San Luis Obispo County Zoning, Planning & Building Codes

Last reviewed: July 6, 2026

Overview

San Luis Obispo County regulates land use in its unincorporated areas primarily through Title 22 of the County Code, the Land Use Ordinance, while parcels in the Coastal Zone use a separate Coastal ordinance (Title 23). Title 22 implements the County’s General Plan and applies together with official land use maps, combining (overlay) designations, and adopted planning/area standards that can be more specific than the base rules. The ordinance organizes what uses are allowed where, which permit path you’ll need, and the countywide development standards that apply before a building permit is issued.

The Land Use Ordinance applies to all development in unincorporated areas outside the Coastal Zone, where Title 23 governs instead, and adopted planning/area standards control wherever they conflict with base tables. See § 22.01.050 and § 22.06.020.

How San Luis Obispo County’s code is organized

• Core ordinance. The County’s Land Use Ordinance is Title 22; it states purpose/authority and incorporates the General Plan’s land use categories, combining designations, and official maps by reference (§ 22.01.010; § 22.01.030).
• Applicability. Title 22 applies to unincorporated areas except the Coastal Zone, where Title 23 (Coastal Zone Land Use Ordinance) applies (§ 22.01.050).
• Where to find your base zoning and permits. Land use categories and combining designations are shown in Table 2‑1 (§ 22.04.020), and allowed uses and permit triggers are set in Chapter 22.06; Articles 9–10 (Planning Area and Community Planning Standards) can narrow or change those rules locally (§ 22.06.020). See the County’s San Luis Obispo County Zoning and San Luis Obispo County Land Use.
• Development standards. Article 3 holds countywide physical standards (e.g., heights, setbacks, landscaping, San Luis Obispo County Development Standards); Article 4 holds standards for specific uses (e.g., ADUs, mobile home parks).
• Permitting process. Article 6 (Chapter 22.62) defines ministerial and discretionary land use permits (Zoning Clearance, Site Plan Review, Minor Use Permit, Conditional Use Permit) and ties the permit to your use table in Chapter 22.06.
• Other required approvals. Applicants may also need building, grading, health, or business license clearances; Title 22 points you to those requirements (§ 22.01.031).

Zoning district families

Title 22 relies on “land use categories” (districts) and “combining designations” (overlays). Table 2‑1 lists them and their map symbols (§ 22.04.020, Table 2‑1).

• Agricultural & Rural:
  • AG Agriculture; RL Rural Lands.
• Residential:
  • RR Residential Rural; RS Residential Suburban; RSF Residential Single‑Family; RMF Residential Multi‑Family.
• Commercial & Industrial:
  • OP Office & Professional; CR Commercial Retail; CS Commercial Service; IND Industrial.
• Special Purpose:
  • OS Open Space; REC Recreation; PF Public Facilities; and plan‑specific districts such as DRSP Dana Reserve Specific Plan (as mapped).
• Combining/overlay designations:
  • AR Airport Review; FH Flood Hazard; SRA Sensitive Resource Area; H Historic; EX Energy & Extractive Resource Area; plus others (e.g., GSA, MRA, RE, TDC send/receive sites). See San Luis Obispo County Overlay Districts.

Allowed uses and the permit required for each use are in Chapter 22.06’s tables; Articles 9–10 may override what’s allowed and what permit is needed for a given site (§ 22.06.020).

Citywide development standards

These countywide rules in Article 3 typically apply everywhere in the unincorporated areas unless a planning/community standard sets a different number.

• Height limits (§ 22.10.090.C.1):
  • RSF/RR/RS up to 35 ft; RMF low/medium intensity up to 40 ft, high intensity 45 ft; OP 40 ft; REC 40 ft; PF 45 ft; IND 45 ft; OS 25 ft. Height exceptions and adjustments are also defined (§ 22.10.090.C.2).
• Setbacks (§ 22.10.140):
  • Baseline front setback for structures over 3 ft tall is 25 ft countywide, with objective adjustments for shallow/variable‑setback blocks and clustered/planned developments (§ 22.10.140.D.1–2). Side/rear setbacks depend on district, building type, and any planning/community standards.
• Residential density and floor area (multi‑family) (§ 22.10.130):
  • By “intensity factor” (access and sewer): up to 15/30/42 du/ac, with corresponding maximum floor area of 55%/75%/100% of site area and minimum open area of 40%/30%/25%; minimum site area to establish more than one unit is 6,000 sq ft.
• Landscaping & screening:
  • Landscaping and screening standards (e.g., walls, berms, screening substitutes) are enforced under Chapter 22.16 and § 22.10.080; many discretionary and corridor standards require a landscape plan using these rules. See San Luis Obispo County Landscaping and Screening.
• Parking (Chapter 22.18):
  • Off‑street parking location/design and numeric ratios are administered under Chapter 22.18; reductions and adjustments use findings in § 22.18.020.H, and some community standards allow on‑street spaces in downtown contexts to count toward the total.

Specific plans & overlays

Several adopted area/specific plans and overlay rules supersede the base ordinance where they conflict.

• Highway Corridor and Sensitive Resource Area design. The County’s Highway Corridor Design Standards apply within mapped SRA/highway corridors and require lower profiles, color controls, landscape screening, and sometimes a ministerial Zoning Clearance if objective criteria are met; otherwise a Minor Use/Conditional Use Permit with a visual analysis is required (§ 22.10.095; see also area standards in Article 9/10).
• Airport Review overlay. Within the Airport Review (AR) overlay, only uses compatible with the Airport Land Use Plan are allowed, and projects must meet that plan’s development standards (§ 22.96.020.A.1–5).
• Woodlands Specific Plan. The 1998 Woodlands Specific Plan is incorporated by reference; it controls development within its boundary and prevails over Title 22 where conflicts occur (§ 22.108.070).
• Dalidio Ranch zoning district. Created by initiative as a standalone zoning district; projects consistent with its chapter and applicable Title 19 building/grading standards are ministerially approved (§§ 22.113.010–.020).
• Oak Shores and other community standards. Certain communities (e.g., Oak Shores at Lake Nacimiento) have unit caps, phased development, roadway/water conditions, and project‑level limitations that act as a specific plan within the Land Use Element (§ 22.104.040). See San Luis Obispo County Overlay Districts and San Luis Obispo County Design Review.

Building permits & review

• Choose your permit path. Chapter 22.06’s tables tell you if a use is permitted or requires a ministerial or discretionary land use permit; Articles 9–10 may alter the requirement (§ 22.06.020).
  • Zoning Clearance (§ 22.62.030) — ministerial, used for permitted uses meeting all objective standards; staff will verify application content and conduct site checks.
  • Site Plan Review (§ 22.62.040) — ministerial for some higher‑impact uses; CEQA EIR triggers elevation to a CUP (§ 22.62.040.B.1.a).
  • Minor Use Permit (MUP) (§ 22.62.050) — discretionary with public hearing before the Director; findings/conditions may apply.
  • Conditional Use Permit (CUP) (§ 22.62.060) — discretionary Commission action for larger/sensitive projects; used where required by the use tables or CEQA.
• Other County and state approvals. Title 22 flags additional approvals: grading/drainage (Ch. 22.52), fire safety (Ch. 22.50), tree preservation (Ch. 22.54), Public Works/Health permits, and building/trades permits under Title 19 and the California Building Standards Code (§ 22.01.031; § 22.50.040).
• Post‑approval timing. Permit implementation, time limits, and extensions are handled under Chapter 22.64 (cited in § 22.62.030.C; § 22.62.040.C).

State housing law in San Luis Obispo County

State housing laws preempt conflicting local standards; Title 22 hard‑codes that state changes will apply without further ordinance updates for key housing tools.

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs/JADUs)

• Local ADU standards live in § 22.30.470 (Residential – Accessory Dwellings). Key features include:
  • No off‑street parking required for ADUs; driveway consolidation preferred (§ 22.30.470.K, L).
  • Setbacks: detached ADUs may be within 4 ft of side/rear lines; front setbacks cannot preclude an 800 sq ft ADU; attached/converted units follow primary‑use setbacks (§ 22.30.470.J).
  • The County acknowledges that if state ADU law changes, those requirements govern without amending § 22.30.470 (subsections M–N).
• State timelines and floor protections. Separate state law requires ministerial action within about 60 days and prohibits local caps that prevent an 800 sq ft ADU with 4‑ft side/rear setbacks; see California ADU law.

SB 9 “Urban Dwellings”

• The County’s SB 9 implementation is § 22.30.471 (Residential – Urban Dwellings). It allows a second primary dwelling on eligible parcels with:
  • Setbacks: 4 ft side/rear; front per the primary dwelling’s minimum (§ 22.30.471.G). One off‑street space per urban dwelling is required unless a car‑share is within a block (§ 22.30.471.H).
  • Objective standards cannot preclude two primary dwellings or force any below 800 sq ft unless necessary for public health/safety; short‑term rentals are prohibited via a recorded agreement (§ 22.30.471.B.1, I).
  • Denial is limited to written health/safety findings with substantial evidence (§ 22.30.471.E).

Other state housing programs

• Density bonus, supportive housing, and objective design standards: Not found in retrieved materials. Verify with the jurisdiction.

Source References

• Title 22 purpose/applicability; maps and Coastal split: § 22.01.010, § 22.01.030, § 22.01.050.
• Land use categories and combining designations (Table 2‑1) and how Articles 9–10 can override: § 22.04.020; § 22.06.020.
• Allowed‑use tables and permit keys; ministerial/discretionary procedures: Ch. 22.06; §§ 22.62.030–.060.
• Countywide development standards: § 22.10.090 (heights); § 22.10.130 (multi‑family intensity); § 22.10.140 (setbacks); Ch. 22.16 (landscaping); Ch. 22.18 (parking).
• Highway Corridor Design Standards; SRA/visual analysis requirements: § 22.10.095; area standards referencing the corridor.
• Airport Review overlay: § 22.96.020.
• Woodlands SP; Dalidio Ranch: §§ 22.108.070; 22.113.010–.020.
• Oak Shores (Nacimiento) specific standards: § 22.104.040.
• ADUs and SB 9: §§ 22.30.470; 22.30.471; state ADU timelines/floor protections.
• Related County standards referenced during permitting: Fire Safety (Ch. 22.50); Grading/Drainage (Ch. 22.52); external building code.