Elk Grove · Land use · Church or place of worship
Where is a church or other place of worship allowed in Elk Grove?
In Elk Grove, a church or other place of worship is allowed in 5 base zones (LC, GC, SC, C-O and PR, 1 with a condition), needs a conditional use permit in 17 (AG-80, AG-20, AR-5/10, AR-2, AR-1 and 12 more, 2 with a condition) and not allowed in 3 (Elk Grove use tables, read October 2026).
Key points
- Allowed: LC, GC, SC, C-O and PR
- Needs a permit: AG-80, AG-20, AR-5/10, AR-2, AR-1, RD-1/2/3, RD-4/5/6, RD-7 and 9 more
- Not allowed: AC, HI and PS
Find your lot's zone on the city zoning map, then read its row. Every status below was read from the Elk Grove Municipal Code use tables (read October 2026). Base zones only. General information, not legal advice — check with the city before you apply.
Zones where a church or other place of worship can go
Elk Grove's code calls this use “Assembly Uses”. Each row links to the use table it comes from. A zone marked “see note” has a condition in the code, for example upper floors only or a larger lot.
The code defines “Assembly Uses”: “a facility operated by any person, entity, or organization for gatherings of a group of people to engage in social, civic, or entertainment activities including, but not limited to, worship, weddings, parties, dances, civic organization events, and c” (§ 23.26.050)
| Zone | Status | Code |
|---|---|---|
| LC Limited Commercial | Allowed — see note Note 5: Maximum gross floor area is five thousand (5,000 ft 2 ) square feet. | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
| GC General Commercial | Allowed | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
| SC Shopping Center | Allowed | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
| C-O Commercial Recreation | Allowed | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
| PR Park and Recreation | Allowed | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
| AG-80 Agricultural (80-acre minimum) | Needs a conditional use permit | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
| AG-20 Agricultural (20-acre minimum) | Needs a conditional use permit | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
| AR-5/10 Agricultural Residential (AR-5, AR-10) | Needs a conditional use permit | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
| AR-2 Agricultural Residential | Needs a conditional use permit | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
| AR-1 Agricultural Residential | Needs a conditional use permit | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
| RD-1/2/3 Very Low Density Residential | Needs a conditional use permit | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
| RD-4/5/6 Low Density Residential | Needs a conditional use permit | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
| RD-7 Low Density Residential | Needs a conditional use permit | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
| RD-8/10/12/15/18 Medium and Medium-High Density Residential | Needs a conditional use permit | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
| RD-20/25/30/40 High Density Residential | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 5: Permitted by right if the use is located on a property owned by the school district. | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
| VCMU Village Center Mixed-Use | Needs a conditional use permit | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
| RMU Residential Mixed-Use | Needs a conditional use permit | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
| BP Business and Professional Office | Needs a conditional use permit | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
| MP Industrial-Office Park | Needs a conditional use permit | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
| LI Light Industrial | Needs a conditional use permit | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
| LI/FX Light Industrial/Flex | Needs a conditional use permit | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
| O Open Space Land Use | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 1: Private nonprofit and for-profit projects may only be considered when proposed uses are located in conjunction with a public park or other open space area that serves the general public by keeping the open space area open to the public. | Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS |
Zones where it is not allowed
What else applies
- Definition (S2, 23.26.050): gatherings for social, civic or entertainment activities including, but not limited to, worship, weddings, parties, dances, civic organization events. Theaters and auditoriums count as assembly uses but have their own row.
- State law: Federal law (RLUIPA) bars zoning rules that treat religious assembly worse than other assembly uses.
- Not covered here: Specific Plan (SP) and Special Planning Area (SPA) districts: uses set by each plan; RM-1 mobile home subdivision district (own table, § 23.40.030); Overlay and combining districts (MF, F, MHP, RUC, SM, BCS, EF, EEG, CR-99). Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.
Other uses in Elk Grove
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a church or other place of worship in the AG-80 zone in Elk Grove?
Only with a conditional use permit. Elk Grove's use table lists it that way in AG-80 (Agricultural (80-acre minimum)) (Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS).
Can I have a church or other place of worship in the AC zone in Elk Grove?
No. Elk Grove's use table does not allow it in AC (Auto Commercial) (Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS).
Can I have a church or other place of worship in the LC zone in Elk Grove?
Yes, with a condition. Elk Grove's use table lists it as allowed in LC (Limited Commercial) (Division III — ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS). The code adds a condition: “Maximum gross floor area is five thousand (5,000 ft 2 ) square feet.”
General information, not legal advice.
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