Kings County Zoning, Planning & Building Codes

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

Kings County regulates land use and development in the county’s unincorporated areas through the Kings County Development Code (Appendix A of the County Code), commonly referred to in practice as the County's zoning code. The Development Code establishes the official zoning map, district categories, overlay zones, and the permit pathways—Site Plan Review, Conditional Use Permits, Variances and related procedures—that apply to development outside incorporated cities. The Code implements the 2035 Kings County General Plan and must be read alongside specific community plans and the Jackson Ranch Specific Plan. See the Code's title and scope at § 101 and the components description at § 106.

How Kings County's code is organized

• Title and structure: The development regulations are compiled as the Kings County Development Code (Appendix A). The Code is organized into Articles (Article 1 through Article 26) covering general provisions, zoning districts, development standards, overlays, and procedural articles (see Table of Contents listing Articles and their § ranges). Key organizational notes are in § 101 and the Table of Contents (Articles and § ranges).
• Zoning plan and maps: The Official Zoning District Map for the unincorporated areas is on file at the Community Development Agency; the adoption and maintenance rules are in § 201 and § 202. The zoning plan is tied to the 2035 General Plan and the county’s community plans.
• Navigating the Code: Use Article numbers to find subject-matter rules (e.g., off-street parking in Article 13, Site Plan Review in Article 16, Conditional Use Permits in Article 17). The Code is intended as a reference (Article 1–3 recommended reading for orientation). § 106 and § 114 summarize components and general rules.

Zoning district families (what you’ll see on the official map)

The Development Code divides unincorporated Kings County into families of zoning districts (Table 3‑1 / § 301). Principal families and representative district symbols are:

• A — Agricultural districts: AL‑10 (Limited Agricultural, 10‑acre minimum), AG‑20 (20‑acre minimum), AG‑40 (40‑acre minimum), AX (Exclusive Agricultural, 40‑acre minimum). See § 301 and Table 3‑1 for the full listing.
• R — Residential districts: RR (Rural Residential, 30,000 sq ft min), R‑1‑20 (20,000 sq ft), R‑1‑12 (12,000 sq ft), R‑1‑8 (8,000 sq ft), R‑1‑6, and multiple RM (multi‑family) designations. See § 301, Table 5‑1 and Table 5‑2 for use/standards.
• C — Commercial districts (neighborhood, service, highway and thoroughfare commercial types). See Article 6 and Table 6‑1.
• MU — Mixed‑use districts including MU, MU‑D (downtown), etc.; development rules for mixed use appear in Article 7 (Table 7‑1 / Table 7‑2).
• I — Industrial districts: Article 8 covers industrial district types and special rules (Table 8‑1 / Table 8‑2).
• PF — Public Facilities: see Article 9 (Table 9‑2 shows PF development standards).
• Overlay zones (Article 10) are applied on top of base zones; see the Overlay Zones article for the list and map figures (e.g., Dairy Development Overlay, Natural Resource Conservation Overlay, Flood Hazard Overlay). § 305–306 and the overlay sections § 1007 / § 1008 explain applicability and added controls.

Note: these district names and minimum site areas are used only in the County's unincorporated areas; incorporated cities inside Kings County use their own codes. See the Code's district list at § 301.

Citywide development standards (high‑level orientation)

Kings County separates district‑level allowed uses from standards that apply across districts. Key places to look:

• Development standards and measurements (setbacks, coverage, height, FAR, projections): general measurement rules and exceptions live in Article 1 general performance standards and in the district tables. For rules about how to measure setbacks and what can project into setbacks, consult § 114 and Table 1‑1 (Allowed Projections Into Setbacks). The Code treats listed setbacks as minimums and provides measurement rules and limited projections (eaves, awnings, rain barrels, etc.). § 114; Table 1‑1.
  • Example: ADU / JADU minimum rear and side setbacks are 4 ft (see § 507 for ADU standards).
• Height: most single‑ and multi‑family districts show 30 ft maximum for permitted structures and 50 ft for some conditional uses (district tables; see Table 5‑2 and related notes). Measurement method and exceptions are in Article 1.
• Lot coverage / FAR: district development tables (Tables 4‑3, 5‑2, 6‑2, etc.) contain the numeric site coverage and yard requirements for each district; consult the specific district table for the parcel in question. The Code’s measurement rules are in Article 1 (coverage measurement).
• Parking: off‑street parking standards and design are in Article 13 (Secs. 1301–1311). Article 13 prescribes required spaces, surfacing, bicycle/motorcycle parking, shared parking and exemptions; Article 13, § 1306 contains the technical standards. Links to parking guidance and standard plan figures are in Article 13 (see Figure 13‑1 and § 1301).
  • (Practical note: the Code cross‑references parking requirements into ADU rules and district tables—see § 507 for ADU parking cross‑reference to § 1306).
• Landscaping, screening, and fences: detailed standards appear in district specific sections and in Article 6/8/9 additional standards; general provisions (height limits for fences, traffic visibility rules) are in district supplemental rules and in Article 1 general exceptions. See fence and screening rules referenced under each district (for example § 805 for industrial landscaping/fence controls).

(Quick navigation: use the Code’s Table of Contents to jump to the district table that controls numeric standards for any parcel — these tables are the authoritative source for setbacks/height/coverage for a given zone.)

Design & discretionary review

• Ministerial vs. discretionary: ministerial projects listed as “Site Plan Review” are processed under Article 16; § 1601 explains the Site Plan Review purpose and how the Zoning Administrator uses SPR to confirm conformity and to clear the way for building permits.
• Discretionary approvals: Conditional Use Permits (CUP) are handled under Article 17; § 1701 sets the purpose and § 1708 lists typical conditions (special setbacks, buffers, signage, paving/parking surfacing, dedications). Planning Commission decisions may be appealed to the Board.
• Variances and exceptions: Article 18 describes variances; the Zoning Administrator may grant area variances under § 1802 and the variance application procedures are in § 1803. For design or standards exceptions, the applicant typically pursues a Variance or a CUP depending on the subject and the district.
• Design review practice: Site Plan Review is commonly the first step for design/architectural conformity (Article 16 and related district “Site Plan Review required” flags in the use tables). § 1602 describes application content and fee requirements.

Specific plans & overlays

• Community plans and specific plans: The zoning plan is implemented consistent with the 2035 General Plan and the County’s four community plans (Armona, Home Garden, Kettleman City, Stratford) and the Jackson Ranch Specific Plan (Article 26 / § 2601; Article 3 notes the specific plan cross‑references). See § 201 and Article 26 / § 2601 for how a specific plan maps and controls zoning.
• Overlay zones (Article 10): overlays add requirements on top of the base district. Important overlays in Kings County include:
  • DDOZ — Dairy Development Overlay Zone (mapped dairy areas; restrictions and DDOZ listings) — § 1002.
  • NRCOZ — Natural Resource Conservation Overlay Zone (Kings River, Cross Creek protection): new structures inside NRCOZ generally require a CUP and additional agency reviews; see § 1007.
  • FHOZ — Flood Hazard Overlay Zone and other overlays — see § 1008 and the Overlay article for detailed triggers and permit conditions.
• Jackson Ranch Specific Plan: see Article 26 (§ 2601) and the Article 3 cross reference (§ 306) for where the Specific Plan controls the land use and standards inside that plan area.

Building permits & review — the practical permit path

• Basic rule: no building or structural work may proceed without a building permit from the County Building Official; building permits require prior land‑use approvals where the Code requires them (per Article 1 and the permit‑type rules). The Code states a building permit cannot be issued until required use permits are approved. See the general requirement in Article 1 and links to each permit type in § 113 and the building permit cross references in the Site Plan Review and CUP articles.
• Typical path for a small project in unincorporated areas:
  1. Confirm the parcel’s zoning on the Official Zoning Map and the applicable district table (Article 2 & § 301 / Table 3‑1).
  2. Check whether the use is Permitted, SPR, or requires a CUP in the district’s use table (Article 5/6/7… as applicable).
  3. If SPR is required, submit Site Plan Review application (Article 16 — § 1602 describes submittal content; § 1607 references zoning clearance and building permit linkage). Ministerial SPRs are often eligible for faster processing.
  4. If the use requires a CUP, follow Article 17 (public hearing, findings, conditions) — § 1703 (CUP application) and § 1708 (conditions) are central.
  5. After land‑use approval, obtain building permits from the Building Official; certain signatures/utility confirmations may be required (Article 12 references Zoning Clearance and building permit coordination — see § 1207).
• Appeals and timelines: Decisions by the Zoning Administrator or the Planning Commission have appeal windows; Board review is possible. See Articles 16–19 for appeals and timelines (for example § 1613 on new application limitations post‑revocation).

State housing law (how California law interacts with Kings County rules)

Kings County’s Development Code implements and cross‑references state housing law where required. Key interactions:

• Accessory dwelling units (ADUs / JADUs): The Code contains a dedicated ADU section (§ 507 — “Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units”) that aligns with State ADU law (Gov. Code citations appear in the ADU section). The County permits ADUs in RR, R‑1 and RM districts with numeric limits, sizing and minimum 4 ft side/rear setbacks and a 30 ft max height for ADUs, and parking requirements referencing Article 13 § 1306 (the Code explicitly cross‑references state ADU provisions). See § 507 for the County’s ADU rules.
  • For the state ADU statutory baseline, the County treats § 507 as the local implementation consistent with Government Code § 65852.2/§ 65852.22 (the Code notes conformance to state law).
• SB 9 / parcel splits and duplex ministerial rules: The County’s Development Code addresses subdivisions and lot‑line adjustments in Article 23 (Secs. 2301–2316). For SB 9 specifics the County’s practice is to apply the Subdivision Map Act and Article 23 rules while conforming to state law; the Code’s subdivision and lot‑split rules are the starting point for ministerial two‑unit or split approvals. See Article 23 § 2301 and related map rules.
• Density bonus: Article 22 implements density bonus and inclusionary procedures and references Government Code § 65915; see § 2207 (agreements and findings) and the full Article 22 for how the County processes density bonus requests.
• Rent control / tenant protections: Kings County Code does not create county‑level rent‑control ordinances in the Development Code. Local rent regulation would be a separate County ordinance; the Development Code focuses on land use and permit rules only. Verify with the County clerk or legal counsel for housing‑policy ordinances (not in the Development Code). (No local rent control provisions located in the retrieved Development Code materials.)

Links to key local pages (first mention inline links)

• The County’s zoning program (this page’s subject): Kings County Zoning (first mention of “zoning” above).
• Development standards and numeric controls: Kings County Development Standards (first mention of “development standards” above).
• Parking rules: Kings County Parking (first mention of “parking” above).
• Design review / site plan review: Kings County Design Review (first mention of “design review” above).
• Overlay districts: Kings County Overlay Districts (first mention of “overlays” above).
• ADUs (state framework and County implementation): Kings County ADUs (first mention of “ADUs” above).
• State building code reference: California Building Standards Code (first mention of “California Building Standards Code” above).

(These internal links point to the County menu pages where you can usually find forms, submittal checklists, and the local interpretations summarized above.)

Source References

• Kings County Development Code (Appendix A) — Table of Contents and Articles (Article 1–26): see §§ 101–116, § 201–203, § 301–306, Art. 13 §§ 1301–1311, Art. 16 §§ 1601–1613, Art. 17 §§ 1701–1717, Art. 22, Art. 23, Art. 26 for the Jackson Ranch Specific Plan.
• District lists and Table 3‑1 (zoning districts): § 301 and Table 3‑1.
• Setbacks / measurement rules and Table 1‑1 (Allowed Projections): Article 1 general rules and Table 1‑1 (see § 114 and Table 1‑1).
• Site Plan Review: Article 16, § 1601–1603 (application, action of Zoning Administrator, zoning clearance).
• Conditional Use Permits and conditions: Article 17, § 1701 and § 1708.
• ADU rules and standards: Article 5, § 507 (ADU/JADU sub‑section).
• Parking standards: Article 13 § 1301 and § 1306.
• Overlay zones (NRCOZ / FHOZ): § 1007 and § 1008 (Article 10).
• Variances: Article 18 § 1802 – § 1803.