El Dorado County, CA Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Zones
- PA, LA, AG, TPZ, FR, RL
- PA/LA min lot
- 10, 20, 40, 80 or 160 acres
- AG/FR min lot
- 40, 80 or 160 acres
- RL min lot
- 10 to 160 acres
- Permit tiers
- Admin, Minor, Conditional, Temp Use
- Governing chapter
- County Code Ch. 130.21
- Administering agency
- Planning and Building Dept.
Summary
El Dorado County zones agricultural, rural and resource land under six designations in Code Chapter 130.21: Planned Agricultural, Limited Agricultural, Agricultural Grazing, Timber Production, Forest Resource, and Rural Lands. Each carries its own minimum lot size increments and its own permit tier for every use listed in Table 130.21.020, administered by the Planning and Building Department.
The manner in which the individual agricultural, rural lands and resource zones are applied is as follows:1.Planned Agricultural (PA). The PA, Planned Agricultural Zone, applies to the development of agricultural enterprises and uses whether encumbered by a farmland conservation contract or not. This zone shall be utilized to identify those lands most capable of supporting horticulture, aquaculture, ranching, and grazing, based on existing use, soil type, water availability, topography, and similar factors. Agricultural enterprise is intended to be the primary use of these lands, but compatible commercial uses, as listed in Table 130.21.020 (Agricultural, Rural, and Resource Zone Districts Use Matrix) below in this Chapter, may also be allowed in compliance with the provisions of this Chapter. Minimum lot size designators shall be applied to this zone based on commodity type, soil type, surrounding uses, and other appropriate factors. The designator shall represent the number of acres and shall be in the following increments: 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 13 Update 4).
Full Breakdown
Section 130.21.010 sets minimum lot size designators for each agricultural, rural, and resource zone based on commodity type, soil type, water availability, and surrounding uses. The Planned Agricultural (PA) zone applies to agricultural enterprises whether or not encumbered by a farmland conservation contract and carries minimum lot size increments of 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 acres; agricultural enterprise must remain the primary use, though Table 130.21.020 lists compatible commercial uses, and the Limited Agricultural (LA) zone allows ranch marketing and commercial winery uses more broadly than PA.
The Agricultural Grazing (AG) zone covers land used or suited for commercially viable grazing, with 40, 80, and 160 acre minimum designators. Timber Production (TPZ) land is regulated under the Forest Taxation Reform Act of 1976 (California Government Code Section 51110 et seq.) per Section 130.40.350, while Forest Resource (FR) land holding valuable timber but not subject to TPZ criteria carries the same 40, 80, and 160 acre minimums. Rural Lands (RL), the county's limited-residential designation, sets 10 through 160 acre minimums but for special setback purposes is not treated as an agricultural or timber zone even though agricultural uses are allowed there.
Table 130.21.020 assigns each use in these six zones one of several statuses: allowed by right, Administrative Permit (Section 130.52.010), Temporary Use Permit (Section 130.52.060), Conditional Use Permit (Section 130.52.021), Minor Use Permit (Section 130.52.020), Temporary Mobile Home Permit (Section 130.52.050), or not allowed at all.
Violations & Fines
Developing or operating a use in a PA, LA, AG, TPZ, FR, or RL zone without the permit tier Table 130.21.020 assigns is a zoning violation the Planning and Building Department can pursue through code enforcement, including stop-work orders and permit denial until the correct Administrative, Minor Use, Conditional Use, or Temporary Use Permit is obtained. Building below the zone's minimum lot size designator without an approved lot line adjustment or subdivision also violates Chapter 130.21.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum lot size in El Dorado County's Planned Agricultural zone?
Does the Rural Lands zone count as agricultural land for setbacks?
What permit do I need to build in a Timber Production zone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in El Dorado County
California rules heatmap·Compare El Dorado County to another location·View the California right to farm overview
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