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Board amends zoning code to allow golf‑ball safety nets under administrative permit
Summary
Butte County supervisors adopted an ordinance amending the zoning code to allow golf‑ball safety nets by administrative permit, with design and maintenance standards, height limits and notifications for airport zones and aerial applicators; staff said some nets may exceed 100 feet depending on trajectory analysis.
The Butte County Board of Supervisors approved an amendment to the county zoning ordinance to add standards and an administrative permitting path for golf‑ball safety nets along property lines adjacent to golf courses.
Planning staff said the change updates wall and fence regulations (Article 3, Division 3 of chapter 24) to define “golf ball safety net” and provide design, placement and maintenance standards. Staff explained net height will vary according to trajectory and safety analyses and acknowledged some installations could exceed 100 feet, so airport zoning and safety limits will apply. The amendment also requires notification to aerial applicators when nets are adjacent to agricultural spray areas.
The ordinance followed a Planning Commission recommendation for approval and included an administrative permit to allow case‑by‑case safety review. A homeowner who said his property had sustained ball damage after the Camp Fire thanked planning staff for help modeling his situation; the board approved the ordinance by voice vote.
Why it matters: The change creates a formal permitting path for residents impacted by errant golf balls, allows county staff to impose design and maintenance conditions, and includes cross‑checks for aviation and agricultural safety. The county noted the ordinance responds to residents who bought homes near older golf courses where designs did not anticipate current ball trajectories.
