Camarillo — Overlay Districts

Last reviewed: July 1, 2026

Overview

Camarillo’s municipal zoning code (Title 19) includes at least one named overlay: the By Right Residential Zoning Overlay (BR). The BR overlay creates a narrowly tailored, by‑right pathway for certain housing projects tied to the city’s 2021–2029 Housing Element and sets objective development standards (setbacks, separations, height, coverage, open space and affordable‑housing requirements) that must be met for ministerial approval. For the citywide context and how overlays interact with base zones and the official map, see the Camarillo zoning & planning overview and the Camarillo Zoning pages.

How this page is organized

• District-by-district breakdown (the actual Camarillo overlay(s) found in the retrieved ordinance)
• A concise standards table with code references
• Practical guidance, checklist, and risks to flag for applicants
• Plain-English summary and source references

Overlay district(s) found in the Camarillo ordinance

BR — By Right Residential Zoning Overlay (official chapter: Chapter 19.35)

Purpose and scope

• The BR overlay implements a by‑right, ministerial approval path for residential projects located on a specific vacant site identified as V3 in Camarillo’s adopted 2021–2029 Housing Element; projects must include at least 20% affordable units for lower‑income households and must meet the objective standards listed in the chapter. § 19.35.010.

Where it applies

• Limited to the RPD site labeled V3 in the Housing Element (the code text ties the overlay to that site specifically). Verify the official zoning map at the planning department to confirm a parcel’s inclusion. § 19.35.010; see the zoning map rules § 19.06.040.

Typical permitted uses / special preconditions

• The overlay is aimed at multi‑unit residential development that qualifies for the by‑right path; the overlay requires an affordable housing agreement with the city as a condition to use the BR process. The chapter does not re‑list general permitted uses for the underlying zone — it creates a procedural and objective‑standards pathway for housing on V3. § 19.35.010.

Key dimensional and program standards (summary)

• Front setback: minimum 15 ft when unit fronts a public right‑of‑way. § 19.35.010.A.
• Side yard: 10 ft minimum for two‑ and three‑story dwellings. § 19.35.010.B.
• Rear yard: 10 ft minimum (grade not to exceed 3%) unless project provides common open space and meets building separation standards. § 19.35.010.C.
• Building separations (distance between buildings inside a cluster project): front‑to‑front / front‑to‑rear / rear‑to‑rear 30 ft; side‑to‑front or side‑to‑rear 30 ft; side‑to‑side 15 ft; accessory building to any other building 10 ft. § 19.35.010.D.
• Height: limited to three stories and not to exceed 40 ft. § 19.35.010.E.
• Building coverage: projects shall not exceed 50% building coverage (recreation buildings may be excluded from coverage calculations). § 19.35.010.G.
• Common usable open space: minimums by unit type and distribution rules (e.g., 125 sq ft per efficiency/studio; 225 sq ft per one‑plus bedroom unit; at least 50% of required common space in no more than three areas; single common area must contain a rectangle at least 25 ft across). See § 19.35.010.H for full standards.
• Lighting: exterior lighting is permitted but must follow the city’s lighting regulations (referenced Chapter 19.47). § 19.35.010.F.

How approval works (procedure)

• Projects that meet the objective standards in § 19.35.010 and include the required affordable housing agreement are eligible for a by‑right (ministerial) approval pathway — the chapter frames the standards as the checklist the project must meet for ministerial sign‑off. § 19.35.010.

Other overlays

• No other overlay district chapters were located in the retrieved Title 19 print export. If you were expecting more overlays (historic, special flood, scenic, etc.), those were Not found in retrieved materials — verify with the planning department. Not found in retrieved materials.

Most decision‑relevant standards at a glance

Practical note: the overlay supplies objective dimensional standards but does not substitute for other regulatory requirements — projects must still comply with the zoning map, base zone rules, parking standards (see Camarillo Parking and Chapter 19.44), landscaping and other city standards. See the Camarillo Development Standards and Camarillo Design Review pages for related processes.

Checklist

• Confirm parcel inclusion in Housing Element site V3 and the official zoning map (§ 19.06.040).
• Prepare project plan meeting § 19.35.010 objective standards (setbacks, separations, height, coverage, open space).
• Draft and sign the affordable housing agreement required by the overlay. § 19.35.010.
• Confirm exterior lighting complies with Chapter 19.47 and include lighting plan. § 19.35.010.F.
• Address parking per Chapter 19.44 (or applicable parking rules); include bike/transit improvements if thresholds apply.
• Submit for ministerial/by‑right approval; track any submittal items the community development director requires. § 19.35.010.

(For general rules on design review, landscaping, signage or variances that may still apply, consult the Camarillo Design Review, Camarillo Landscaping and Screening, Camarillo Signage, and Camarillo Variances and Exceptions pages.)

Internal link checklist (first occurrences): Camarillo zoning & planning overview, Camarillo Zoning, Camarillo Development Standards, Camarillo Parking, Camarillo Design Review, Camarillo ADUs, and California Building Standards Code are referenced above where relevant.

• Camarillo zoning & planning overview: Camarillo zoning & planning overview
• Camarillo Zoning: Camarillo Zoning
• Camarillo Development Standards: Camarillo Development Standards
• Camarillo Parking: Camarillo Parking
• Camarillo Design Review: Camarillo Design Review
• Camarillo ADUs: Camarillo ADUs
• California Building Standards Code: California Building Standards Code

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English Summary

Camarillo’s only explicit overlay found in the retrieved zoning ordinance is the By Right Residential (BR) overlay (Chapter 19.35) that enables ministerial approval for housing on the city’s Housing Element site V3 if the project provides at least 20% lower‑income units and meets objective standards (setbacks, separations, height, coverage, and open‑space rules); applicants must sign an affordable housing agreement and still meet other city requirements like parking and lighting. § 19.35.010.

Information Gaps

• Other overlay districts (historic, floodplain, scenic corridor, etc.) were Not found in retrieved materials in the Title 19 print export supplied. Verify with the City of Camarillo planning department or the official zoning map. Not found in retrieved materials.
• Administrative forms, affordable housing agreement template, and ministerial submittal checklist for BR approval are not included in the retrieved text — obtain from planning staff. Not found in retrieved materials.
• Any updates to the official zoning map after the print export used here — verify live map at the planning department. Not found in retrieved materials.

Source References

• Camarillo Title 19 — ZONING (print export) — introduction and definitions; zoning map rules § 19.06.040.
• Chapter 19.35 — BY RIGHT RESIDENTIAL ZONING OVERLAY (BR); standards and objective rules for the BR overlay § 19.35.010.
• Parking and related cross‑references (Title 19 parking provisions / Chapter 19.44) — referenced in Title 19 text.
• Lighting reference (Chapter 19.47) — referenced from § 19.35.010.F.

If you want, I can:

• Pull the exact zoning map exhibit for V3 (if you upload the map or allow me to search additional documents), or
• Draft the step‑by‑step submittal checklist tailored to a specific parcel (verify parcel APN and whether it sits inside V3 first).

Retrieved passages

• Camarillo Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• Camarillo Zoning Code (§ 3) Medium relevance show source text
• Camarillo Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• Camarillo Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• Camarillo Zoning Code (chapter can) Medium relevance show source text
• Camarillo Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• Camarillo Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• Camarillo Zoning Code (§ 4) Medium relevance show source text
• Camarillo Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• Camarillo Zoning Code (§ 20) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Camarillo Title **19 — ZONING** (print export) — introduction and definitions; zoning map rules **§ 19.06.040**. fileciteturn1file14 (§ 19.06.040)
• Chapter **19.35** — BY RIGHT RESIDENTIAL ZONING OVERLAY (BR); standards and objective rules for the BR overlay **§ 19.35.010**. (§ 19.35.010)
• Parking and related cross‑references (Title 19 parking provisions / Chapter **19.44**) — referenced in Title 19 text. (Title 19)
• Lighting reference (Chapter **19.47**) — referenced from **§ 19.35.010.F**. (§ 19.35.010.F)
• Pull the exact zoning map exhibit for **V3** (if you upload the map or allow me to search additional documents), or
• Draft the step‑by‑step submittal checklist tailored to a specific parcel (verify parcel APN and whether it sits inside V3 first).
• Camarillo_ZoningCode.md

• Official Camarillo code library