Mountain View, CA Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum lot area
- 1 acre
- Max height
- 2.5 stories / 30 feet
- Yards (front/side/rear)
- 20 feet each
- Animal enclosure setback
- 100 feet from R/C lines
- Roadside stand cap
- 400 sq ft, 20 ft per side
Summary
Mountain View's Agricultural (A) zoning district, City Code Section 36.24, exists to keep farmland from being crowded out by incompatible development. It permits agriculture, ranch and farm dwellings, and single-family homes outright, requires a one-acre minimum lot, and pushes animal enclosures at least 100 feet from any residential or commercial property line.
To preserve lands best suited for agricultural use from the encroachment of incompatible uses, and to preserve in agricultural use land suited to eventual development in other uses, pending proper timing for the economical provision of utilities, major streets and other facilities, so that compact, orderly development will occur. ... a.Agriculture, except those specified in Section 36.24.20.b.Ranch and farm dwellings appurtenant to a principal agricultural use.c.Public recreation.d.Single-family house or dwelling.e.Employee housing consistent with Government Code Section 17021. ... The minimum lot area shall be one (1) acre.b.Lot width. All lots shall have a width of at least one hundred (100) feet.c.Front yard. There shall be a front yard of at least twenty (20) feet.d.Side yard. There shall be a minimum side yard of twenty (20) feet.e.Rear yard. There shall be a minimum rear yard of twenty (20) feet.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 34 Update 4).
Full Breakdown
05 states the A district's purpose is to preserve land best suited for agricultural use from encroachment of incompatible uses while land awaits proper timing for utilities and street infrastructure. 10 are agriculture (except uses listed as conditional), ranch and farm dwellings appurtenant to a principal agricultural use, public recreation, single-family dwellings, and employee housing consistent with Government Code Section 17021. 15 include employee living quarters, guest houses not rented as a business, home occupations, and roadside stands capped at 400 square feet and 20 lineal feet per side, limited to produce grown on the premises.
20. 30 sets a one-acre minimum lot, 100-foot minimum lot width, and 20-foot front, side and rear yards. 33 additionally requires any building or enclosure housing animals or fowl to sit at least 100 feet from any adjacent lot in an R or C district or from a school or institution for human care. The district sits in Article VIII alongside the city's Public Facility and Flood Plain special-purpose zones.
Violations & Fines
Zoning violations citywide, including in the A district, are misdemeanors under City Code Section 1.7 as applied through Section 36.58.80. A noncomplying structure or use is also declared a public nuisance abatable under Chapter 25 (Neighborhood Preservation), construction in violation is subject to a stop-work order, and the city attorney may bring abatement or injunction actions; any permit issued in conflict with the chapter is void.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep farm animals on agriculturally zoned land in Mountain View?
How big does a lot need to be in the A district?
Can I run a roadside produce stand on agricultural land?
What happens if a use in the A district doesn't comply?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mountain View
California rules heatmap·Compare Mountain View to another location·View the California right to farm overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Agricultural Zoning Protection in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle agricultural zoning protection.