Suisun City — Land Use

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the Suisun City zoning ordinance (commonly implemented as Title 18 in the uploaded materials) actually says about what uses are allowed where, which uses require a conditional use permit, and the most decision‑relevant density/intensity rules. It is strictly drawn from the city's zoning text (tables and chapters cited below); where the ordinance points to other chapters (for setbacks, parking, design review, etc.) those chapters are noted and linked. Verify parcel‑specific conclusions with the Development Services Director. See the city's Suisun City zoning & planning overview for context.

How the code organizes land use

• The city establishes explicit zoning districts in Table 18.06.01 (the local district list): RL, RM, RH1, RH2, RMU (residential types); CR, CSF, CMU, O (commercial/service/office); and APS, P, OS, PQP, PUD, DWSP (parks/public/other) — see § 18.06.01.
• Which specific activities are allowed, allowed with administrative review, allowed only with a conditional use permit (CUP), or not allowed is shown in the code’s land‑use tables (for residential zones see Table 18.08.02 and § 18.08.070; for commercial zones see § 18.20.070).
• The ordinance delegates technical site requirements (setbacks, coverage, height, and many detailed site rules) to the code’s development standards chapters (see references to Chapter 18.32 and yards in 18.36). Applicants must consult those chapters and the city's development standards for dimensioned requirements.

(Links in the page: see parking, design review, overlay districts, ADUs, and California Building Standards Code as noted where those topics arise.)

District-by-district breakdown

RL (Low‑Density Residential) — purpose and uses

• Purpose: preserve low‑density single‑family character; accessory residential uses allowed. See § 18.08.010 and Table 18.08.02 for allowed uses.
• Typical permitted uses: single‑family dwellings, accessory buildings, home occupations (P = permitted in the table); some facility types (large community care, large day care) need CUPs per the use table. See Table 18.08.02 and the table key (P/A/CUP).
• Key standards: the land‑use matrix controls uses; numerical lot/yard/height standards are in the development standards / yards chapters (not fully tabulated in the extracted excerpt). Verify setbacks/coverage in Ch. 18.32/18.36.

RM (Medium‑Density Residential) — purpose and uses

• Purpose: clustered medium density housing and compatible ancillary uses. See § 18.08.020 and Table 18.08.02.
• Typical permitted uses: single‑family, two‑family (duplex), accessory dwelling/second units (see ADU rules), small community care facilities often permitted; larger institutional housing frequently requires a CUP. See Table 18.08.02.
• Key standards: densities and specific building standards referenced in § 18.08.060 (Densities and intensities in residential zones). For accessory/second units follow local ADU rules and state law—see the city's ADUs and state ADU law page.

RH1 (High‑Density Residential 1) and RH2 (High‑Density Residential 2)

• Purpose: multi‑family formats at higher densities. RH1 described in § 18.08.030 (approx. 20.1–30 du/ac); RH2 described in § 18.08.040 (approx. 20.1–45 du/ac).
• Typical permitted uses: multi‑family dwellings, some institutional uses with CUPs; accessory units per ADU rules. Refer to Table 18.08.02 for full allowable uses and the P/A/CUP designations.

RMU (Residential Mixed‑Use) — purpose and controls

• Purpose: primary residential with complementary ground‑floor nonresidential uses; densities 10–45 du/ac and nonresidential FAR 0.3–1.0. See § 18.08.050 and § 18.08.060.
• Key use rule: nonresidential uses are permitted but are not required on every parcel; detailed allowable use listings are in Table 18.08.02.

CR (Commercial Retail), CSF (Commercial Services & Fabricating), O (Office) — commercial strips and offices

• Purpose & intensity: commercial zones carry floor‑area‑ratio ranges; CR and O typically allow FAR 0.25–1.0; CSF typically 0.25–0.5. See Table 18.20.01 and § 18.20.060.
• Uses: retail, restaurants, service uses listed in the commercial allowable uses table (§ 18.20.070). Some uses (e.g., nightclubs, large theaters, truck stops) are CUP‑level — consult § 18.20.070.

CMU (Commercial Mixed‑Use) — downtown / mixed corridors

• Purpose: allow a mix of retail/service with residential above or behind ground floor commercial; residential densities 10–40 du/ac and FAR 0.25–1.0 where nonresidential is present. See § 18.22.010–060.
• Key controls: developments must generally include a minimum of 50% retail gross leasable area for certain projects and may include up to 50% residential/office/civic uses; vertical mixed‑use typically puts commercial on the ground floor. See § 18.22.040 and site design rules in § 18.22.050–060. Parking reductions and shared parking rules for CMU are authorized in § 18.22.070; see the city's parking rules for application.

APS (Agricultural Production & Sales), P (Park), OS (Open Space), PQP (Public/Quasi‑Public), PUD (Planned Unit Development), DWSP (Waterfront District Specific Plan)

• Purpose: APS preserves agricultural uses and allows limited processing/visitor uses; § 18.28.010. Parks/open space and public/quasi‑public are handled in § 18.28.020–040. Densities/FARs in Table 18.28.01 show APS allows 1 dwelling + 1 second dwelling unit/parcel and FAR up to 0.5, PQP FAR 0.1–1.0, PUD densities 10–40 du/ac and FAR 0.3–1.0. See § 18.28.060 and Table 18.28.01. The DWSP (waterfront) is governed by the adopted Waterfront District Specific Plan — parcels in that plan follow the DWSP rules rather than base zone density tables.

How to read the use tables

• The code’s use matrices use a short key: P = Permitted, A = Administrative review, CUP = Conditional Use Permit required, T = Temporary use. See the keys in the tables (e.g., Table 18.08.02, the commercial table) and related notes.

Special categories and procedures

• Conditional/Use Permits: The CUP purpose, scope, application and findings requirements are in § 18.73.010–080 — a CUP is required where the tables list CUP and may be used to authorize similar uses not listed if substantially similar. Public notice and hearing rules and required findings are there.
• Special use standards: Certain uses have their own standards (noise, buffering, minimum separation distances, and special site requirements) under Ch. 18.30 (examples: animal hospitals, outdoor entertainment, food processing, etc.). Always check § 18.30.010 et seq. for use‑specific standards.
• Cannabis: Commercial cannabis activities are allowed only as described in Chapter 18.49; most cannabis uses must sit in a designated cannabis business zone overlay; storefront retailers are limited and restricted to CSF (and capped citywide). The cannabis overlay expressly excludes placement in residential zones and the Waterfront District Specific Plan. See § 18.49.050, § 18.49.060, § 18.49.160.
• Density bonus and incentives: Multi‑family projects can qualify for density bonuses under Chapter 18.47; the code includes tables for bonus percentages and additional bonus opportunities (e.g., land donation). See § 18.47.040–065.
• Waterfront DWSP parcels: parcels inside the Waterfront District Specific Plan follow the DWSP rules rather than the general tables (see § 18.20.050–060). Consult the specific plan for details.

Quick reference table — decision‑relevant excerpts

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy)

• Verify zoning district on the city zoning map and read the district statement (§ 18.06.01) to confirm base allowed uses.
• Check the applicable Use Table (residential Table 18.08.02 or commercial table under § 18.20.070) to see if the proposed use is P, A, CUP, or prohibited.
• If the use shows CUP, prepare a CUP application with required findings, plans and public‑notice materials per § 18.73.040–080.
• Meet special‑use standards in Ch. 18.30 for the use (noise buffers, separation distances, screening) where applicable.
• Prepare site plans meeting the city's development standards (references in Ch. 18.32 and yards in Ch. 18.36).
• Complete parking calculations (city parking rules; CMU has shared‑parking provisions § 18.22.070).
• If proposing ADUs/second units, follow local ADU rules and state laws (see ADUs and California ADU law).
• For cannabis activity, confirm overlay designation and permitability under Ch. 18.49 before proceeding.

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English summary

Suisun City's zoning code lists the city's zoning districts and gives a matrix that tells you whether a proposed use is permitted outright, needs administrative review, or requires a conditional use permit; residential zones, commercial zones, and special districts like the Waterfront Specific Plan each have their own density/FAR guidance and use lists (see the tables and chapters cited above). For any parcel you must: confirm the zoning map, read the applicable use table, check special‑use standards, prepare site plans to the development standards, and apply for a CUP where the table requires one. Verify parcel‑specific details with the City.

Information Gaps

• The extracted materials above reference yard/setback and dimensional chapters (Ch. 18.32, 18.36) but the specific numeric setback, maximum height, and lot coverage values for many districts were not present in the provided excerpts — Verify with the full Ch. 18.32/18.36 or the city's development standards. Not found in retrieved materials.
• The full text of the Downtown/Waterfront Specific Plan (DWSP) rules that supersede base zoning for parcels inside that area was not included. Not found in retrieved materials.
• Complete, parcel‑level cannabis overlay maps or the city’s cap allocations (beyond the text limits referenced) were not in the excerpt. Not found in retrieved materials.

Source References

• Table of Zoning Districts and zoning map adoption: § 18.06.01–18.06.04
• Residential district descriptions and residential use table: § 18.08.010–18.08.060 and Table 18.08.02 / § 18.08.070
• Commercial district descriptions, Table 18.20.01 (densities/FAR) and allowable uses: § 18.20.050–18.20.090 and § 18.20.070
• Commercial Mixed‑Use (CMU) district rules including mixing, site design, and parking reductions: § 18.22.010–18.22.070
• Densities/intensities and civic/park zones Table 18.28.01: § 18.28.010–18.28.060
• Special use standards (use‑specific performance and separation requirements): Ch. 18.30 (e.g., § 18.30.010– )
• Conditional use permit purpose, application and findings: Ch. 18.73 (§ 18.73.010–18.73.080)
• Cannabis commercial rules and cannabis business zone overlay: Ch. 18.49 (e.g., § 18.49.050–18.49.060, storefront limits in § 18.49.160)
• Density bonus and incentives: Ch. 18.47 (tables and bonus rules)

Retrieved passages

• Suisun City Zoning Code (§ 3) High relevance show source text
• Suisun City Zoning Code (§ 3) Medium relevance show source text
• Suisun City Zoning Code (§ 3) Medium relevance show source text
• Suisun City Zoning Code (Section 18.32.) Medium relevance show source text
• Suisun City Zoning Code (§ 3) Medium relevance show source text
• Suisun City Zoning Code (§ 3) Medium relevance show source text
• Suisun City Zoning Code (§ 3) Medium relevance show source text
• Suisun City Zoning Code (§ 40118) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Table of Zoning Districts and zoning map adoption: **§ 18.06.01–18.06.04** (§ 18.06.01)
• Residential district descriptions and residential use table: **§ 18.08.010–18.08.060** and Table **18.08.02** / **§ 18.08.070** (§ 18.08.010)
• Commercial district descriptions, Table **18.20.01** (densities/FAR) and allowable uses: **§ 18.20.050–18.20.090** and **§ 18.20.070** (§ 18.20.050)
• Commercial Mixed‑Use (CMU) district rules including mixing, site design, and parking reductions: **§ 18.22.010–18.22.070** (§ 18.22.010)
• Densities/intensities and civic/park zones Table **18.28.01**: **§ 18.28.010–18.28.060** (§ 18.28.010)
• Special use standards (use‑specific performance and separation requirements): **Ch. 18.30** (e.g., **§ 18.30.010–** ) (§ 18.30.010)
• Conditional use permit purpose, application and findings: **Ch. 18.73** (**§ 18.73.010–18.73.080**) (§ 18.73.010)
• Cannabis commercial rules and cannabis business zone overlay: **Ch. 18.49** (e.g., **§ 18.49.050–18.49.060**, storefront limits in **§ 18.49.160**) (§ 18.49.050)
• Density bonus and incentives: **Ch. 18.47** (tables and bonus rules)
• SuisunCity_ZoningCode.md

• Official Suisun City code library