Orange County · Land use · Community garden
Where is a community garden allowed in Orange County?
In Orange County, a community garden is allowed in 1 base zone (C1) and needs a site development permit in 12 (AR, E1, RHE, E4, RE and 7 more) (Orange County use tables, read October 2026).
Key points
- Allowed: C1
- Needs a permit: AR, E1, RHE, E4, RE, R1, RS, R2 and 4 more
Find your lot's zone on the city zoning map, then read its row. Every status below was read from the Orange County 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 community garden can go
Orange County's code calls this use “Community Garden”. 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.
| Zone | Status | Code |
|---|---|---|
| C1 | Allowed | § 7-9-33.2 |
| AR | Needs a site development permit | § 7-9-31.2 |
| E1 | Needs a site development permit | § 7-9-31.2 |
| RHE | Needs a site development permit | § 7-9-31.2 |
| E4 | Needs a site development permit | § 7-9-31.2 |
| RE | Needs a site development permit | § 7-9-31.2 |
| R1 | Needs a site development permit | § 7-9-31.2 |
| RS | Needs a site development permit | § 7-9-31.2 |
| R2 | Needs a site development permit | § 7-9-32.2 |
| R3 | Needs a site development permit | § 7-9-32.2 |
| R4 | Needs a site development permit | § 7-9-32.2 |
| C2 | Needs a site development permit | § 7-9-33.2 |
| CN | Needs a site development permit | § 7-9-33.2 |
What else applies
- Standards for this use: Sec. 7-9-100 Community gardens (named in the table).
- Not covered here: Zone names are not stated in the packet (only the group titles: Agriculture and Open Space, Single-Family Residential, Multifamily Residential, Commercial, Employment); Single-family district table (S3) is missing the Single-Family Dwelling, Duplex, Supportive/Transitional Housing and Short-Term Rentals rows in the stored text; SG (sand and gravel), the mixed-use district (7-9-36) and the FP-1/FP-2/FP-3 flood plain overlays (S7-S13) have no use table in the packet. Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.
Other uses in Orange County
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a community garden in the AR zone in Orange County?
Only with a site development permit. Orange County's use table lists it that way in AR (§ 7-9-31.2).
Can I have a community garden in the C1 zone in Orange County?
Yes. Orange County's use table lists it as allowed in C1 (§ 7-9-33.2).
General information, not legal advice.
Ask about a community garden at an address in Orange County
Ask GoCodebook what the zoning at a specific address allows and get an answer that cites the section.
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