Chowchilla — Overlay Districts

Last reviewed: July 1, 2026

Overview

Chowchilla’s zoning ordinance establishes overlay zone districts that layer additional regulations on top of the city’s base zoning. The overlay districts used in Chowchilla are the Airport Overlay (AO) and the Specific Plan Overlay (SPO); each applies only where shown on the official zoning map and imposes requirements that supplement or, in some cases, supersede the underlying base zone rules (§ 18.06.030) . Confirm whether an overlay applies to a parcel by checking the City of Chowchilla zoning map (§ 18.06.040) .

Note: this page covers only what the Chowchilla zoning ordinance itself says about overlays. For related topics see Chowchilla’s pages on parking, development standards, design review, historic preservation, ADUs, and the California Building Standards Code.

How Chowchilla defines overlay districts

• The ordinance explains that overlay zone districts provide additional regulations applied “over certain lands within the overlay zone to meet special community health, safety, welfare, environmental or development objectives” and that overlay rules “apply in addition to base zone district regulations” (§ 18.06.030(A)) .
• The ordinance lists the city’s overlay districts explicitly as Airport Overlay (AO) and Specific Plan Overlay (SPO) (§ 18.06.030(C)) .

District-by-district breakdown

Airport Overlay — AO

Purpose

• The Airport Overlay (AO) is applied to land around the Chowchilla Municipal Airport to protect aeronautical operations and public safety; the chapter applies to “all land within the Airport Overlay zone, as defined on the zoning map” (§ 18.40.010) .

Typical permitted uses

• Uses in the AO are determined by the parcel’s underlying base zone and the City land-use tables (uses are “permitted or not permitted, conditionally permitted, administratively permitted, or temporarily permitted as prescribed in the land use table”) (§ 18.40.020(A); see also § 18.08.020 / 18.08.030) .
• However, the AO adds aviation-safety limitations: no use may create electrical interference with navigational signals, cause glare that could confuse pilots, impair visibility near the airport, create bird‑strike hazards, or otherwise endanger aircraft operations (§ 18.40.020(B–C)) .

Key dimensional and technical standards

• The AO creates defined airport height zones (Visual Approach, Nonprecision Instrument Approach, Transitional, Horizontal, Conical) and ties structure limits to those surfaces; those zones are defined and depicted in the Chowchilla Airport “Airspace Plan” on file with Community Development (§ 18.40.040) .
• The ordinance is absolute about penetration: no structure shall be erected, altered, maintained, or object of natural growth allowed to penetrate any airport height zone (§ 18.40.050(A)) .
• The AO also requires markings and lights as determined necessary by the city engineer/building official (to be installed and maintained at the property owner’s expense) (§ 18.40.060) .
• AO development is further restricted by the Madera Countywide Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP) and applicable FAA requirements; where the AO conflicts with the base zone, the AO controls (§ 18.40.020(C); § 18.40.010(B)) .

Where AO applies

• Only to parcels mapped as AO on the official zoning map; the AO’s boundaries and internal height-zone geometry are shown in the airport airspace plan held by the Community Development Department (§ 18.40.010(A); § 18.40.040(A)) .

Practical guidance (AO)

• When a property sits inside AO, expect mandatory height constraints, possible additional lighting/marking obligations, and coordination with the ALUCP and FAA. Verify permitted uses in the underlying base zone’s land-use table and then screen for AO-specific prohibitions listed at § 18.40.020 .

Specific Plan Overlay — SPO

Purpose

• The Specific Plan Overlay (SPO) implements state-specific-plan law and is applied where an adopted specific plan covers property (§ 18.42.020(A–B)) .

Permitted uses and standards

• For land inside an SPO, the adopted specific plan’s permitted uses, development standards, and other regulations apply first; where the specific plan is silent the underlying base zone standards apply (§ 18.42.040(A–B)) .
• If a specific plan’s provisions conflict with the base zone, the specific plan provisions supersede the underlying base zone (§ 18.42.040(B)) .
• The SPO may itself be subdivided into internal zoning districts and standards: “zoning districts may be established to define the boundaries of different land uses within the specific plan overlay zone” (§ 18.42.030) .

Key dimensional standards

• The SPO does not set one uniform dimensional standard in the code — it requires that the specific plan include its own development regulations and design guidelines tailored to the plan area, including addressing buffering, traffic, noise, and compatibility (§ 18.42.020(B)) .
• Where the specific plan lacks standards, the ordinance directs users to the underlying base-zone regulations (§ 18.42.040(B)) .

Where SPO applies

• Only where the zoning map notes the SPO; all SPO lands must also be located within the bounds of an adopted specific plan, and the SPO chapter applies to “all land within the Specific Plan Overlay zone, as defined on the zoning map” (§ 18.42.010) .

Practical guidance (SPO)

• If a parcel is in SPO, pull the adopted specific plan document first — it is the controlling set of standards for uses, densities, and design (unless it is silent, in which case the base zone standards apply) (§ 18.42.040) . For site concepts you must also check the underlying base zone’s parking rules and development standards.

Quick reference table — Overlay decision essentials

Checklist — what an applicant must satisfy when an overlay affects a parcel

• Confirm overlay notation on the official City of Chowchilla zoning map (§ 18.06.040) .
• For AO: demonstrate your project will not penetrate any airport height surfaces and will not cause interference, glare, or bird hazards; show compliance with Madera County ALUCP and applicable FAA requirements (§ 18.40.020, § 18.40.040–050) .
• For SPO: obtain and follow the adopted specific plan’s permitted-use list and development standards; where the plan is silent, use the underlying base zone standards (§ 18.42.020–040) .
• Provide site plans and materials addressing any overlay-specific design guidelines or requirements; coordinate with city staff and the site plan review committee as appropriate (site plan review rules apply per the municipal code) (§ 18.72.030 and related) .
• Where AO markings or lights are required, include a plan and cost-responsibility acknowledgment for installation/maintenance (§ 18.40.060) .
• Check parking requirements and landscaping standards referenced by the applicable plan/zone and include them in submittal parking (§ 18.40.020(A); § 18.42.040(B)) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

Chowchilla uses two overlay districts. The Airport Overlay (AO) adds aviation-safety controls (height limits, no-glare/no‑interference rules, required markings) on parcels near the airport (§ 18.40.010–060) . The Specific Plan Overlay (SPO) makes whatever an adopted specific plan says the controlling set of rules for land in that plan area, and where the plan is silent, the underlying zone controls (§ 18.42.010–040) . Check the official zoning map to see whether either overlay applies to your property (§ 18.06.040) .

Information Gaps

• The file excerpts confirm overlay types and the controlling code text but do not include the City zoning map graphic showing exact AO or SPO parcel boundaries. The code states the map is on file with Community Development (§ 18.06.040) .
• The full text of any adopted specific plan that would govern an SPO area is not included in the retrieved materials; the ordinance says the specific plan’s text controls SPO parcels (§ 18.42.020–040) . Obtain the specific plan document from Community Development.
• The ordinance references the Chowchilla Airport “Airspace Plan” (airspace geometry) and the Madera County ALUCP; the actual maps and numeric height/elevation figures are on file and were not included in the retrieved municipal-code exports (§ 18.40.040) .

Source References

• Chowchilla Municipal Code, Title 18 — Zone districts and overlay list: § 18.06.030 (establishes overlay districts AO and SPO) .
• Chowchilla Municipal Code, Title 18 — Zoning map rules: § 18.06.040 (official zoning map; use to confirm overlay boundaries) .
• Chowchilla Municipal Code, Title 18 — Airport Overlay chapter: § 18.40.010–060 (application, permitted uses limits, airport height zones, marks/lights) .
• Chowchilla Municipal Code, Title 18 — Specific Plan Overlay chapter: § 18.42.010–040 (application, purpose/intent, that a specific plan controls; SPO zoning districts) .
• Chowchilla Municipal Code — Site plan review and review authority (relevant for submittals): Chapters and procedural provisions including § 18.72.030 (site plan review committee) .
• References in code to Madera County ALUCP and FAA requirements are noted in the AO provisions (§ 18.40.020) .

Retrieved passages

• Chowchilla Zoning Code (Section 18.02.110.) High relevance show source text
• Chowchilla Zoning Code (§ 2) Medium relevance show source text
• Chowchilla Zoning Code (Chapter 18.02) Medium relevance show source text
• Chowchilla Zoning Code (§ 2) Medium relevance show source text
• Chowchilla Zoning Code (chapter shall) Medium relevance show source text
• Chowchilla Zoning Code (§ 2) Medium relevance show source text
• Chowchilla Zoning Code (§ 2) Medium relevance show source text
• Chowchilla Zoning Code (§ 2) Medium relevance show source text
• Chowchilla Zoning Code (§ 2) Medium relevance show source text
• Chowchilla Zoning Code (§ 2) Medium relevance show source text
• CBC § 2 (Section 18.08.030.) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Chowchilla Municipal Code, Title 18 — Zone districts and overlay list: **§ 18.06.030** (establishes overlay districts **AO** and **SPO**) . (Title 18)
• Chowchilla Municipal Code, Title 18 — Zoning map rules: **§ 18.06.040** (official zoning map; use to confirm overlay boundaries) . (Title 18)
• Chowchilla Municipal Code, Title 18 — Airport Overlay chapter: **§ 18.40.010–060** (application, permitted uses limits, airport height zones, marks/lights) . (Title 18)
• Chowchilla Municipal Code, Title 18 — Specific Plan Overlay chapter: **§ 18.42.010–040** (application, purpose/intent, that a specific plan controls; SPO zoning districts) . (Title 18)
• Chowchilla Municipal Code — Site plan review and review authority (relevant for submittals): Chapters and procedural provisions including **§ 18.72.030** (site plan review committee) . (§ 18.72.030)
• References in code to Madera County ALUCP and FAA requirements are noted in the AO provisions (§ **18.40.020**) .
• Chowchilla_ZoningCode.md

• Official Chowchilla code library