The purpose of this chapter is to provide land use regulations for the parking of tractor-trailer combinations which are not incidental and accessory to the agricultural use of the property and do not qualify to operate as an agricultural service establishment.
These regulations are intended to allow for the limited parking of tractor-trailer combinations while minimizing impacts on agricultural land and avoiding the creation of a concentration of commercial and industrial uses in the vicinity. The allowance for non-agriculturally related truck parking in the A-2 (General Agriculture) zoning district recognizes a shortage in truck parking options that impact roadway driver safety and community character, when trucks must park on the side of the road. Limitations on the life of a use permit issued under this chapter for truck parking recognizes the use is transitional in nature and ongoing parking outside of commercial and industrial zoning districts is intended to be short term with limited improvements that will not impact the ongoing agricultural use of the property on which the use is located or the surrounding properties.
(Ord. CS 1401, 11/18/2025)
The regulations set forth in this chapter shall apply in the General Agriculture (A-2) zoning district.
(Ord. CS 1401, 11/18/2025)
"Tractor-trailer combination"
means a tractor-trailer, truck/trailer-trailer, or truck/tanker trailer combination with a minimum of five axles and capable of hauling a combined gross vehicle weight (GVW) of eighty thousand pounds. The following illustrates the type of permitted combinations:
"Truck parking"
means the parking of any tractor-trailer combination.
"Truck parking facility"
means a property used for the parking of more than one tractor-trailer combination.
(Ord. CS 1401, 11/18/2025)
Parking of tractor-trailer combinations may be allowed subject to first securing a use permit, when the planning commission finds that, in addition to the findings required under Section 21.96.050:
A. 
The establishment as proposed will not be substantially detrimental to or in conflict with agricultural use of other property in the vicinity;
B. 
The establishment as proposed will not create a concentration of truck parking facilities in the vicinity, as defined in Section 21.89.040.C.3; and
C. 
All the following standards and requirements are met:
1. 
The parcel on which truck parking will occur is at least one gross acre in size and less than ten gross acres in size and is not enrolled in a Williamson Act Contract.
2. 
The total number of tractors, truck/trailers and truck/tankers shall not exceed twelve and the total number of trailers shall not exceed two per tractor, truck/trailer, or truck/tanker. For the purpose of this chapter, a set of double trailers shall be equivalent to one trailer.
3. 
Concentration. For the purposes of this section, a concentration shall be deemed to occur when the number of truck parking facilities within the designated area exceeds the limits set forth in the following criteria:
a. 
In determining concentration, all truck parking facilities located in an A-2, or a P-D zoning district where truck parking is the principal use, shall be considered, with the exception of the following:
i. 
Truck parking which is incidental or accessory to an agricultural operation or permitted by use permit as a Tier One or Tier Two use in the A-2 zoning district;
ii. 
Truck parking which is permitted as a home occupation with a valid business license issued by the county treasurer-tax collector;
iii. 
Truck parking which has been established in violation of this title;
iv. 
Truck parking which is located both within the boundaries of an adopted community plan.
b. 
For areas within a one-mile distance from the edge of a right-of-way of a designated interstate or state route, a concentration is considered any situation where there are more than two truck parking facilities (or portion thereof) within a one-mile radius of any property. A property's distance to an interstate or state route is determined based on the location of the driveway apron serving a permitted truck parking facility.
c. 
For areas a distance of more than one-mile from the edge of a right-of-way of a designated interstate or state route, a concentration is considered any situation where there is more than one truck parking facility (or portion thereof) within a one-mile radius of any property; however, where a second existing facility is located within a one-mile distance from a designated interstate or state route, there may be up to two truck parking facilities. A property's distance to an interstate or state route is determined based on the location of the driveway apron serving a permitted truck parking facility.
d. 
Exception. A higher concentration of truck parking facilities may be allowed if the planning commission or board of supervisors determine that the facilities are sufficiently separated by a physical feature (e.g., river, canal, railroad, highway etc.) which precludes trucks accessing the facilities from consistently traveling the same roadways.
e. 
Designated interstates and state routes shall be considered the following:
i. 
Interstate 5;
ii. 
State Route 33;
iii. 
State Route 99;
iv. 
State Route 108;
v. 
State Route 120;
vi. 
State Route 132;
vii. 
State Route 165;
viii. 
State Route 219.
4. 
At least one of the tractor-trailer combinations shall be registered to the property owner and the property owner shall live on the parcel.
a. 
All tractors-trailer combinations parked on-site shall be registered with the State of California Department of Motor Vehicles.
b. 
The property owner shall have lived on the property for no less than six months at the time of application for a use permit is submitted and shall continue to live on the property while the use is in operation.
5. 
Access to the truck parking facility shall be available without violation of any state, county, or city roadway truck access or weight restrictions:
a. 
Any driveway providing access to a truck parking facility shall be approved by the Stanislaus County Department of Public Works.
b. 
Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA) requirements. Truck parking facilities proposing to accommodate vehicles that exceed California legal limits for height, length, width, weight, or overhang shall obtain prior approval from the applicable state, county, or city jurisdictions for the proposed access route to the National Network. This approval shall be secured before the planning commission considers the use permit. Any roadway improvements necessary to bring the route into compliance with STAA standards shall be completed before truck parking operations begin.
6. 
The truck parking facility shall meet the following criteria:
a. 
The total area of the parcel used for parking of any vehicles associated with the truck parking facility shall not exceed one and one-half acres in size nor fifty percent of the entire parcel. The allowable area for parking shall be inclusive of any driveway or turning areas utilized to access the parking area.
b. 
All parking stalls shall be clearly demarcated by approved markers. No vehicles associated with the use of the truck parking facility shall be parked in any location outside of the marked stalls.
c. 
The area in which parking will occur shall be located at least twenty feet from any planned street line.
d. 
A minimum six-foot-tall solid fence of uniform construction shall be installed around the perimeter of the approved parking area. The material and design of the fencing shall be approved by the planning commission and minor modifications to the approved fencing may be made by the planning director.
e. 
Evergreen landscaping meeting vision clearance requirements shall be incorporated into the design of the project to screen the parking area from view of any public right-of-way. A landscape plan shall be approved by planning commission and minor modifications to the approved landscaping may be made by the planning director.
f. 
The parking area shall be located at least 50 feet from any dwelling on an adjoining parcel.
g. 
Parking areas and driveways shall be adequately graveled to reduce dust emissions. The use of pavement, asphalt, or similar hardscape may be used in lieu of gravel in areas which have not been in production agriculture in the last 20 years. Aerial imagery shall be used to verify that an area has not been in production agriculture.
7. 
One on-site office, accessory to the truck parking facility, not to exceed 1,200 square feet in size, may be maintained within an on-site dwelling or within an accessory structure provided all applicable building permits are obtained. The area where a detached office is located shall be evaluated in the total area allowed for the parking facility.
8. 
On-site restrooms accessible to drivers and employees shall be maintained on-site. Portable restrooms may be allowed unless fixed permanent restrooms are required by the California Plumbing Code. The area where the restroom is located shall be evaluated in the total area allowed for the parking facility.
9. 
The following conditions shall be maintained continuously for the duration of the use:
a. 
All tractor-trailer combinations and trailers parked on-site shall be fully operable.
b. 
No storage associated with the on-site truck parking, including the stockpiling of tires or truck parts, indoor or outdoor, shall occur on site.
c. 
No washing of tractor-trailer combinations or trailers, loading or unloading of trailers, or parking of a trailer containing hazardous materials shall occur on site.
d. 
Maintenance or repair work, including, but not limited to, oil and tire changes, lead acid battery replacements, light and windshield wiper replacements, and checking fluids, is not permitted on site.
e. 
Refrigerated trailers shall remain unpowered while stored or parked on site.
10. 
There shall be no off-site advertising, of any type, which depicts the address of the truck parking facility. One identification or informational sign not more than twelve square feet in area nor more than four feet in height may be permitted in the yard where the driveway used to access the facility is located. Placement and size of the sign shall be approved by planning commission and minor modifications to the approved sign may be made by the planning director.
11. 
All applicable impact fees shall be paid before any encroachment, grading, or building permits for the truck parking facility are issued or, if no permits are needed, before truck parking operations begin. If routes used to access a truck parking facility include city-maintained roadways, a fair-share contribution agreed upon by the Stanislaus County public works department and applicable city department shall be paid.
12. 
The truck parking facility shall not have outstanding fines or fees related to unpermitted land use or development at the time of use permit application submittal or consideration by the planning commission.
13. 
If a parcel with an approved truck parking facility is sold, the use permit shall automatically expire and the new owner shall apply for and obtain a new use permit in accordance with this chapter.
(Ord. CS 1401, 11/18/2025)
Parking of one tractor-trailer combination may be allowed as a home occupation subject to the following standards and requirements:
A. 
All applicable criteria of Chapter 21.94 of this title shall be met.
B. 
The parcel on which the truck parking will occur shall be at least one gross acre or more in size.
C. 
The total number of tractor-trailer combinations shall not exceed one and the total number of trailers shall not exceed two. For the purpose of this chapter, a set of double trailers shall be equivalent to one trailer.
D. 
The tractor-trailer combination parked on-site shall be registered with the State of California Department of Motor Vehicles to an occupant of a dwelling located on the parcel. Only one trucking business may be licensed to operate on a parcel at any given time.
E. 
The following conditions shall be maintained continuously for the duration of the use:
1. 
The tractor-trailer combination parked on site shall be in fully operable and any trailers shall be accessory to the use of the tractor, truck/trailer, or truck/tanker permitted to be parked on site.
2. 
No storage associated with the on-site truck parking, including the stockpiling of tires or truck parts, indoor or outdoor, shall occur on site.
3. 
No washing of tractor-trailer combinations or trailers, loading or unloading of trailers, or parking of a trailer containing hazardous materials shall occur on site.
4. 
Maintenance or repair work, including, but not limited to, oil and tire changes, lead acid battery replacements, light and windshield wiper replacements, and checking fluids, is not permitted on site.
5. 
Refrigerated trailers shall not be powered while stored or parked on site.
F. 
Access to the truck parking facility shall be available without violation of any state, county, or city roadway truck access or weight restrictions:
1. 
Any driveway providing access to a truck parking facility shall be approved by the Stanislaus County department of public works.
2. 
Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA) Requirements. Truck parking facilities proposing to accommodate vehicles that exceed California legal limits for height, length, width, weight, or overhang shall obtain prior approval from the applicable state, county, or city jurisdictions for the proposed access route to the National Network. This approval shall be secured before the planning commission considers the use permit. Any roadway improvements necessary to bring the route into compliance with STAA standards shall be completed before truck parking operations begin.
(Ord. CS 1401, 11/18/2025)
Any truck parking facility operating under a use permit issued in accordance with this chapter, shall be subject to an annual inspection by the county to verify that the facility is in compliance with all conditions of approval. The property owner shall be solely responsible for all costs associated with the annual inspection and shall annually deposit the estimated cost of the annual inspection, as determined by the county, within sixty days of being provided written notice of the estimated cost. Payment of any costs exceeding the estimate shall be paid to the county within thirty days of a written invoice for payment being provided.
A. 
Following the annual inspection, the county may take any step provided for under the law to address any nuisance conditions or violations of the Stanislaus County Code determined to exist and that are not abated by the property owner within forty-five days of written notice being provided by the county.
(Ord. CS 1401, 11/18/2025)
Any use permit issued under this chapter shall automatically expire five years from the date of approval, regardless of whether the use has been initiated. Issuance of any permit required as a condition of approval or operation of the approved use shall not extend or vest rights beyond the five-year term. Upon expiration, continuation of the use shall be subject to the following:
A. 
Staff Approval. Any truck parking facility that operates during the five years following approval of the use permit without any documented violations of the applicable conditions of approval may be permitted for continued operation for an additional five years by approval of a staff approval permit. Additional conditions of approval, as determined necessary by the planning director, may be applied to the staff approval permit, including but not limited to the collection of any adopted fees not previously collected. Additional staff approval permits may be issued for subsequent five-year terms. An application for the staff approval permit shall be submitted before the date of expiration.
(Ord. CS 1401, 11/18/2025)