In unincorporated Kern County, off-street parking areas and driveways must be surfaced with approved materials, residential driveways must be at least 14 feet wide with 15 feet of vertical clearance, and parking is generally barred from required front-yard setbacks abutting a street.
Kern County Zoning Ordinance Section 19.82.090 sets design standards for parking areas and driveways in the unincorporated county. In Type A Improvement Areas, parking must be paved with 2 inches of asphaltic concrete or 3.5 inches of Portland cement concrete; elsewhere, options include bituminous road mix, decomposed granite, compacted rock dust, or gravel. Single-family driveways longer than 100 feet are exempt from paving, though the required parking area itself must still be surfaced. Residential driveways require a 14-foot minimum width (18 feet for commercial and industrial) with 15 feet of unobstructed vertical clearance. Backing into a road right-of-way is prohibited except for lots with two or fewer dwelling units, and parking may not occupy required front- or side-yard setbacks abutting a street except on single-family, mobilehome, commercial, and industrial lots.
Zoning violations are a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and/or six months in county jail, with each day a separate offense; administrative penalties under Chapter 8.54 may also apply (Kern County Zoning Ordinance Sections 19.114.060 and 19.114.070).
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