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Planning commission recommends broad residential zoning updates to Board of Supervisors
Summary
Commission voted 6–0 (1 absent) to recommend CPZC25-008, a text amendment that updates multiple residential sections of Tulare County’s zoning ordinance to reflect state ADU/JADU law, clarify setbacks, manufactured-home standards, and simplify zone matrices.
The Tulare County Planning Commission voted to recommend County Zoning Text Amendment CPZC25-008 to the Board of Supervisors. The commission’s recommendation passed 6–0 with one commissioner absent.
Project planner Russell Koshua presented the proposal as a comprehensive rewrite of numerous residential provisions in Ordinance No. 352. The draft amendment updates definitions, adds a zoning matrix and setback table, and revises standards across multiple residential zones including RA (rural residential), MR (mountain residential), RO (single-family estate), R‑1 (single-family residential), R‑2 (two-family), R‑3 (multi-family), the mobile-home overlay, planned development and the Foothill Combining Zone. Koshua said the changes implement portions of the county’s 2030 general plan and the housing element guiding principles.
Major changes summarized by staff include:
- Updating accessory dwelling unit (ADU) and junior accessory dwelling unit (JADU) language to align with California Government Code definitions and 2025 ADU/JADU rule changes; Koshua said the county proposes to allow JADUs in any zone that permits a residence while maintaining the state-required owner-occupancy deed restriction.
- Adding a zoning matrix and setback matrix to make allowed uses and dimensional standards easier to find.
- Removing redundant or inconsistent language across residential zones and renumbering use lists for clarity.
- Reworking side-yard setback calculations to a flat 10 feet in several contexts (instead of the previous method that produced 12.5 feet), adjusting fence and hedge height rules (3.5 feet within front-yard setback, 7 feet outside), and shifting manufactured-home fitness/age determinations to the chief building official or designee rather than a 10-year blanket age limit.
- Eliminating the separate M (mobile-home) overlay by folding relevant provisions into the Foothill (F) zone and other affected zones.
- Removing a single-zone restriction on underground petroleum storage that was inconsistent with other residential zones.
Koshua told commissioners the county will retain minimum lot-size requirements where state law or other local rules (such as the Land Area Management Plan for well-and-septic lots) require them; he said the draft removes minimum lot-size formulas for many residential zones to allow more flexible, smaller-lot housing consistent with state ADU policy.
Commissioners asked about implementation timing and legal review. Koshua said the draft will be reviewed by county counsel before the Board of Supervisors hearing, and that any adopted changes would generally become effective 30 days after the board’s action (absent other provisions).
A motion to recommend the text amendment to the Board of Supervisors was made and seconded; the commission voted to recommend adoption with six votes in favor and one absence.
The recommendation advances the draft text amendment to county counsel review and a subsequent Board of Supervisors hearing for final action.
