Fontana — Zoning

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

Fontana’s local zoning law is codified as the Zoning and Development Code (Chapter 30) and establishes the city’s zoning districts, the official Zoning District Map, development standards, and the review processes that control what can be built where in the city (§ 30-1; § 30-408; § 30-409) . This page summarizes the actual Fontana districts and the decision‑relevant numeric standards you will see in the code, and points to the permit, design-review, parking, and overlay rules that typically affect projects (see links below for related topics such as parking, design review, development standards, overlay districts, ADUs, and the California Building Standards Code).

Important: this is a plain‑English synthesis of the Fontana ordinance text; where the ordinance extract used here does not list a number or an allowed-use table, I note that as "Not found in retrieved materials" and flag items that need verification with the City. Confirm parcel‑specific rules with the Community Development Department before filing (§ 30-409; § 30-410) .

(First-use inline links to related pages: parking, design review, development standards, overlay districts, ADUs, California Building Standards Code, signage, variances/nonconforming, landscaping and screening.)

• parking: Fontana Parking
• design review: Fontana Design Review
• development standards: Fontana Development Standards
• overlay districts: Fontana Overlay Districts
• ADUs: Fontana ADUs
• California Building Standards Code: California Building Standards Code
• signage: Fontana Signage
• variances/nonconforming: Fontana Variances and Exceptions
• landscaping: Fontana Landscaping and Screening

How Fontana organizes zoning (quick legal anchors)

• The municipal zoning chapter is titled the Zoning and Development Code (Chapter 30) (§ 30-1) .
• The list of official zoning districts and overlays is in Table No. 30-408 and the map is the Zoning District Map of the City of Fontana on file at the Community Development Department (§ 30-408; § 30-409) .
• Where the map boundary is uncertain, rules for resolving uncertainty are given (§ 30-410) .
• All project uses and development must conform to the zone’s permitted uses and development standards and require the permits indicated by the Code (§ 30-412) .

District-by-district breakdown

Below are Fontana’s principal base zones and form-based subdistricts that appear in the Code. Each district subsection gives the stated purpose, typical permitted uses (as the Code summarizes them or as explicitly listed), and the key dimensional standards the Code provides in the excerpts retrieved. Where the Code excerpt refers to another table or does not provide the numeric standard in the extracted materials, I mark that as "Not found in retrieved materials" and cite the controlling §.

Note: The Code establishes a downtown Form‑Based Code (FBC) with several subareas (Civic Core, Sierra Core, etc.) treated differently from the conventional residential/commercial/industrial zones (§ 30-371.1–.2) .

FBC (Form‑Based Code / Downtown area) — Civic Core and Sierra Core

• Purpose: the FBC implements a walkable downtown and mixed‑use urban village; it organizes building form, frontage, and pedestrian orientation rather than only use (§ 30-371.1; § 30-371.2) .
• Typical permitted uses: civic, institutional, commercial, retail, office, residential and mixed use in the Sierra core and civic uses in the Civic Core (see § 30-371.1–.2) .
• Key dimensional standards:
  • Civic Core: Height 70 ft max; FAR up to 2.0 (capacity) ; Front setback: 0–25 ft; interior side 10 ft minimum; stepback requirements start at 35 ft height (§ 30-371.1) .
  • Sierra Core: Residential/mixed-use density 24–70 DU/acre, building heights 35–70 ft depending on frontage and stepback; front setbacks 0–10 ft; ground-floor commercial min height 12 ft (§ 30-371.2) .
• Where it applies: downtown parcels identified on the FBC sub-district maps on file with the Community Development Department (§ 30-405; § 30-406) .

R-E (Residential Estate)

• Purpose: large-lot single‑family residential; single‑family development standard baseline (§ 30-613) .
• Typical permitted uses: single‑family dwellings and accessory uses; project-level standards vary (see § 30-613) .
• Key dimensional standards shown in retrieved excerpt (Table No. 30-613): minimum lot area: none for P‑PF but for OS zones minimums exist; for R-E the Code ties single‑family standards to the R‑E requirements (the table lists single‑family = R‑E standards) — specific R‑E numeric setbacks/coverage were not in the extracted snippets. Not found in retrieved materials: full R‑E numeric front/side/rear setbacks and lot size table (see § 30-613) .

R-1 (Single‑Family Residential)

• Purpose: standard single‑family zone (listed in Table No. 30-408) (§ 30-408) .
• Typical permitted uses: single‑family dwellings and customary accessory uses. For existing single-family in some commercial zones, the Code notes existing single‑family remains permitted but new single‑family in certain commercial zones is not allowed (see notes in Table excerpts) .
• Key dimensional standards: Not all R‑1 numeric standards appeared in the retrieved snippets. Tables referenced for residential development include Table No. 30-434 and Table No. 30-434 is cited by the Code for residential minima in § 30-444, but the full Table No. 30-434 numeric entries were Not found in retrieved materials; verify with the City (§ 30-444) .

R-2 (Medium‑Density Residential) and R-3 (Multiple‑Family Residential)

• Purpose: R‑2 and R‑3 provide medium- and multiple‑family housing with specific building separation and multi‑family standards (§ 30-444; § 30-365) .
• Typical permitted uses: multi‑family dwellings, attached housing types, and related accessory uses; density tables exist in the Code (see Table No. 30-434 and Table No. 30-444 references) (§ 30-444) .
• Key dimensional standards (from retrieved excerpts):
  • Building separation: when adjacent to other zones the Code specifies setbacks up to 75 ft to R‑E and 25 ft to R‑1 in some cases; individual on‑site minimum building‑to‑building 10 ft (single‑family detached) and various building‑to‑right‑of‑way setbacks by street type (local 20 ft, collector 25 ft, major 30 ft) — see Table No. 30-444 (§ 30-444) .
  • Multi‑family district density range cited: 12–39 units/acre (minimum/maximum for the Multi‑Family District in the FBC context) and height/story limits by form (see § 30-365) .
• Where it applies: parcels designated R‑2 and R‑3 on the Zoning Map (§ 30-408; § 30-409) .

R-4 / R-5 (Higher‑density Multi‑Family)

• Purpose: provide medium/high and high multi‑family housing with mixed‑use compatibility (listed in Table No. 30-408) (§ 30-408) .
• Typical uses: multi‑family and mixed‑use projects; Mixed Use Development Standards are explicitly provided in Table No. 30-454 (examples include densities, FAR, lot coverage) (§ 30-454) .
• Key dimensional standards (from Table No. 30-454 excerpt): maximum FAR 5.0 for R‑4 and R‑5 mixed-use, maximum lot coverage 70%, maximum building heights for mixed-use buildings 55 ft, minimum unit size 550 sq ft for multi‑family (§ 30-454) .

R‑PC (Residential Planned Community)

• Purpose: planned residential communities with site‑specific standards (listed in Table No. 30-408) (§ 30-408) .
• Typical uses and standards: regulated by the R‑PC article and conditions of approval. Not found in retrieved materials: a complete numeric summary for R‑PC in the extracted text — verify with the full Code (§ 30-408) .

C‑1 (Community Commercial), C‑2 (General Commercial), and RMU (Regional Mixed‑Use)

• Purpose: to accommodate community and general commercial and regional mixed uses; minimum lot sizes and intensities are specified in Table No. 30-494.A (§ 30-494.A) .
• Typical permitted uses: retail, offices, restaurants, some services — full use tables exist in the Code’s commercial article (see Table references) (§ 30-494.A; Sec. 30-454 for mixed use) .
• Key dimensional standards (Table No. 30-494.A / 30-494.B excerpts):
  • C‑1: minimum lot 20,000 sf, max building height 35 ft, lot coverage 50%, max FAR 0.50 (§ 30-494.A) .
  • C‑2: minimum lot 40,000 sf, max building height 60 ft, lot coverage 50%, max FAR 1.0 (§ 30-494.A) .
  • RMU: minimum lot 1 acre, maximum building height 75 ft, max FAR 1.0 (§ 30-494.A) .
  • Parking and building setbacks for these zones are specified in Table No. 30-494.B (setbacks by street type; side/rear setbacks to residential 20 ft) (§ 30-494.B) .

M‑1 (Light Industrial) and M‑2 (General Industrial)

• Purpose: M‑1 for light, employee‑intensive industrial and business parks; M‑2 for general manufacturing, high‑cube warehousing and logistics (§ 30-520–30-522) .
• Typical permitted uses: research/tech centers, office-supporting retail, light manufacturing in M‑1; heavier manufacturing, warehousing and logistics in M‑2 (§ 30-522) .
• Key dimensional standards: the Code requires industrial projects meet the development standards in the industrial division; specific numeric height/lot coverage figures were not included in the extracted snippets. Not found in retrieved materials: full numerical industrial standards — see Division for industrial development standards (§ 30-523) .

P‑PF (Public Facility), P‑UC (Public Utility Corridor), OS‑N / OS‑R (Open Space — Natural/Resource)

• Purpose: public facilities, utility corridors and open space conservation; standards and lot sizes in Table No. 30-613 and related sections (§ 30-613) .
• Typical permitted uses: municipal buildings, parks, utilities, resource‑conserving open space; signs and landscaping controls vary by zone (§ 30-613) .
• Key dimensional standards (Table No. 30-613 excerpt): OS‑N / OS‑R minimum lot area 20 acres, street setback 30 ft, max building height generally 35 ft for public/open space zones (§ 30-613) .

Overlays (selected)

• The Code lists multiple overlay districts including Auto Center Overlay (ACO), Emergency Shelter Overlay (ESO), Fire Hazard Overlay, Hillside Overlay, Medical Center Overlay, Utility Corridor Overlay, Valley Business Park Boulevard Overlay, and Warehouse Distribution/Logistics Overlay (Table No. 30-408) (§ 30-408) .
• Overlays modify base‑zone standards or permitted uses where applied; the map and overlay boundaries are part of the Zoning District Map (§ 30-409) .
• For overlay‑specific development standards or exceptions, consult the overlay article(s) in Chapter 30. Not found in retrieved materials: the overlay-specific numeric amendments in the extracted snippets; verify overlay text for parcel-specific rules (§ 30-408; § 30-409) .

Key decision‑relevant standards (at-a-glance table)

Practical guidance & comparisons (plain‑English)

• If your parcel is inside the FBC (downtown) area, expect form‑based rules that prioritize street‑facing building placement, tight front setbacks, and ground‑floor commercial; height and stepbacks differ by subcore (Civic vs Sierra) and rooftop amenities can affect allowable heights (§ 30-371.1–.2) .
• In conventional residential zones (R‑1 to R‑3) the Code emphasizes building separation, setbacks by adjacent zoning, and street-type setbacks — these are in Table No. 30-444 for R‑2/R‑3 (§ 30-444) .
• For commercial projects, check Table No. 30-494.A/B first for lot size, height and setback rules; mixed‑use FAR rules may exclude a portion of residential area when calculating intensity (§ 30-494.A/B) .
• For industrial use, the Code distinguishes M‑1 (light) and M‑2 (general) and expects designs that avoid conflicts with adjacent uses; consult the industrial division standards early in site planning (§ 30-520–30-523) .
• Always verify overlay designations on the Zoning Map and read the overlay section text — overlays can change allowable uses or dimensional controls (§ 30-408; § 30-409) .

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy for a typical development)

• Confirm the parcel’s base zoning and any overlays on the City’s Zoning District Map (§ 30-408; § 30-409) .
• Verify permitted uses or the need for a Conditional Use Permit in the base zone or overlay (use tables; see the appropriate zone article) (§ 30-412; Div. 12 for CUPs) .
• Check applicable development standards (setbacks, building separation, height, lot coverage, FAR) in the zone’s tables (e.g., Table No. 30-444; Table No. 30-494.A/B; Table No. 30-454) (§ 30-444; § 30-494.A/B; § 30-454) .
• Prepare design review materials if required and use the Code’s design guidelines (site design, orientation, and landscape expectations) (§ 30-506–30-508) .
• Confirm parking requirements and location (on‑site parking rules apply; downtown FBC may allow shared or reduced parking) and follow the Parking chapter standards (§ 30-50(d); FBC parking notes) .
• Review applicable overlay standards (e.g., FEMA/fire, emergency shelter, logistics overlays) and compliance/limitations (§ 30-408) .
• If requesting a density bonus or No Net Loss transfer, include the density bonus application and demonstrate compliance with all base/overlay development standards (§ 30-968–30-971) .
• Include landscaping and screening per the Code’s Article X and zone-specific landscaping rules (§ 30-613) .
• Confirm sign controls (Chapter 3) and any encroachment rules with the City Engineer for awnings/balconies (§ 30-365; Chapter 3 reference) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English summary

Fontana’s Zoning and Development Code (Chapter 30) lists the city’s base zones (R‑series, C‑series, RMU, M‑series, P, OS, plus the downtown FBC) and overlays, puts the official Zoning Map on file with Community Development, and sets out the use lists, setbacks, heights, FARs, and design rules you must meet. Key numeric standards you’ll encounter (commercial lot sizes and heights, multi‑family separation rules, FBC frontages and heights) are in the zone tables cited here; if a number isn’t shown in the excerpts you must confirm it in the full Chapter 30 tables or with City staff (§ 30-408; § 30-409; § 30-444; § 30-494.A/B; § 30-371.1–.2) .

Source References

• Zoning and Development Code (Chapter 30) — general purpose and definitions: § 30‑1
• Established zoning districts and overlays: Table No. 30‑408 / § 30‑408
• Zoning District Map rules and boundary uncertainties: § 30‑409; § 30‑410
• R‑2 and R‑3 additional development standards and building separation: § 30‑444 / Table No. 30‑444
• Commercial lot size, heights, setbacks and FARs: Table No. 30‑494.A / 30‑494.B (Sec. 30‑494)
• Form‑Based Code (Civic Core, Sierra Core) standards (heights, setbacks, parking): § 30‑371.1; § 30‑371.2
• Mixed‑use development standards (R‑4 / R‑5): § 30‑454 / Table No. 30‑454
• Industrial district purpose and standards reference: § 30‑520 – § 30‑523
• Public facility / open space development standards table and landscaping references: § 30‑613 / Table No. 30‑613
• Administrative procedures mentioning design review, CUPs, and required submittals: Divisions in Article II (e.g., Sec. 30‑15; Sec. 30‑50)
• Density bonus / No Net Loss program rules and processing: § 30‑968 – § 30‑971

Retrieved passages

• Fontana Zoning Code (§ 8) High relevance show source text
• Fontana Zoning Code (section are) High relevance show source text
• Fontana Zoning Code (chapter as) High relevance show source text
• Fontana Zoning Code (Chapter 30) High relevance show source text
• Fontana Zoning Code (§ 7) Medium relevance show source text
• Fontana Zoning Code (§ 5) Medium relevance show source text
• Fontana Zoning Code (§ 5) Medium relevance show source text
• CBC § 8 (§ 8) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Zoning and Development Code (Chapter 30) — general purpose and definitions: **§ 30‑1** (Chapter 30)
• Established zoning districts and overlays: **Table No. 30‑408 / § 30‑408** (§ 30)
• Zoning District Map rules and boundary uncertainties: **§ 30‑409; § 30‑410** (§ 30)
• R‑2 and R‑3 additional development standards and building separation: **§ 30‑444 / Table No. 30‑444** (§ 30)
• Commercial lot size, heights, setbacks and FARs: **Table No. 30‑494.A / 30‑494.B (Sec. 30‑494)**
• Form‑Based Code (Civic Core, Sierra Core) standards (heights, setbacks, parking): **§ 30‑371.1; § 30‑371.2** (§ 30)
• Mixed‑use development standards (R‑4 / R‑5): **§ 30‑454 / Table No. 30‑454** (§ 30)
• Industrial district purpose and standards reference: **§ 30‑520 – § 30‑523** (§ 30)
• Public facility / open space development standards table and landscaping references: **§ 30‑613 / Table No. 30‑613** (§ 30)
• Administrative procedures mentioning design review, CUPs, and required submittals: **Divisions in Article II (e.g., Sec. 30‑15; Sec. 30‑50)** (Article II)
• Density bonus / No Net Loss program rules and processing: **§ 30‑968 – § 30‑971** (§ 30)
• Fontana_ZoningCode.md

• Official Fontana code library