Delano Zoning, Planning & Building Codes

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

Delano’s land-use regulations are implemented in the city’s Zoning Ordinance (titled the "Title 20 / Zoning Ordinance") and organized to implement the General Plan, protect public health and safety, and manage growth citywide (see § 20.1.10) . The ordinance divides the city into a set of base districts and overlays, gathers citywide development rules into a single chapter, and establishes a multi-step permit and review process (ministerial reviews, site plan review, conditional use permits, variances and planned developments) to route projects through the Community Development Director, Planning Commission and City Council as appropriate (see §§ 20.1.20, 20.1.30, 20.2.20, 20.2.65) .

How Delano's code is organized

• The ordinance is presented as a Zoning Title with administration, permit procedures, development standards, and district chapters. The ordinance purpose, authority and applicability live in the administration chapter (notably § 20.1.10 and § 20.1.30) and describe that all land, buildings and structures in the incorporated city must conform to the Title (see §§ 20.1.10–20.1.30) .
• Major procedures and discretionary paths are grouped in Chapter 20.2 (Permits and Approvals) — the development review process and the Site Plan Review rules are found at § 20.2.20 and § 20.2.65 respectively, which explain who acts (Community Development Director, Planning Commission, City Council) and the appeal routes .
• Citywide technical and design rules are consolidated in Chapter 20.10 (General Development Standards), which is the place to look for setbacks, height rules, open space, landscaping, screening and other cross‑cutting standards (see § 20.10.10 et seq.) .
• District-specific rules (permitted uses, tables of allowed uses and local site development standards) are located in the individual district chapters (for example, Chapters 20.3–20.7) and in the zoning tables (e.g., Tables 3.D and 4.A/4.B referenced in the residential and park district chapters) .

(If you’re looking for a short navigation tip: start with Chapter 20.1 for scope/definitions, Chapter 20.2 for permit types and process, Chapter 20.10 for cross‑cutting development standards, and then the district chapters in Chapter 20.3 for use lists and district‑specific standards.)

Zoning district families

Delano organizes districts into base zoning families plus overlays; the code lists them expressly in § 20.1.110. Key district families and overlays (bolded for quick scanning) include:

• Residential: R-A (Residential Agricultural), R-1 (Single‑Family Residential), R-2 (Light Multiple‑Family Residential), R-3 (Multiple‑Family Residential) — uses and the residential site development standards tables are in the residential chapters and tables (see Table 4.B and Table 4.A) (see § 20.1.110; Tables 4.A–4.B) .
• Commercial/Employment: GC (General Commercial), NC (Neighborhood Commercial), DC (Downtown Commercial), CRC (Community Retail Commercial) — community and employment district minimums and special site standards (e.g., Table 6.B) are called out in the employment district chapters (see § 20.1.110; § 20.6.40.2 / Table 6.B) .
• Industrial / Special: I (Industrial), A (Agricultural), and petroleum/oil‑related zones such as DI (Drilling Island) and PE (Petroleum Extraction Combining) with specific controls and setbacks for hydrocarbon activity (see § 20.3.40; § 20.3.50) .
• Public & other: PD (Planned Development), CF (Community Facilities), AP (Airport), PA (Park), SP (Specific Plan) and overlay districts including the H (Airport Approach Height Overlay) and AH (Affordable Housing Overlay) — the AH overlay contains stand‑alone density and ministerial/by‑right provisions meant to expedite affordable housing (see § 20.1.110; § 20.3.25) .

For quick reference to permitted uses in residential zones and accessory unit treatment, consult the residential uses table (Table 4.A) and Residential Site Development Standards (Table 4.B) (see Table 4.A; Table 4.B) .

Citywide development standards (high level)

Delano centralizes many technical rules in Chapter 20.10 (General Development Standards) so they apply across districts unless a district or specific plan explicitly supersedes them (see § 20.10.10–20.10.30) . Highlights:

• Setbacks and yard rules: default setbacks come from the applicable zone district; Chapter 20.10.300 says setbacks are maintained in accordance with the district unless otherwise specified (see § 20.10.300) . The residential site standard tables (Table 4.B) give numeric front/side/rear yard minimums for R-A, R-1, R-2, R-3 (example table entries) (see Table 4.B) .

• Height limits: the general rule is to follow the zone district limits unless superseded by special chapters; Chapter 20.10.120 governs height backstops (see § 20.10.120) . Employment districts include taller caps (see Table 6.B: 45 ft or 50 ft maximums depending on district, with conditional use permit options for greater height) (see Table 6.B / § 20.6.40.2) .

• Lot coverage / FAR / open space: the ordinance uses maximum lot coverage and required open space in the residential and condominium/townhouse rules (e.g., private open space minimums, common open space percentages) found in Chapter 20.10 and the condominium standards (see § 20.10.50; Table 4.B; § 20.10.130) .

• Parking: parking requirements are organized in Chapter 20.13; special reduced or adjusted parking for housing projects and density bonus projects are authorized in the density bonus section (see § 20.2.85 and Chapter 20.13). The code also forbids on‑street parking counting and restricts tandem parking in many contexts (see § 20.2.85; § 20.13 provisions summarized in Table entries) . (For the city’s specific vehicle parking counts and standards, consult Chapter 20.13 directly.)

  • First mention of parking in this page is linked to the city parking menu for quick navigation: parking.

• Screening, walls & fences: fences and screening standards (front yard maximum 40 in; interior/rear up to 6 ft, with special treatments for adjacent commercial/industrial uses) are in § 20.10.90 (see § 20.10.90) .

• Landscaping, irrigation, and street trees: subdivision and development planting requirements (including one street tree per parcel frontage) and mandatory irrigation are set in the improvement and landscaping subparts of Chapter 20.10 (see § 20.10.130; § 20.2.80) .

• Site lighting and exterior mechanical equipment rules are in Chapter 20.10 (example: nonresidential outdoor lighting limited to 0.5 foot‑candles beyond the property line; wiring underground) (see § 20.10.140) .

For the consolidated development metrics and numerical values (setbacks, lot area minimums, lot widths, front setback figures and coverage limits) consult the residential tables (Table 4.B) and the employment district Table 6.B in the zoning code (see Table 4.B; Table 6.B) . The first mention of the city’s cross‑cutting design and dimensional rules is linked: development standards.

Design standards and discretionary review

• Design review is required before building permits are issued for residential and commercial development; the rule is explicit: "No building permit for residential or commercial development shall be issued until the proposed development has received ... design review approval" (see § 20.2.65.2–.3) . The city’s design review procedures authorize the Community Development Director for most cases and the Planning Commission for projects requiring commission approval (see § 20.2.65.3–4) . Link to the local design review menu here: design review.
• Site Plan Review: required of most permitted developments to verify compatibility and public‑safety considerations; findings, appeal rights, and the "Acceptance of Conditions" requirement are in § 20.2.65 (see § 20.2.65) .
• Conditional Use Permits, variances and ministerial/ministerial‑style reviews: Chapter 20.2 sets out the CUP and variance findings and who decides; minor variances and major variances have different authorities and required findings (see § 20.2.60; § 20.2.65; § 20.2.70) . Link for appeals/variances and nonconformance resources: variances and exceptions and nonconforming uses.

Specific plans & overlays

• Specific Plans: the code recognizes SP (Specific Plan) districts and treats any adopted specific plan as part of the zoning framework; specific plans are applied to project areas as separate chapters or ordinances and supersede underlying standards where they so state (see § 20.1.110; references across Chapters 20.3 / 20.10) .
• Planned Development (PD): the PD district has its own process — zone change to PD requires a preliminary development plan, findings for consistency with the General Plan, and final development plan procedures that the Planning Commission and City Council act on (see § 20.3.10, 20.3.10.4) .
• Affordable Housing Overlay (AH): the city’s Affordable Housing Overlay explicitly sets a minimum residential density (20 dwelling units per net acre) and provides a "by‑right" ministerial path for multifamily developments that include at least 20% affordable units — the overlay’s provisions supersede the underlying district where noted (see § 20.3.25) . Link to overlay information: overlay districts.
• Historic and other overlays (airport approach, etc.) are present; special height, noise, and safety findings apply in the AP and H (Airport Approach Height Overlay) areas (see relevant airport/overlay chapters such as § 20.3.50 and related airport sections) . (For historic work, consult the Delano historic preservation menu: historic preservation.)

Building permits & the review path (practical orientation)

• Who does what: the Community Development Director performs ministerial reviews, site‑plan reviews not tied to a CUP, and initial completeness checks; the Planning Commission hears CUPs, major variances, planned development approvals and recommends on density bonus requests; the City Council acts on zone changes, PD final approval and appeals (see §§ 20.2.20; 20.2.65; 20.3.10) .
• Typical permit sequence for a new multi‑unit project: pre‑application conference with the Community Development Director, entitlement application (CUP/SDP/PD if required) processed with CEQA determination and public hearing(s) as required, followed by improvement plan approval by the City Engineer and building permits only after conditions/fees and improvements are assured (see § 20.3.10; § 20.10.130; § 20.2.40) .
• Site Plan Review is required for most permitted developments and must be accepted as a condition (an "Acceptance of Conditions" form) before taking effect (see § 20.2.65.8–9) .
• Improvement plans, bonding and City Engineer approvals are mandatory prior to final map recordation or building permit issuance where required; the engineer may set standards in absence of city‑wide specs (see § 20.10.130) .
• Building code compliance: building permits and inspections reference the State code; the city enforces the applicable California codes in its building permit process (the city's ADU section explicitly refers to the California Residential Code for ADU permits) (see § 20.11.200.3; § 20.10.130) . First mention of the state building code is linked to help you navigate later: California Building Standards Code.

State housing law in Delano — ADUs, density bonus, SB9, rent rules

Summary: Delano’s zoning code integrates state housing law in several places, particularly accessory dwelling units (ADUs/JADUs) and the State Density Bonus law; other items (SB 9 duplex/lot‑split ministerial standards, local rent control) are not plainly codified in the retrieved text and should be verified with the city if you need absolute certainty.

• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU / JADU): Delano has a dedicated local ADU chapter § 20.11.200 that adopts ADU/JADU definitions, permit triggers and numeric development rules consistent with state law (examples: attached/detached ADU maximums of 850 sq ft (or 1,000 sq ft if >1 bedroom), detached ADU height capped at 16 ft unless the primary dwelling is taller, 4‑ft side and rear setbacks in some cases, parking exceptions when an existing garage is demolished, and conversion rules for multifamily properties up to 25% of existing units) (see § 20.11.200.1–4; § 20.11.200.4.d–j; § 20.11.200.4.c) . The ADU chapter also ties building permits for ADUs to the California Residential Code (see § 20.11.200.3.a) . Link to the local ADU menu: ADUs.

  • Practical note: the local ADU standards echo many state limitations but include local numeric maxima (850/1,000 sq ft and a 16‑ft detached ADU default) — always compare the local ADU subsection to the most current state ADU law for subtle differences (see § 20.11.200) . The state ADU law summary for context is linked: California ADU law.

• Density Bonus: Delano’s density bonus procedures implement California Government Code § 65915; the local ordinance describes the bonus amounts, eligible projects, required application content, and processing steps (including public hearings) (see § 20.2.85.1–5) and specifies the city’s thresholds (examples: 20% bonus for lower income units, 20% for certain senior projects etc.) (see § 20.2.85 and related subsections) .

• SB 9 / ministerial duplex & lot splits: I did not find an explicit, standalone SB 9 implementation section in the retrieved Delano zoning text. The code does include a Ministerial review mechanism for certain developments (referenced in the AH overlay and Chapter 20.2), but there is no plain‑text SB 9 ordinance captured in the retrieved files to confirm that Delano has adopted ministerial lot‑split/duplex standards aligned to SB 9. Recommendation: verify with the Community Development Department or the city's municipal code online for any SB 9 implementing ordinance or planning bulletin (Not found in retrieved materials; verify with the jurisdiction) . Link for statewide housing law context: California housing laws.

• Local rent control / tenant protections: the retrieved zoning code and the chapters searched do not show a local rent control or tenant stabilization ordinance in the zoning Title. If you need the current status of rental regulation in Delano (e.g., rent control, just cause eviction rules), confirm with the City Clerk or municipal code index (Not found in retrieved materials; verify with the jurisdiction) .

Practical checklists (developer / homeowner quick reads)

• Small ADU project (attached/detached): confirm lot falls in a residential district, confirm ADU size limit (850–1,000 sq ft per local ADU rules), check 4‑ft side/rear setbacks for new detached ADUs, building permit required under California Residential Code — see § 20.11.200 for the complete ADU matrix; no replacement parking required if the garage is demolished (see § 20.11.200.4.b–j; § 20.11.200.4.i) .
• Multi‑family conversion: you can convert portions of existing multifamily non‑livable space into ADUs up to 25% of existing units — see § 20.11.200.4.d and related subsections for conversion rules and parking exceptions (see § 20.11.200) .
• New multi‑unit affordable housing: review the AH Overlay for higher densities and ministerial pathways if you commit to affordability thresholds, and prepare a concurrent density bonus application when claiming concessions (see § 20.3.25; § 20.2.85) .
• Commercial/industrial project: consult Chapter 20.12 performance standards and Chapter 20.10 general standards (screening, lighting, parking) plus the employment district Table 6.B for parcel minima, setbacks and maximum building heights (see § 20.6.40.2 and Table 6.B) (see § 20.10.290; § 20.6.40.2 / Table 6.B) .

Information gaps / items to verify with the city

• SB 9 implementation (ministerial duplex / lot splits) — Not found in the retrieved Delano ordinance excerpts; check the city's current online municipal code or contact Community Development.
• Any local tenant protection / rent control ordinance — Not found in the retrieved zoning Title; verify with City Clerk or a separate municipal code title.
• Up‑to‑date numeric references in parking Chapter 20.13 (full parking matrix) — Chapter exists but detailed per‑use parking tables were not exhaustively captured in the retrieved snippets above; consult Chapter 20.13 directly for per‑use rates (see Chapter 20.13 reference) .

Source References

• Delano Municipal Code — Title 20 (Zoning Ordinance), Chapters and tables cited throughout (example entries: § 20.1.10, § 20.1.110, § 20.2.65, § 20.10.120, § 20.11.200) .
• Delano zoning tables and district chapters (Tables 4.A / 4.B / 6.B and district rules referenced) — excerpts and standards used in this overview (see Table 4.A/Table 4.B; Table 6.B) .
• State ADU summary and recent ADU legislative updates used for context (not a local ordinance): 2025 California ADU handbook (context for interpreting ADU limits vs. local provisions) .