Yorba Linda, CA Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic Zoning (2026)

Yorba Linda Municipal Code § 18.20.610 defines a veterinary hospital or clinic as a commercial animal facility alongside kennels and equestrian facilities, and requires Planning Commission approval of a conditional use permit before one may operate on any lot, in any zone where the underlying use is permitted. Animal grooming and the retail sale of animal products are carved out and do not need a CUP. As a further condition of CUP approval, the City may require the operator to hold a license or permit issued by Orange County Animal Control, which performs animal control services for Yorba Linda under a contract with the County.

Once approved, § 18.20.610 requires that all animal maintenance activities, including boarding, treatment, sales and grooming, be conducted inside a totally enclosed building and comply with the development standards of the underlying zone, such as setbacks, parking and lot coverage. The only carve-out from the enclosed-building rule is for grooming and care of equine and cleft-hoofed animals, which may be done outdoors if adequate drainage is provided for wash water and clippings and other waste are placed in an approved trash receptacle. Because the CUP process runs through the Planning Commission rather than an over-the-counter zoning clearance, an applicant must go through the public hearing procedures set out in Chapter 18.36, including notice to surrounding property owners, before a veterinary clinic can be sited. A violation of these zoning standards, including operating a veterinary facility without an approved CUP, is enforced as a misdemeanor under Chapter 18.40.