San Ramon, CA Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Community Commercial (CC)
- Permitted outright, no discretionary review
- Office Limited (OL)
- Minor Use Permit required
- Mixed Commercial (MC)
- Zoning Clearance required
- Mixed-use zones (MUX, MUR, DMU, CCMU)
- Permitted outright under Table 2-6
- Not allowed
- Office Admin., Thoroughfare Comm., Regional Comm.
- Parking requirement
- 1 space per 200 sf, plus 5 queue spaces
- First infraction fine
- Up to $100 (Section A1-32)
Summary
San Ramon's Unified Development Ordinance treats a pet grooming shop as 'Animal Services, Grooming,' a use allowed outright in the Community Commercial zone but banned in Office Administrative, Thoroughfare Commercial, and Regional Commercial. Office Limited requires a discretionary Minor Use Permit from the Zoning Administrator, while Mixed Commercial and all five mixed-use zones need only a Zoning Clearance.
TABLE 2-8 Allowed Land Uses and Permit Requirements for Commercial, Office & Industrial Zones ... P Permitted Use, Zoning Clearance may be required prior to operation ... MUP Minor Use Permit required ... ZC Zoning Clearance required ... — Use not allowed ... PERMIT REQUIRED BY DISTRICT ... OA OL CC CT CR MC ... SERVICES – GENERAL ... Animal services – Grooming — MUP P — — ZC
Full Breakdown
Table 2-8 (Commercial, Office and Industrial Land Uses and Permit Requirements, Section D2-19) lists 'Animal services - Grooming' with a dash for Office Administrative (OA), a Minor Use Permit (MUP) for Office Limited (OL), a straight Permitted (P) designation for Community Commercial (CC), a dash for Thoroughfare Commercial (CT) and Regional Commercial (CR), and a Zoning Clearance (ZC) for Mixed Commercial (MC). Table 2-6 (Section D2-13, Mixed Use Zone Land Uses) is more permissive: grooming shows a flat 'P' in the Mixed Use (MUX), Mixed Use Residential (MUR), Downtown Mixed Use North and South (DMU-N, DMU-S), and City Center Mixed Use (CCMU) zones, so most of San Ramon's mixed-use core allows a groomer without discretionary review.
The Ordinance's own glossary, Section D8-2, defines 'Animal Services, Grooming' as 'a commercial establishment that provides household pet grooming services,' distinguishing it from the boarding/training and veterinary-clinic uses that carry separate, stricter permit tiers in the same tables. Where a Minor Use Permit is required, Table 6-1 (Section D6-14) assigns the decision to the Zoning Administrator, with an adverse ruling appealable first to the Planning Commission and then to the City Council. , boarding, grooming, hospitals),' plus queue spaces for 5 vehicles, a heavier ratio than ordinary retail or office uses carry.
Violations & Fines
Operating a grooming shop without the required Minor Use Permit or Zoning Clearance is a code violation under Section A1-31, prosecuted as an infraction under Section A1-32: up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second within a year, and $550 for each further violation within that year. Section A1-34 lets the City treat the unpermitted use as a public nuisance subject to summary abatement, with each day of continued operation counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I open a pet grooming shop anywhere in San Ramon?
Does a groomer need a Minor Use Permit?
How much parking does a San Ramon grooming shop need?
What happens if I operate without the required permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Ramon
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