Fillmore — Parking

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes how the City of Fillmore regulates off‑street parking, loading, and bicycle parking in its zoning ordinance (Title 6 / Land Development and Use). It synthesizes the ordinance requirements most relevant to design, counting spaces, layout/dimensions, screening/landscaping, and special rules (motorcycle, EV, shared parking, emergency shelters). All requirements below are grounded in the City’s code; follow-up, site‑specific verification with the Planning Department is recommended. See the City’s zoning portal for related topics such as parking and zoning basics, development standards, and design review.

Key rules at a glance (what the code actually says)

• Off‑street parking rules are codified under § 6.04.34 (Off‑street parking standards) and apply to new uses, changes of use, expansions (25%+), and re‑occupancy after extended closures; see § 6.04.34 for purpose and applicability.
• Minimum parking counts for most residential, commercial, office and special uses are tabulated in § 6.04.3415 (Number of parking spaces required). For example: single‑family detached = 2 spaces (in garage); many commercial/retail uses = 1 space / 250 sf (except CBD where different rules apply).
• Off‑street loading standards (how many loading bays and minimum loading bay dimensions) are in § 6.04.32; minimum commercial/industrial loading requirements are based on gross floor area (e.g., 1 loading space for 3,001–30,000 sf) and loading bay dimensions are a minimum 12 ft x 20 ft with 14 ft vertical clearance.
• Bicycle parking: commercial, industrial and office uses must provide secure bicycle parking; the review authority determines number and location; a related employer standard requires 5 bicycle spaces per 100 employees for employee bicycle parking. See § 6.04.3430 and related employer measures in § 6.04.4020(B).
• Motorcycle parking: developments with 30+ parking spaces must provide at least one motorcycle parking area (review authority approves size/location). See § 6.04.3425.
• EV charging: expedited permitting and standards are provided in § 6.04.3432 (electric vehicle charging systems).
• Design/formatting, paving, striping, lighting, landscaping/shading and screening rules for parking areas are detailed across development standards including § 6.04.3435 (design/dimensions, Table III‑1), paving and curbing specs, and landscaping requirements referencing Section 6.04.28.

District‑by‑district breakdown (how parking rules interact with each zoning district)

Note: The off‑street standards (§ 6.04.34) provide the baseline parking counts and design rules that apply citywide unless the district text modifies them. Always treat the district text together with § 6.04.34.

R, R‑1, RPD (Residential districts) — purpose & typical uses

• Purpose: residential densities ranging from low to high; typical uses include single‑family, multi‑family, accessory residential. See Table II‑1 for district dimensional standards.

How parking is handled here

• Baseline parking counts for residential are in § 6.04.3415: Single‑family detached = 2 spaces in a garage; multifamily varies by bedrooms (e.g., 1.5 covered for efficiencies/1‑BR; 2 for 2‑BR; 2.5 for 3+ BR) and guest parking minimums (1 guest per 3 dwellings).
• Location limits: required parking for multi‑family must be located within 100 feet of the dwelling unit served and not in required yard setbacks (see § 6.04.3435(7)).
• Residential parking layout and driveway widths are addressed in § 6.04.3440 (parking/access design standards for residential uses).

Where it applies: all R‑district parcels; verify special site constraints (steep slopes, lot coverage) during plan review.

CBD (Central Business District) / CN / CH / MPD (Commercial districts) — purpose & typical uses

• These districts host retail, offices, services and mixed uses. Parking rules differ in the CBD where downtown character and on‑street parking are expected.

How parking is handled here

• Commercial/retail (general): 1 space / 250 sf GFA (except as listed otherwise) per § 6.04.3415.
• CBD residential (residential located in CBD): 1 covered space per dwelling unit (special CBD residential rule).
• Small collection/recycling or special accessory functions in CN, CBD, CH, MPD are permitted subject to development permit and limited parking impacts (see recycling rules).

Design & layout requirements

• Commercial parking must meet the general design standards in § 6.04.3435 (dimensions, aisles, striping) and the landscaping/shading standard in § 6.04.28 (trees per 15 spaces, 10 x 10 planter minimum).

Where it applies: Downtown CBD and commercial corridors; some downtown projects may rely on shared or on‑street parking subject to review.

BP, Industrial, Public Facility (Business Park, Industrial) — purpose & typical uses

• These districts serve light manufacturing, logistics, offices, institutional uses. Parking and loading needs are generally higher; truck/service access is required.

How parking & loading are handled

• Off‑street loading requirements by GFA are in § 6.04.3210 (e.g., 1 loading space for 3,001–30,000 sf; larger projects require more). Loading bay dimensions and access rules (no backing into rights‑of‑way; minimum 12' x 20' x 14' clearance) are in § 6.04.3215.
• Parking design must accommodate truck circulation, provide screening for adjacent residential parcels (6‑ft masonry wall), and comply with paving/curbing standards in § 6.04.3435 and § 6.04.34.

Where it applies: Business Park and industrial zones, including specific BP district standards.

Special‑use rules called out in the code

• Emergency shelters: 1 parking space per employee + 1 space per 4 beds (or fraction) — see § 6.04.1205 and the emergency shelter standards.
• Farmworker congregate housing (allowed in RPD and CBD): must meet RPD/CBD parking standards and other bus/shuttle parking requirements; see § 6.04.2305 and its off‑street parking requirement.
• Large non‑residential employers (150+ employees): require additional commute‑trip reduction measures (carpool/vanpool zones, transit shelters, bicycle facilities) in § 6.04.4020.

Most decision‑relevant standards (table)

Practical guidance / plain‑English interpretations (how to apply the rules)

• Start by reading § 6.04.3415 to count required spaces by use; then apply the geometric/layout rules in § 6.04.3435/Table III‑1 so your site plan actually fits. If your use isn’t listed, the Director assigns a comparable requirement (§ 6.04.3415(9)).
• For commercial projects with deliveries, provide loading per § 6.04.3210 and dimension the bay to 12' x 20' min and 14' high, but expect review authority to ask for larger bays if you receive tractor‑trailers.
• Bicycle parking is required but the ordinance gives the review authority discretion about exact counts/locations—propose secure, visible, covered racks near entrances and show employer bicycle counts if you qualify under commuter measures. Cite § 6.04.3430 and § 6.04.4020 in your submittal.
• Use the landscaping rules (tree per 15 spaces, 10' x 10' planters) and the masonry wall requirement when parking backs to residences—these are commonly enforced in plan review. See § 6.04.28 and § 6.04.3435(9).
• If your project is downtown (CBD) consider parking alternatives (on‑street, shared, TDM) because the CBD has special residential parking rules (1 covered/unit) and the review authority is often flexible about shared solutions. See § 6.04.3415 and joint‑use provisions § 6.04.3450.

Checklist (what an applicant must provide)

• Space count analysis using § 6.04.3415 tables (list each use and required spaces).
• Loading analysis per § 6.04.3210 (GFA table) and bay dimensions per § 6.04.3215.
• Site plan showing parking stall dimensions and aisle widths per Table III‑1 (§ 6.04.3435).
• Bicycle parking locations and counts (document rationale; reference § 6.04.3430).
• Landscaping/ shading plan for parking (trees per 15 spaces, 10' x 10' planters) and perimeter screening (see § 6.04.28 & § 6.04.3435(9)).
• Paving/curbing details matching § 6.04.3435(11–12) (concrete/asphalt depth & curbing).
• If proposing shared/off‑site parking: recorded easements or lease + justification per § 6.04.3435(7)(C) and § 6.04.3450.
• EV charging plan if proposing chargers (follow § 6.04.3432 expedited permitting provisions).

Risks & Ambiguities

Information Gaps / Items Not Found in Retrieved Materials

• The ordinance text requires review authority discretion for bicycle counts (no fixed citywide numeric standard for small commercial uses other than employer standard); an explicit per‑use bicycle standard for small retail was not found in retrieved materials — verify policy with the planner. Not found in retrieved materials.
• Any recent local amendments after the provided file (including any local EV charger percentages by land use) are not present in the retrieved materials — verify with the City website or planner. Not found in retrieved materials.

Plain‑English Summary

Fillmore requires on‑site, paved off‑street parking sized and counted by use (the baseline table is in § 6.04.3415), with separate rules for loading bays (§ 6.04.32), bicycle parking (§ 6.04.3430), and layout/dimensions in Table III‑1 (§ 6.04.3435). Landscaping, screening and paving standards are mandatory; the review authority has discretion on several items (bicycle counts, comparable uses, joint parking). Start your project by applying the parking counts and then test layout against Table III‑1 and the loading bay standards.

Source References

• Fillmore Zoning Ordinance — Off‑street parking standards: § 6.04.34 (Purpose, Applicability, General rules).
• Fillmore Zoning Ordinance — Number of parking spaces required: § 6.04.3415 (parking table for residential/commercial/office).
• Fillmore Zoning Ordinance — Motorcycle, bicycle, EV rules: § 6.04.3425; § 6.04.3430; § 6.04.3432.
• Fillmore Zoning Ordinance — Off‑street loading standards and loading bay dimensions: § 6.04.32; § 6.04.3210; § 6.04.3215.
• Fillmore Zoning Ordinance — Parking/access design: § 6.04.3435 (includes Table III‑1 dimensions) and § 6.04.3440 (residential).
• Fillmore district standards and parking setbacks (BP example, parking lot setbacks): district tables and § 6.04.1205; § 6.04.1210.
• Fillmore employer commute / bicycle measures: § 6.04.4020 / § 6.04.4025.

Also consult these related pages on the Fillmore site when preparing submittals:

• Fillmore Zoning (zoning maps and district descriptions)
• Fillmore Development Standards (dimensional rules referenced above)
• Fillmore Design Review (design review process can affect parking layout)
• Fillmore Overlay Districts (overlays can add parking or design rules)
• Fillmore Landscaping and Screening (planting/planter rules)
• Fillmore ADUs (ADU parking rules may differ)
• California Building Standards Code (Title 24 issues such as accessible/disabled stalls; building code requirements — coordinate but Title 24 requirements are outside the zoning code scope)

Retrieved passages

• Fillmore Zoning Code (Section 6.04.70) High relevance show source text
• Fillmore Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Fillmore Zoning Code (Section 6.04.0225) High relevance show source text
• CEC § 65850.7 (section is) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 6.04.34 (Section 6.04.34) High relevance show source text
• Fillmore Zoning Code (Section 6.04.70) High relevance show source text
• Fillmore Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Fillmore Zoning Code (section shall) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Fillmore Zoning Ordinance — Off‑street parking standards: **§ 6.04.34** (Purpose, Applicability, General rules). (§ 6.04.34)
• Fillmore Zoning Ordinance — Number of parking spaces required: **§ 6.04.3415** (parking table for residential/commercial/office). (§ 6.04.3415)
• Fillmore Zoning Ordinance — Motorcycle, bicycle, EV rules: **§ 6.04.3425; § 6.04.3430; § 6.04.3432**. (§ 6.04.3425)
• Fillmore Zoning Ordinance — Off‑street loading standards and loading bay dimensions: **§ 6.04.32; § 6.04.3210; § 6.04.3215**. (§ 6.04.32)
• Fillmore Zoning Ordinance — Parking/access design: **§ 6.04.3435** (includes Table III‑1 dimensions) and **§ 6.04.3440** (residential). (§ 6.04.3435)
• Fillmore district standards and parking setbacks (BP example, parking lot setbacks): district tables and **§ 6.04.1205; § 6.04.1210**. (§ 6.04.1205)
• Fillmore employer commute / bicycle measures: **§ 6.04.4020 / § 6.04.4025**. (§ 6.04.4020)
• Fillmore Zoning (zoning maps and district descriptions)
• Fillmore Development Standards (dimensional rules referenced above)
• Fillmore Design Review (design review process can affect parking layout)
• Fillmore Overlay Districts (overlays can add parking or design rules)
• Fillmore Landscaping and Screening (planting/planter rules)
• Fillmore ADUs (ADU parking rules may differ)
• California Building Standards Code (Title 24 issues such as accessible/disabled stalls; building code requirements — coordinate but Title 24 requirements are outside the zoning code scope) (Title 24)
• Fillmore_ZoningCode.md

• Official Fillmore code library