Fowler — Zoning

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

Fowler's zoning ordinance is the city’s 2010 Zoning Code and is organized by base districts (R, RM, C, M, UR, RCO), special districts (PUD, mobilehome parks), and overlays (Precise Plan, Highway Beautification, Form‑Based Code Area). The ordinance sets permitted uses, site/dimensional standards, and procedures; confirm off‑street parking requirements under Article 20 early in project planning. The code’s district rules, development‑standard tables, and overlay rules are the controlling documents for land‑use decisions (see the code §§ cited below) .

How I used the code

This page synthesizes the Fowler 2010 Zoning Code (selected articles) and points you to the specific controlling ordinance sections (§) so you can verify parcel‑specific details with the City.

District‑by‑district breakdown

Note: each district name and numeric standard below is bolded. Where the ordinance gives a controlling section, that § is shown and cited.

Residential — R (One‑Family) districts

• Purpose and key rules: The R districts are intended for single‑family living and limited two‑ and three‑family units where stated; see § 9-5.701 for intent and scope .
• Typical permitted uses: one‑family dwellings, accessory buildings, home occupations, secondary residential units (ADUs subject to Article 21 rules) — see § 9-5.703 and cross‑referenced accessory/ADU rules .
• Key dimensional/quantified standards (applies across R‑district variants): maximum 40% lot coverage, maximum height 35 ft / 2 stories, and two (2) off‑street parking spaces per dwelling (one enclosed) — see § 9-5.709, § 9-5.710, § 9-5.712 .
• Where it applies: standard single‑family neighborhoods; minimum lot sizes vary by subzone (below); design review for single‑family subdivision projects per § 9-5.716 .

Subzones (major decision numbers)

• R-1-5 — minimum lot 5,000 sq ft; minimum lot width 50 ft (interior); minimum depth 90 ft — see § 9-5.707 for the table of lot sizes/widths/depths .
• R-1-6 — minimum lot 6,000 sq ft; width 60 ft; depth 95 ft — § 9-5.707 .
• R-1-7, R-1-8.5, R-1-10, R-1-12 — see the same lot‑size table in § 9-5.707 for each district’s minimums and the single‑family subdivision design criteria (minimum FAR 0.20) in § 9-5.1605 (single‑family FAR/minimum floor space) .

Practical guidance: if your lot is in any R‑ zone, begin by confirming the specific subzone (for frontage/width/depth) on the zoning map and check the design review trigger if the project is part of a subdivision or multi‑lot redesign (see § 9-5.716) .

Multi‑Family — RM districts

• Purpose: permit multi‑family residential development at densities consistent with the General Plan; see § 9-5.801 (RM purpose) .
• Typical permitted uses: multi‑family dwellings, accessory structures, communal pools, rest homes/nursing homes (some by administrative approval) — see § 9-5.803 and § 9-5.804 .
• Key standards: site area and site‑specific standards often handled by Article 21 and site plan review; general limits such as building height 35 ft unless approved under Article 27; parking and loading per Article 20 (on‑site) — see § 9-5.512, § 9-5.514, and § 9-5.803–804 .
• Where it applies: medium‑ and high‑density plan designations; density bands and consistency table list which RM variant matches General Plan densities (Planning & Zoning Consistency Table) .

Resource/Conservation/Open Space — RCO

• Purpose: preserve permanent open spaces, parks, school sites, ponding basins and public facilities — see § 9-5.501 .
• Typical uses: agricultural, flood control facilities, parks, public institutions and school sites — § 9-5.503 .
• Dimensional rules: many limits are “no limitation” (coverage, frontage) but special distance rules for structures housing animals (e.g., 200 ft from R/RM/C districts) — see § 9-5.507–516 .
• Where it applies: public/open land and areas preserved under the General Plan.

Urban Reserve — UR

• Purpose: protect lands slated for eventual urban development and preserve agricultural lands until urbanization; see § 9-5.601 .
• Permitted uses: field crops, farm employee housing incidental to permitted uses, processing of products produced on the premises (no commercial slaughter), home occupations — § 9-5.603 .
• Special rules: setbacks, distances between structures, and animal‑housing separation standards in § 9-5.613–614 .

Industrial — M-1 (Light) and M-2 (Heavy)

• Purpose: manage industrial development with screening/landscaping and separation from residences; see the industrial articles (multiple sections; e.g., screening and yard rules in § 9-5.1206 and related sections) .
• Typical uses and conditions: manufacturing, lumber yards, truck terminals, specialized uses (many conditional) — see listings in the industrial article and use tables (e.g., list items such as lumber yards, truck terminals, welding shops) § 9-5.1206 and related use lists .
• Key controls: minimum site areas (industrial sections may say “no limitation” for some metrics), mandatory screening for open storage, parking and loading per Article 20, and 6‑ft masonry wall buffering where needed § 9-5.1206 .

Commercial — C-1, C-2, C-3, C-H

• Purpose & categories: C‑districts are organized by neighborhood/community/general/highway commercial intents (the Planning & Zoning Consistency Table maps plan designations to C‑1, C‑2, C-3, C‑H) — see the consistency table and commercial district descriptions § 9-5.?? (see Planning & Zoning Consistency Table) .
• Uses and design guidance: allowed retail, offices, community services; design guidelines encourage placing buildings near streets and parking to rear/side, and landscaping/screening of parking and service areas (design review may apply in special areas) — key guidance appears throughout the commercial articles (see parking and landscaping provisions and the design standards snippets) .
• Highway commercial overlay rules impose additional buffer/landscaping along highways (see Highway Beautification Overlay below) .

Planned Unit Developments — PUD

• Purpose: allow mixed/innovative site planning and combinations of uses that might not fit strict base district rules — § 9-5.28.01 through § 9-5.28.06 .
• Key limits: minimum PUD site 1 acre; PUD may deviate from base district dimensional standards if the design achieves the zoning objectives; PUDs must still meet parking per Article 20 § 9-5.28.04–05 .
• Use in practice: PUDs are used when creative site layouts, mixed residential/commercial relationships, or density transfers are proposed.

Mobilehome Parks and Manufactured Homes

• Manufactured homes on individual lots in R and RM districts are allowed subject to the manufactured home standards § 9-5.21.201–204 (compatibility, foundation, site plan review) .
• Mobilehome parks have their own development standards (minimum park size 2 acres, per‑space area and setbacks, parking ratios, etc.) § 9-5.21.245 .

Overlay districts and special areas

• Precise Plan Overlay (P): establishes a precise plan to supersede some underlying zone standards where needed; adopt by resolution and map as underlyingzone+“P”; see § 9-5.1801–1803 .
• Form‑Based Code Area: development in the Form‑Based Code Area requires Site Plan approval and commercial projects may be subject to design review under Article 16 — see § 9-5.1714–1715 .
• Highway Beautification Overlay (HB): adds landscaped buffer and special yard/sign rules adjacent to highways (e.g., 20 ft landscape setbacks in many cases) — see § 9-5.1901 and yard requirement subsections including examples and buffer tables .
• Practical guidance: when a parcel sits inside an overlay, the overlay’s rules (e.g., buffer widths, masonry wall requirements) will supplement or override underlying zone standards; always check the zoning map for overlays and read the overlay sections (see § 9-5.1801 for Precise Plan effect) .

Quick decision‑relevant standards (table)

Checklist

• Confirm the parcel’s exact base zone and any overlays on the official zoning map (verify boundary rules in § 9-5.304–306) .
• Confirm whether the proposed use is a permitted use, permitted by administrative approval, or requires a Conditional Use Permit (see the district’s “Permitted Uses” list; e.g., § 9-5.703, § 9-5.803) .
• Confirm setbacks, coverage, height and minimum lot area for the applicable district (e.g., § 9-5.707, § 9-5.709–710) .
• Calculate off‑street parking and loading per Article 20 (early) — parking ratios differ by use; site must provide required spaces § 9-5.514/9-5.712 .
• If in a subdivision, PUD, or Form‑Based Code Area: prepare for Site Plan approval and possible design review (see § 9-5.1714, § 9-5.716, Article 16) and include building elevations and landscaping plans .
• If proposing an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), check the ADU provisions in the code and applicable state ADU law when a conflict exists — see ADU cross‑references in the ordinance (Article references to accessory/secondary units) and confirm local ADU rules § 9-5.21.211 et seq. .
• Check overlays (Precise Plan, Highway Beautification) for additional buffers/landscaping or required plan adoption § 9-5.1801 and § 9-5.1901–1907 .
• Verify compliance with the California Building Standards Code (Title 24) for foundation, fire, and life‑safety requirements (the zoning code defers technical building standards to the state code) — verify permit routing with the Building Official and the California Building Standards Code .

(Helpful links built into the body: see Fowler Development Standards, Fowler Parking, Fowler Design Review, Fowler Overlay Districts, Fowler ADUs, and California Building Standards Code.)

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English summary

Fowler’s 2010 Zoning Code divides the city into named zones (for example R-1-5, R-1-6, RM, UR, RCO) with clear lists of permitted uses and numeric development standards (lot sizes, maximum 40% coverage, 35 ft height, typical minimum lot sizes per R‑subzone). Overlays (Precise Plan, Highway Beautification, Form‑Based) layer extra rules—always confirm the parcel’s base zone and overlays, apply parking rules early, and expect design review or site plan review for subdivisions, PUDs and form‑based area projects (see the cited §§ above) .

Source References

• Fowler 2010 Zoning Code, Article 1 (Purpose & Administration) — § 9-5.101–105 .
• R Districts (One‑Family) — § 9-5.701–715 (permitted uses, lot sizes, yards, coverage, height) .
• R District lot sizes / dimensional tables — § 9-5.707–715 (R‑subzone lot minimums, frontages, widths, yards) .
• Single‑family subdivision design criteria and minimum FAR 0.20 — § 9-5.1605 .
• RM (Multi‑Family) districts — § 9-5.801–806 (uses and standards) .
• RCO (Resource/Conservation/Open Space) — § 9-5.501–516 .
• UR (Urban Reserve) — § 9-5.601–615 .
• PUD (Planned Unit Development) rules — § 9-5.28.01–06 (minimum site 1 acre, standards flexibility) .
• Manufactured homes on lots — § 9-5.21.201–204 (definitions and development standards) .
• Site Plan / Design Review triggers — § 9-5.1714–1715, § 9-5.716, Article 16 (design review) .
• Precise Plan Overlay District — § 9-5.1801–1803 (purpose, adoption, effect) .
• Highway Beautification Overlay yard and buffer rules — § 9-5.1901–1907 (buffer widths; example 20 ft setback) .
• Zoning map / boundary rules and effect of district regulations — § 9-5.304–307 and § 9-5.305 .
• Parking references and off‑street parking in residential districts — § 9-5.712 and Article 20 references (off‑street parking/ loading) .
• Note: California Building Standards Code (Title 24) referenced throughout for building/foundation/fence standards; the zoning code defers technical building safety compliance to the state codes (see manufactured home foundation requirements referencing the California Building Code) .

Retrieved passages

• Fowler Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• CBC § 3 (chapter to) High relevance show source text
• Fowler Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Fowler Zoning Code (Article 26.) High relevance show source text
• Fowler Zoning Code (Chapter 9-5.20) High relevance show source text
• Fowler Zoning Code (ARTICLE 1) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 9 (Article 27.) High relevance show source text
• Fowler Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Fowler Zoning Code (article will) High relevance show source text
• Fowler Zoning Code (Article 21.) High relevance show source text
• Fowler Zoning Code (Section 9-5.705.I) Medium relevance show source text
• Fowler Zoning Code (chapter or) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Fowler 2010 Zoning Code, Article 1 (Purpose & Administration) — **§ 9-5.101–105** . (Article 1)
• R Districts (One‑Family) — **§ 9-5.701–715** (permitted uses, lot sizes, yards, coverage, height) . (§ 9-5.701)
• R District lot sizes / dimensional tables — **§ 9-5.707–715** (R‑subzone lot minimums, frontages, widths, yards) . (§ 9-5.707)
• Single‑family subdivision design criteria and minimum **FAR 0.20** — **§ 9-5.1605** . (§ 9-5.1605)
• RM (Multi‑Family) districts — **§ 9-5.801–806** (uses and standards) . (§ 9-5.801)
• RCO (Resource/Conservation/Open Space) — **§ 9-5.501–516** . (§ 9-5.501)
• UR (Urban Reserve) — **§ 9-5.601–615** . (§ 9-5.601)
• PUD (Planned Unit Development) rules — **§ 9-5.28.01–06** (minimum site **1 acre**, standards flexibility) . (§ 9-5.28.01)
• Manufactured homes on lots — **§ 9-5.21.201–204** (definitions and development standards) . (§ 9-5.21.201)
• Site Plan / Design Review triggers — **§ 9-5.1714–1715**, **§ 9-5.716**, Article 16 (design review) . (§ 9-5.1714)
• Precise Plan Overlay District — **§ 9-5.1801–1803** (purpose, adoption, effect) . (§ 9-5.1801)
• Highway Beautification Overlay yard and buffer rules — **§ 9-5.1901–1907** (buffer widths; example **20 ft** setback) . (§ 9-5.1901)
• Zoning map / boundary rules and effect of district regulations — **§ 9-5.304–307** and **§ 9-5.305** . (§ 9-5.304)
• Parking references and off‑street parking in residential districts — **§ 9-5.712** and Article 20 references (off‑street parking/ loading) . (§ 9-5.712)
• Note: California Building Standards Code (Title 24) referenced throughout for building/foundation/fence standards; the zoning code defers technical building safety compliance to the state codes (see manufactured home foundation requirements referencing the California Building Code) . (Title 24)
• Fowler_ZoningCode.md

• Official Fowler code library