Madera County Zoning, Planning & Building Codes

Last reviewed: July 6, 2026

Overview

In unincorporated Madera County, the zoning rules live in the County’s zoning ordinance, formally titled Title 18 – Zoning of the Madera County Code. It sets what you can build where, and the core “dimensional” rules (setbacks, height, lot size, and parking) that projects must meet before permits are issued. The ordinance applies only in the county’s unincorporated areas; incorporated cities within the county have their own codes. The backbone of Title 18 starts with general provisions and definitions, then maps and describes zoning districts, followed by shared rules like structure regulations, development standards, signage, and procedures for permits and hearings (zoning permits, conditional use permits, variances, and appeals) .

In unincorporated Madera County, you must comply with your zoning district’s allowed uses and its core standards—setbacks, height, lot dimensions, and parking—before a building permit can be signed off by the zoning administrator (§§ 18.02.040, 18.06.050, 18.104.050) .

How Madera County’s code is organized

Title 18 groups the rules into predictable parts so you can navigate quickly:

• Core framework. Short title and purpose, and what the zoning ordinance covers (uses, density, structures, open space, access/parking, and zoning plan) are in § 18.02.010–18.02.030. Compliance language makes clear no building or use can proceed unless it conforms to district use permissions and development standards in this title (§ 18.02.040) .
• Definitions. Key terms for interpreting the code appear in Chapter 18.04 (e.g., “Dwelling,” “Accessory dwelling unit”) .
• Districts established and mapped. The official zoning map and every base district and overlay are listed in § 18.08.010–18.08.020 .
• District-specific rules. Each district chapter contains use permissions and any special standards. Shared, countywide “structure regulations”—setbacks (Part I) and heights (Part II)—are consolidated in Chapter 18.98; lot-dimension rules are in Chapter 18.100; parking is in Chapter 18.102; signage is in Chapter 18.90 .
• Procedures. Site plan submittals (Chapter 18.96), zoning permits (Chapter 18.104), conditional use permits (Chapter 18.92), variances (Chapter 18.106), and hearing/appeal rules (Chapter 18.108) explain the application, notice, and decision process countywide .

Zoning district families

Madera County uses clear families of base zones and several overlay districts (see the official list in § 18.08.010). Highlights below are a quick map for the unincorporated areas :

• Residential districts. RUS (urban single-family), RX (small-lot single-family, tied to the Village Core overlay), RRS-1/2/2½/3/5/10 (rural single-family by minimum lot size), RMS (mountain single-family), RT (alley-loaded small-lot, Village Core), RUM (urban multi-family), RRM (rural multi-family), RM (designations as listed in § 18.11.120 table). The residential purpose statements and consolidated standards live in §§ 18.11.020–18.11.060 and the residential development table in § 18.11.120 .
• Commercial districts. CUG, CUM, CUR, CRG, CRM, CRR, CRH. A representative commercial district sets a 25 ft front setback, 10 ft side, 20 ft rear and caps primary building height at 35 ft (see district example in §§ 18.38.020–18.38.030) .
• Industrial and resource. I‑L (light), I‑H (heavy), QMD (quarrying/mining/drilling), TPZ (timber preserve) .
• Agricultural/rural. AR‑5, ARE‑20/40/80/160/320/640, ARV‑20, ARF, and –RM (rural mountain). Countywide agricultural standards—including a quick table of parcel size, setbacks and heights—are consolidated in § 18.53.030; e.g., the AR‑5 and ARE zones set 25 ft front, 10 ft side, 20 ft rear setbacks and a 35 ft dwelling height limit, with lot coverage limits by zone (e.g., 10% in AR‑5; 5% in ARE; 40% in ARF) .
• Public/open space and institutional. IA, OSS, POS (see POS purpose and structural cross-references to §§ 18.98/18.100) .
• Planned districts. PRD (planned residential development), PSC (planned shopping center), PIP (planned industrial park), PIA (planned recreation area) appear in § 18.08.010; standards live in the individual chapters and via design review/site plan review where required .
• Overlays and special districts. County overlays are introduced in Chapter 18.76. Notable overlays include:
  • AAO – Airport/Airspace Overlay, which restricts heights and residential placement near instrumented runways (e.g., no residential within 100 ft of projected instrumented runway centerline for one mile; see § 18.78.020 and height framework in § 18.78.030) .
  • SHO – Scenic Highway Overlay, limiting sign types and certain uses along designated corridors; standards mirror underlying zones except where needed to fulfill scenic purposes (§§ 18.80.010–18.80.050) .
  • MHA – Manufactured Housing Architectural Review Overlay, adding roof/width and parking placement requirements tied to Chapter 18.102 (§§ 18.84.010–18.84.040) .
  • VCO – Village Core Overlay, a mixed-use form overlay that allows “Uses Allowed with Design Review Permit” and requires minimum land-use mixes with urban services (§§ 18.69.000–18.69.010) .
  • SUO – Second Unit Overlay, allowing a second single-family dwelling on parcels ≥ 1 acre under specific family-occupancy and compatibility conditions (§ 18.81.010) with parking set at “two spaces per dwelling” in the overlay (§ 18.81.050) .

Citywide development standards

Think of three layers: your base district’s standards; the consolidated countywide structure and lot rules; and any overlay/specific plan that adds or modifies requirements.

• Structure regulations (apply countywide in addition to your district):
  • Setbacks are measured from established base setback lines; SRA parcels ≥1 acre must also meet state fire-safety setback standards incorporated in § 18.98.010(C). Separation between principal and accessory buildings is generally 10 ft, with defined exceptions (§ 18.98.090). Certain architectural features may encroach up to 36 in or 30% of the setback (§ 18.98.080–18.98.090) .
  • Heights are limited by your district; exceptions for chimneys, farm buildings (to 60 ft), and specified equipment structures can be approved by the zoning administrator (§§ 18.98.100–18.98.110) .
• Residential snapshot (examples; confirm the full table in § 18.11.120):
  • RUS: 25 ft front, 3.5 ft side, 10 ft rear; 35 ft max height; up to 80% lot coverage in the table’s context .
  • RRS‑1/2/5/10: larger lots; typical 25 ft front, 10 ft sides and 20 ft rear; 35 ft height; 20% lot coverage (varies by subzone) .
  • RUM/RRM: multi-family districts use the same countywide structure rules; check the § 18.11.120 table for widths, heights (40 ft in some multi-family categories), and coverage allowances .
• Agricultural snapshot (see § 18.53.030):
  • AR‑5, ARE (Exclusive), ARF (Foothill): 25 ft front; 10 ft side; 20 ft rear; 35 ft dwelling height; accessory/ag buildings have different height caps (e.g., ag buildings to 60 ft in many ARE/ARF) and lot coverage varies (5–40% by zone) .
• Commercial example (district-specific; see code chapter for your zone):
  • One commercial district requires 25 ft front, 10 ft side, 20 ft rear, 35 ft height, and caps total building area at 40% of lot area (§§ 18.38.020–18.38.040) .

Key countywide rules you’ll almost always hit:

• Parking. Off-street parking is required for new buildings, new/expanded uses, and certain changes of use; spaces must be on-site unless a shared/off-site program is approved (§§ 18.102.010–18.102.020, 18.102.065). A parking plan is reviewed through site plan review before building permits advance (§ 18.102.050) .
• Landscaping/screening. Setback/offset areas must be kept landscaped and free of storage (§ 18.98.080). Site plan submittals must include landscape and coordinated sign plans (§ 18.96.020) .
• Nonconformities. If a nonconforming use is discontinued 6 months, it must come back conforming; restoration after major damage (>75% of assessed value) is limited unless brought into conformance (§§ 18.86.030–18.86.040). Some existing nonconforming uses can request conditional use status after public hearing (§ 18.86.050) .

Specific plans & overlays

• Overlay districts tailor rules to special contexts. The code creates overlays in Chapter 18.76, with individual chapters (e.g., AAO in Chapter 18.78; SHO in Chapter 18.80; MHA in Chapter 18.84; VCO in Chapter 18.69; and a Dairy Operations Standards overlay in Chapter 18.85) that add or refine permitted uses and development controls alongside the base zone .
• “Area plans” can also add development standards; site plan/parking review must account for any adopted area plan standards (§ 18.102.050) .

Building permits & review

Most projects move through a predictable sequence in the unincorporated areas:

• Pre-application (optional but common). The County offers a preliminary multi-department review; the guidance is generally valid for 1 year (§§ 18.95.030–18.95.050) .
• Site plan review. Where required by Title 18, submit a standard land use application and five scaled plan sets covering site, parking/ circulation, landscaping, signage, drainage, fire, water and sewer plans (§§ 18.96.010–18.96.020). The zoning administrator routes plans to Roads, Health, and Engineering; the planning commission considers plans tied to conditional/planned projects (§§ 18.96.040–18.96.070) .
• Zoning permit (for uses listed as allowed with a zoning permit). The zoning administrator holds a noticed public hearing and approves/denies based on compatibility, design, drainage, parking, screening, and operation controls (§§ 18.104.010–18.104.050) .
• Conditional use permit (CUP). For uses not by-right, CUPs are processed per Chapter 18.92, with the zoning agency able to apply conditions and require site plans; public notice to owners within 300 ft is required at least 10 days before the hearing (§§ 18.92.003, 18.92.010; 18.108.060) .
• Variances. When strict application of standards causes hardship, variances are requested under Chapter 18.106 (application to the zoning administrator; public process per Chapter 18.108) .
• Appeals. Decisions can be appealed (first to the planning commission, then the Board of Supervisors), with procedures and timelines in §§ 18.108.070–18.108.150 .
• Building permits and state code. Zoning administrator sign-off on the building application is required where construction is part of the land use approval (§ 18.06.050). Actual building plans must meet the California Building Standards Code (Title 24).

State housing law in Madera County

California housing mandates overlay local rules. Madera County incorporates and defers to state law where required, but you should confirm the latest state preemptions on the California housing laws page.

• Accessory dwelling units (ADUs). The County defines “accessory dwelling unit” and allows ADUs on legally created parcels, with one ADU per parcel, and requires on-site parking consistent with Chapter 18.102 when applicable; ADUs must meet the same setbacks, coverage, and height as the primary dwelling (§ 18.04.153(B)–(F)) . State ADU law adds additional ministerial rights and limits local standards; see California ADU law.
• SB 9 urban lot splits/duplexes and Density Bonus Law. Not found in retrieved materials; verify how the County implements these state programs or defers to state defaults (see California housing laws). Not found in retrieved materials.
• Rent control/just cause. Title 18 is a land-use title and does not address rent control; see state law for AB 1482 applicability. Not found in retrieved materials.

Quick reference table (illustrative snapshots)

• The RUS district sets a 25 ft front setback, 3.5 ft sides and 10 ft rear, 35 ft height, and up to 80% lot coverage (see full residential table in § 18.11.120) .
• The AR‑5 and ARE agricultural zones use 25/10/20 ft setbacks (front/side/rear) with 35 ft dwelling height; lot coverage ranges by zone (5–10% typical for ARE/AR‑5; 40% in ARF) in § 18.53.030 .
• A representative commercial district applies 25/10/20 ft setbacks and a 35 ft height cap, with a 40% building-to-lot area maximum (§§ 18.38.020–18.38.040) .

Source References

• Title 18 – Zoning: short title, composition, and compliance (§§ 18.02.010–18.02.040)
• Districts established and mapped (§ 18.08.010)
• Residential purposes and consolidated development table (§§ 18.11.020–18.11.060; § 18.11.120)
• Agricultural development standards table (§ 18.53.030)
• Example commercial district standards (§§ 18.38.020–18.38.040)
• Structure/height regulations and lot dimensions (Chs. 18.98, 18.100)
• Parking regulations and procedures (Ch. 18.102)
• Site plans; zoning permits; CUPs; variances; hearings (Chs. 18.96, 18.104, 18.92, 18.106, 18.108)
• Overlays—general and key overlays (Chs. 18.76, 18.78, 18.80, 18.84, 18.69, 18.85)
• Nonconforming uses (Ch. 18.86)