What is Zoning and Why is it Important? San Diego Zoning

Useful tools to help you understand County of San Diego Zoning

As residents of San Diego County, our daily lives are structured around zoning.  Our homes, roads, industry and even pets are subject to the county plan and associated ordinances.  So, what is zoning and why is it important?  Here are some useful tools to help you understand County of San Diego Zoning and its impact on you.

Contact us for quality referrals to help you with your zoning inquiries. 

San Diego County Zoning Basics

Having a basic understanding of zoning and how it affects us as individuals and communities is important, maybe more so that we might realize.  Zoning defines the size of our homes, their placement on the land, the types of businesses in our neighborhoods, as well as how many and what type of pets we have.  With that said, it quickly becomes clear why it’s important to have a basic level of familiarity with the concept.  So, what is zoning?  The zoning definition reveals it to be the division and assignment of land, into ‘zones’.  As part of the larger General Plan, County of San Diego Zoning is, most simply, a comprehensive set of directions and guidelines for growth and development.

Real estate zoning is not a term unto itself, but rather a context of when and how we might approach San Diego Zoning and begin to explore its utility and impact on our choices as homeowners, business people and community members.  If you are in the market to purchase property, zoning should be a critical part of your search criteria, particularly in the San Diego County backcountry.  Knowing how you are able to utilize your property will help determine which property is best suited to your needs and goals.

Useful San Diego County Zoning Tools

There are a variety of helpful tools, readily available, for use in learning about and applying County of San Diego Zoning to your individual situation.  The San Diego County Zoning Ordinance is administered by the Planning and Development Services division of the county.  A visit to the website provides a wealth of information and direction from which to begin.  A variety of resources including San Diego County Zoning Map and San Diego County Zoning Code are accessible and will lead to additional detail and tools to further pursue your search.

The zoning ordinance is administered in clearly defined parts and includes Basic Provisions, Use Regulations, Animal Regulations, Development and Special Area Regulations, General Regulations and Procedures.  Whether you are new to zoning or searching for specific details, this site is an excellent tool which allows visitors to easily search and locate information to meet their needs.  In addition, important contact numbers, office locations and forms for the application and permitting process are available at the San Diego County government website.

San Diego Zoning Map

San Diego County Website

Several other resources are available on the web and can be found at;

San Diego GIS Parcel Lookup

SDCounty ArcGIS Map

County of San Diego Zoning; Village Regulations

Unless you’re a current resident or businessperson in Fallbrook, Alpine or Ramona, you may have never heard the term “Village Regulations”.  As San Diego has grown over the years there has been a clear evolution of urban, suburban and rural communities.  In an effort to preserve the intimacy of their community, while still facilitating ongoing economic growth and development, some unincorporated locales throughout the county have created their own set of “Village Regulations”.  These terms are set, defined and approved by the community elected members, later approved by the County Board of Supervisors, and are ultimately incorporated into the County of San Diego Zoning Ordinance.  The Fallbrook Village Regulations, Ramona Village Center Regulations and Alpine Village Core Regulations are detailed sets of information that speak to the zoning ordinances for these specific communities.  While each set has its own unique regulations, there is a collective goal among them, that being to preserve the character of these historic communities while allowing for controlled modernization.

If you’ve ever paid a visit to Alpine, Fallbrook or Ramona, you’re likely familiar with the charm and intimacy of these communities, particularly their ‘villages’ or main streets.  Walkability, building uniformity and mixed use residential/retail zoning create and maintain a sense of history while providing an enjoyable modern experience inclusive of shopping, dining, business activities and living.  These communities are thriving with fantastic horse properties, orchards for sale and farmland. It’s zoning that makes this possible!

San Diego County Zoning – Let’s Recap!

As you can see, County of San Diego Zoning has an impact on our lives every day.  The overall purpose of the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance is to preserve the safety, health and well being of the county and our communities.  Understanding zoning is essential for us in order to be informed home owners, business owners and residents.  Knowing what to look for and which questions to ask when it comes to zoning will ensure that you are able to invest in property that meets your needs, utilize your existing property in alignment with existing zoning ordinances and realize your potential when it comes to living and working in San Diego.