Zoning & Land Use
Zoning is how the City organizes land use across Pismo Beach; it determines what can be built on a property, how large or tall a structure can be, how far it must sit from the street, and whether parking is required. It also determines how a permit application gets reviewed: some projects can be approved directly by staff, while others require a public hearing before the Planning Commission.
The City uses two adopted Zoning Codes depending on a property's location. Properties inside the Coastal Zone are regulated by the 1983 Zoning Code. Properties outside the Coastal Zone are regulated by the 1998 Zoning Code.
Interactive Parcel Viewer
Look up any Pismo Beach address to find its zoning, land use designation, Coastal Zone status, and applicable overlay zones.
- Type an address or Assessor's Parcel Number (APN) in the search field (upper left) , select the address that appears, and click the search icon.
- Zoom in to your property and toggle data layers on and off using the "eyeball" icon on the right side of the screen.
Zoning Codes & maps
| Inside the Coastal Zone: | Outside the Coastal Zone: |
| 1983 Zoning Code | 1998 Zoning Code |
| Zoning map (north) | Zoning map (north) |
| Zoning map (south) | Zoning map (south) |
Coastal Zone Boundary
The Coastal Zone Boundary determines which zoning code applies to your property. Within the Coastal Zone is a smaller Coastal Appeal Overlay Zone, which has additional procedures for processing development applications. The interactive parcel viewer also includes this information in the link above.
Overlay Maps
Overlay zones apply additional regulations to certain properties on top of their base zoning. Maps for each overlay zone are available below and also included in the interactive parcel viewer above.
- Amusement Hall Overlay Zone Map
- Archaeological Overlay Zone Map
- Floodplain Overlay Zone Map
- Hazard Protection Overlay Zone Map
- Height Limitations Overlay Zone Map
- Noise Overlay Zone Map
- Open Space Overlay Zone Map
- Public Visitor Overlay Zone Map
- Transfer Density Overlay Zone Map
- View Consideration Overlay Zone
- Visitor-Serving Overlay Zone Map
Additional Resources
Still have questions? Contact us!
Planning staff are happy to help. A planner can tell you whether a business use is allowed in a specific location, whether a project requires parking or other improvements, and what the development review process looks like.
Office Phone: (805) 773 - 4658
E-mail: planning@pismobeach.org
Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Office Location: City Hall, upstairs. 760 Mattie Road, Pismo Beach, CA 93449