Colfax, California Zoning Map
Zoning, overlays and hazards on every parcel — and an answer to what the code actually lets you build. Compiled from current zoning data for all 13 districts.
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What's in the Colfax dataset
Every field below is available for any Colfax parcel, on the map and through the AI.
Zoning
- District code & full name
- Parcel boundary & APN
- All 13 districts mapped
Building controls
- Maximum building height
- Floor area ratio (FAR)
- Front setback
- Side setback
Overlays, hazards & AI
- Flood hazard & environmental layers
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- Powered by live parcel data
Where uses are permitted in Colfax
Share of Colfax's zoned land where each use is permitted.
- Single-family
- 86.95%
- Multi-family
- 24.31%
- ADU
- 71.50%
- Retail
- 36.71%
- Eating & drinking
- 36.71%
- Office
- 36.71%
- Hotel / motel
- 71.50%
- Industrial
- 12.37%
- Storage & warehouses
- 49.59%
Colfax, California Zoning Districts: What Do They Mean?
Zoning districts are areas regulated by specific laws that determine land use, building types, and development rules. Each district below shows its zone type and which uses it permits.
| Zone Code | Category | Area | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
CD Civic District | - | 97.5 ac | Standards & uses → |
CH Commercial Highway | - | 95.1 ac | Standards & uses → |
CR Commercial Retail | - | 50.3 ac | Standards & uses → |
I Industrial | - | 93.6 ac | Standards & uses → |
Showing 4 of 13 districts
Start from what you're trying to build
Each one runs against the live Colfax dataset and returns the districts, standards and approvals involved.
What should developers know about Colfax zoning?
Colfax is a small Placer County town in the Sierra foothills along the I-80 and rail corridor, and its 13-district zoning map reflects a compact community where commercial and civic uses carry real weight relative to its size. The Civic District (CD) is the largest at roughly 98 acres, narrowly ahead of Commercial Highway (CH) at about 95 acres and Industrial (I) near 94 acres. That balance is telling: for a town this small, the prominence of highway-oriented commercial and industrial land speaks to its role as a service and freight stop on the foothill corridor rather than a purely residential enclave.
Residentially, Colfax runs a single-family ladder keyed to minimum lot size - R-1-5, R-1-10, and R-1-20 - led by R-1-5 at roughly 119 acres, plus multifamily districts RM-1 (Medium Density) and RM-2 (High Density) and a Residential Mobile Home Subdivision (R-MHS). Commercial activity beyond the highway strip includes Commercial Retail (CR), and the town carries two mixed-use designations - Downtown Mixed Use (MU-1) and a broader Mixed Use (MU-2) - that concentrate walkable, combined uses in and near the historic center. Open Space (OP) is minimal in the data. Building controls include FAR, lot, density, coverage, height, lot width, and full setbacks. For developers, the practical opportunities are single-family infill, ADUs, targeted multifamily in the RM districts, and downtown or highway-adjacent commercial and mixed-use projects. This is pre-development intelligence, not legal advice - verify with the local planning department before acquisition.
Colfax zoning: frequently asked questions
What role does highway-oriented zoning play in Colfax?
Colfax sits on the I-80 and rail corridor, and that shows in its zoning: the Commercial Highway (CH) district covers roughly 95 acres, among the largest in town. It is the natural home for travel-, freight-, and highway-serving commercial uses, distinct from the smaller Commercial Retail (CR) district and the downtown mixed-use areas.
Where is the walkable downtown and what zoning supports it?
The historic center is supported by the Downtown Mixed Use (MU-1) district of about 10 acres, with a broader Mixed Use (MU-2) district near 29 acres extending combined residential-and-commercial development. These are the designations to target for compact, pedestrian-oriented infill rather than the highway or industrial strips.
Can I build multifamily in Colfax?
Yes, in defined districts. Multifamily Residential Medium Density (RM-1) covers about 26 acres and Multifamily Residential High Density (RM-2) about 69 acres, and the mixed-use districts also accommodate housing. The single-family R-1-5, R-1-10, and R-1-20 districts are reserved for detached homes, so direct apartment product to the RM and MU zones.
What do the R-1 lot-size designations tell me about single-family sites?
The R-1 districts are keyed to minimum lot size - R-1-5, R-1-10, and R-1-20 - with R-1-5 the most extensive at roughly 119 acres, indicating the town's smaller-lot single-family fabric. Larger-minimum R-1-20 parcels yield fewer units per acre. Confirm the specific designation and the full setback and lot-width controls before assuming subdivision potential.
How significant is the Civic District for development planning?
The Civic District (CD) is the single largest zone in Colfax at roughly 98 acres, reflecting a concentration of public, governmental, and institutional land for a small town. That land is committed to civic use rather than private development, so factor it out of the developable pool and verify any target parcel is in a commercial, mixed-use, or residential district instead.
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Zoning data is pre-development intelligence, not legal advice. Verify with the Colfax planning department before acquisition or design.