Clearlake — Land Use

Last reviewed: July 6, 2026

Overview

Clearlake’s land use rules live in the Clearlake Municipal Code, Chapter 18 (Zoning Regulations). They define what uses are allowed in each zoning district, when a permit or design review is required, and how overlays modify base rules. The backbone is the “Uses Allowed by Zones” tables and district-specific standards (density, height, lot size, yards) that must be read together with citywide development standards.

The use tables in § 18-18 classify uses as Allowed (P), Zoning Permit (ZP), Administrative Use Permit (AU), Conditional Use Permit (CU), or Prohibited (–). If a use isn’t listed, the Director decides whether it’s “similar” enough to fit in a district.

How to read Clearlake’s land-use tables

• Tables 4–7 in § 18-18 list allowed uses by district and the permit tier: P, ZP, AU, CU, or “–” (prohibited). The legend and interpretation rules (including the Director’s authority for unlisted but similar uses) are in § 18-18.
• Table 4 covers residential, agricultural, and institutional uses (e.g., single-family, multifamily/multidwelling, ADUs/JADUs, supportive/transitional housing). Table 5 covers commercial, recreation, amusement; Tables 6–7 cover other categories.
• Commercial mining is prohibited citywide.
• “Principal and Accessory Uses”: listed uses are principal; accessory uses come with the principal use. Definitions of “accessory” are further detailed in Article 18-45.
• State-aligned provisions embedded in the tables:
  • Employee/farmworker housing up to 36 beds or 12 units is treated as an agricultural use and is allowed by right as specified in § 18-18 (see notes to Table 4).
  • Low Barrier Navigation Centers are allowed by right in all mixed-use and nonresidential zones, and in MDR/HDR where multifamily is allowed, subject to state criteria.

For parking ratios by use, see the citywide parking schedule (Tables 23–26).

District-by-District rules

RR — Rural Residential

• Purpose and where applied: Very low-density residential on larger lots; applied to “low density residential” areas on the General Plan map.
• Typical allowed uses: Single-family homes and accessory uses; see Table 4 for other residential, agricultural, and institutional allowances in RR.
• Key standards: Density 1 du/ac; height 25 ft (up to 35 ft with administrative approval); minimum lot size 1.25 ac; yards per § 18-20.040; parking per § 18-20.090.
• Agricultural notes: Limited small livestock by lot area; beekeeping parameters; see agricultural notes under § 18-18.020.

LDR — Low Density Residential

• Purpose and where applied: Preserves single-family neighborhoods and compatible infill in “low density residential” areas.
• Typical allowed uses: Single-family dwellings and accessory uses; refer to Table 4 for multifamily/ADUs and institutional uses.
• Key standards: Density 8 du/ac; height 25 ft (up to 35 ft with administrative approval); coverage 40%; lot min. 5,000 sf; yards/parking per §§ 18-20.040/18-20.090.

MDR — Medium Density Residential

• Purpose and where applied: Smaller-household housing and group housing near community services; applied to “medium and high density residential” areas.
• Typical allowed uses: Multifamily allowed subject to Table 4; supportive/transitional housing treated as residential of the same type; ADUs/JADUs appear in Table 4.
• Key standards: Density 15 du/ac; height 45 ft; coverage 60%; min. lot 5,000 sf; yards/parking per §§ 18-20.040/18-20.090.

HDR — High Density Residential

• Purpose and where applied: Concentrated housing near employment/college; applied to “High Density Residential” areas.
• Typical allowed uses: Multifamily is a “limited use” in HDR only if at least 16 du/ac; projects below 16 du/ac require a CUP; non-multifamily housing in HDR requires a CUP and is limited to mixed-housing cluster or traditional neighborhood development. Supportive/transitional housing must be treated as residential of the same type.
• Key standards: Density 25 du/ac; height 45 ft; coverage 60%; min. lot 5,000 sf; yards/parking per §§ 18-20.040/18-20.090.

MUX — Mixed-Use

• Purpose and where applied: Enables residential with nonresidential uses on the same site; aims for active streets and more housing options.
• Typical allowed uses: Mixed-use housing and live-work as provided in Table 4 and commercial tables; Director may interpret unlisted but similar uses.
• Key standards: Density up to 25 du/ac unless the General Plan designation is lower; base height 35 ft, with performance-based allowances up to 65 ft; coverage 80%; min. lot 3,000 sf; yards/parking per §§ 18-20.040/18-20.090.
  • Taller-than-35 ft allowed only if all are met: include housing (≥12 du/ac), limit private parking frontage, and meet slope and frontage constraints.

DC — Downtown Commercial Mixed-Use

• Purpose and where applied: Broad retail/service/entertainment plus a variety of housing types in Clearlake’s main commercial district.
• Typical allowed uses: Downtown-oriented commercial, entertainment, and mixed-use housing (see Tables 4–5); driveway approaches need an administrative use permit.
• Key standards: Density 25 du/ac (certain hotel/motel units counted only as specified); height 35 ft, with performance-based allowance up to 65 ft; min. lot 3,000 sf; no guarantee of on- or off-site residential parking in DC.

GC — General Commercial

• Purpose and where applied: Diverse, visitor- and community-serving commercial areas.
• Typical allowed uses: General retail, services, and recreation/amusement as listed in Table 5.
• Key standards: No maximum residential density stated in GC; height 35 ft (up to 50 ft with CUP); coverage has “no maximum”; min. lot 3,000 sf; lake-side of Lakeshore Dr. is capped at 35 ft where the public has views. Yards/parking per §§ 18-20.040/18-20.090.

IN — Industrial

• Purpose and where applied: Wholesale/heavy commercial and industrial in buildings without off-site emissions; performance standards protect residents and environment.
• Typical allowed uses: Manufacturing, warehousing, utilities, and related uses per the use tables; see parking ratios for industrial uses in Table 25.
• Key standards: Height 35 ft (may exceed with CUP); no max lot coverage; min. lot 3,000 sf; yards/parking per §§ 18-20.040/18-20.090.

O — Open Space

• Purpose and where applied: Protects sensitive lands (topography, habitat, hazard areas); aims to avoid urban exposure to risk and prevent subdivision of such lands; mapped permanently to “Open Space” or “Park.”
• Typical allowed uses: Open space/park and public-purpose uses; consult Tables 4–7 for any listed allowances and permit tiers.
• Key standards: Yards—Front 35 ft; Side 15 ft (30 ft street side on corners); Rear 20 ft; no rear yard on parcels abutting Clear Lake or Cache Creek; min lot area varies by ownership (e.g., 40 ac for state/federal).

Overlay and combining districts that affect land use

• SP — Specific Plan Combining Zone: Before a specific plan is adopted, uses follow the base zone; once adopted, the specific plan controls uses and standards.
• SC — Scenic Corridor Combining Zone (Highway 53): Base-zone uses carry over, but siting and grading standards protect the corridor viewshed; new ≥50 kV facilities face strict location/mitigation limits.
• PD — Planned Development (overlay process): PD rezoning runs with a specific project; it can adjust development standards (e.g., building height, FAR, parcel size, parking, setbacks) but cannot authorize a land use not allowed by the base district/General Plan.
• CB — Cannabis Business Combining District: Identified in the list of combining districts; detailed land-use standards were not included in the retrieved excerpts. Not found in retrieved materials.

Special residential and agricultural land-use notes

• Supportive and transitional housing must be treated as a residential use of the same type in the same zone.
• In HDR, multifamily below 16 du/ac needs a CUP; only certain non-multifamily forms are allowed via CUP.
• Employee/farmworker housing thresholds and “by-right” status are codified; larger facilities require a CUP.
• Agricultural activities and small livestock/beekeeping are allowed under conditions (numbers/setbacks vary by zone).
• For accessory dwelling units, see Table 4 of § 18-18 and the city’s dedicated ADU page for how local rules interact with California ADU law.

Permit tiers and findings you’ll encounter

• ZP/AU/CU meanings and when they apply are defined in § 18-18; CUPs must meet the citywide findings in § 18-28.040 and may include conditions (e.g., hours, circulation, screening).
• Approval criteria also reference the General Plan, specific plans, and environmental review.
• Variances can adjust yards, height, coverage, and parking—not use or density. See variances and exceptions.

At-a-Glance standards by district

Note: Yards, height measurement, encroachments and exceptions are detailed in Article 18-20 (e.g., Tables 17–18 on what may occupy yards and discretionary exceptions). See also landscaping and screening and signage where applicable.

Practical interpretation tips

• If your exact use is unlisted, the Director may deem it allowed or allowed with a permit if it’s similar, but this is not a backdoor to amend the code; staff will not use interpretation to add a fundamentally new use type.
• Downtown nuance: residential is encouraged, but vehicle access can conflict with the pedestrian realm; driveway approaches need an administrative use permit and on-site spaces are not guaranteed for housing in DC.
• Lakeshore context: buildings on the lake side of Lakeshore Drive in GC (and in some mixed-use tall-building cases) face stricter height limits to preserve public views.
• Planned Developments can relax several development standards when a superior plan is demonstrated, but they cannot authorize a land use prohibited by the base district/General Plan.

Checklist

• Confirm base zoning and any overlays on the official Zoning Map with the City (zoning map is part of the regulations).
• Identify your use in § 18-18 Tables 4–7 and note its permit tier (P/ZP/AU/CU).
• Cross-check district standards (density, height, lot size, yards) and citywide development standards.
• If CU or AU is required, prepare findings and conditions strategy per § 18-28.040–.060; expect conditions on hours, circulation, screening, etc.
• If in DC, plan for pedestrian-friendly access; new driveway approaches need an AU permit and parking for housing may not be available on-site.
• If on/near Highway 53 or Lakeshore Drive, verify SC-overlay and lake-view height constraints.
• For ADUs/JADUs, consult Table 4 and the ADU page.
• If seeking relief from yards/height/coverage/parking, see variances and exceptions (no variance for use or density).

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

Clearlake decides what can go where using district rules and use tables. Find your zoning, look up your use in § 18-18, and check the district’s limits (density, height, lot size, yards). Some areas—like Downtown or lake-view sites—have extra guardrails, and overlays like Specific Plans or Planned Developments can add rules. If your use needs a permit, be ready to show it fits and won’t harm neighbors, and coordinate early with staff.

Information Gaps

• Full row-by-row details of Tables 4–7 (only portions were visible in the retrieved excerpts). Not found in retrieved materials.
• Cannabis Business (CB) combining district specific use/permit rules. Not found in retrieved materials.

Source References

• Zoning map and consistency with General Plan: § 18-2.030–.040.
• Uses Allowed by Zones (legend, interpretation; Tables 4–7): § 18-18; § 18-18.020; § 18-18.030.
• Residential districts: § 18-3 RR; § 18-4 LDR; § 18-5 MDR; § 18-6 HDR.
• Mixed/Commercial/Industrial/Open Space: § 18-7 MUX; § 18-8 DC; § 18-9 GC; § 18-10 IN; § 18-11 O.
• Specific Plan, Scenic Corridor: § 18-12; § 18-13.
• Planned Development overlay and flexibility: § 18-15.020–.030 and related.
• CUP findings/conditions; criteria: § 18-28.040–.060.
• Variances (scope limited; no use/density variances): § 18-29.020.
• Parking ratios (Commercial/Industrial/Agricultural): Article 18-20 (Tables 23–26).

Retrieved passages

• CBC § 65662 (Section 65662) High relevance show source text
• Clearlake Zoning Code (Section 18-28.030.) High relevance show source text
• Clearlake Zoning Code (Section 18-2.040) High relevance show source text
• Clearlake Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Clearlake Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• CBC § 286 High relevance show source text
• CBC § 286 (Section B) High relevance show source text
• Clearlake Zoning Code (Title 24) High relevance show source text
• Clearlake Zoning Code (Section 18-20.020) High relevance show source text
• Clearlake Zoning Code (Section 18-20.090.) High relevance show source text
• Clearlake Zoning Code (Section 18-20.040.) High relevance show source text
• Clearlake Zoning Code (Section 18-20.040.) High relevance show source text
• Clearlake Zoning Code (Section 18-20.040.) High relevance show source text
• Clearlake Zoning Code (Article 18-45) High relevance show source text
• Clearlake Zoning Code High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Zoning map and consistency with General Plan: § 18-2.030–.040. (§ 18-2.030)
• Uses Allowed by Zones (legend, interpretation; Tables 4–7): § 18-18; § 18-18.020; § 18-18.030. (§ 18-18)
• Residential districts: § 18-3 RR; § 18-4 LDR; § 18-5 MDR; § 18-6 HDR. (§ 18-3)
• Mixed/Commercial/Industrial/Open Space: § 18-7 MUX; § 18-8 DC; § 18-9 GC; § 18-10 IN; § 18-11 O. (§ 18-7)
• Specific Plan, Scenic Corridor: § 18-12; § 18-13. (§ 18-12)
• Planned Development overlay and flexibility: § 18-15.020–.030 and related. (§ 18-15.020)
• CUP findings/conditions; criteria: § 18-28.040–.060. (§ 18-28.040)
• Variances (scope limited; no use/density variances): § 18-29.020. (§ 18-29.020.)
• Parking ratios (Commercial/Industrial/Agricultural): Article 18-20 (Tables 23–26). (Article 18-20)
• Clearlake_ZoningCode.md