Santa Clara County Code Title C Zoning establishes A (Exclusive Agriculture) and AR (Agricultural Ranchlands) districts for unincorporated areas. Williamson Act contracts further restrict prime farmland in Coyote Valley, San Martin, and the Gilroy growing belt to agricultural use.
Santa Clara County's zoning ordinance (County Code Title C, Division C12) creates the A (Exclusive Agriculture) zone and AR (Agricultural Ranchlands) zone for unincorporated farmland. The A zone applies to prime flatland in Coyote Valley, San Martin, and Gilroy with minimum 20-acre parcels and permits crops, orchards, dairies, and one farmhouse per parcel. AR covers hillside grazing lands with 160-acre minimums to discourage rural subdivision. Williamson Act contracts (Land Conservation Act of 1965) layer on top: enrolled landowners receive reduced property-tax assessments in exchange for 10-year minimum contracts restricting parcels to agriculture. SCC has roughly 360,000 acres under Williamson Act contract.
Operating prohibited uses triggers Title C zoning enforcement: notice to abate, civil fines up to $1,000 per day, and code-enforcement liens. Williamson Act contract breach triggers cancellation fees of up to 12.5% of unrestricted value.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Santa Clara, CA
Santa Clara regulates amplified sound and music through City Code Chapter 9.10, requiring permits for amplified events and prohibiting audible music at 50 fe...
Santa Clara, CA
Santa Clara regulates outdoor music at venues including Levis Stadium and Santana Row under City Code Chapter 9.10 and conditional use permits, with amplifie...
Santa Clara, CA
Santa Clara requires encroachment permits for new driveways, limits driveway width by zoning, and prohibits parking across sidewalks regardless of property o...
Santa Clara, CA
Santa Clara tows abandoned vehicles after 72 hours under CVC 22651(k) and participates in the Santa Clara County Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Program for priv...
Santa Clara, CA
Santa Clara limits recreational vehicle street parking to 72 hours, requires permits for extended street storage, and restricts driveway RV storage under zon...
Santa Clara, CA
Santa Clara fences must meet height, material, setback, and visibility standards under City Code Title 18 Zoning, with special rules for corner lots, histori...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Santa Clara County.
See how Santa Clara's agricultural zoning protection rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.