What is Your Zoning?

The first step for any development project is to find out the zoning on your property. Zoning regulates what uses can go where, as well as the development standards to which new developments must be built. To find out zoning information on your property, you may do the following:

• Visit the Interactive City Map - The interactive map allows you to easily search by address or APN to find your zoning without having to wait for planning staff to respond to your inquiry!
• Download the Zoning Map
• Send an Email to Oroville Planning
• Contact the Planning Division at (530) 538-2401

Once you have determined your zoning, access the Municipal Code Title 17 Zoning to find development standards, allowed uses, and other helpful information.

Zoning Ordinance

The purpose of the City's Zoning Ordinance is to provide specific guidelines for the development of the City in such a manner as to achieve progressively the general arrangement of land uses and implement the policies depicted in the General Plan. More specifically, this chapter is intended to achieve the following objectives:

• To regulate and limit the height, number of stories and size of buildings and other
  structures hereafter designed, erected or altered.
• To regulate and determine the size of building setbacks and other open spaces.
• To regulate and limit the density of the City’s residential population.
• To divide the City into zoning districts of whatever number, shape and area are deemed best suited to carry out these regulations and provide for their enforcement.
• To protect, conserve, stabilize and enhance real property values and the City’s natural assets.
• To provide adequate open space for light and air, and to minimize the risk of fires and other hazards to public safety.
• To promote a safe, effective traffic circulation system and provide for appropriate off-street parking and loading facilities.
• To promote, protect and preserve the general public health, safety and welfare, and to  implement the goals and objectives of the General Plan for the City of Oroville.

Zoning Districts

In order to carry out the purpose and provisions of the City's Zoning Ordinance, the City is divided into the following districts:

Overlay Districts

In addition to the zoning applied to each parcel of land, the City uses "overlay zones" to further regulate development in areas of special concern. Lands in historic districts, planned development developments, airport influence areas, are near the municipal airport, or on steep slopes are subject to having additional regulations "overlain" upon the basic zoning requirements. All of the requirements for the underlying zoning district shall apply in an overlay district, unless otherwise specified in the provisions for the overlay district. If there is a conflict between the provisions for the overlay district and the provisions for the underlying zoning district, the provisions for the overlay district shall prevail.

HD-O: Hillside Development Overlay

The intent of the Hillside Development Overlay is to provide for orderly, harmonious development of the City’s foothills with a minimum amount of disturbance of natural terrain by relating residential density to natural topography, and to encourage and provide incentives for excellence of design and engineering techniques. Limitations are imposed upon development and disturbance of natural terrain in order to minimize grading, erosion, runoff, fire hazards, geologic hazards and removal of vegetation, and to help ensure utilization of land in balance with its natural capabilities to support development.

PD-O: Planned Development Overlay

The intent of the Planned Development Overlay is to promote and encourage maximum flexibility in site planning and property development, relating to design, cluster development and protection of environmental resources, while achieving all of the following goals:

• Encouraging innovation and the development of affordable housing, particularly on properties with environmental  constraints, natural resources or other topographical, geographical, or public improvement and service-related constraints that require unique site planning and design.
• Protecting the public health, safety and general welfare of the residential, commercial and manufacturing areas of the City.
• Ensuring consistency with the General Plan, any applicable specific plan and any design guidelines adopted by resolution of the City Council.

DH-O: Downtown Historic Overlay

The purpose of the Downtown Historic Overlay is to promote the public health, safety and general welfare by providing for the identification, protection, enhancement, perpetuation and use of historic resources within Downtown Oroville that reflect special elements of the City’s architectural, artistic, cultural, political and social heritage, for the following reasons:

• To safeguard the City’s heritage by encouraging the protection of  significant elements of its history.
• To foster civic pride and a sense of identity based on an appreciation of the City’s past and the recognition and use of historic resources.
• To enhance the visual character of the City by preserving diverse architectural styles reflecting various phases of the City’s history, and by encouraging complementary design and construction for contemporary buildings.
• To allow for a diversity of housing types that reflect the traditional scale and character of residential neighborhoods in Downtown  Oroville.
• To strengthen the economy of the City by protecting and enhancing the City’s historic attractions for residents and visitors.
• To stabilize and improve property values within the City by protecting areas of historic buildings from encroachment by incompatible designs.
• To promote the enjoyment and use of historic resources appropriate for the education and recreation of the people of the City.
• To integrate the preservation of historic resources, and the consideration of relevant information about these resources, into public and private land management and development processes.
• To conserve valuable building materials and energy resources by ongoing use and maintenance of the existing built environment.

AIA-O: Airport Influence Area Overlay

The Airport Influence Area Overlay identifies limitations on the density, intensity, height, and other aspects of the use of property within the Oroville Municipal Airport overflight area that are necessary to protect persons on the ground and in the air from adverse impacts that may result from operation of an airport, in the manner described in the 1990 Master Plan for the Oroville Municipal Airport. The limitations established in this section are consistent with Airport Compatibility Criteria described in the Butte County Airport Land Use Commission’s 2017 Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan.

F-O: Foothill Overlay

The purpose of the Foothill Overlay district is to preserve and enhance the special character of foothill areas in Oroville. Properties within the F-O district are subject to land use and infrastructure standards that reflect the low-density and rural character of these areas.

UA-O: Unique Agriculture Overlay

The purpose of the Unique Agriculture Overlay district is to protect and promote small-scale agriculture, family farms, unique crops and historic ways of farming by allowing agricultural support and specialty agriculture uses in areas where the underlying designation may not allow them. The UA-O district accommodates uses that are complementary and accessory to unique agricultural pursuits, including education and tourism. The district also includes provisions to protect adjacent residential and agricultural uses.

PO-O: Professional Office Overlay

The purpose of the Professional Office Overlay district is to allow professional office uses in addition to the uses allowed by the underlying district to support a vibrant downtown with a diversity of commercial, residential, and office uses.

ACE-O: Arts, Culture, and Entertainment Overlay

The purpose of the Arts, Culture, and Entertainment Overlay district is to revitalize the historic Downtown as a recreational, community and tourist destination by establishing an Arts, Culture, and Entertainment District (AC&E District) that will capitalize upon existing cultural, historic, and natural resources of the area.