Pico Rivera Zoning, Planning & Building Codes

Last reviewed: July 25, 2026 · AI-generated overview · General information, not legal advice · detailsless

Compiled with AI research tools from official sources. Verify with the jurisdiction.

Overview

Pico Rivera regulates land use through Title 18 of its Municipal Code, organizing districts, uses, and development standards around a formally adopted Official Zone Map. The code separates where you can build and what you can build (use tables) from how big and where on the lot (development standards), and then layers in plan-specific rules for key redevelopment areas. The city also uses discretionary tools (conditional use permits and precise plan of design) for certain intensities and site types. Specific Plans—particularly SP‑301 and SP‑400—operate as tailored zoning for defined subareas.

The Official Zone Map sets your base zone, Table 18.42.040 (with notes in § 18.42.050) sets your parcel’s height, setbacks, and intensity, and any mapped Specific Plan (e.g., SP‑301 or SP‑400) will override with area‑specific rules (§ 18.08.080; § 18.42.050; § 18.66.040).

How Pico Rivera’s code is organized

• Title 18 (Zoning) creates the zoning system and map:
  • Zones are established and classified in Chapters 18.10–18.38 (§ 18.08.030; § 18.08.040).
  • The Official Zone Map is adopted and governs zone boundaries (§ 18.08.060; § 18.08.080).
• How to find “what uses are allowed”:
  • Use permissions are in the Land Use Chart in Chapter 18.40, with numbered notes that add conditions (e.g., CUPs, precise plans, special use limits) (§ 18.40.050).
  • Example: day‑care and home‑occupation rules, and special rules for drive‑in businesses, all live in § 18.40.050.
• How to find “how big/where on the lot”:
  • Parcel‑level development controls (setbacks, building placement, intensities) are in the Property Development Regulations Chart (Table 18.42.040) and its special notes (§ 18.42.050).
  • Several zones point to Chapter 18.42 for their development conditions (e.g., C‑M per § 18.32.040; R‑M per § 18.18.050).
• Where design and related citywide rules live:
  • Certain projects require a “precise plan of design” per Chapter 18.48 when triggered by the notes in § 18.42.050 and § 18.40.050 (e.g., more than one dwelling on a lot).
  • Signs are regulated in Chapter 18.46 (cross‑referenced in SP‑301) (§ 18.17.040(K); § 18.17.070(D)).
  • Water‑efficient landscaping applies citywide via references to Chapter 18.45 (§ 18.30.080; § 18.37.080).
  • Animal and home‑occupation standards sit in Chapters 18.50 and 18.52 respectively (§ 18.17.040(L)–(M); § 18.40.050(C), Notes 3 and 11).
• Specific Plans and zone reclassifications:
  • Specific plan districts are codified and mapped via zone reclassification entries in § 18.66.040, including SP‑301 and SP‑400.

For quick topical jumping, see Pico Rivera’s pages for zoning, land use, development standards, parking, design review, and overlay districts.

Zoning district families

Pico Rivera recognizes sixteen classes of zones across open space, residential, commercial, industrial, and plan‑based districts (§ 18.08.040). The city has modernized historical districts into current families—these are the operative designations to look for on the Official Zone Map and in entitlements (§ 18.08.050; § 18.08.080; § 18.66.040):

• Open space and special purpose
  • O‑S (Open Space) and P (Parking) (§ 18.08.050).
  • Civic Center and P‑A (Professional & Administrative) (§ 18.08.050).
• Residential
  • R‑E (Single‑Family Residential Estate) and S‑F (Single‑Family Residential) (§ 18.08.050).
  • PUD (Planned Residential Unit Development) and R‑M Multiple‑Family Residential Variable Density, with sub‑labels by minimum lot area per unit such as R‑M‑3000, R‑M‑2500, R‑M‑2000, and R‑M‑1450 (§ 18.42.050, Note 14; § 18.18.010).
  • Additional mapped residential categories appear in zone reclassifications, including R‑I in § 18.66.040(D).
• Commercial
  • C‑N (Neighborhood Commercial), C‑C (Community Commercial), C‑G (General Commercial), and CPD (Commercial Planned Development) (§ 18.08.050; § 18.66.040(L)).
• Industrial and employment
  • I‑L (Limited Industrial), I‑G (General Industrial), C‑M (Commercial Manufacturing) (§ 18.08.050; § 18.32.040; § 18.34.040).
  • IPD (Industrial Planned Development) (§ 18.37.040; § 18.66.040(P)).
• Specific Plans and area zoning
  • SP‑301 (Specific Plan 301, codified in Chapter 18.17; mapped via § 18.66.040(S)).
  • SP‑400 (Specific Plan 400, codified in Chapter 18.19; mapped via § 18.66.040(T)).

Tip: Multiple chapters cross‑reference development and use rules. For example, R‑M permitted uses are in Chapter 18.40 (§ 18.18.040) while its development standards are in Chapter 18.42 (§ 18.18.050).

Citywide development standards

Pico Rivera defines setbacks and placement rules in both code definitions and the Property Development Regulations Chart:

• Key definitions
  • Building setback means the portion of land where no building may be located; it includes required yards (§ 18.04.172).
  • Front yard setback and rear yard setback are measured open areas from the lot line to the parallel line at the required depth in each zone (§ 18.04.768; § 18.04.772).
• Where to find your numbers
  • The baseline dimensional controls are in Table 18.42.040 (Property Development Regulations Chart), with special conditions in § 18.42.050.
  • Examples of chart notes that commonly affect feasibility (§ 18.42.050):
    • Every lot must have street frontage and access; frontage determination on corner lots follows the street with the higher classification (Notes 1–3).
    • When abutting residential/open space, certain separations (e.g., alleys) can be required (Note 4).
    • C‑N “neighborhood” zones cannot be established within 1,000 ft of each other (Note 5).
    • More than one dwelling per lot or certain intensities trigger a “precise plan of design” in Chapter 18.48 (Notes 10–11).
    • Variable‑density multifamily labels (R‑M‑3000, R‑M‑2500, R‑M‑2000, R‑M‑1450) tie minimum lot area per unit to allowable unit counts (§ 18.42.050, Note 14).

Because Pico Rivera relies on Specific Plans for key growth areas, two plan districts illustrate how standards tighten by subarea:

• SP‑301 (single‑family component) highlights (§ 18.17.040):
  • Min lot: 2,600 sf; min width: 42 ft; min depth: 63 ft. Max lot coverage: 50%.
  • Setbacks: front 10 ft to residence (average 18 ft to garage), side 4 ft, rear 15 ft over 50% of width and 12 ft over the balance.
  • Height: 2 stories or 28 ft (whichever is less).
  • Encroachments: porch up to 3 ft into front yard; chimneys up to 1 ft into side yard; open patio features in rear with a 5 ft minimum and up to 50% rear yard coverage.
  • Parking: 2 enclosed spaces per dwelling, minimum interior garage dimension 18 ft x 19 ft.
  • Signs, animals, and home occupations must follow Chapters 18.46, 18.50, and 18.52.
• SP‑301 (commercial pad) highlights (§ 18.17.070):
  • Setbacks: 15 ft on Washington and Rosemead; 25 ft side/rear; 5 ft landscaped buffer at residential edges.
  • Parking: 1 per 250 sf of net floor area.
  • Signs governed by Chapter 18.46; small expansions (≤ 100 sf) may proceed if all other standards are met.
• Site‑specific mixed‑use standards in Chapter 18.21 (urban design concepts) include:
  • Height up to 70 ft (six floors), with limited rooftop elements allowed beyond that; stepped massing next to single‑family (§ 18.21.040(A)–(B)).
  • Detailed perimeter setbacks by edge (e.g., 50 ft on the east retail interface; 30–40 ft at several north/west edges) (§ 18.21.040(B)).
  • Unit minimum sizes and private/common open‑space minimums (§ 18.21.040(D)–(F)).
  • Parking factors by unit type (e.g., studios 1/unit, 1‑bed 1.4/unit) and retail 1/250 sf; example plan shows 420 required and 464 provided spaces, with EV/accessible compliance per state law (§ 18.21.040(H)).
  • Bicycle parking ratios and placement standards (§ 18.21.040(I)).
• Landscaping and screening: all development must comply with the city’s water‑efficient landscaping provisions (Chapter 18.45 as cross‑referenced in § 18.30.080; § 18.37.080). See landscaping and screening.

For related topics, see development standards, parking, signage, and nonconforming uses.

Specific plans & overlays

Pico Rivera codes Specific Plans as their own zone categories and maps them through zone reclassifications (§ 18.66.040). Two matter citywide:

• SP‑301 (Chapter 18.17): Establishes detailed single‑family and commercial pad standards, including density transfers within the plan area and setbacks/height tailored to the site. It restricts detached single‑family areas to single‑family homes and open space, caps height at 28 ft, and sets garage/driveway/porch rules to shape streetscape (§ 18.17.040). Commercial pads track C‑G uses and apply setbacks, buffers, and 1/250 sf parking (§ 18.17.070(A)–(C)).
• SP‑400 (Chapter 18.19): A 235‑acre redevelopment framework bounded by Washington Blvd, Rosemead Blvd, and Paramount Blvd (§ 18.19.020(A)). It lays out four mutually exclusive development scenarios—Manufacturing Retention, Mega‑Mall, Theme Park, and Mixed‑Use—with use/intensity ranges by sub‑area (§ 18.19.030(B)). All development must be consistent with its land use, urban design, and infrastructure plans (§ 18.19.050), and conform to design concepts set through the CUP process (§ 18.19.040).

Other plan‑mapped or planned development categories include IPD, CPD, and PUD, which rely on Chapter 18.40 for use permissions and Chapter 18.42 for form standards, with added plan or precise‑plan conditions (§ 18.37.040; § 18.32.040; § 18.42.050).

See overlay districts for how plan areas interact with underlying zoning.

Building permits & review

• Start with the Official Zone Map to confirm your base district (§ 18.08.080).
• Confirm allowed uses in Chapter 18.40 and whether a conditional use permit is required (CUPs are triggered per § 18.40.050, Note 1).
• Check development standards in Table 18.42.040 and its notes (§ 18.42.050).
  • Projects with more than one dwelling unit per lot or larger floor areas commonly require a “precise plan of design” in Chapter 18.48 (§ 18.40.050, Notes 2, 5, 6; § 18.42.050, Notes 10–11).
  • Drive‑in and auto‑oriented uses have added site, access and screening rules (§ 18.40.050, Note 18).
• If your site is inside a Specific Plan, the plan’s standards and procedures control (§ 18.19.050; § 18.17.040).
• Building work then proceeds under the California Building Standards Code, in addition to zoning compliance.
• Signs and landscaping are permitted/reviewed under their specific chapters (§ 18.46; § 18.30.080; § 18.37.080).

For discretionary steps and adjustments, see design review and variances and exceptions.

State housing law in Pico Rivera

• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs/JADUs)
  • Pico Rivera defines a “second dwelling unit” as a permanent accessory dwelling to a primary residence (§ 18.04.320). Local ADU standards beyond the definition were not located in the source materials. State California ADU law and California housing laws therefore govern baselines on approvals, parking, setbacks, and ministerial review; confirm any local implementing updates at Pico Rivera ADUs. Not found in source materials for local ADU/JADU dimensional specifics—verify with the jurisdiction.
• SB 9 urban lot split/2‑unit developments and density bonus
  • City‑level implementing sections were not provided in the source materials. State rules apply; check California housing laws. Not found in source materials—verify with the jurisdiction.
• Child care and small residential care
  • Family day care homes are addressed through the zoning use notes and must comply with Health & Safety Code §§ 1597.45–1597.46 (§ 18.40.050, Note 8).

Source References

• § 18.04.172; § 18.04.304; § 18.04.320; § 18.04.416; § 18.04.768; § 18.04.772
• § 18.08.030; § 18.08.040; § 18.08.050; § 18.08.060; § 18.08.080
• § 18.15.080; § 18.18.010; § 18.18.040; § 18.18.050
• § 18.19.020; § 18.19.030; § 18.19.040; § 18.19.050
• § 18.21.040
• § 18.30.080; § 18.32.040; § 18.34.040; § 18.37.040; § 18.37.080
• § 18.40.050
• § 18.42.050
• § 18.46 (as referenced by § 18.17.040(K); § 18.17.070(D))
• § 18.50; § 18.52 (as referenced)