Pomona Zoning, Planning & Building Codes

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

Pomona's land-use rules are codified in the City of Pomona Zoning and Development Code (adopted July 1, 2024), also called the Zoning and Development Code, which organizes rules by Parts and numbered Sections rather than a simple "zoning map + table." The Code sets out a modular district system (place‑type brackets such as RND, ACD, TOD, etc.), citywide form and site standards (height, setbacks, lot coverage, parking), overlay and specific‑plan controls, and an administrative permit structure (ministerial permits, Development Plans, conditional uses, variances) administered by Development Services. See the Code title and purpose in § 100.A and the Code adoption and Parts organization in § 110.B .

How Pomona's code is organized

• The ordinance is the "City of Pomona Zoning and Development Code" (effective July 31, 2024) and defines purpose, scope and authority in § 100.A–D .
• The Code is divided into Parts and Subparts (e.g., Part 1 Introductory Provisions; Part 2 Summary of Zoning Districts; Part 3 Form; Part 6 Site; Part 7 Alternate Typologies; Part 8 Specific Plans, Historic & Overlay provisions; Part 11 Administration; Part 12 General Rules). See the Parts list and map rules in § 110.B and § 110.C .
• The official Zoning Code Maps are maintained as GIS layers by Development Services; map updates and amendments are governed by § 110.C .
• Administrative procedures (application filing, ministerial vs. discretionary review, Development Plans, conditional use permits, variances, and administrative review) are in Part 11 (see § 1110 and related subsections). For how approvals are processed and which permit path applies, consult § 1110 and the Development Plan rules referenced in § 1160.G .

Zoning district families

Pomona uses a bracketed, place‑type modular district system that mirrors General Plan Place Types — there are 32 base districts organized into families in § 200:

• Residential Neighborhood Districts (RND) — e.g., RND1–RND5 (lower-intensity, up to ~2.5 stories). See § 200 .
• Neighborhood Edge Districts (NED) — NED1–NED5. See § 200 .
• Urban Neighborhood Districts (UND) — UND1–UND3. See § 200 .
• Activity Center Districts (ACD) — ACD1–ACD3. See § 200 .
• Transit Oriented Districts (TOD) — TOD1–TOD6 (TODs are tailored for higher intensity near transit). See § 200 .
• Workplace Districts (WD) — WD1–WD5. See § 200 .
• Special Campus Districts (SCD) — SCD1–SCD3. See § 200 .
• Parkland Districts (PLD) — PLD1–PLD2. See § 200 .

Each bracketed district name is followed by a numeric variation (e.g., RND2) and the district metrics (form, frontage, use modules) are defined in the Parts that follow (Form modules in Part 3, Frontage in Part 4, Use in Part 5). See the district naming rules in § 110.A.3 and the full list in § 200 .

Citywide development standards (how to read them)

Pomona separates "form" (placement, width, height) from "use" and from "site" (parking, landscaping, access). Key cross‑city elements:

• Height: maximum stories/feet are measured and defined in the Form Part; height is measured from average grade with detailed definitions (height in feet, height in stories, average grade) in § 390 (measurement rules and exceptions) .
• Lot coverage / FAR / building width and breaks: Form modules (Part 3) set building width caps and required building breaks; building width max and measurement rules are in § 390 and related Form modules .
• Setbacks and yard designations: the Code defines Front/Side/Rear yard types and measurements in Part 12 General Rules and the frontage modules; see yard definitions and mapping in § 1210 and related yard subsections in Part 12 .
• Parking: parking minimums and where parking standards sit are part of the Site rules (Part 6); required parking cross‑references appear as § 610.C.3.a for required parking and AB 2097 (parking removal within ½ mile of transit) is implemented through an overlay in § 830.C (AB 2097 Overlay) — see Pomona’s parking rules and the local AB 2097 implementation in § 610.C.3.a and § 830.C . (See Pomona Parking for an at‑a‑glance pathway.)
  • Note: the Code expressly implements the SB 330 and AB 2097 overlay provisions (see Part 8) when those state laws are applicable § 830.B and § 830.C .
• Design standards and site elements: public frontage and pedestrian amenity rules are in Part 4 (Frontage), site access and screening in Part 6 (Site), and landscaping/screening standards appear in Part 6 and Part 12 (e.g., front‑yard screening, structural screen standards) — see § 1200, § 610, and § 620 for details .

For consolidated numeric standards (setbacks, coverage, permitted building heights by district), consult the district tables in Part 2 and the corresponding Form and Frontage modules (each district cross‑references those modules) § 200 (also see the Development Standards quick references in Part 3 and Part 4).

Design review and discretionary review

• Projects that exceed the ministerial thresholds (or that are in certain districts) require a Development Plan or discretionary review. Which projects require a Development Plan is set out in Part 11; the applicability table (which lists district types and when a Development Plan is required) appears under Development Plan rules; for example, RND and other districts have thresholds such as "new construction of 4 or more housing units" or non‑residential thresholds (see § 1100.A and the Development Plan applicability table in Part 11) § 1100.A .
• Administrative review, ministerial permits, conditional use permits and variances are described in Part 11; for fast, ministerial paths see § 1170 (Administrative/Ministerial procedures) and for discretionary permits see § 1160 (Conditional Use Permit; Variance is § 1160.F). Major design review for historic places and certain overlays is handled by specific procedures in Part 8 and the Historic sections (see ADU historic review and Certificates of Appropriateness in § 830.A.9) .

(See Pomona Design Review for a short guide to timing and who signs off.)

Specific plans & overlays

• Specific Plans: The Code treats specific plans as a replacement for the usual bracketed district set where they apply; Pomona explicitly lists adopted Specific Plans that control form and uses: Downtown Pomona Specific Plan (DTSP), Pomona Corridors Specific Plan (COSP), Phillips Ranch Specific Plan (PRSP), Mountain Meadows Specific Plan (MMSP), Mission 71 - Business Park Specific Plan (71SP), and Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center Specific Plan — see § 810.A.2 for the list and the rule that Specific Plans supersede base district modules § 810.A .
• Overlays: Pomona implements several overlay districts in Part 8, including the SB 330 Overlay (§ 830.B) (to implement SB 330 Housing Crisis Act standards), the AB 2097 Overlay (§ 830.C) (parking minimum elimination near transit), the Fairplex Overlay and Cannabis/Commercial Cannabis overlays (see § 820.C), and the general Special Provisions area (ADUs, historic rules) in § 830 . (See Pomona Overlay Districts for mapping and local variants.)

Building permits & review — the permit path (practical orientation)

• Ministerial vs. discretionary: many small projects, repairs and code‑compliant ADUs or accessory structures may use ministerial building permits; the Code distinguishes ministerial permits and administrative review in § 1170 and the Development Plan and discretionary paths in § 1160 and § 1110 .
• Development Plan is the City's principal discretionary tool for projects that trigger it (see the district applicability table in Part 11 and the Development Plan findings in § 1100.A and § 1160.G) .
• Conditional Use Permits, Variances and Certificates of Appropriateness are handled under Part 11 and in overlay/specific plan sections for context‑specific requirements (§ 1160.D for Conditional Use Permit; § 1160.F for Variance) .
• Building‑code and construction standards are enforced through normal building permits and inspections under the California Building Standards — see the Code’s cross‑reference to state building law and the local requirement to obtain any other City permits in § 100.I–J and the Code’s relationship to State codes § 100.D; in practice, applicants must comply with the California Building Standards Code (Title 24) as part of permitting (refer to the City’s Building Division and Title 24) . (See California Building Standards Code.)

Internal design review can be required before a building permit in overlays such as the Fairplex Overlay; the Fairplex provision requires design review by the Development Services Director prior to building permits for certain conditional uses (§ 820.C.2.a) .

State housing law in Pomona — ADUs, SB 330, SB 9, density bonus and rent rules

• ADUs/JADUs: Pomona implements State ADU law through § 830.A (Special Provisions: Accessory Dwelling Units). Key local rules in Pomona: maximum detached/attached ADU size up to 1,200 sq ft (Code sets sizing rules and cross‑limits), yards: minimum side/rear yard equal to the underlying zoning or 4 ft whichever is less, and the City states no parking is required for any ADU (with related tandem and replacement‑parking rules spelled out) — see § 830.A.6.c–f (coverage/yards/parking) and § 830.A.6.g–j for architecture and access requirements . See Pomona ADUs for the local checklist and permit types (Type 1/Type 2 building‑permit classifications are in § 830.A.1–2 and ministerial routes are specified) .
• SB 330: Pomona implements an SB 330 Overlay and explains how SB 330 housing development projects are handled (the SB 330 Overlay supersedes certain district standards for housing projects and requires a Development Plan per § 830.B; it clarifies that maximum floors and density are governed by General Plan Transect designations) § 830.B .
• SB 9 (State law allowing urban lot splits/ministerial duplexes): the Pomona Zoning & Development Code as retrieved does not contain an explicit SB 9 implementation section or an "SB 9 overlay" text in the materials obtained; I could not find SB 9 references in the retrieved Code — verify with Development Services for a current SB 9 implementation step or administrative standards (Not found in retrieved materials).
• Density bonus: I did not find a local density‑bonus chapter in the retrieved zoning excerpts. The City’s ADU rules reference state law limits and their relationship to density calculations (ADU treatment and nonconforming rules are in § 830.A.2–4), but a local density bonus implementation section (Gov. Code § 65915) was not visible in the portions retrieved here (Not found in retrieved materials — confirm with Planning staff). See statewide rules under California housing laws for statutory density bonus obligations (local code must be read alongside state density bonus law) .
• Rent control / tenant protections: the Zoning & Development Code excerpts reviewed do not show a local rent‑control ordinance; the Code does reference short‑term rental licensing and specifically prohibits short‑term rental of ADUs per existing City Code reference (see short‑term rental and ADU prohibition § 540 and the cross‑reference to Ord. 4281) § 540 . For rent control, consult the wider Pomona City Code or City Attorney/Clerk for any separate rent regulations (Not found in retrieved materials).

Practical next steps for residents or applicants

• Start at Development Services with a parcel check against the official Zoning Code Maps (maintained under § 110.C) to identify the bracketed district and any overlays or Specific Plan that apply to your lot § 110.C .
• For ADUs, follow the ministerial ADU routes described in § 830.A; many ADUs are Type 1/Type 2 building permit projects if they meet objective standards § 830.A.1–2 . See Pomona ADUs for the local process.
• If your project triggers a Development Plan, Conditional Use Permit or Specific Plan requirement, expect a discretionary review timeline set out in Part 11 (application filing under § 1110, findings under § 1160.G for Development Plans) .
• When in doubt about state law overlays (SB 330, AB 2097) or the applicability of SB 9/density bonus, verify with Planning staff because the Code expressly defers to state law and implements state overlays in Part 8 where applicable (§ 830.B, § 830.C) .

Information Gaps

• The retrieved Code excerpts do not show explicit local implementation language for SB 9 (urban lot splits/ministerial duplexes) or a discrete local density bonus chapter. Where the Code is silent on these state subjects, state law governs and applicants should confirm with the City for any local ministerial objective standards (Not found in retrieved materials).
• I did not find a local rent‑control ordinance in the materials reviewed — rent regulation often sits outside zoning and in separate municipal code chapters; confirm with City Clerk or City Code search (Not found in retrieved materials).

Source References

• City of Pomona, City of Pomona Zoning and Development Code (adopted July 1, 2024) — Title and purpose § 100.A .
• Organization of Parts and Zoning Code Maps — § 110.B and § 110.C .
• Zoning district list and district families — § 200 (summary of Zoning Districts; RND, NED, UND, ACD, TOD, WD, SCD, PLD) .
• Specific Plans list and rules — § 810.A (DTSP, COSP, PRSP, MMSP, Mission 71, PVHMC SP) .
• SB 330 Overlay (housing‑project rules) — § 830.B .
• AB 2097 Overlay (parking within ½ mile of transit) — § 830.C and required parking cross‑reference § 610.C.3.a .
• ADU rules and ministerial types, size/yard/parking/architecture requirements — § 830.A and subparts (Type 1/Type 2, size limits, yards, no parking required) .
• Development Plan, application filing, and review authority — Part 11 (see § 1110 and Development Plan applicability/finding references in § 1100.A and § 1160.G) .
• Form, height, building width, measurement rules — Part 3 (e.g., § 390) .
• Site, frontage, pedestrian and screening standards — Parts 4 and 6 (see § 1200, § 610, § 620) .