Pismo Beach · Land use · Church or place of worship
Where is a church or other place of worship allowed in Pismo Beach?
In Pismo Beach, a church or other place of worship is needs a conditional use permit in 5 (RSL, RSM, RR, CG and CD-V) and not allowed in 4 (Pismo Beach use tables, read October 2026).
Key points
- Needs a permit: RSL, RSM, RR, CG and CD-V
- Not allowed: CRS, CS, CD-C and CD-M
Find your lot's zone on the city zoning map, then read its row. Every status below was read from the Pismo Beach Municipal Code use tables (read October 2026). Base zones only. General information, not legal advice — check with the city before you apply.
Zones where a church or other place of worship can go
Pismo Beach's code calls this use “Religious places of worship”. Each row links to the use table it comes from. A zone marked “see note” has a condition in the code, for example upper floors only or a larger lot.
| Zone | Status | Code |
|---|---|---|
| RSL | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.08.030 |
| RSM | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.08.030 |
| RR | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.08.030 |
| CG | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.12.030 |
| CD-V | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.12.030 |
Zones where it is not allowed
What else applies
- State law: Federal law (RLUIPA) bars zoning rules that treat religious assembly worse than other assembly uses.
- Not covered here: Zones of the 1983 prose chapters (A-E, U, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-R, P-R, C-R, M-H, C-1, C-2, C-M, OS-1, OS-R, G): permitted-use lists are prose, not cells; not mapped to the table zones.. Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.
Other uses in Pismo Beach
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a church or other place of worship in the RSL zone in Pismo Beach?
Only with a conditional use permit. Pismo Beach's use table lists it that way in RSL (§ 17.08.030).
Can I have a church or other place of worship in the CRS zone in Pismo Beach?
No. Pismo Beach's use table does not allow it in CRS (§ 17.12.030).
General information, not legal advice.
Ask about a church or other place of worship at an address in Pismo Beach
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