Zoning Glossary — Key Terms Defined

AB 1033 is a California law enacted in 2023 that authorizes local jurisdictions to allow ADUs to be sold separately...

An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a secondary housing unit on a residential lot — a self-contained living space with...

An attached ADU is an accessory dwelling unit built as an addition to the primary dwelling, sharing at least one wall...

A building permit is an official government authorization required before constructing, altering, repairing, or...

A certificate of occupancy (CO) is the official document issued by a building department after the final inspection...

A construction inspection is an on-site review conducted by a building department inspector to verify that...

A cottage food law is a state statute that allows individuals to produce and sell certain homemade food products from a...

A cottage food permit is a registration, license, or formal certification that some states and localities require...

Design review is the formal process by which a local historic preservation commission evaluates proposed exterior...

A detached ADU is an accessory dwelling unit built as a separate, freestanding structure on a residential lot —...

A front setback is the minimum required distance between the front property line — typically the line abutting a public...

A garage conversion is the process of transforming an existing garage — whether attached to the primary dwelling or...

A garage conversion ADU is an accessory dwelling unit created by transforming an existing garage — whether attached to...

A GIS (Geographic Information System) zoning map is an interactive online tool published by a city or municipality that...

A historic district is a geographically defined area recognized for containing buildings, structures, sites, and...

A home occupation is a business use that is subordinate and incidental to the primary residential use of a property —...

A home occupation permit is a formal authorization from a city's planning or zoning department that allows a resident...

Home-based daycare is the operation of a child care business from a residential property, governed by both zoning...

Impact fees are charges levied by local governments on new development to help fund the expansion of public...

A Junior ADU (JADU) is a California-specific category of secondary dwelling unit created within the existing walls of a...

A lot split is the division of a single legally described parcel of land into two or more separate, independently...

Middle housing refers to residential building types that occupy the density tier between a detached single-family home...

Ministerial approval is a permit review pathway under which a government agency must approve an application if it meets...

An owner-occupancy requirement is a condition — formerly imposed by many local governments — requiring that a property...

A permit exemption is a provision in a building code or local ordinance that allows certain construction or improvement...

Plan check is the phase of the building permit process in which a building department's plan examiners review submitted...

Platform tax collection refers to agreements between major short-term rental platforms and state or local governments...

R-1 zoning — or its equivalent under different local naming conventions — is the most restrictive residential zone...

R-2 zoning typically allows two-family dwellings — most commonly duplexes — in addition to single-family homes,...

R-3 zoning allows multi-family residential development — typically apartment buildings, condominiums, and townhome...

R-4 zoning represents high-density multi-family residential — apartment buildings with no fixed unit count cap,...

A rear setback is the minimum required distance between the rear property line and the nearest point of a structure on...

A replacement parking requirement is a local rule mandating that when a garage is converted to another use — typically...

Residential zoning is the layer of land use regulation that determines what types of housing can be built in a given...

Senate Bill 9 (SB 9) is a California state law, effective January 1, 2022, that requires cities to ministerially...

A setback is the minimum required distance between a structure and a property line. Setback rules determine how close...

A short-term rental (STR) is a residential property rented for a brief period — typically fewer than thirty consecutive...

A side setback is the minimum required distance between a side property line and the nearest wall or point of a...

Single-family-only zoning is the practice of designating residential land exclusively for detached single-family homes,...

A solar access law is a state statute that limits the authority of homeowners associations and other private parties to...

A solar mandate is a requirement that new residential construction include solar photovoltaic systems as part of the...

An STR day limit — also called an annual night cap — is a regulatory tool that restricts the total number of nights per...

STR registration is the permit or certificate that a city requires a property owner to obtain before operating a...

A tiny home is a compact residential structure built on a permanent foundation and regulated as conventional...

A tiny home on wheels (THOW) is a compact dwelling built on a trailer chassis, which enables it to be relocated. Unlike...

An urban lot split is the ministerially approved division of a qualifying single-family residential parcel in an...

A variance is a formal exception to a standard zoning requirement — such as a setback, height limit, or lot coverage...

A zoning code — also called a zoning designation, zone district, or land use classification — is an alphanumeric label...