Manteca — Design Review

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

Manteca’s Site Plan and design review process is codified in the Manteca Zoning Ordinance (Title 17). It divides reviews into Minor and Major Site Plan and Design Review and ties the decision authority to the Community Development Director or the Planning Commission based on project type and CEQA status. The rules state what the Approving Authority must consider (site layout, circulation, utilities, architecture, landscaping) and the approval findings required to grant design approval. See § 17.10.060 for the substantive design-review rules and Chapter 17.08 for the review procedures and appeal paths.

(Links: the phrase "design review" above points to the city's zoning overview. The page below also links to Manteca pages on development standards, parking, overlay districts, ADUs, the California Building Standards Code, historic preservation, signage, and landscaping and screening where those topics interact with design review.)

How Manteca’s design review works (high level)

• Purpose: promote excellence in site planning and design, compatibility with surrounding development, and a stable, desirable character. § 17.10.060.
• Two tracks: Minor Site Plan and Design Review (for CEQA-exempt changes to existing multi‑family or nonresidential uses) and Major Site Plan and Design Review (for all new multi‑family and nonresidential buildings, and non-CEQA-exempt changes to existing multi‑family/nonresidential uses). § 17.10.060(B).
• Approving authorities: Community Development Director for Minor; Planning Commission for Major. Table in § 17.08.060 (Approving Authority).
• Procedure: processed under Chapter 17.08; Major reviews require public hearing/notice; Minor reviews do not. § 17.10.060(D); see § 17.08.050 for hearing/notice rules.
• Required findings: the Approving Authority must find consistency with the General Plan and zoning, no conflicts with circulation, availability of services, and compatibility of architecture/landscaping with surroundings. § 17.10.060(F).

District-by-district (how design review sits alongside each zoning district)

Below are the City’s base zoning districts (as named in the Code) with what the ordinance identifies for their purpose/uses and where to find their dimensional standards. For permitted-use specifics, see Table 17.22.020‑1; for numeric setbacks/heights/coverage see Table 17.26.020‑1. When I can, I cite the exact code locations; when numeric detail is not present in the retrieved excerpts I note that fact and direct you to the table in the ordinance.

Note: every district name below is bold to match the Code’s symbols (e.g., R-1, CMU). The Code labels these as the City’s Base Zoning Districts; allowed uses and the required entitlement for each use are identified in § 17.22.020 (Table 17.22.020‑1). Development standards (lot area, density, setbacks, height, lot coverage) are in § 17.26.020 (Table 17.26.020‑1).

AG (Agricultural Zoning District)

• Purpose: preserve agricultural activities and low‑density uses that implement the General Plan. § 17.26.020 and the district listings.
• Typical permitted uses: farm production, agricultural support uses and limited single‑family dwellings where allowed by Table 17.22.020‑1. § 17.22.020.
• Key dimensional standards: numeric lot area/setbacks/height listed in Table 17.26.020‑1; see § 17.26.020 for the applicable table (not all numeric values appear in retrieved excerpts). Verify the exact minimum lot sizes and setbacks with Table 17.26.020‑1.
• Where it applies: outlying agricultural parcels and areas designated AG on the Zoning Map. § 17.26.020.

R-E (Residential Estate)

• Purpose: large‑lot single‑family residential uses. § 17.26.020.
• Typical permitted uses: single‑family dwellings and customary accessory uses per Table 17.22.020‑1. § 17.22.020.
• Key dimensional standards: see Table 17.26.020‑1 for minimum lot area, setbacks and height. Verify with the table.

R-1 (One‑Family Dwelling)

• Purpose: traditional single‑family neighborhoods. § 17.26.020.
• Typical permitted uses: single‑family dwellings by right (see Table 17.22.020‑1). § 17.22.020.
• Key dimensional standards: setbacks, height, lot coverage appear in Table 17.26.020‑1; consult that table for exact front/side/rear setbacks, height caps, and lot‑coverage percentages. If your project triggers design review (see § 17.10.060), the Approving Authority will evaluate the proposed architecture against neighborhood character.

R-2 / R-3 (Limited and Multiple‑Family Dwelling)

• Purpose: medium and higher density residential development (multi‑family). § 17.26.020.
• Typical permitted uses: multi‑family developments, duplexes, accessory dwelling units where allowed (Table 17.22.020‑1 and § 17.82 for ADUs). § 17.22.020; ADU standards in § 17.82.030.
• Key dimensional standards: Table 17.26.020‑1 plus additional multi‑family standards in § 17.26.030 (e.g., minimum project open space = 30%; private open space minima) — see § 17.26.030 for those multi‑family specifics.

CMU (Mixed‑Use Commercial) and DMU (Downtown Mixed‑Use)

• Purpose: allow integrated residential and commercial uses and encourage pedestrian activity. § 17.26.020, Table entries and policy notes.
• Typical permitted uses: ground‑floor retail/commercial with residential above in many parcels (see Table 17.22.020‑1). § 17.22.020.
• Key dimensional standards: see Table 17.26.020‑1; the Code notes a mixed‑use max FAR for certain properties and a 25% non‑residential requirement for parcels ≥2 net acres unless waived by the Community Development Director (notes to Table 17.26.020‑1). See § 17.26.020 notes for FAR/percent requirements.
• CMU has open‑space standards for residential uses located in § 17.26.080 (private open space and allowable types/dimensions).

CN, CG, CM, BIP, M‑1, M‑2 (Commercial / Industrial districts)

• Purpose: accommodate neighborhood to heavy commercial and industrial uses, with standards to protect adjacent residential areas. § 17.26.020 and the district tables.
• Typical permitted uses: retail, offices, services, light industrial or heavy industrial as listed in Table 17.22.020‑1. § 17.22.020.
• Key dimensional standards: setbacks, loading/landscaping and parking standards are spread across Chapters 17.26, 17.48 and 17.52 (parking). For projects in these zones, design-review consideration specifically includes traffic, parking adequacy, loading and screening of exterior appurtenances. § 17.10.060(E); see parking chapter for numeric parking standards.

OS, P, PQP (Open Space / Park / Public‑Quasi‑Public)

• Purpose: preserve parks, open space, public uses. District standards and use lists in § 17.22.020 and development standards in § 17.26.020.

Overlay and Combining Districts (examples)

• Planned Development (PD) Overlay: PD overlays adopt their own development standards or reference Base District standards; where PD standards conflict with the Title they prevail. See § 17.30.030(D–E).
• Central Business District / CBD Overlay: has its own numeric standards (max building height 3 stories / 45 ft and FAR 1.0 in Table 17.30.020‑2); parking exceptions and street‑frontage rules apply. § 17.30.020‑2.
• Refer to Chapter 17.30 and the overlay districts page for other overlays.

Quick Reference Table — decision‑relevant bits (short)

Checklist — what an applicant must supply / prepare for design review

• A complete Site Plan submittal following Chapter 17.08 application requirements (plans, fees, narratives). § 17.08.020 (application and fee rules).
• Detailed site plan showing building footprint, orientation, driveways, pedestrian routes, loading, and parking to applicable parking standards (Chapter 17.52).
• Architectural elevations showing materials, colors, rooflines, appurtenances, and signage (Approving Authority evaluates character/scale/materials; § 17.10.060(E)(4)).
• Landscape plan and screening details consistent with landscaping and screening rules. § 17.10.060(E).
• Evidence of adequate utilities and City standard compliance (water, sewer, drainage, police/fire) — the Approving Authority will consider service availability. § 17.10.060(E)(3).
• CEQA clearance or citation of the applicable CEQA exemption/status (determines Minor vs Major track). § 17.10.060(B).
• For ADUs, follow accessory dwelling standards in § 17.82 — ADU rules limit what discretionary design rules can be imposed (see State ADU law interplay). § 17.82.030.

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English summary

If you are building or substantially changing the design of a multi‑family or nonresidential project in Manteca, you will go through the City’s Site Plan and design review process (Minor or Major depending on CEQA and project scope). The review checks layout, traffic/parking, utilities, landscaping, and architecture against the General Plan, district rules and the City’s development standards; the Community Development Director handles Minor reviews and the Planning Commission handles Major reviews. § 17.10.060 and Chapter 17.08 explain how it’s decided and appealed.

Information Gaps (what the retrieved ordinance excerpts did not allow me to quote directly)

• The full numeric values (exact feet, ft. coverage %, minimum lot sizes) from Table 17.26.020‑1 (Development Standards for Base Zoning Districts) are not fully reproduced in the materials provided here. For district‑level, parcel‑specific numbers (front/side/rear setbacks, height limits, lot coverage) see Table 17.26.020‑1 in § 17.26.020 — verify with the Community Development Department.
• The full allowed‑uses matrix in Table 17.22.020‑1 (which shows "A", "C", "M", or "N" for each use/district) is referenced but not fully printed in the retrieved excerpts; confirm exact entitlements for uncommon uses in Table 17.22.020‑1.

Source References

• Manteca Zoning Ordinance — Title 17, Site Plan and Design Review: § 17.10.060 (Site Plan & Design Review)
• Approving authority and tables: § 17.08.060 (Approving Authority; Table 17.08.060‑1)
• Development standards by district and where numeric standards live: Chapter 17.26 and § 17.26.020 (Table 17.26.020‑1)
• Additional multi‑family standards (open space): § 17.26.030 and § 17.26.080 (CMU open‑space)
• Design review procedures, appeals, expiration and related administrative rules: Chapter 17.08 and § 17.10.060(J) (expiration)
• Accessory Dwelling Unit standards (interaction with design review): § 17.82.030 (ADU development standards)
• Overlay standards example (Central Business District overlay numeric standards): Table 17.30.020‑2 and § 17.30.020

Retrieved passages

• Manteca Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Manteca Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• CGBSC § A5.103 (SECTION A5.103) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 66314 (§ 66314) High relevance show source text
• Manteca Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Manteca Zoning Code (Title and) High relevance show source text
• Manteca Zoning Code (§ 66317) Medium relevance show source text
• Manteca Zoning Code (§ 17.06.010.) Medium relevance show source text
• CFC § 1 (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• Manteca Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• CBC § 040 Medium relevance show source text
• CBC § 17.40.040 (§ 17.40.040.) Medium relevance show source text
• Manteca Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• Manteca Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• Manteca Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Manteca Zoning Ordinance — Title 17, Site Plan and Design Review: **§ 17.10.060** (Site Plan & Design Review) (Title 17)
• Approving authority and tables: **§ 17.08.060** (Approving Authority; Table 17.08.060‑1) (§ 17.08.060)
• Development standards by district and where numeric standards live: **Chapter 17.26** and **§ 17.26.020** (Table 17.26.020‑1) (Chapter 17.26)
• Additional multi‑family standards (open space): **§ 17.26.030** and **§ 17.26.080** (CMU open‑space) (§ 17.26.030)
• Design review procedures, appeals, expiration and related administrative rules: Chapter **17.08** and **§ 17.10.060(J)** (expiration) (§ 17.10.060)
• Accessory Dwelling Unit standards (interaction with design review): **§ 17.82.030** (ADU development standards) (§ 17.82.030)
• Overlay standards example (Central Business District overlay numeric standards): **Table 17.30.020‑2** and **§ 17.30.020** (§ 17.30.020)
• Manteca_ZoningCode.md

• Official Manteca code library