Local zoning · Pomona

Pomona — Overlay Districts

Overlay Districts under the Pomona local zoning and planning code, with the controlling citations.

Ask a question free See coverage

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

Overlay districts in Pomona add rules on top of underlying zoning districts to implement the General Plan and special programs. The Zoning & Development Code identifies and governs overlays in Sec. 820 and related special provisions in Sec. 830, and each overlay is shown on the city zoning map by adding a letter suffix to the base district (for example NE1-C) — see § 820.A.1–3.

This page summarizes what the Pomona ordinance actually says about each overlay that appears in the code: the Commercial Cannabis Permit Program Overlay (-C) and its sub-areas SA1–SA4, the Fairplex Overlay (-F), the SB 330 Overlay (-S) (housing), and the AB 2097 Overlay (parking near transit). Citations point to the controlling code sections; where the code defers to other chapters or the General Plan I note that and where the retrieved materials do not provide a number I mark it "Not found in retrieved materials."

(For general context use the city's overview and zoning pages: see the Pomona zoning & planning overview and the Pomona Zoning pages.) Pomona zoning & planning overview Pomona Zoning

How overlays appear on the map / district name convention

  • Overlay letters are added to the zoning district name (for example -C, -F, or -S) and may also appear in the second zoning bracket set. See § 820.A.3 and the zoning bracket rules in § 110 (zoning modules / naming convention).

District-by-district breakdown

Note: each subsection below gives the ordinance's stated purpose, the typical permitted uses called out in the code, and what the code says about dimensional / development standards. Where the code refers you elsewhere (for example to another chapter or the General Plan) I show that reference and flag missing numeric specifics.

Commercial Cannabis Permit Program Overlay District (-C, sub-areas SA1–SA4)

  • Purpose: Regulate where commercial cannabis activities may occur and to do so by sub-area so the city can control retail, cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, microbusiness and testing in specific parts of the city. See § 820.B.1.
  • Typical permitted uses: The code organizes allowed cannabis activities by sub-area: SA1 and SA2 are Retail Only; SA3 allows Cultivation, Distribution, Manufacturing, Microbusiness, Testing; SA4 allows Cultivation, Distribution, Manufacturing, Testing. The code directs readers to the City Code (Chapter 68) for detailed permit and operational standards. See § 820.B.1.
  • Key dimensional / operational standards: The Zoning & Development Code does not list detailed operational or dimensional metrics for cannabis in § 820 beyond the sub-area structure; it defers to Pomona City Code (Ch. 68) for those specifics. Therefore numeric setbacks, buffering, security, hours, and licensing conditions are governed by Chapter 68 and any implementing regulations referenced there. See § 820.B.1.

Practical note: verify sub-area boundaries on the zoning map and consult City Code Chapter 68 and the city’s cannabis permit program for setback, buffering, separation from sensitive uses and licensing requirements. See § 820.B.1.

Fairplex Overlay District (-F)

  • Purpose: Regulate properties affiliated with the Fairplex as fairgrounds while minimizing nuisance impacts (smoke, odor, sound, vibration, lighting, etc.) to nearby residents and to permit year‑round fairground activities consistent with prior ordinance practice. See § 820.B.2.
  • Typical permitted uses: The code explicitly lists a broad range of fair-related uses permitted without a land-use permit (building and grading permits still apply), including Fairs and Festivals, Exhibitions, Filming, Live Entertainment, Food Service, Horse Exhibitions/Racing, Trade Shows, Outdoor Recreation, Child Care, Consumer Shows, and many facility/support uses (auditoriums, parking structures, RV parks, maintenance, tents/temporary structures). See § 820.B.2.a and the enumerated lists.
  • Uses requiring discretionary review: Several large or sensitive uses are allowed only by conditional use permit (for example convention centers, sports arenas, hotels, heliports, residential developments except caretaker quarters). See § 820.B.2.b.
  • Express prohibitions: The code specifically lists Medical Marijuana Dispensaries as an express prohibition within the Fairplex overlay. See § 820.B.2.c.
  • Dimensional / site standards: The Fairplex rules allow a range of structures and explicitly note that some commercial uses are allowed in structures less than 30,000 square feet and that many fair structures may be maintained/altered subject to building permits. However, the code sets no single citywide numeric setback or FAR unique to the Fairplex in § 820; specific design/site standards are applied by the Development Services Director through design review for certain conditional uses. See § 820.B.2 and § 820.C.2.a.
  • Design review: For conditionally‑permitted uses that involve permanent building development the code requires site design and architectural review and approval by the Development Services Director prior to building permits. See § 820.C.2.a.

Practical note: large events and permanent new buildings at Fairplex commonly require design review and conditional use approval; consult § 820.B.2 and the Development Services Director early.

SB 330 Overlay District (-S)

  • Purpose: Implement the Housing Crisis Act (SB 330) mechanism so that housing development projects meeting the SB 330 definition may be processed where General Plan‑consistent objective standards exist but the zoning has not been updated; intended to facilitate housing development consistent with the General Plan without requiring a change of zone. See § 830.B.1–2.
  • Uses: Within the SB 330 Overlay the overlay supersedes the use permissions of the underlying zone for residential uses only: single‑family dwellings and multiple‑family dwellings are treated as permitted primary uses for purposes of SB 330. All other underlying uses remain governed by the base zone. See § 830.B.3.a–c.
  • Development standards and hierarchy: A project that qualifies as a Housing Development Project must comply with the objective standards and criteria of the Zoning & Development Code consistent with the General Plan, and those standards must be applied to facilitate the density allowed by the General Plan for the site. Where the SB 330 Overlay applies and a residential Housing Development Project is proposed, the overlay supersedes the underlying zoning district's residential development standards to the extent applicable. See § 830.B.4.
  • Numeric specifics: The SB 330 text in § 830.B requires compliance with objective standards consistent with the General Plan but does not itself list numeric setbacks, lot coverage, heights or FAR for every situation — instead it defers to the objective standards of the Zoning & Development Code and the General Plan's transect/density rules. Therefore exact numeric limits for a parcel must be determined by checking the General Plan transect/density designation and the applicable objective standards in the code. See § 830.B.4.

Practical note: For a proposed housing project in an SB 330 overlay you must: confirm the parcel is in the -S overlay, confirm the project's qualification as a Housing Development Project, prepare a Development Plan (see § 1160.G), and apply the objective Zoning & Development Code standards consistent with the General Plan — verify the exact numeric standards with the city planner because § 830.B defers to the General Plan and other objective sections.

AB 2097 Overlay District

  • Purpose: Implement AB 2097 (parking minimums near transit) by creating a local mechanism allowing reduction or removal of minimum on‑site automobile parking within one‑half mile of public transit as defined by California Public Resources Code § 21155. See § 830.C.1–2.
  • Applicability: Any project activity that would otherwise be required to provide parking under Sec. 610.C.3.a (Required Parking) and that lies within 1/2 mile of public transit is captured by this overlay. See § 830.C.2.
  • Procedures: The code references the normal application filing and processing procedures (Sec. 1110). See § 830.C.3.

Practical note: If your site is near transit, check whether AB 2097 applies before budgeting required parking stalls — the overlay is focused on enabling parking reductions required by state law; check § 830.C and Sec. 610 for the underlying parking rules. Pomona Parking

Quick standards & permitted‑uses table

Overlay / Item Key decision-relevant summary Code Reference
Commercial Cannabis Overlay (-C) — subareas SA1–SA4 Regulates cannabis activities by sub‑area: SA1/SA2 = Retail only; SA3 = Cultivation/Distribution/Manufacturing/Microbusiness/Testing; SA4 = Cultivation/Distribution/Manufacturing/Testing. Detailed permit and operational standards are in Pomona City Code (Ch. 68). § 820.B.1
Fairplex Overlay (-F) Broad permissive list of fair functions (fairs, exhibitions, live entertainment, filming, horse exhibitions, RV parks, parking structures). Some large or unusual uses require a Conditional Use Permit; Medical Marijuana Dispensaries are expressly prohibited. Design review required for permanent structures for conditionally‑permitted uses. § 820.B.2; § 820.C.2.a
SB 330 Overlay (-S) For qualifying Housing Development Projects: single‑ and multiple‑family dwellings are permitted and SB 330 development standards supersede underlying residential standards; must meet objective standards consistent with the General Plan and obtain a Development Plan. § 830.B.3–4
AB 2097 Overlay Applies to projects within ½ mile of public transit to implement AB 2097 parking minimum rules (parking reduction mechanism). § 830.C.1–3

Checklist

  • Confirm whether the property is within an overlay on the official Pomona zoning map (look for -C, -F, -S, or AB 2097 designation) — see § 820.A.3.
  • If -C, identify which SA sub‑area (SA1–SA4) applies and consult Pomona City Code (Ch. 68) for cannabis permit/operational standards — see § 820.B.1.
  • If within Fairplex (-F), determine whether your use is permitted, conditionally permitted, or prohibited (for example Medical Marijuana Dispensaries are prohibited) and expect design review for new/changed permanent structures — see § 820.B.2 and § 820.C.2.a.
  • If in SB 330 (-S) and proposing housing, confirm your project qualifies as a Housing Development Project, prepare a Development Plan per § 1160.G, and apply objective development standards consistent with the General Plan transect/density rules — see § 830.B.3–4.
  • If within ½ mile of transit, confirm whether AB 2097 applies to on‑site parking requirements and follow Sec. 1110 procedures when requesting reduced parking — see § 830.C.2–3. Pomona Parking
  • For any overlay trigger that requires discretionary action, follow the application filing and processing rules in Sec. 1110 and the Development Plan (Sec. 1160.G) or Conditional Use Permit (Sec. 1160.D) as applicable.

Risks & Ambiguities

Issue Why it matters What to verify
Exact overlay map boundaries Whether an overlay applies is map‑specific — an overlay suffix controls all downstream rules for a parcel. Verify parcel is shown as -C, -F, -S, or AB 2097 on the official zoning map with the Planning Division. (Not found in retrieved materials: map layer).
Numeric dimensional standards under SB 330 § 830.B says SB 330 projects must meet objective standards consistent with the General Plan; the overlay itself does not list setbacks/FARs. Confirm applicable objective standards and transect/density in the General Plan and in the applicable Zoning & Development Code parts — parcel‑specific. (Not found in retrieved materials: parcel numeric table).
Cannabis operational standards The Zoning Code defers to Chapter 68; operational controls (security, separation, buffering) live there. Consult Pomona City Code (Ch. 68) and Cannabis Permit Program materials; confirm SA subarea rules. § 820.B.1.
Design review scope at Fairplex The code requires design review for conditionally permitted permanent structures but does not list every detailed design criterion in § 820. Verify what elements the Development Services Director will require (landscape, lighting, noise mitigation) and check Sec. 1110 and design review standards. § 820.C.2.a.
Interaction with Specific Plans / Alternate Typologies Overlay rules may interact with specific plans or alternate typologies; the hierarchy matters for which standard controls. Check whether a Specific Plan applies (Specific Plans replace the form/frontage/use modules) and remember Alternate Typologies are eligible in overlays but do not supersede Specific Plans. See § 810 and § 700.C–D.

Plain-English Summary

Pomona’s overlays are extra rule layers applied to base zoning: -C controls where different kinds of cannabis businesses may operate (see City Code Ch. 68), -F governs Fairplex/fairground activities and requires design review for many permanent improvements, -S lets qualifying housing projects be processed under SB 330 by applying objective General Plan‑consistent standards, and AB 2097 sets the local procedure for reducing parking near transit — always verify the parcel map, the relevant sub‑area, and the other code chapters the overlays call out (for example Chapter 68 or the General Plan).

Information Gaps

  • Official overlay map layers and parcel‑level overlay assignments — Not found in retrieved materials. Verify with the Planning Division.
  • Detailed cannabis operational standards (security, buffers, distance to sensitive uses, permit fees) — code defers to Pomona City Code (Ch. 68); Chapter 68 text not included in the retrieved material here. See § 820.B.1.
  • Parcel‑specific numeric standards (exact setbacks, FAR, lot coverage for SB 330 situations) — § 830.B defers to objective General Plan and other code sections; specific numbers not listed in the overlay text. Verify with the General Plan/transect designation and the applicable Form/Module sections.

Source References

  • § 820 Overlay Districts — Pomona Zoning & Development Code (Part 8: Overlay Districts), adopted July 1, 2024.
  • § 820.B.1 Commercial Cannabis Permit Program Overlay District (SA1–SA4) — Pomona Zoning & Development Code; refers readers to Pomona City Code (Ch. 68) for program details.
  • § 820.B.2 Fairplex Overlay District (uses, conditional uses, prohibited uses) — Pomona Zoning & Development Code.
  • § 820.C.2 Fairplex procedures & design review requirement — Pomona Zoning & Development Code.
  • § 830.B SB 330 Overlay District (purpose, applicability, uses, development standards) — Pomona Zoning & Development Code.
  • § 830.C AB 2097 Overlay District (parking near transit) — Pomona Zoning & Development Code.
  • Zoning district naming / brackets and overlay letter convention — § 110.A and related naming rules (zoning modules / second bracket) — Pomona Zoning & Development Code.
  • Specific Plans / relation to overlays — § 810 (Specific Plans); Alternate Typologies relation to overlays — § 700.D.

Additional practical links used in text: Pomona Zoning & Planning overview Pomona Zoning Pomona Development Standards Pomona Parking Pomona Design Review Pomona ADUs Pomona Historic Preservation California Building Standards Code

Sources

Retrieved passages

  • Pomona Zoning Code High relevance
  • Pomona Zoning Code High relevance
  • Pomona Zoning Code (section is) High relevance
  • Pomona Zoning Code Medium relevance
  • Pomona Zoning Code Medium relevance
  • Pomona Zoning Code Medium relevance
  • Pomona Zoning Code (section of) Medium relevance
  • Pomona Zoning Code Medium relevance

Cited sections

Frequently asked questions

What does Pomona’s overlay chapter say an overlay is and where is that defined?

The code defines an overlay as a regulatory control that applies in addition to base zoning for systematic General Plan implementation; overlays are defined in Sec. 820 (intent and applicability) and identified on the zoning map by a letter suffix (for example -C, -F, -S) in the zoning district brackets. See § 820.A.1–3.

Which overlay controls cannabis businesses and how do I know which cannabis activities are allowed?

The Commercial Cannabis Permit Program Overlay (-C) controls cannabis locations and divides the city into sub‑areas SA1–SA4; SA1/SA2 are Retail Only, SA3 allows Cultivation, Distribution, Manufacturing, Microbusiness, Testing, and SA4 allows Cultivation, Distribution, Manufacturing, Testing. The zoning overlay text points you to Pomona City Code Chapter 68 for the permit and operational standards. See § 820.B.1.

If my parcel has an **-F** suffix (Fairplex), what can I do there without a land‑use permit?

Under the Fairplex Overlay (-F) many fair‑related activities (fairs, exhibitions, live entertainment, consumer shows, filming, horse events, food concessions, RV parks, parking structures, tents/temporary structures, etc.) are listed as permitted without a separate land‑use permit (though building and grading permits still apply). Some large uses are conditional and others are expressly prohibited (for example Medical Marijuana Dispensaries). See § 820.B.2.

How does the SB 330 Overlay affect a proposed apartment project?

If your site is in the SB 330 Overlay (-S) and the proposal qualifies as a Housing Development Project, SB 330 treats single‑ and multi‑family dwellings as permitted primary uses and requires applying objective standards consistent with the General Plan; the overlay’s development standards supersede the underlying zoning’s residential standards where applicable. You must file a Development Plan and follow the objective standards in the code/General Plan. See § 830.B.3–4.

Does the Fairplex overlay require design review for new buildings?

Yes — the code requires site design and architectural review and approval by the Development Services Director for conditionally permitted Fairplex uses that involve permanent structures, before building permits are issued. See § 820.C.2.a.

If my site is near transit, how does AB 2097 work in Pomona?

Pomona adopted an AB 2097 Overlay mechanism for projects within one‑half mile of public transit to allow reduction/removal of local minimum automobile parking requirements in line with state law; the overlay’s applicability and procedures are in § 830.C, and the city refers to the usual application/process rules (Sec. 1110). See § 830.C.1–3. Pomona Parking

Where do I find the map legend showing overlay letters on a zoning parcel?

The Zoning & Development Code explains the naming convention: overlays appear as letters appended to district names and represented in the second zoning bracket; however the code text in Part 8 does not include the actual map image — obtain the official zoning map from the Planning Division or the city’s GIS/zoning map viewer to confirm parcel overlays. See § 820.A.3 and § 110 (zoning brackets).

Do overlay rules override specific plans or alternate typologies?

Specific Plans take precedence where they apply (a Specific Plan replaces form, frontage, and use modules), and Alternate Typologies are eligible in overlays but do not supersede Specific Plans. Verify whether a Specific Plan applies to your parcel before assuming overlay standards control. See § 810 and § 700.C–D.

Does the SB 330 overlay list exact setbacks, heights or FAR?

No — § 830.B requires compliance with objective standards consistent with the General Plan and says the overlay supersedes underlying residential standards for qualifying projects, but it does not itself list parcel‑level setbacks, FAR, or heights. You must check the General Plan transect/density and the applicable code modules for numeric standards. See § 830.B.4.

Where are cannabis permit fees, security, and buffer distances specified?

Those operational and licensing details are referenced to Pomona City Code Chapter 68; the Zoning & Development Code’s overlay text establishes sub‑areas and applicability but defers to Chapter 68 for the program rules. See § 820.B.1.

More in Pomona code

Ask about any Pomona property

Get a cited, plain-English answer on Pomona zoning, setbacks, FAR, ADUs and permits — for any address.

Start Free Trial

More Pomona zoning topics

Pomona Zoning

Pomona Land Use

Pomona Development Standards

Pomona Parking

Pomona Design Review

Pomona Historic Preservation

Pomona Signage

Pomona Nonconforming Uses

Pomona Variances and Exceptions

Pomona Landscaping and Screening

Pomona overview