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1. Do I need a Design Review Permit?

Tuolumne County has four Design Review Districts in the communities of Jamestown, Columbia, Tuolumne and Twain Harte. The County no longer issues Design Review Permits. Applications for discretionary entitlements, such as Use Permits, Site Development Permits, Site Review Permits, Planned Unit Development Permits, Tentative Subdivision Maps and Tentative Parcel Maps, submitted for property within a Design Review District will be reviewed for consistency with the applicable Design Guide.

2. Can I have a home business?

The Tuolumne County Zoning Ordinance allows for home occupations. A home occupation must be conducted entirely within a dwelling or private garage exclusively by the inhabitants of the dwelling and must be incidental to the residential use of the parcel and cannot change the residential character of the parcel. Outdoor storage is not allowed in conjunction with a home occupation. Employees are not allowed to come to the location of a home occupation. A cottage food operation is different from a home occupation and has different rules.

3. Does Tuolumne County have a noise ordinance?

Tuolumne County does not have a noise ordinance. Many land development projects have been conditioned to restrict days and hours when construction can occur and to require that operations adhere to specific noise standards. Please check with the Community Development Department to see if such conditions apply to a specific development.

4. Can I live in my recreational vehicle?

Recreational vehicles may be lived in within an approved recreational vehicle park. Two recreational vehicles may be stored in conjunction with any residence. Any such stored recreational vehicle may be used for shelter for human beings for up to 30 days per calendar year.

5. Can I construct buildings other than a residence on residential property?

One garage, not exceeding a building coverage of 25% of the parcel size or 4,000 square feet, whichever is less is a permitted use in the General Recreational (K), Residential (R), Residential Estate (RE) and Agricultural (A or AE) zoning districts. Other structures are allowed only when accessory to a permitted primary use of a parcel, such as a residence or a qualifying agricultural operation.

6. What is the Williamson Act?

The Williamson Act is a program authorized by the State of California and implemented by Tuolumne County that allows preferential property tax treatment in return for a property owner agreeing to maintain the property in an agricultural or open space use for a period of ten years. The minimum acreage required for participation in the Williamson Act is based upon the agricultural use of the land. Some intensive agricultural uses require only 40 acres for participation, while dryland grazing requires at least 160 acres.

7. Can I keep agricultural animals on my parcel?

In Tuolumne County, some zoning districts allow general farming and ranching and others do not. Agricultural animals may be kept on parcels zoned for Agricultural (A or AE) or Residential Estate (RE) uses. Agricultural animals may not be kept in Residential (R) zoning districts.

8. How many pets can I have?

The Zoning Ordinance allows up to four dogs or any combination of six dogs and cats (with not more than four dogs) to be kept on any parcel. If you want to keep more than this number of pets, you must obtain a Use Permit for a kennel. Kennels are allowed only in certain zoning districts and only with a Use Permit. Therefore, you should contact the Planning Division of the Community Development Department to determine if a kennel is allowed in your zoning district.