Monterey County, CA Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic Zoning (2026)

The MU District use table at Monterey County Code section 21.17.040 lists "Veterinary clinics and animal hospitals" (item VV) alongside hotels, motels and vehicle fueling stations as uses that require an approved Use Permit for a General Development Plan before operating in an MU district. Because the entry carries no "(ZA)" designation, section 21.74.030(C) assigns the application to the Planning Commission rather than the Zoning Administrator. Section 21.74.050 requires a noticed public hearing under Chapter 21.78 and findings that the clinic will not be detrimental to the health, safety, peace, comfort or general welfare of the surrounding neighborhood and that the parcel is otherwise compliant with Title 21, including payment of any outstanding zoning violation abatement costs.

The Commission may condition approval with monitoring, bonding or operating limits, and its decision is appealable to the Board of Supervisors under Chapter 21.80. A use permit that does not involve new construction expires two years from the grant date under section 21.74.070 unless the use has begun; the filing fee is set by the Board of Supervisors under section 21.74.100, with half refundable on a pre-completeness withdrawal. Separately, "large animal hospitals" serving livestock are regulated instead under the Permanent Grazing (PG) district's own use-permit list at section 21.34.050, a different provision.

This MU rule applies only in the unincorporated county; Salinas, Monterey, Seaside, Marina, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Pacific Grove and King City zone veterinary uses under their own municipal codes.