Commercial Real Estate in Yountville: Washington Street Zoning, Master Development Plans and FAR Limits

By Matthew Martinez, Founder, CEO & Managing Broker, Diamond Real Estate Group. California DRE #01869679.

Nearly all of Yountville’s commercial property sits along Washington Street, the town’s main street, where restaurants, inns, shops, galleries and tasting rooms share a compact, walkable strip. The Town zones the street in several commercial districts with low floor area limits and requires a use permit for almost every visitor-serving use. Confirm the zone, any site-specific conditions and the parcel’s Master Development Plan with the Town of Yountville before relying on this page.

Who controls the parcel

Yountville is an incorporated town, and its Title 17 zoning code governs inside town limits. The district chapters were rewritten by Ordinance 21-501. Vineyards and wineries beyond the town boundary are unincorporated Napa County land under the county’s Agricultural Preserve zoning and winery rules; see our Napa County commercial guide.

Three Town approvals come up again and again in the commercial chapters:

Use permit. A use permit under Chapter 17.200 is required to start or expand most uses.
Master Development Plan. New development requires a Master Development Plan under Chapter 17.192, and the plan, not the base chapter, sets side and rear setbacks.
Design review. Exterior remodels and expansions need design review under Chapter 17.188.

Yountville zoning for commercial and mixed use

District	Intended uses	Notes
PC Primary Commercial	Reinforce Washington Street as the town’s main commercial street; west side plus one east-side parcel	FAR 0.25 plus one 0.15 bonus. Two stories, 30 ft to peak. 15 ft front setback
OTC Old Town Commercial	Historic small-scale commerce on North Washington Street south of Madison Street	15,000 sq ft maximum lot. FAR 0.25 plus bonus. Pedestrian-oriented ground floors
RSC Residential-Scaled Commercial	East side of Washington Street; transition to neighborhoods	Lower intensity than the west side. Residential-scale buildings. FAR 0.25 plus bonus
RC Retained Commercial (Chapter 17.64)	Commercial district listed in the code	Not reviewed for this page; confirm uses with the Town
MU Mixed Use Overlay (Chapter 17.96)	Overlay adding mixed-use options	Not reviewed; see also the incentives in Chapter 17.178

Washington Street: what needs a use permit

The three main commercial districts permit only a short list of uses outright: general retail, professional offices (with an administrative use permit), home occupations and accessory uses. Everything else on the street needs a use permit plus design review, including:

lodging
full-service and limited-service restaurants
bars and nightclubs
wine tasting rooms and alcoholic beverage retail
mobile food vendors and outdoor merchandise display
personal services, medical offices and banks
food and beverage production
mixed-use development and live/work units
rooftop pools and decks

In each district the Town Council may also approve other uses it finds compatible, at its discretion.

PC bonuses. On the west side of Washington Street between Mulberry and Humboldt Streets, the Council may grant an extra 0.15 FAR through a Master Development Plan for retail and service uses that add business diversity. It may also allow a third story up to 35 feet, but only on a finding of substantial community benefit. No more than 40% of a building’s floor area may sit on its top floor unless the Master Development Plan changes that.

Old Town limits. In OTC, lodging, full-service restaurants and bars are limited to the west side of Washington Street. Smaller buildings are expected on the east side. Adult-oriented businesses need a use permit and must meet distance buffers.

East side parcels. RSC is meant to be less intense than the west side, with residential-scale, street-facing buildings and small screened parking. On two parcels identified by assessor number (036-054-022 and -023), development needs a 10,000-square-foot lot and at least two second-story rental units, and tasting rooms are prohibited.

Historic buildings, scale and open space

Named historic buildings. The OTC chapter gives three addresses their own conditions:

6711 Washington Street is National Register–listed; the building, front porch and front yard must be preserved.
6720 Washington Street may be eligible, so removal or major change needs CEQA review.
6770 Washington Street has been found eligible; it cannot be demolished and its "MARKET" lettering must stay.

Height and setbacks. All three districts cap buildings at two stories, measured as 15 feet to plate and 20 to peak for one story, and 22 to plate and 30 to peak for two. In OTC the front setback rises with building height, from 10 feet for buildings under 15 feet to 20 feet for buildings over 18 feet.

Open space. Lots must keep 10% to 20% of gross area as open space depending on lot size; public sidewalks do not count. Parking falls under Chapter 17.116 and signs under Chapter 17.152.

Short stays. Yountville’s rental registration chapter makes it unlawful for a landlord or booking platform to advertise a short-term rental unit, so visitor lodging is carried by permitted inns and hotels. Time shares have their own chapter (17.168).

Transfer tax, business tax and property tax

The Town’s documentary transfer tax chapter, last amended by Ordinance 426-14, sets $1.10 per $1,000 of consideration over $100, excluding remaining encumbrances, and the County Recorder administers it. Napa County’s document transfer tax page describes a combined $0.55 per $500 in which half goes to the city. Because the Town’s stated rate and the County’s description do not obviously line up, have escrow confirm the total.

The Town also has transient occupancy tax (3.16), business license tax (5.04) and development impact fee (3.40) chapters; confirm current rates with the Town. A sale generally triggers Proposition 13 reassessment.

Due diligence that matters in Yountville

Start with our commercial due diligence checklist, then add:

Confirm the zone and which side of Washington Street the parcel is on, since uses and intensity differ.
Pull the use permit for every restaurant, inn, bar or tasting room, and the parcel’s Master Development Plan.
Check for site-specific conditions, such as the RSC rental-unit requirement or the OTC historic buildings.
Calculate existing floor area against the 0.25 FAR and any bonus already used.
Confirm parking under Chapter 17.116, as small screened lots are the norm.
Ask about impact fees for any expansion.

Questions people ask

Can I open a restaurant on Washington Street?

Yes, with a use permit and design review. In Old Town Commercial, full-service restaurants are limited to the west side of the street.

What uses are allowed without a use permit?

Mostly general retail, professional offices (with an administrative permit) and home occupations.

How much can I build on a Yountville commercial lot?

The base FAR is 0.25, with one bonus of up to 0.15 for qualifying uses. Buildings are capped at two stories.

Can I get a third story?

Only in PC, on the west side between Mulberry and Humboldt Streets, up to 35 feet, if the Council finds substantial community benefit.

Are vacation rentals allowed?

No. The Town bars landlords and platforms from advertising short-term rental units.

Is there a Yountville transfer tax?

Yes. The Town’s chapter states $1.10 per $1,000; the County describes a combined $0.55 per $500. Confirm with escrow.

Does Diamond handle commercial property in Yountville?

Contact Matthew Martinez to discuss buying, selling or leasing commercial property in Yountville.

Sources & notes

Note: We did not review the RC chapter, the Mixed Use Overlay, Chapter 17.178 incentives, the TOT, business license or impact fee chapters, or the short-term rental definition in Section 17.18.010. The PC table cites the height bonus as 17.48.030.B though it appears in 17.52.030.B; confirm with the Town.

This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.

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