Salinas, CA Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permitted district
- CR (Commercial Retail) only
- Approval needed
- Site plan review (SPR) in CR
- Barred districts
- CO/R, CO, CT commercial districts
- Boarding limit
- 48 hours per animal maximum
- Governing table
- Table 37-30.90, Sec. 37-30.200
Summary
Salinas zoning classifies commercial pet bathing and trimming as 'Animal Grooming,' a use barred outright in the CO/R, CO, and CT commercial districts and allowed only in the CR district with a site plan review, under Table 37-30.90 of the Zoning Code.
Animal Grooming. Provision of bathing and trimming services for domestic animals on a commercial basis. This classification includes boarding of domestic animals for a maximum period of forty-eight hours per animal.
Animal Hospitals. Establishments where domestic animals receive medical and surgical treatment. This classification includes only facilities that are entirely enclosed and soundproofed. Grooming and temporary (thirty days or less) boarding of animals is included if incidental to the hospital use.
Animal Husbandry. Raising of animals or production of animal products, such as eggs or dairy products, on an agricultural or commercial basis. This classification includes grazing, ranching, dairy farming, and poultry farming.
Animal Retail Sales. Retail sales and boarding of domestic animals, providing such activities take place within an entirely enclosed business. Grooming is included if incidental to the retail use.
Animal Sales and Services. Includes any of the following, as defined in this division: animal boarding, animal grooming, animal hospitals, and animal retail sales.
Annexation. The incorporation of land area into the jurisdiction of the city with a resulting change in the boundaries of the city.
Antenna, Dish (Also Known as a Parabolic Antenna). See Section 37-50.290: Telecommunication facilities for this definition.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 250 defines Animal Grooming as 'provision of bathing and trimming services for domestic animals on a commercial basis,' a classification that also 'includes boarding of domestic animals for a maximum period of forty-eight hours per animal' when incidental to the grooming. 90, the commercial (C) districts use classification table under Sec. 200, lists Animal Grooming as 'NP' (not permitted) in the Commercial Office/Residential (CO/R), Commercial Office (CO), and Commercial Thoroughfare (CT) districts, and 'SPR' (site plan review required) only in the Commercial Retail (CR) district.
Footnote (7) attached to that row cross-references Sec. 170's outdoor storage and display standards and specifically requires that, in the CR district, related servicing and repair activity be conducted wholly within an enclosed structure. Animal Grooming sits inside the broader 'Animal Sales and Services' grouping alongside Animal Boarding, Animal Hospitals, and Animal Retail Sales, all four of which carry the same NP/NP/SPR/NP pattern across the four commercial subdistricts, meaning Salinas concentrates every pet-service business into the retail-oriented CR district rather than the office-oriented CO/R and CO zones or the highway-facing CT district.
A groomer proposing to board an animal past the forty-eight-hour cap would fall outside the Animal Grooming classification altogether and instead need to qualify as Animal Boarding, a separate use with its own table entry.
Violations & Fines
Operating a grooming business in the CO/R, CO, or CT commercial district is not permitted at all under Table 37-30.90 and is a zoning code violation regardless of any site plan approval obtained elsewhere. Even in the CR district, where grooming is allowed, the business must first obtain the required site plan review under Sec. 37-30.200's table before opening, and boarding an animal past the forty-eight-hour limit set in the Sec. 37-10.250 definition takes the operation outside the Animal Grooming classification and into a use the site plan was never approved for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I open a dog grooming shop in downtown Salinas?
How long can a Salinas groomer board a pet overnight?
Does a Salinas pet groomer need site plan review?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salinas
California rules heatmap·Compare Salinas to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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