Land Use

The Land Use chapter of the Sierra Madre General Plan contains five components - one of which is the Land Use Designation. The predominant land use in the City is residential. Four percent of the land in the City is devoted to commercial uses. All of the commercial land is in the historic downtown area along Sierra Madre Blvd., Baldwin Ave., and on smaller adjacent  streets. There is also an established manufacturing area in the City along East Montecito Ave. 

At the beginning of the Development Process, a project is evaluated for Planning and Zoning compliance. If your proposed project is found to require a discretionary entitlement, (Conditional Use Permit, Variance, Hillside Development Permit, etc.) please come to our public counter between the hours of 7:30am-5:00pm, Monday through Thursday. Our Planning staff will assist you with the application process. Please note that not every project will require a discretionary entitlement. If you would like to research if your project will require one, please see SMMC 17.60.

If you have questions about Land Use, please visit our Planning & Community Preservation public counter and speak with any member of our Planning staff.  They will be happy to assist you.