What considerations affect the outcome of a zone change application?

Most completed zone change applications are ultimately approved if they are consistent with the overlaying General Plan or Specific Plan land use designation. By State law, zone districts must be consistent with a jurisdiction’s general plan (or Specific Plan) designation. If the requested zoning is not consistent with the overlaying General Plan, then an additional application for a General Plan Amendment would be required. Staff can help you answer questions on this issue.

Although a primary issue regarding the decision for zone change requests is consistency with the County’s General Plan (or Specific Plan) designation, other concerns are also considered when Staff makes a recommendation. Your request should be compatible rezoning with surrounding parcel sizes and land uses. Occasionally, the Board of Supervisors may choose to approve a more restrictive zone district than the one being requested. For example, a zone change request to an R-3 District could ultimately be approved with a more restrictive district, such as the R-2 or R-1 District, if these zone districts were viewed by the Board as being more compatible with existing development in a particular area.

Staff is available to answer any questions you may have regarding the zone change process. If further assistance is necessary, feel free to telephone (661) 862-8600 and ask for “zoning information.”

(FORM210.PDS 3/11)