Gridley — Zoning

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

Gridley’s local zoning is codified in Title 17 of the municipal code; the zoning districts and the official city zoning map are maintained in Title 17, Article 2. The code establishes the city’s base districts (residential, commercial, industrial, mixed-use) plus combining and overlay districts (for planned development, agricultural overlay, parking, etc.), and ties many procedural requirements to site development plan and conditional‑use processes. See the Gridley zoning & planning overview for a quick entry point. § 17.22–17.59 and the zoning map authority are in T 17, Art. 2.

Throughout this page I summarize what Gridley’s Title 17 actually requires (purpose, typical permitted uses, key numeric standards, and where the district is applied). For procedure (site development review, conditional uses, variances) I cite the controlling sections but do not reprint ordinance text; for design detail, see the linked pages for development standards and parking.

How to read this page

• Bolded district names are the exact local labels (for example, R-1, C-2, M-1).
• Where I state a numeric requirement I cite the specific controlling code section (for example, § 17.22.040) and the ordinance file I used. Verify parcel-specific limits with the City — these summaries do not substitute for looking at the zoning map or an official staff determination.

District-by-district breakdown

R-1 (Single-Family Residential) — § 17.22.010–17.22.110

Purpose: Preserve single-family neighborhoods and allow limited accessory uses and home-based businesses in controlled form.

Typical permitted uses:

• One single-family dwelling per lot (conventional framed, prefab, modular or manufactured on foundation). § 17.22.020.
• Child care (small family), family care facilities, live‑work units. § 17.22.020.

Key dimensional standards:

• Minimum lot area typical R-1: 7,500 sq ft; several R-1 subzones exist: R-1A, R-1B, R-1C with smaller minimums defined by subzone. See § 17.22.040 for the lot area tables.
• Accessory dwelling units are referenced to Chapter 17.82 (ADU rules) and are allowed as accessory uses; see § 17.22.025.

Where it applies: City single-family neighborhoods as shown on the Title 17 zoning map (T 17, Art. 2). Verify parcel zoning with the map.

Practical note: R-1A and R-1B subzones restrict certain conditional uses that are allowed in the broader R-1; review § 17.22.030 before proposing non‑residential uses.

R-2 (Medium‑Density Residential) — § 17.25.010–17.25.110

Purpose: Provide for medium-density housing and related uses.

Permitted uses: Multi‑unit residential forms subject to underlying standards. See the district text for full use lists. § 17.25.

Key dimensional standards:

• Minimum lot area: 5,000 sq ft (interior lot); 6,000 sq ft (corner lot). § 17.25.030.
• Maximum building height: 30 ft for main residential buildings; 15 ft for accessory structures. § 17.25.050.
• Maximum lot coverage: 40% for combined residential, accessory, and paved areas. § 17.25.070.
• Yards and parking: Referenced to general Chapters 17.78 (yards) and 17.76 (parking).

Where it applies: Neighborhoods designated medium-density on the zoning map. Verify with staff for parcel-specific interpretations.

R-3 (Multiple-Family Residential) — § 17.26.010–17.26.130

Purpose: Higher density housing (approx. 9–15 du/acre)—serves as buffer between lower density residential and commercial/industrial uses. § 17.26.010.

Permitted uses: Multifamily dwellings and associated residential services. See § 17.26.020 for permitted principal uses.

Standards: See the chapter for lot size, setbacks and parking cross‑references; parking per Chapter 17.76. § 17.26.

R-4 (High-Density Residential) — § 17.27.010–17.27.130

Purpose: Allow high-density residential development (HDR) with appropriate transition to commercial areas. See § 17.27. for intent and standards. Not all numeric standards are repeated elsewhere in the code extracts.

Permitted uses and standards: Refer to Chapter 17.27 for permitted densities, yard and coverage rules. Verify specifics with City staff (parcel-specific). Not all numeric details were available in the retrieved excerpt. Not found in retrieved materials: full R-4 numeric table.

R-S (Residential‑Suburban) — § 17.21.010–17.21.120

Purpose: Lower-density suburban residential (existing references and a number of rezones listed in Title 17). See § 17.21 for purpose and rules.

Permitted uses and standards: See chapter; typical suburban densities and lot sizes apply. Verify parcel-specific limits with the zoning map.

C-1 / Downtown Mixed Use — Chapter 17.53 (Downtown MU) and commercial use tables (Chapter 17.36)

Purpose: Downtown commercial core and mixed‑use. The special Downtown Mixed Use district contains strong design and streetscape requirements and allows vertical mix of residential and commercial. § 17.53.010–17.53.040.

Key standards (Downtown MU):

• Allowable building height: 50 ft. § 17.53.040.
• Lot coverage: 100% allowed (i.e., no minimum yard requirement). § 17.53.040.
• Parking: Essentially limited; 1 space per residential unit and street/shared parking emphasized. § 17.53.040.

Commercial use lists: Chapter 17.36 provides detailed P/CUP matrices for C-1 and C-2 (examples include retail, professional services, food service), which must be consulted to confirm whether a given use is Permitted (P) or requires a Conditional Use Permit (CUP). § 17.36.010 and the tables.

Practical note: Downtown standards emphasize streetscape, signage, and façade preservation (see § 17.53.040). Review design review and the downtown chapter before proposing façade alterations.

C-2 (General Commercial) — § 17.34.010–17.34.130

Purpose: General commercial uses along commercial corridors. § 17.34.

Key standards:

• Lot coverage: up to 90%. § 17.34.080.
• Parking and loading: subject to Chapter 17.76 and Special Parking Combining Zone rules for downtown properties. § 17.34.090–17.34.100.

M-1 (Light Industrial) & M-2 (Heavy Industrial) — Chapters 17.42 & 17.44

Purpose: M-1 for light industrial/processing uses; M-2 preserves heavy industrial uses incompatible with other zones. § 17.42.010; § 17.44.010.

Standards and controls:

• Yard rules: M-1 has limited or no yards in many cases; special side/rear yard requirements apply when adjacent to residential (e.g., 10 ft side yard where adjacent to R district; 20 ft rear yard when abutting R district). § 17.42.060 (side/rear yard rules).
• Maximum lot coverage: 80% for industrial parcels. § 17.42.070.
• Loading: Minimum loading and clearance standards given (loading areas 12 ft wide x 14 ft high). § 17.42.090.

Mixed-use and Combining Districts

• MUCZ (Mixed‑Use Combining Zone) — § 17.52.010–17.52.100: Requires mixed-residential/commercial integration, sets density rules (the combining district may allow up to 150% of the underlying zone density) and defers many dimensional standards to the underlying zone; see § 17.52.040–.060.

• NMU (Neighborhood Mixed Use combining zone) — § 17.54.010–17.54.040: Allows ground-floor neighborhood commercial, live/work, residential above first floor; height up to 40 ft, lot coverage 90%, and parking mostly by shared/street parking (1 space/unit). § 17.54.040.

• PD (Planned Development District) — § 17.55.010–17.55.140: Applied as a combining zone; the PD is flexible—City may modify setbacks, height, coverage, parking and allow additional uses consistent with the General Plan; approvals require concept plan and public hearings with Planning Commission/City Council. § 17.55.030–.050; § 17.55.110–.120.

• AO (Agricultural Overlay) — § 17.56.010–.090: Agricultural overlay rules exist to manage agricultural uses near the city; see Article 17.56 for allowable activities.

• SP (Special Parking Combining Zones) — § 17.58.010–.030: Special parking rules for defined areas (for example, downtown central business area). § 17.58.

• HCC (Highway Commercial Corridor) — § 17.59 (created 2017): A combining district adopted for portions of the Hwy 99 corridor (see the ordinance history and § 17.59).

Practical guidance: When a combining zone applies (PD, MUCZ, NMU), the underlying base zone still matters for dimensions and many use rules unless the PD or combining district explicitly states otherwise. See § 17.55.040 and § 17.52.060.

Quick standards table (decision‑relevant)

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy for most projects)

• Confirm official parcel zoning on the Title 17 zoning map (T 17, Art. 2). Verify any recent rezones.
• Confirm permitted use or if a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) or Administrative Use Permit is required (see Chapter 17.36 for commercial use matrix and district chapters for conditional uses).
• Prepare Site Development Plan consistent with Chapter 17.07 when required by the district (site development plan review is required for most commercial, industrial and many PD projects). See design review for process expectations. § 17.07; § 17.53.040; § 17.42.110.
• Meet applicable dimensional standards (setbacks, height, lot coverage) in the district chapter (e.g., § 17.22.040, § 17.25.050). See development standards.
• Provide parking consistent with Chapter 17.76 or the applicable Special Parking combining zone (Chapter 17.58). See parking.
• If in a combining or overlay district (PD, AO, MUCZ, NMU, HCC, SP), show compliance with combining-district standards and required findings (see § 17.52, § 17.54, § 17.55).
• If proposing an ADU, confirm ADU chapter 17.82 rules and state ADU law; see ADUs and California ADU law. Not all ADU provisions are repeated in district chapters; check both.

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English Summary

Gridley’s zoning (Title 17) lays out where homes, shops, and industry can go, how big buildings can be, how much of the lot they can cover, and when design review or a conditional permit is required; read the district chapter that matches the parcel (for example R-1 household neighborhoods vs C-2 general commercial vs M-1 industrial) and check the city zoning map to confirm which chapter controls your property. Key numeric rules referenced here come from the district chapters (for example § 17.22.040 for R-1 lot area and § 17.25.050 for R-2 height).

Information Gaps

• The retrieved excerpts do not include a readable graphic of the official zoning map; Title 17, Article 2 identifies the map but the map image itself was not in the materials. Not found in retrieved materials.
• Full numeric tables for R-4 and some R-S specifics were not present in the provided excerpts. Not found in retrieved materials.
• Complete text of Chapter 17.76 (detailed parking matrix) and 17.82 (full ADU chapter) were only referenced, not fully reproduced in the retrieved selection. Verify with the City for table details. Not found in retrieved materials.

Source References

• Gridley Municipal Code, Title 17 (zoning) — R-1 provisions: § 17.22.010–17.22.110.
• Gridley Municipal Code — R-1 minimum lot area: § 17.22.040.
• Gridley Municipal Code — R-2 district rules (min area, height, lot coverage): § 17.25.030; § 17.25.050; § 17.25.070.
• Gridley Municipal Code — R-3 purpose and permitted uses: § 17.26.010–.020.
• Gridley Municipal Code — C-2 district standards and commercial land use table: § 17.34.080; § 17.36.010.
• Gridley Municipal Code — Downtown Mixed Use district: § 17.53.040 (height, lot coverage, parking).
• Gridley Municipal Code — M‑1 / M‑2 industrial districts: § 17.42.060–.090; § 17.44.010–.020.
• Gridley Municipal Code — MUCZ (Mixed‑Use Combining Zone): § 17.52.040–.060.
• Gridley Municipal Code — NMU (Neighborhood Mixed Use): § 17.54.040.
• Gridley Municipal Code — PD (Planned Development): § 17.55.010–.140.
• Gridley Municipal Code — Zoning Map authority and Article reference: T 17, Art. 2 (zoning map and districts).

Also see these topic pages referenced in the body for procedural and technical details: Gridley zoning & planning overview, Gridley Land Use, Gridley Development Standards, Gridley Parking, Gridley Design Review, Gridley Overlay Districts, Gridley ADUs, and California Building Standards Code.

Retrieved passages

• Gridley Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Gridley Zoning Code (Section 17.72.060.) High relevance show source text
• Gridley Zoning Code (Chapter 17.84.) High relevance show source text
• Gridley Zoning Code (§ 8) High relevance show source text
• Gridley Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Gridley Zoning Code (§ 18) High relevance show source text
• Gridley Zoning Code (§ 14) High relevance show source text
• Gridley Zoning Code High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Gridley Municipal Code, Title 17 (zoning) — R-1 provisions: **§ 17.22.010–17.22.110**. (Title 17)
• Gridley Municipal Code — R-1 minimum lot area: **§ 17.22.040**. (§ 17.22.040)
• Gridley Municipal Code — R-2 district rules (min area, height, lot coverage): **§ 17.25.030; § 17.25.050; § 17.25.070**. (§ 17.25.030)
• Gridley Municipal Code — R-3 purpose and permitted uses: **§ 17.26.010–.020**. (§ 17.26.010)
• Gridley Municipal Code — C-2 district standards and commercial land use table: **§ 17.34.080; § 17.36.010**. (§ 17.34.080)
• Gridley Municipal Code — Downtown Mixed Use district: **§ 17.53.040** (height, lot coverage, parking). (§ 17.53.040)
• Gridley Municipal Code — M‑1 / M‑2 industrial districts: **§ 17.42.060–.090; § 17.44.010–.020**. (§ 17.42.060)
• Gridley Municipal Code — MUCZ (Mixed‑Use Combining Zone): **§ 17.52.040–.060**. (§ 17.52.040)
• Gridley Municipal Code — NMU (Neighborhood Mixed Use): **§ 17.54.040**. (§ 17.54.040)
• Gridley Municipal Code — PD (Planned Development): **§ 17.55.010–.140**. (§ 17.55.010)
• Gridley Municipal Code — Zoning Map authority and Article reference: **T 17, Art. 2** (zoning map and districts). (Article reference)
• Gridley_ZoningCode.md

• Official Gridley code library