080) .
• Lot coverage/FAR: many zone chapters state maximum coverage as a percent of net parcel area (examples: M‑1 and M‑2 limit coverage to 60% in their chapters — see § 19.30.100 and § 19.32.090; some residential planned developments allow 40–50% depending on density — see § 19.16.100) .
• Parking and loading: off‑street parking rules are maintained in a centralized chapter (Chapter 19.44) and zone chapters cross‑reference that chapter (for example, see § 19.24.100 and the CCM chapter cross‑references to off‑street parking) — for practical parking requirements, start at § 19.44 and then check the applicable zone chapter for site‑specific cross‑references . For GoCodebook's quick summary see the city's Camarillo Parking page.

Where the code centralizes standards, the zone chapter will say "apply the property development and performance standards set forth in Sections X through Y" (for example, § 19.21.060 for CCM referencing Sections 19.26.065–19.26.180) .

(For consolidated rules and illustrative tables, consult the city's Camarillo Development Standards entry.)

Design / discretionary review and administrative approvals

• Principles: routine ministerial approvals and zone clearances are handled administratively, but many changes and new developments require discretionary approvals (planned‑development permits, conditional use permits, planning‑commission review). The code emphasizes "no building or structure shall be used or occupied... unless in conformity with the regulations... and then only after securing all permits" under § 19.08.010 .
• Zoning clearance and administrative review: the Director of Community Development reviews zoning clearance applications and must approve or deny them per the director's authority (see the code language on director review and the requirement that the director act on zoning clearances) — see § 19.20.180 and related director‑review provisions .
• Planned Development and conditional reviews: projects using planned development or seeking uses allowed under a plan must follow the zone's planned‑development standards (for example, planned development permit standards and commission review are referenced in § 19.30.110 and in the CCM chapter § 19.21.065–19.21.080). Conditional uses are processed under the conditional‑use permit provisions that the zone chapters reference (see cross‑references to Chapter 19.62 in § 19.32.080 and elsewhere) .
• Design review: the practical design review process is implemented through planned development permit requirements, planning commission approvals, and the director/commission review thresholds in the code — see the planning‑commission review for zoning clearance § 19.20.180 and the planned development/commission directions in the RPD and CCM chapters (see § 19.16.080 and § 19.21.080) . For an on‑site summary of local design review, see Camarillo Design Review.

Specific plans & overlays (what special areas & overlays the code recognizes)

• Camarillo uses specialized zone chapters to implement area‑specific policies rather than a single "specific plan" chapter in the text you retrieved. Examples: Camarillo Commons Mixed‑Use (CCM) is a tailored mixed‑use district established in Chapter § 19.21.010 et seq. that prescribes permitted uses and yard/parking expectations for that redevelopment area .
• The code allows special agricultural subzone treatment—RE‑40 AC (and similar agricultural classifications) — with stand‑alone rules for wineries and plant nurseries in the RE‑40 AC subzone documented in § 19.62.167 and § 19.62.168 (these sections set winery size minimums, allowed retail/tasting activity, signage limits, and parking/landscaping conditions) .
• Code sections that authorize interim or special uses by zone (for example, low barrier navigation centers) identify which zones can host those uses and the standards and timelines for review; see § 19.51.030 – § 19.51.050 (allowed zones and procedural timelines) .
• The official zoning map (§ 19.06.040) is the legal device used to impose these overlays and special zones on the land base — check that map in the planning office for parcel‑level designations . For GoCodebook's quick navigation to these programmatic layers see Camarillo Overlay Districts.

Building permits & review — typical path and where to find the rules

• Permit basics: the code mandates no building or structure shall be used or occupied unless in conformity and after securing all required permits (§ 19.08.010) — start every project here and at the zoning map in § 19.06.040 .
• Zoning clearance: smaller, ministerial projects generally begin with a zoning clearance reviewed administratively by the Director of Community Development (see director review authority and the requirement for planning‑commission review where applicable — § 19.20.180) .
• Discretionary permits: larger or non‑by‑right uses go through planned development permits, conditional use permits (Chapter 19.62), and planning‑commission hearings as required in the zone chapter (see, e.g., CCM cross‑references in § 19.21.065 and the conditional‑use permit cross‑references in § 19.32.080) .
• Certificate of occupancy: after construction and plan conformance checks, the code requires a certificate of occupancy application with the building permit; a certificate is issued only after work complies with the ordinance and approved development plan (§ 19.52.020) .
• Technical codes: building code compliance is enforced through standard building permit channels and the local building department, which applies the state's building standards; for the state code reference see the California Building Standards Code California Building Standards Code.

(Procedural summaries and typical checklists are available on GoCodebook's city pages: Camarillo Land Use and Camarillo Variances and Exceptions.)

State housing law in Camarillo — ADUs, SB 9, density bonus and where local code addresses (or does not)

Summary: California state housing law imposes floor‑level rules that local ordinances must follow (accessory dwelling unit (ADU) law, density bonus, SB 9, etc.). The Camarillo zoning text you provided includes many traditional local zone restrictions (for example, accessory buildings rules in R‑E) but I did not find a stand‑alone local ADU chapter in the retrieved ordinance. Below are the concrete local anchors and the gaps.

• Local anchors and constraints in the retrieved code
  • Accessory buildings in the R‑E zone are explicitly described and limited; the code says "Accessory buildings placed on the rear one‑third of the lot, may not be used for human habitation" and sets accessory building dimensional and placement rules in § 19.12.140 — this is a local rule that interacts directly with ADU policy because state ADU law protects certain ADU approvals against arbitrary local constraints (see next subsection) .
  • The code contains other accessory‑structure placement standards across zones (examples in RPD and industrial chapters) that a local ADU rule would need to harmonize with; see RPD accessory distance and RPD building separation rules in § 19.16.080 – § 19.16.140 and other zone chapters noted above .
• What I could not find in the retrieved Camarillo text (information gaps)
  • A dedicated Camarillo ADU chapter, specific local ADU numeric standards, local SB 9 implementation language, or a city adoption of a local density‑bonus implementation chapter were not located in the set of files you provided. Where the local code is silent or where state law preempts, state law will control — see the state ADU guidance in the California ADU resources (referenced below). If you need the city’s specific ADU processing checklist or objective standards adopted to comply with state law, those were Not found in retrieved materials and should be confirmed with the planning department or the full municipal code online.
• State law references and where to read them
  • For how state ADU/JADU rules affect local rules (height caps, parking prohibition in many cases, and limits on conditioning approvals), consult the California ADU law summaries and the state's building standards; a practical state overview was present in the provided ADU handbook (see the ADU handbook content about height and parking limits and permitting timelines) . For high‑level context on how state housing laws interact with local zoning, see the state housing primer on GoCodebook: California housing laws and California ADU law.
• Local vs. state: practical note
  • Where Camarillo's code has explicit local restrictions (for example, accessory building habitability language in § 19.12.140), those local provisions must be reconciled with state law when processing ADU permits; absent a local ADU chapter in the retrieved files, assume the city's processing will be done consistent with state law but verify current local ADU checklists with the city planning office .

For a user‑friendly local summary, see GoCodebook’s Camarillo ADUs quick guide and review California state guidance on ADUs via California ADU law.

Information gaps (what you should verify with the city)

• I did not find a dedicated Camarillo ADU / JADU chapter in the provided materials (searchable extracts show accessory‑building constraints but no standalone ADU section). Confirm the city's current ADU rules and local ministerial checklist with the Planning Department (Not found in retrieved materials; see § 19.12.140 for accessory building constraints) .
• I did not find explicit local SB 9 implementation language or a chapter explicitly titled "density bonus" in the retrieved excerpts. Confirm whether Camarillo adopted local objective standards or procedures for SB 9 ministerial lot splits or local density‑bonus rules (Not found in retrieved materials).
• If you need the exact parking ratios by use (retail, office, residential unit types), consult Chapter 19.44 (parking chapter) in the full municipal code or contact the city for the most recent parking table (Chapter 19.44 cross‑references appear throughout the zone chapters; see § 19.24.100 and § 19.21.090) .

Source References

• Camarillo Municipal Code — official zoning ordinance: short title and purpose, § 19.02.040 .
• Definitions and zone language: Chapter 19.04 (examples: "zone" and "yard" definitions) — § 19.04.840 et seq. .
• Zone establishment and zoning map: § 19.06.020 – § 19.06.040 (zoning map adoption; change of designations) .
• General provisions and permit requirement: § 19.08.010 (permits and conformity) .
• R‑E zone (lot area table, setbacks, accessory buildings, height): § 19.12.050 – § 19.12.140 (see especially § 19.12.060 table and § 19.12.080 and § 19.12.110) .
• RPD (planned development) standards and density references: Chapter 19.16 (see § 19.16.080 – § 19.16.140, including § 19.16.090 on height) .
• CCM (Camarillo Commons Mixed‑Use) zone: Chapter 19.21 (§ 19.21.010 – § 19.21.090) .
• Commercial Neighborhood (C‑N) and R‑C zone examples: Chapter 19.24 (C‑N: § 19.24.090 – § 19.24.110) and Chapter 19.20 (R‑C: § 19.20.070 – § 19.20.110) .
• Industrial zones (M‑1 and M‑2): Chapters 19.30 and 19.32 (height, coverage, setbacks: § 19.30.090 – § 19.30.130; § 19.32.080 – § 19.32.130) .
• Parking chapter cross‑references (parking and loading are centralized in Chapter 19.44): see zone cross‑references § 19.24.100 and § 19.21.090 .
• Certificate of occupancy and building occupation standards: § 19.52.020 .
• Special agricultural/recreational subzone rules (RE‑40 AC winery and nursery standards): § 19.62.167 – § 19.62.168 .
• Low barrier navigation centers (allowed zones & timelines): § 19.51.030 – § 19.51.050 .
• ADU / state guidance (not a Camarillo local section but provided with your materials for state‑law context): ADU handbook content in provided materials (state ADU rules and explanations) .