This page provides links to major advance and current planning projects being undertaken by the Department of Development Services:

Active Projects

Creekside Estates Tentative Subdivision Map - An application for a Tentative Subdivision Map to divide a 49.4 acre parcel into 47 residential lots was submitted to the Department of Development Services on February 7, 2018.  The subject property is located on the south side of Durham-Dayton Highway across the street from Van Ness Way (2243 Durham Dayton Highway).  If you have any questions, please contact Senior Planner Mark Michelena via email or by phone at 530.552.3683.

Short-Term Vacation Rentals Ordinance - Butte County is developing a proposed ordinance to permit short-term vacation rentals in unincorporated Butte County.  If you have any questions, please contact Principal Planner Dan Breedon via email or by phone at 530.522.3682.

Community Choice Aggregation – Butte County is currently researching whether Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) could be an option for customers within the city and unincorporated areas of the County. CCA is a program that allows cities, counties and other qualifying governmental entities to purchase and/or generate electricity for their residents and businesses.  If a local CCA is formed, it would purchase and/or generate electricity for customers and PG&E would continue to deliver the electricity through its transmission and distribution system and provide meter reading, billing, and maintenance services for CCA customers. Learn more about a CCA in Butte County at https://power.buttecounty.net.   

Oak Woodland Mitigation Ordinance – The Draft Oak Woodland Mitigation Ordinance has been prepared to address impacts from proposed development (referred to as discretionary projects in the draft Ordinance).  The draft ordinance focuses on the oak woodland as a habitat type.  The Ordinance proposes that more than 10% removal of oak woodland canopy area is considered a significant impact subject to replacement.  If you have any questions, please contact Assistant Director Pete Calarco via email or by phone at 530.522.3641.

Agriculture Mitigation Ordinance - To implement actions from the Agriculture Element of the Butte County General Plan, a Draft Agriculture Mitigation Ordinance has been prepared to require development to permanently protect agricultural land of equal or greater value in place of land that is redesignated from agriculture to a non-agricultural designation.  If you have any questions, please contact  Principal Planner Dan Breedon via email or by phone at 530.522.3682.

Completed Projects

Butte Creek Canyon Overlay Zone (April 24, 2018) - The Board of Supervisors approved the Butte Creek Canyon Overlay Zone (Ordinance No. 4144).  The Butte Creek Canyon Overlay zone applies a new overlay zone designation to the Butte County Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map. The Overlay was developed under direction of General Plan Conservation and Open Space Element Action Item COS-A6.2. This concluded a 5+ year community-driven process in developing an overlay zone for the Butte Creek Canyon area in support of General Plan Conservation and Open Space Element Action COS-A6.2.  If you have any questions, please contact Principal Planner Dan Breedon via email or by phone at 530.522.3682.

PowerButte Utility-Scale Solar Guide (September 26, 2017) - The Butte County  Board of Supervisors approved the Butte Utility-Scale Solar Guide on September 26, 2017 on a 5-0 vote.  The Butte Utility-Scale Solar Guide is a component of the PowerButte initiative and is a valuable resource for anyone interested in learning more about utility-scale solar facilities within unincorporated Butte County, including landowners, developers, community members, and decision-makers. If you have any questions, please contact Principal Planner Dan Breedon via email or by phone at 530.522.3682.

Durham Villas Planned Development (Withdrawn April 19, 2017) - applications for a Rezone to Planned Development and a Tentative Subdivision Map were submitted to to the Butte County Department of Development Services on January 7, 2010.  Applications for this project were withdrawn in April 2017.  If you have any questions, please contact Senior Planner Mark Michelena via email or phone at 530.522.3683.

Adopted Amendments to General Plan Agricultural Element Policy AG-P5.3 and Related Zoning Ordinance Amendments (January 12, 2016) - The Board of Supervisors adopted amendments to Butte County General Plan 2030 and related amendments to the Zoning Ordinance (Section 24-56.1) regarding agricultural uses in non-agricultural zones. These amendments continue to apply the County’s 300-foot agricultural buffer requirement to all lands zoned Agriculture and other zones within 300 feet of the boundary of Agriculture zones.  The amendments require the maximum practicable setback in residential zones from lands that are used for orchards or vineyards. The amendments also allow animal grazing and crop cultivation as an interim use on parcels at least 1-acre in size in all residential, commercial, and industrial zones.  If you have any questions, please contact Principal Planner Dan Breedon via email or by phone at 530.522.3682.

Oroville Area Urban Greening Grant (December 8, 2015) - In collaboration with the City of Oroville (City) and the Feather River Recreation and Park District (FRRPD), and in coordination with other local agencies, Butte County (County) has completed a Master Greening Plan to serve as the master document guiding and coordinating greening projects in the Oroville urban area. The Plan crosses City, County and FRRPD jurisdictional boundaries, and will be consistent with the state’s strategic growth goals of increasing forest canopy, reducing stormwater runoff, improving air and water quality, conserving energy, providing open space, and achieving long-term community sustainability.  If you have any questions, please contact Principal Planner Claudia Stuart via email or via phone at 530.522.3681.

Rio D'Oro Specific Plan (May 19, 2015) - The Rio D'Oro Specific Plan was approved by the Butte County Board of Supervisors on May 19, 2015.  The Specific Plan area is 689 acres with 276 acres to remain in open space.  Proposed land uses include residential, commercial, public facility, park and open space.  Up to 2,700 residential units are proposed ranging from low density single-family to high density multi-family.  The project is located south of Oroville, west of Palermo with Palermo Road to the south and Ophir Road to the north, bisected by State Route 70 bounded on the west by Pacific Heights Road.   If you have any questions, please contact Assistant Director Pete Calarco via email or via phone at 530.522.3641.

Special Event Facilities Ordinance (March 24, 2015) - The Special Event Facilities Ordinance amended the Butte County Zoning Ordinance (Section 24-175.2) to establish a permit process, standards and requirements for special event facilities in unincorporated portions of Butte County.  If you have any questions, contact Rowland Hickel via email or phone at 530.522.3684.

Amendments to the General Plan Agriculture Element, Zoning Ordinance and Protection of Agricultural Land (January 27, 2015) - On January 27, 2015, the Butte County Board of Supervisors adopted amendments to the Agriculture Element of the Butte County General Plan, the Butte County Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 24 of Butte County Code) and the Butte County "Right to Farm Ordinance" (Chapter 35 of Butte County Code  - Protection of Agricultural Land). 

Whisper Ridge Golf Course (April 23, 2013) -  was approved by the Butte County Board of Supervisors on April 23, 2013. This approval includes a Rezone to Recreation Commercial Overlay, with a Conditional Zoning Agreement; a Conditional Use Permit for the golf course, hotel and wellness center; and two Lot Line Adjustment applications. Prior to its decision on the project, the Board of Supervisors certified the Final Environmental Impact Report consistent with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act.