Shasta Lake — Overlay Districts

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

Shasta Lake’s overlay and “combined” districts are contained in Title 17 (Zoning). The ordinance creates a discrete set of overlay/combined districts — including the Interim Zoning Overlay tied to the 2040 General Plan and several districts that are expressly “combined with” principal zones (for example DR, F-2, SP, B, SH and T). These overlays modify or add requirements to the underlying principal district; the controlling provisions are in Title 17 and are incorporated by reference into the City’s zoning maps and the 2040 General Plan interim maps. See the ordinance language on interim overlay maps § 17.04.020 and applicability § 17.04.030 . For how overlay rules interact with dimensional and site standards see the Shasta Lake Development Standards guidance and the code references below.

Note: this page stays strictly within the text of the City zoning ordinance (Title 17). For construction / code compliance (Title 24) consult the California Building Standards Code.

How to read this page

• Each overlay below is presented with its purpose, typical permitted uses, key dimensional/site standards or special rules, and where it applies — all tied to the exact ordinance sections.
• Where the ordinance permits “all uses in the principal district,” that is cited directly rather than paraphrasing the principal-district chapters.
• Practical notes and next steps (appeals, verification) are identified and traced back to the ordinance.

Overlay / Combined districts — district-by-district

Interim Zoning Overlay (2040 General Plan Interim Zoning Overlay)

• Purpose: To implement the 2040 General Plan interim zoning and to apply the Interim Zoning Ordinance citywide until final zoning maps/plan adoption. See § 17.04.010 and § 17.04.020 .
• Typical permitted uses: The overlay maps identify the applicable interim zone district(s); uses follow the principal district assigned by the overlay or, where no principal district is shown, the development services director assigns the most applicable principal district and its standards (subject to appeal). See § 17.04.030 .
• Key standards / effect: The interim overlay maps are incorporated by reference into Title 17 and apply across the city; the director’s determination of the applicable principal district may be appealed to the planning commission under § 17.94.060 (appeal procedure referenced in § 17.04.030) .
• Where it applies: All lands within city limits as reflected on the 2040 General Plan Interim Zoning Overlay maps § 17.04.020–030 .

Design Review (DR) (combined district)

• Purpose: To protect areas with unique environmental, historical or scenic features and to ensure compatible design when combined with any principal district § 17.78.010 .
• Typical permitted uses: Generally the uses of the underlying principal district apply; some uses may require a use permit in the DR overlay (see § 17.78.015–020) .
• Key standards / effect: The DR district’s requirements prevail over conflicting regulations of the principal district when combined, and DR site development standards must meet or exceed principal-district standards and Chapter 17.84 (General Development Standards) § 17.78.010, § 17.78.030 .
• Where it applies: Wherever the DR combining district is shown on the official zoning or special zone maps; review and permits are administered per the DR chapter § 17.78.010–040 . When design review is implicated coordinate with the Shasta Lake Design Review process.

Restrictive Flood (F-2) (combined district)

• Purpose: To minimize flood hazards in regulatory flood zones; it is combined with principal districts to regulate flood-prone areas § 17.70.010 .
• Typical permitted uses: All uses permitted in the underlying principal district are allowed, but administrative/use permit requirements of the principal district still apply § 17.70.020 .
• Key standards / effect: In case of conflict the more restrictive regulation controls; flood-elevation data and elevation or floodproofing details are required for land divisions and building permits; specific building permit findings and elevation certification are mandated § 17.70.030–050 .
• Where it applies: Any area mapped as F-2 on the zone/special zone maps; expect FEMA/regulatory flood elevation requirements on submittal § 17.70.030–050 .

Specific Plan (SP) (combined district)

• Purpose: To identify areas governed by an adopted specific plan and to combine SP regulations with principal districts § 17.76.010–020 .
• Typical permitted uses: All principal-district uses are permitted provided they conform to the specific plan and the principal district’s permit requirements § 17.76.020 .
• Key standards / effect: Where SP and principal standards conflict the more restrictive regulation prevails unless otherwise provided § 17.76.030 .
• Where it applies: Only within boundaries of an adopted specific plan shown on the SP exhibit or map and incorporated by reference § 17.76.010–030 .

Building Site (B) (combined district)

• Purpose: To modify the minimum building site requirement of an underlying principal district (examples: B-8, BA-5, BSM) § 17.68.010–030 .
• Typical permitted uses: All uses permitted in the principal district with the principal district’s permit rules applied; B only alters building-site/minimum-lot rules § 17.68.020–030 .
• Key standards / effect: The B district sets minimum building-site size or maximum number of building sites (BL, BSM, BA, etc.); other site standards of the principal district still apply § 17.68.010–030 .
• Where it applies: Where a suffix B designation appears on the official zoning map or as indicated in an approved action § 17.68.010–030 .

Scenic Highway (SH) (combined district)

• Purpose: To protect visual qualities along scenic corridors by combining the SH district with principal districts § 17.74.010 .
• Typical permitted uses: Uses and permit levels from the principal district apply, but development must meet SH standards and may require use/administrative permits § 17.74.020 .
• Key standards / effect: SH site standards prevail over conflicting principal-district regulations; structures must be sited and designed to minimize visibility from the scenic highway; restrictions on grading, signs, utilities, and tower siting are enumerated § 17.74.030 .
• Where it applies: On parcels designated SH on special zone or scenic-highway maps § 17.74.030 .

Mobile Home (T) (combined district)

• Purpose: To combine the T district with principal districts to address compatibility of mobile homes on sites where the district is applied § 17.02.025 (district list) and related T rules .
• Typical permitted uses: When combined, the T designation allows mobile-home uses consistent with compatibility findings (planning commission review on reclassification to include T) — see the code language about findings for T district hearings (reclassification/hearing language in ordinance) .
• Key standards / effect: Compatibility (visibility, setbacks and distances to other uses) is considered; the T district is applied only after findings that mobile home use is compatible with surrounding uses (see reclassification/hearing criteria) .
• Where it applies: Only where the official map includes a T combining district § 17.02.025 .

Planned Development (PD / SGIP-PD)

• Purpose: PD is a “special zone district” to accommodate planned development standards and flexible site design; Shasta Gateway Industrial Park (SGIP-PD) is an adopted example with its own chapter § 17.61 and PD rules elsewhere § 17.62 et seq. .
• Typical permitted uses: Uses in PD chapters are those allowed by the PD’s adopted plan and often mirror the principal district subject to PD-specific permit findings (example: SGIP-PD permitted uses in § 17.61.030) .
• Key standards / effect: PD districts are combined with Title 17 requirements plus any recorded covenants, architectural guidelines or Area Plan standards; site development must conform to approved conceptual and detailed plans § 17.62.050–060; § 17.61.010–040 .
• Where it applies: Only within the PD boundaries shown in the ordinance exhibit/map for that PD (e.g., SGIP exhibit) § 17.61.010 .

Quick code-reference table (decision-relevant)

Practical guidance / interpretation (plain-English synthesis)

• Overlays are not standalone “new uses” in most cases — they modify or add to the principal district rules. For example, DR or SH will usually leave the list of permitted uses intact but will require higher design/site standards and in some cases a use permit § 17.78.015–020; § 17.74.020 .
• Where the overlay’s rules conflict with the principal district, the ordinance explicitly states when the overlay “prevails” or when the more restrictive rule controls (see DR, SH and SP language) § 17.78.010; § 17.74.030; § 17.76.030 .
• The Interim Zoning Overlay (2040 General Plan) is incorporated by reference and can change which principal district applies to a parcel; if the map leaves a parcel without a principal district the development services director assigns the most applicable principal district (appealable) § 17.04.020–030 .
• Flood-related overlays (F-2) impose technical documentation (flood elevation, floodproofing, elevation certificates) and may require stricter design and construction findings; expect additional engineering submittals § 17.70.030–050 .
• PD or Area Plan overlays (e.g., Mountain Gate or SGIP-PD) carry their own tables of uses, setbacks, parking references and design guidelines — review the PD chapter carefully; PDs typically require conceptual plans and detailed plan submittals tied to the approved PD § 17.61.020–040; § 17.63.050–120 .

When preparing an application, coordinate overlay requirements with the applicable chapters and with the city’s development services director; for site-level standards consult Shasta Lake Development Standards and the city’s parking rules at Shasta Lake Parking.

Checklist (what an applicant must demonstrate)

• Confirm the parcel’s zoning and any overlay/combined district(s) on the official zoning map and the 2040 Interim Zoning Overlay maps § 17.02.030; § 17.04.020 .
• If the parcel sits in F-2, provide current regulatory flood elevation data, elevation certifications and floodproofing info per § 17.70.030–050 .
• If the parcel sits in DR or SH, include design elevations, materials, landscaping and visual analysis demonstrating compliance with overlay standards § 17.78.030; § 17.74.030 .
• For SP or PD sites, submit the required conceptual development plan, detailed plans, design guidelines compliance and any Area Plan tables (uses, setbacks, parking) § 17.62.050–070; § 17.63.050–120; § 17.61.010 .
• Confirm minimum building-site rules if a B suffix applies and provide required documentation § 17.68.010–030 .
• Check permit type: some overlay-provoked changes convert an otherwise ministerial allowance into a use permit or administrative permit per the overlay chapter (see DR, SH, SP) § 17.78.020; § 17.74.020; § 17.76.020 .
• Verify parking, landscaping, signage and other site standards in Title 17 and the applicable PD/Area Plan; consult Shasta Lake Parking, Shasta Lake Landscaping and Screening and Shasta Lake Signage.

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

Shasta Lake’s overlays are special “add-on” zoning tools (for example Interim Zoning Overlay, DR, F-2, SP, B, SH, T, and PDs) that either change which base zone applies (the interim 2040 maps) or add/override site and design rules where they are mapped; the exact requirements and whether the overlay “wins” over the base zone are spelled out in Title 17 (see especially § 17.04.020–030, § 17.78.010, § 17.70.010–050) .

Source References

• 2040 Interim Zoning Overlay Maps established; interim zoning ordinance incorporated into Title 17 — § 17.04.010; § 17.04.020; § 17.04.030
• Establishment of zoning districts and combining districts list (B, F-2, T, SP, DR etc.) — § 17.02.025; § 17.02.030
• Design Review (DR) district purpose, uses and standards — § 17.78.010–040
• Restrictive Flood (F-2) district purpose, uses and elevation / building-permit requirements — § 17.70.010–050
• Specific Plan (SP) district rules and conflict resolution — § 17.76.010–030
• Building Site (B) district and minimum building-site rules — § 17.68.010–030
• Scenic Highway (SH) combining district development standards — § 17.74.010–030
• Planned development (SGIP-PD) purpose and allowable uses — § 17.61.010–040; § 17.62.050–070; § 17.63.050–120

Retrieved passages

• Shasta Lake Zoning Code (§ 4.I.) High relevance show source text
• Shasta Lake Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Shasta Lake Zoning Code (§ 4) High relevance show source text
• Shasta Lake Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• CFC § 1 (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Shasta Lake Zoning Code (chapter is) Medium relevance show source text
• Shasta Lake Zoning Code (Title 17) Medium relevance show source text
• Shasta Lake Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• Shasta Lake Zoning Code (Section 17.02.050.) Medium relevance show source text
• Shasta Lake Zoning Code (Title 17) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• 2040 Interim Zoning Overlay Maps established; interim zoning ordinance incorporated into Title 17 — **§ 17.04.010; § 17.04.020; § 17.04.030** (Title 17)
• Establishment of zoning districts and combining districts list (B, F-2, T, SP, DR etc.) — **§ 17.02.025; § 17.02.030** (§ 17.02.025)
• Design Review (DR) district purpose, uses and standards — **§ 17.78.010–040** (§ 17.78.010)
• Restrictive Flood (F-2) district purpose, uses and elevation / building-permit requirements — **§ 17.70.010–050** (§ 17.70.010)
• Specific Plan (SP) district rules and conflict resolution — **§ 17.76.010–030** (§ 17.76.010)
• Building Site (B) district and minimum building-site rules — **§ 17.68.010–030** (§ 17.68.010)
• Scenic Highway (SH) combining district development standards — **§ 17.74.010–030** (§ 17.74.010)
• Planned development (SGIP-PD) purpose and allowable uses — **§ 17.61.010–040; § 17.62.050–070; § 17.63.050–120** (§ 17.61.010)
• ShastaLake_ZoningCode.md

• Official Shasta Lake code library