Merced County, CA Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Zoning Code § 18.38.210
- Hours near homes
- 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. only
- Buffer if outside hours
- 50 feet from residential zone
- Screening wall
- 8-foot masonry within 50 feet of homes
- Minimum space size
- 12 ft wide, 40 ft long, 14 ft clearance
- Street loading
- Never allowed on public roads
Summary
Commercial, mixed-use, and industrial sites in unincorporated Merced County must limit loading near homes to 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. under Zoning Code Section 18.38.210, screen loading areas within 50 feet of a residential zone with an eight-foot wall, and keep loading off public streets entirely.
G. Allowed Hours of Operation. Where a loading area abuts a residential zone, loading shall only occur between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.; otherwise, the area shall be located not less than 50 feet from the zone or be completely enclosed. E. Loading Space Minimum Dimensions. The loading spaces shall be not less than 12 feet in width, 40 feet in length, and with 14 feet of vertical clearance. I. No Loading Allowed on Streets. No loading shall be allowed on a public road, street, or highway. H. Loading Areas Screening. Loading areas within 50 feet of a residential zone shall be screened by a solid masonry or concrete wall at least eight feet in height.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4930839; v8 updated 2026-06-02).
Full Breakdown
210 requires commercial, mixed-use, and industrial facilities, including hospitals, hotels, and institutional uses, to provide loading spaces per Table 3-13, which scales from zero spaces under 3,500 square feet up to five spaces for commercial buildings over 100,000 square feet. Subsection (E) sets minimum dimensions of 12 feet in width, 40 feet in length, and 14 feet of vertical clearance for each loading space. ; if the area cannot meet that hours restriction, it instead must sit at least 50 feet from the residential zone or be fully enclosed.
36 where the area is visible from a public street. Subsection (I) is unconditional: no loading is allowed on a public road, street, or highway regardless of hours or screening. Subsection (A) also lets loading spaces be measured along an abutting alley, and subsection (D) allows loading space to occupy a required yard setback, though never an alley or street itself. Subsection (J) requires any structure with nonconforming or missing loading facilities to bring its loading up to current standards before it can expand, subject to Director review for economic-development flexibility.
Violations & Fines
A site operating outside the permitted loading hours near a residential zone, loading in the street, or missing required screening is a Zoning Code violation enforced as a general infraction under Section 1.28.030, citable by the zoning inspector or Planning Director under Section 1.20.020. Fines run $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second within a year, and $500 for each additional violation, with each day of noncompliant loading treated as a separate offense under Section 1.28.040.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours can a business load trucks near a residential neighborhood in Merced County?
Can a delivery truck load in the street in unincorporated Merced County?
Does a Merced County loading dock near homes need a screening wall?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Merced County
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