• Home
  • Contact
City of Los Banos
  • Home
  • Residents
    • Utility Service Forms
    • Pay Your Water Bill
    • Public Meetings
    • Press Releases
    • Solid Waste & Recycling
      • Mid Valley Disposal
  • Business
    • Business Licenses
    • What permits do I need?
    • Small Business Dev Center
    • Downtown Los Banos
    • Industrial Opportunities
    • Small Business Assistance Program
    • Chamber of Commerce
  • Visit Los Banos
  • City Government
    • Mayor & City Council Members
    • Committees & Commissions
    • Election District Boundary Map
    • Municipal Code
    • Departments
      • Building
      • City Attorney
      • City Clerk
      • City Manager
      • City Treasurer
      • Community & Economic Development
      • Finance/Billing
      • Fire
      • Human Resources
      • Police
        • Citizen RIMS
      • Public Works
        • Parks & Recreation Division
        • Visit Us on Facebook! – Los Banos Parks and Recreation
        • Pioneer Road Complete Street Project
    • Public Notices
    • Bids, RFP’s and RFQ’s
    • Enterprise Systems Information
    • YouTube Channel
    • Mayor’s Corner
  • Registrations
    • Marijuana Self Registration
    • Garage and Yard Sale Registration
    • Portable Container Registration
    • Emergency Notification System
    • Vacant Property Registration
  • News
    • General Los Banos News
    • Public Notices
    • City Council
    • Public Meetings
    • Planning Commission
    • Bids, RFP’s and RFQ’s
    • Economic Development Advisory Commission
    • Parks & Recreation Commission
    • Traffic Safety Committee
    • Tree Commission
  • Contact Us
+92
°
F
+110°
+67°
Los Banos
Thursday, 08
See 7-Day Forecast

Community & Economic Development

  1. Home
  2. City Government
  3. Departments
  4. Community & Economic Development
Business License ProgramMarijuana Self-RegistrationGarage & Yard Sale Registration

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

Follow us on social media!

Connect with us on one of our social media platforms and stay up to date on all information related to Community & Economic Development in the City of Los Banos!

Business Licenses

Los Banos Business or Hosting a Community Event?
Advertise on the CED Digital Sign!

The Los Banos Community & Economic Development Digital Sign at West I Street and Pacheco Boulevard can be seen by eastbound traffic on Highway 152/Pacheco Boulevard and is used to inform the public about City events and community service announcements and advertise locally licensed businesses.

Ad space is limited and is reserved on a first-come, first-served basis. To reserve an advertisement slot, file the Digital Sign Ad Application/Terms of Service form and pay the $119.52 advertisement fee (check or money order made payable to the City of Los Banos) with the Community & Economic Development Department at City Hall at the address on the application.  Staff must sign off on the application prior to filing.  Advertisements are static for 8 seconds and run for one month.  For your display, please submit a landscape orientation picture of the advertisement in PNG. or JPEG. format (Specifications: 312 pixels wide x 144 pixels tall). If the Ad is to incorporate a graphic (logo/image), submission of graphic (logo/image) is required through email at time of application submittal in PNG. or JPEG. format. Background color and text color can be customized and ads can usually accommodate up to 2-3 words per line and up to 4-5 lines, depending on characters and font size.  Adjustments may need to be made to the proposed ad message.  Once we receive the completed application/form with payment, the ad will be tentatively scheduled, staff will prepare an ad proof for approval, and once the approval is received, the ad will be scheduled to go live.

If no ad space is available, a waiting list will be created and any subsequently filed applications will be scheduled in order received.  To inquire about ad space availability, contact the Community & Economic Development Department at (209) 827-2431 or by email at justin.ragunton@losbanos.org

To be featured on the Digital Sign, advertisements for events must meet the following criteria:

  • Broad community interest
  • Non-political in nature
  • Non-religious in nature
  • Non-personal in nature

To be featured on the Digital Sign, advertisements for businesses must meet the following criteria:

  • Promote locally licensed Los Banos businesses
  • Cannot promote non-Los Banos competitive businesses
  • Non-political in nature
  • Non-religious in nature
  • Non-personal in nature

Download the Digital Sign Ad Application/Terms of Service below and bring it to City Hall at the address on the application to file in person.  Staff must sign off on the application prior to filing the application and payment.

Digital Sign Ad Application

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:

  • Planned Development (P-D)
  • Rail Corridor (R-C)
  • Low Density Residential (R-1)
  • Medium Density Residential (R-2)
  • High Density Residential (R-3)
  • Mixed Use (M-X)
  • Professional Office (P-O)
  • Neighborhood Commercial (C-N)
  • General Commercial (C-1)
  • Highway Commercial (H-C)
  • Light Industrial (L-I)
  • General Industrial (I)

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

Rail Trail Corridor Regulating Code

City of Los Banos Approved 2030 General Plan Update
Updated General Plan Land Use Map
Entire Document
Cover Sheet
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Economic Development
Chapter 3: Land Use
Chapter 4: Circulation
Chapter 5: Parks, Open Space, and Resources
Chapter 6: Noise
Chapter 7: Safety
Chapter 8: Public Facilities and Utilities
Chapter 9: Implementation and Monitoring
Glossary
Acronyms
Appendix A: Hazardous Sites

*Pending LAFCO Approval

Environmental Review

  • Mercey Springs Road Apartments Initial Study
  • Sunrise Ranch Initial Study
  • New Los Banos Police Station Initial Study
  • Los Banos General Plan Draft SEIR
  • Los Banos General Plan Draft SEIR Appendices
  • Los Banos Draft Environmental Impact Report 9/25/2007
  • Los Banos Final Environmental Impact Report 12/20/2007
  • Zoning Ordinance and Map Negative Declaration
  • AMG Industrial Annexation IS/MND
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

  • Uniform Application
  • Environmental Information
  • Cost Recovery Contract

Annexation Submittal Requirements:

  • Annexation Application Packet

Area Plan Submittal Requirements:

  • Area Plan Application Packet

Block Party Permit Submittal Requirements:

  • Block Party Permit Application Packet

Conditional Use Permit Submittal Requirements:

  • Conditional Use Permit Application Packet

Cottage Food Operation Permit Submittal Requirements:

  • Cottage Food Operation Permit Application Packet

Farmers' Market Permit Submittal Requirements:

  • Farmers’ Market Permit Application Packet

Final Development Plan Submittal Requirements:

  • Final Development Plan Application Packet

General Plan Amendment, Rezone, Prezone Submittal Requirements:

  • General Plan Amendment, Rezone, Prezone Application Packet

Lot Line Adjustment Submittal Requirements:

  • Lot Line Adjustment Application Packet

Master Signage Plan Submittal Requirements:

  • Master Signage Plan Application Packet

Mobile Food Vendor Permit Submittal Requirements:

  • Mobile Food Vendor Permit Application Packet

Parcel Map/Minor Subdivision Submittal Requirements:

  • Parcel Map/Minor Subdivision Application Packet

Parcel Merger Submittal Requirements:

  • Parcel Merger Application Packet

Planned Development Reclassification Submittal Requirements:

  • Planned Development Reclassification Application Packet

Sidewalk Vendor Permit Submittal Requirements:

  • Sidewalk Vendor Permit Application Packet

Sign Review Submittal Requirements:

  • Sign Review Application Packet

Site Plan Review Submittal Requirements:

  • Site Plan Review Application Packet

Special Event Permit Submittal Requirements:

  • Special Event Permit Application Packet

Temporary Use Permit Submittal Requirements:

  • Temporary Use Permit Application Packet

Tentative & Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map Submittal Requirements:

  • Tentative & Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map Application Packet

Variance Submittal Requirements:

  • Variance Application Packet

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.

Los Banos Industrial Park Acreage Map
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.

Business Hours are Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Follow us on social media!

Connect with us on one of our social media platforms and stay up to date on all information related to Community & Economic Development in the City of Los Banos!

Copyright © 2022 City of Los Banos, California. All Rights Reserved.

Designed By: Mid Valley IT.