Community & Economic Development

Community & Economic Development Business License Program Zoning Districts Planning Documents Environmental Review Documents Downtown Strategic Plan Planning Submittal Requirements Development Impact Fees General Plan Update 2040 Housing Element Update Industrial Park Marijuana Self-Registration Garage & Yard Sale Registration Contact CED

Community & Economic Development (CED)

Guiding Los Banos' Growth

CED is committed to working with the public, development community, business community, and non-profit organizations to:

Enhance the quality of life in our community
Promote safe, attractive, and sustainable development
Facilitate development projects that meet the City’s objectives and standards

CED’s mission is to guide the physical development of the City in a manner that will foster positive social and economic growth, which is consistent with the goals of the General Plan and build a stronger community by planning, promoting, and facilitating economic development; increasing, improving, and preserving existing jobs and creating new ones; working to implement the City’s General Plan; and – to as great a degree as possible – working with owners and tenants to increase entrepreneurial opportunity and property values in the community.

Responsibilities

CED is committed to developing and implementing programs to support the City’s General Plan. We promote sustainable development and encourage quality design and livability of residential neighborhoods, commercial areas, and industrial zones within the City’s sphere of influence.

Our team provides a variety of services to fulfill the objectives of the General Plan, provide efficient permit processing services, and encourage public participation in the land use process.

CED is responsible for implementation of Los Banos’ General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, adopted specific plans and other associated ordinances. Our responsibilities include:

Responding to public inquiries related to land-use and property development regulations
Providing solution-oriented customer service to support economic development opportunities whenever possible
Reviewing land-use entitlement applications (e.g. tentative map, conditional use permit, annexation, general plan amendment, site plan review, etc.) for conformance with adopted policies and regulations
Administering the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for environmental review related to planning and development proposals
Updating and maintaining the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance
Administration of the Business License Program
Providing staff support for the Planning Commission and the Economic Development Advisory Commission
Resolving land-use related violations alongside Code Enforcement

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Zoning Districts

Zoning is the division of the City into districts and the application of different regulations in each district. Our team anticipates and provides for the orderly development of land within and around the City of Los Banos, which is divided into various commercial and residential zoning districts.

The zoning code defines which activities or uses are permitted in which zones and provides general development guidelines. For example, the zoning code identifies a single family residence as a permitted use in the R-1 (Low Density Residential) zoning district and specifies setbacks from property lines and the maximum height allowance.

The following is a list of the several districts into which the City is divided and the provisions associated with each district:

Zoning Ordinance and Map Adopted Oct 20, 2010

Ordinance No. 1095

Zoning Map Oct 20, 2010

Planning Documents

City of Los Banos Community Design Standards (28.2 MB)

Rail Trail Corridor Regulating Code (10.7 MB)

City of Los Banos Approved 2030 General Plan Update
Updated General Plan Land Use Map (340KB)
Entire Document (30,958 KB)
Cover Sheet (57 KB)
Table of Contents (60 KB)
Executive Summary (60 KB)
Chapter 1: Introduction (2,189 KB)
Chapter 2: Economic Development (387 KB)
Chapter 3: Land Use (2,996 KB)
Chapter 4: Circulation (2,500 KB)
Chapter 5: Parks, Open Space, and Resources (14,412 KB)
Chapter 6: Noise (2,024 KB)
Chapter 7: Safety (6,318 KB)
Chapter 8: Public Facilities and Utilities (123 KB)
Chapter 9: Implementation and Monitoring (97 KB)
Glossary (86 KB)
Acronyms (47 KB)
Appendix A: Hazardous Sites (50 KB)

*Pending LAFCO Approval

Environmental Review

Downtown Strategic Plan

Planning Submittal Requirements

It is recommended that all parties intending to fill out an application contact the Community & Economic Development Department prior to doing so to have a brief preliminary review with a Planner.

All applications can be typed but signatures must be original and fees must be included; no electronic submittals will be accepted. Please note that the fee schedule is attached to the Cost Recovery Contract.

Notice of Amended Fee Schedule

The City Council recently adopted Resolution No. 6131 which established and amended certain user fees including fees for planning entitlements and permits. The amended fee schedule was adopted on September 18, 2019 and went into effect on December 1, 2019. Click here to view this amended fee schedule.

Standard Application & Associated Forms

Development Impact Fees

Impact fees are meant to help pay for the infrastructure needed to support new development in the City. There are several ways that a project may trigger the requirement to pay impact fees. It is highly encouraged that you contact a Planner in the Community & Economic Development Department to completely understand the impact fees for your project. You can reach the Community & Economic Development Department at (209) 827-7000 ext. 2433.

Development Impact Fee Schedule

Development Impact Fee Study

General Plan Update 2040

Now is an exciting time for the City of Los Banos as the City embarks upon a targeted update to its 2009 General Plan, to help guide development and conservation in the city over the next 20 years. Specifically, the City is undertaking a comprehensive update to the major policy documents that guide the city’s economic and physical growth as well as preservation of natural and agricultural resources. While the 2009 General Plan is not quite yet 10 years old, those years have seen significant economic, political, and technological changes, with more on the horizon. The General Plan Update 2040 will position Los Banos to respond to those changes and gear up for the future.

The General Plan Update 2040 will focus on the City’s most important issues: economic development, growth management, Downtown, agricultural mitigation, and water supply. In addition, the General Plan will fulfill recent State required updates that have been enacted since the last update.

Click the link below to find out more about this exciting update.

City of Los Banos General Plan Update 2040

Housing Element Update

A Housing Element is one of the seven required elements of the General Plan. The Housing Element is also the only document that is standalone. The Housing Element includes a needs assessment, an analysis of opportunities and constraints, a review of past performance, a zoning classification for emergency homeless shelters or special needs housing and finally a policy program to implement. The Housing Element will be in effect from 2009 through 2014.

City of Los Banos Housing Element 2014-2023

Housing Condition Survey

In efforts to update the City of Los Banos 2014-2023 Housing Element, staff conducted a City wide Housing Condition Survey from Tuesday, March 12, 2019 and completed the survey on Monday, March 25, 2019. The Housing Condition Survey consisted of 1,202 housing units randomly selected throughout the City. The housing units ranged from single family homes, duplexes, triplexes, multi-family units and accessory dwelling units. Click the link below to view the survey results.

City of Los Banos Housing Condition Survey

Industrial Park

There are more than 800 acres within the City limits zoned for light to heavy industry; over 40 percent is vacant and available in parcels ranging in size from 1 to 200 acres. Included in this area are two industrial parks, one on the northwest side of the community, the second, approximately 250 acres is zoned for Highway Commercial (HC) and light industrial uses. The terrain is flat. Drainage is good. Subsoil is clay loam, and piling is not required. Sizes of water mains range from 4 to 12 inches. Sizes of sewer lines range from 6 to 24 inches.

The G Street Industrial Park, home of Kagome Foods, offers many condominium style offices still available to the public, as well as a 23,000 sq. ft. building formerly housed by Fisher Laboratories.

Marijuana Self-Registration

Garage & Yard Sale Registration

Get in Touch with CED!

Have a question or need some information? Reach out to us!

Visit us in person at City Hall! We are located at 520 J Street, Los Banos, CA 93635.

Or drop us an email at cedd@losbanos.org.

We’re also available to you by phone! Give us a call at (209) 827-7000.