Rocklin, CA Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic Zoning (2026)

Section 17.04.625 of the Rocklin Municipal Code defines a 'veterinary clinic' as a facility for the care and medical treatment of household pets that may include short-term boarding, but only within the building, for medical and non-medical purposes; clinics operating before that definition's effective date may keep boarding even if their existing conditional use permit says otherwise. The zoning code does not let a veterinary clinic open anywhere by right. In the C-2 retail business zone, Section 17.46.020(V) lists 'Veterinary clinic' among the conditional uses requiring a conditional use permit, alongside uses like gas stations and massage parlors.

In the C-3 general and service commercial zone, Section 17.48.020(D) similarly lists 'Animal hospital, veterinary clinic' as a conditional use. Because a veterinary clinic never appears among the permitted, by-right uses in either the C-2 list in Section 17.46.010 or the C-3 list in Section 17.48.010, every veterinary practice in Rocklin, regardless of size, must go through the discretionary conditional use permit process under Chapter 17.70 before opening, including public notice and a hearing before the planning commission. Boarding animals overnight at a veterinary clinic is limited to indoor space only.

The definition of 'kennel' in Section 17.04.290 expressly excludes veterinary offices, clinics and hospitals, so a veterinary practice does not additionally need the separate kennel conditional use permit required under Section 17.64.070 for a boarding-only kennel business.