Simi Valley — Land Use

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the City of Simi Valley's Development Code (the local zoning rules often referenced as "Title 9 / Development Code") actually says about allowable land uses, conditional uses, and the district-level standards that control where and how uses may be established in the City. It links the practical items applicants check (zoning, permit type, dimensional standards) to the controlling code sections so you can verify requirements quickly. See the city's high-level Simi Valley zoning & planning overview and the local Simi Valley Zoning menus for navigation to related materials.

Important foundations from the Code

• The municipal Development Code is the controlling land-use tool for Simi Valley: Title 9 (Development Code) — § 9-10.010 and purpose statements in § 9-10.020.
• Allowed uses by district are listed in two primary land-use tables:
  • Residential & Open Space districts: Table 2-2 (authorized/conditional/home-occupation designations) — see § 9-24.030.
  • Commercial, Industrial, Mixed-Use and Business Park districts: Table 2-5 — see § 9-26.030.
• Development standards (setbacks, lot sizes, heights) for residential zones sit in Table 2-3 and related subsections (setback exceptions, height rules) — see § 9-24.040 and § 9-24.050.
• Operational and enclosure rules for commercial zones (what must be inside a building, outdoor storage, outdoor dining provisions, etc.) are in § 9-26.060.

For practical project work you will also need the City's chapter on land use permits and procedural rules (Chapter/Article 9-22 for permit types and Chapter 9-52 for Planned Development and Conditional Use procedures). See the Simi Valley Development Standards menu for dimensional and process guidance, and the Simi Valley Parking page for parking counts referenced by those standards.

District-by-district breakdown

Below are the main districts that appear in the land-use tables and the Development Code. Each district entry states the district purpose (code language summary), the typical permitted uses (how uses are listed in the land-use tables), the key dimensional standards that commonly affect land-use decisions, and where the district is applied / special notes from the Code. All programmatic citations use the Development Code section(s) that define or regulate the district.

Note: the City uses short district codes in the tables — these are bolded below (exact district code spelled as in the Development Code).

OS (Open Space)

• Purpose: Protect major open-space parcels and resource lands; limited residential density and support uses. § 9-24.040 explains standards for open-space and residential/open-space district design.
• Typical permitted uses: Very limited—open space, resource uses; single primary unit per large parcel where allowed (see Table 2-3 / Table 2-2) — see § 9-24.030.
• Key standards: Minimum parcel sizes are large (e.g., 40 acres listed in Table 2-3); front setback 50 ft for OS per Table 2-3; primary structure limit 2 stories / 30 ft in many residential/open-space zones (Table 2-3) — see § 9-24.040 and Table 2-3.
• Where it applies: Properties reserved for permanent open-space or resource uses; see the Zoning Map and General Plan consistency rules § 9-10.020.

RE (Rural Estate)

• Purpose: Low-density single-family; larger lot rural-residential character. § 9-24.040.
• Typical permitted uses: Single-family dwellings, accessory uses allowed as per Table 2-2 (residential uses); ADUs allowed subject to ADU chapter. § 9-24.030; ADU rules § 9-44.160.
• Key standards: Minimum lot 1 acre (Table 2-3); front setback 20 ft in many residential zones (Table 2-3); accessory height 18 ft unless CUP. § 9-24.040–9-24.050.

RVL, RL, RM, RMod, RH, RVH (Residential Very Low → Residential Very High / RMod = Residential Moderate)

• Purpose: Series of single- and multi-family residential districts ranging from low/estate densities to high-density multifamily; each district is described in Article 2. § 9-24.030 and zone descriptions in Article 2.
• Typical permitted uses: Single-family or multi-family dwellings depending on district; accessory uses listed in Table 2-2 (home occupations, accessory structures, limited agric.). § 9-24.030.
• Key standards (common, from Table 2-3):
  • Minimum lot areas vary (examples: 20,000 sf for RVL, 10,000 sf RL, 8,000 sf RM, 5,000 sf RMod) — Table 2-3 § 9-24.040.
  • Front setback commonly 20 ft (district and project-size dependent) — § 9-24.050.
  • Height limit for primary structures: 2 stories / 30 ft (Table 2-3) — see § 9-24.040.
  • Side setbacks vary by project size — see exceptions in § 9-24.050(B) and applicability notes for small projects vs. subdivisions.
• Where it applies: Normal single- and multi-family neighborhoods; Planned Development Permit required for new residential construction regardless of table designation (§ 9-24.030).

MH (Mobile Home)

• Purpose: Accommodate mobile-home parks and expand housing options. § 9-24.030 (district descriptions).
• Typical permitted uses: Mobile-home park, supportive uses; see Table 2-2 for permit requirements. § 9-24.030.
• Key standards: Densities expressed as units/acre; must follow Planned Development and other development standards in Article 3. § 9-24.040.

MU (Mixed Use)

• Purpose: Encourage vertically-integrated residential/commercial projects and pedestrian orientation. § 9-26.030 and the Mixed-Use Overlay rules in § 9-26.050.
• Typical permitted uses: Combination of residential units and ground-floor commercial uses per Table 2-5 and Mixed-Use standards (ground-floor commercial typically required on arterials). § 9-26.030 and § 9-26.050.
• Key standards: Mixed-Use height cap 55 ft / 4 stories for primary structures; minimum project floor-area mixes (e.g., at least 50% residential, 25% commercial for certain Mixed-Use areas) — see § 9-26.050.
• Where it applies: Specific overlay locations identified on the Zoning Map and subject to Mixed-Use Overlay rules (see Simi Valley Overlay Districts).

CO, CN, CR, CC, CPD, CI, BP, LI, GI (Commercial & Industrial family)

• Purpose: These commercial/industrial districts cover neighborhood commercial through civic center, planned commercial, light and general industrial — see Article 2 descriptions. § 9-26.030 and zone summaries.
• Typical permitted uses: Use lists are district-specific in Table 2-5 (retail, office, restaurants, light manufacturing, public utilities, etc.). See § 9-26.030 and Table 2-5 for the P / CUP designations.
• Key operational standards: All commercial uses generally must be enclosed unless specifically listed as outdoor uses in Table 2-5 § 9-26.060; outdoor storage rules and screening apply in certain zones (CR, CPD, CI) — see § 9-26.060.
• Where it applies: Commercial corridors, employment areas, and industrial parks. Note that RCC and BP allowable uses may be governed by Specific Plans (see § 9-26.030(B)).

Overlay districts — A, L, H (Animal), FC (Freeway Combining), W, WP, BP (Business Park overlay), and Mixed-Use Overlay

• Purpose & application: Overlay zones modify or supplement base-zone rules; development in an overlay must also comply with the primary zoning district. See § 9-28.010 and specific overlay sections.
• Notable overlay rules:
  • A, L, H (Animal overlays): Allow farm animals in identified areas but require compliance with animal-keeping standards § 9-28.030 and Section 9-44.060.
  • FC (Freeway Combining): Allows certain commercial uses with CUP and requires noise/air-protection design measures for adjacent residential development; special reduced rear setbacks for freeway-adjacent lots may apply (freeway setback rules are in § 9-24.050 and § 9-28.040).
  • W / WP: Reserved for water storage facilities and associated uses (see Article 2 descriptive notes).

Quick reference table — most decision-relevant standards / permitted-use anchors

Practical guidance / interpretation notes

• Always start by confirming the zoning and overlay(s) applied to the parcel on the official Zoning Map and then consult Table 2-2 or Table 2-5 (residential vs. commercial) to see whether a proposed use is listed as P (permitted), CUP (Conditional Use Permit required), HP (Home Occupation Permit), or prohibited; these tables are the primary determiners of whether a use is allowed. § 9-24.030 and § 9-26.030.
• If the property is inside a Specific Plan area (RCC, BP, or any SP), the Specific Plan can override table entries — always check the applicable specific plan. § 9-26.030(B–C).
• Many otherwise-permitted ground-floor uses in Mixed-Use areas are subject to additional site-layout rules (e.g., ground-floor commercial on arterials, FAR/height limits): see the Mixed-Use Overlay standards § 9-26.050.
• Design review and public-facing project elements: projects requiring discretionary review (Conditional Use Permit, Planned Development) will usually go through design scrutiny — check the City's Simi Valley Design Review procedures and the Development Code's objective design standards in Article 3.
• Parking: required parking counts and how parking affects allowable uses are in the City's parking chapter — check Simi Valley Parking and Chapter 9-34 for the specific rates used to determine whether a use triggers additional approvals.

Additional operational links you'll likely use while processing a land‑use proposal: Simi Valley Development Standards, Simi Valley Overlay Districts, Simi Valley ADUs. For building-level requirements (construction, code compliance) consult the California Building Standards Code.

Checklist

• Confirm parcel zoning and any overlay(s) on the official Zoning Map (verify Specific Plan applicability). § 9-20.010–9-20.030.
• Identify the use in Table 2-2 (residential) or Table 2-5 (commercial/industrial) and note P / CUP / HP status. § 9-24.030, § 9-26.030.
• Determine required permit path: Zoning Clearance, Administrative Action, Conditional Use Permit (§ 9-52.070), or Planned Development Permit (§ 9-52.050). Confirm submittal requirements in Chapter 9-50/9-52.
• Check dimensional standards: lot area, setbacks, coverage, height in Table 2-3 (residential) or applicable commercial tables/standards and Chapter 9-30 for measurements. § 9-24.040, § 9-30.080.
• Check operational standards (enclosed use, outdoor storage, outdoor dining, noise, and freeway-combining requirements). § 9-26.060, § 9-28.040.
• If proposing ADUs, follow § 9-44.160 ADU standards and the ADU tables for sizes, setbacks, and separations.
• Confirm whether the use is subject to special prohibitions (e.g., commercial cannabis is prohibited; see cross-reference to Chapter 5-41). § 9-24.030, § 9-26.030.

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

Simi Valley’s Development Code uses land‑use tables (Table 2‑2 for residential/open space and Table 2‑5 for commercial/industrial) to tell you whether a use is permitted outright, needs a Conditional Use Permit, or is not allowed; dimensional controls like setbacks and height come from the tables (notably Table 2‑3 for residential). Always confirm the parcel’s base zone and any overlays or Specific Plans first, then match the use to the correct table and follow the permit path the Code requires (Zoning Clearance, CUP, or Planned Development). See § 9-24.030, § 9-26.030, and § 9-24.040 for the controlling rules.

Source References

• Simi Valley Development Code — Title 9 (Development Code): § 9-10.010, Purpose and applicability.
• Residential & Open Space district uses and permit table: § 9-24.030 (Table 2‑2).
• Residential and open-space development standards (Table 2‑3), setbacks and exceptions: § 9-24.040, § 9-24.050.
• Commercial, Industrial, Business Park Overlay, and Mixed-Use Overlay uses and permit table: § 9-26.030 (Table 2‑5).
• Commercial operational standards (enclosed uses, outdoor storage, etc.): § 9-26.060.
• Overlay district rules (Animal overlays A/L/H and Freeway Combining FC): § 9-28.030, § 9-28.040.
• ADUs: Development standards for ADUs and size/separation rules: § 9-44.160 (Tables 4‑4/4‑6/4‑7).
• Planned Development Permit: § 9-52.050 (Planned Development Permit review and requirements).
• Conditional Use Permit references and nonconforming-use treatment: § 9-52.070 and § 9-72.090.
• Note about cannabis: commercial cannabis and industrial hemp uses are prohibited per cross references in § 9-24.030 and § 9-26.030 (see Chapter 5‑41 for cannabis standards).

Retrieved passages

• Simi Valley Zoning Code (§ 5) High relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (§ 5) High relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (§ 5) High relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (Article 8) Medium relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (Article 8) Medium relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (Chapter 9-33) Medium relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (Title 8) Medium relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (Section 9-44.160) Medium relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (Section 9-) Medium relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (Section may) Medium relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (§ 5) Medium relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (Section 9-24.050) Medium relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (Section may) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Simi Valley Development Code — Title 9 (Development Code): **§ 9-10.010**, Purpose and applicability. (Title 9)
• Residential & Open Space district uses and permit table: **§ 9-24.030** (Table 2‑2). (§ 9-24.030)
• Residential and open-space development standards (Table 2‑3), setbacks and exceptions: **§ 9-24.040**, **§ 9-24.050**. (§ 9-24.040)
• Commercial, Industrial, Business Park Overlay, and Mixed-Use Overlay uses and permit table: **§ 9-26.030** (Table 2‑5). (§ 9-26.030)
• Commercial operational standards (enclosed uses, outdoor storage, etc.): **§ 9-26.060**. (§ 9-26.060)
• Overlay district rules (Animal overlays A/L/H and Freeway Combining FC): **§ 9-28.030**, **§ 9-28.040**. (§ 9-28.030)
• ADUs: Development standards for ADUs and size/separation rules: **§ 9-44.160** (Tables 4‑4/4‑6/4‑7). (§ 9-44.160)
• Planned Development Permit: **§ 9-52.050** (Planned Development Permit review and requirements). (§ 9-52.050)
• Conditional Use Permit references and nonconforming-use treatment: **§ 9-52.070** and **§ 9-72.090**. (§ 9-52.070)
• Note about cannabis: commercial cannabis and industrial hemp uses are prohibited per cross references in **§ 9-24.030** and **§ 9-26.030** (see Chapter 5‑41 for cannabis standards). (§ 9-24.030)
• SimiValley_ZoningCode.md

• Official Simi Valley code library