Commercial Real Estate in San Lorenzo: The Village Center Plan, County Zoning and Sewer Rules

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

San Lorenzo is an unincorporated community between San Leandro and Hayward, so Alameda County, not a city, sets its zoning. Its commercial heart is the San Lorenzo Village Center on Hesperian Boulevard. Smaller commercial strips line Hesperian, Lewelling Boulevard and East 14th Street, and light industrial land sits near I-880. Confirm the zoning and any specific plan for a parcel with Alameda County Planning before you commit.

Who controls the parcel

Alameda County’s Community Development Agency handles planning for San Lorenzo. The county’s general plans page lists San Lorenzo among the Eden Area communities covered by the Eden Area General Plan, and it links a separate San Lorenzo specific plan. Projects in the Eden Area go to the Eden Municipal Advisory Council for a recommendation before the Planning Commission decides.

Other agencies matter too. Oro Loma Sanitary District provides sewer and garbage service to San Lorenzo, Ashland, Cherryland, Fairview and parts of nearby cities. Edges of the community border San Leandro and Hayward, so a "San Lorenzo" address near the border can fall inside a city. Check the parcel against the county’s zoning map. See our Alameda County commercial guide for the countywide picture.

San Lorenzo zoning for commercial, industrial and mixed use

The county’s west county zoning map, covering San Lorenzo, Hayward Acres, Cherryland and Ashland, shows these business districts. The map is a 2009 draft, so confirm the current designation.

District	Intended uses	Notes
San Lorenzo Village Center Specific Plan	Retail, office, dining and mixed use on Hesperian Boulevard	Its own use lists and standards (below)
CN Neighborhood Business	Convenience shopping close to homes	County Title 17
C1 Retail Business	Retail, offices, banks, restaurants	The Village Center sites carry plan-based C-1 zoning
C2 General Business	Broader commercial, including auto repair and contractors	County Title 17
CO Administrative Office	Offices with little walk-in traffic
H1 Highway Frontage	Traveler-serving uses along highways
M1 / M2 / MP	Light industry, heavy industry and industrial park	Mainly near I-880 and the rail lines
PD Planned Development	Project-specific zoning	Rules in the adopting ordinance
C-1/R-S and C-O/R-S	Combined commercial and residential districts	Allow either use

The San Lorenzo Village Center Specific Plan

The Board of Supervisors approved the Village Center Specific Plan on October 7, 2004. It covers about 29 acres of non-residential land on both sides of Hesperian Boulevard, from the I-880 overcrossing south to Via Mercado, with Paseo Grande running through the middle. It splits the area into numbered subareas.

Permitted uses include banks, bookstores, offices, restaurants, retail stores, salons and repair shops. Retail and office can go on any floor of a commercial or mixed-use building.

Conditional uses include alcohol outlets, churches, theaters, parking structures and taverns with food. Hotels are conditional only in Subareas 1 and 6, and service stations only in Subarea 1.

Prohibited uses are a longer list than most plans carry. They include:

drive-throughs and drive-in businesses
auto sales lots, motels and hospitals
check cashing, tobacco stores and thrift stores
tattoo studios, massage establishments and firearms sales
self-service laundries, outdoor equipment rental and RV or boat storage
adult uses

Any use the plan does not list is not allowed.

Building standards. Buildings can reach 50 feet, but only 30 feet along Paseo Largavista and the residential parts of Via Arriba. A 45-degree height profile applies next to single-family lots. Parking is set by a demand study during site development review. Single uses over 10,000 square feet need a loading space, and shared parking is favored. Housing is allowed only as part of a project with commercial space, at an overall 19.66 units per acre and no more than 580 units across the plan.

The Lorenzo Theater. The plan names theater use as the preferred reuse for the historic Lorenzo Theater. It bars clinics, offices and housing there. Any other use needs a conditional use permit and findings that the historic features and public access are kept.

Recent project. A 2021 county hearing reviewed a mixed-use project on 5.12 acres at Hesperian Boulevard and Paseo Grande, the former Mervyn’s site, under file PLN2021-00044. It proposed 138 rental units and about 11,000 square feet of retail in three-story buildings. That shows how the plan’s mixed-use subareas are being used.

Transfer tax, business tax and property tax

San Lorenzo has no city transfer tax because it is not a city. The Alameda County Clerk-Recorder charges only the county tax of $0.55 per $500 here. By contrast, a building across the line in San Leandro pays a city tax of $11 per $1,000 on top. Under Proposition 13, a sale generally resets the assessed value.

Businesses in unincorporated areas need a county license under Chapter 3.04. Most rates are per $1,000 of gross receipts:

$0.25 for retail and wholesale sales
$1.00 for business and personal services
$1.25 for professional services and for commercial or industrial rentals

Businesses under $5,000 in receipts are generally not taxed, and the minimum fee is $20.

Sewer laterals at sale

Oro Loma’s private sewer lateral program requires a Sewer Lateral Compliance Certificate before title transfers, for escrows opened on or after August 1, 2026. A certificate is also needed for additions of 25% or more, added plumbing fixtures, improvements valued at $50,000, and new ADUs or other units. The certificate fee is $450. It lasts 10 years after a partial repair or 20 years after full replacement. Build the inspection and any repair into the escrow timeline.

Due diligence that matters in San Lorenzo

Start with our commercial due diligence checklist, then add:

Confirm the parcel is unincorporated and get its zoning from County Planning.
In the Village Center, find the subarea and check the use against the plan’s permitted, conditional and prohibited lists.
Confirm that no planned use is a drive-through, motel, tobacco or other banned use.
Order the Oro Loma lateral inspection early and budget for repair.
Register the business or rental with the county business license office.
Expect Eden Municipal Advisory Council review on any discretionary project.

Questions people ask

Who handles zoning in San Lorenzo?

Alameda County Planning. San Lorenzo is unincorporated and falls under the Eden Area General Plan.

Can I open a drive-through in the Village Center?

No. The Village Center Specific Plan prohibits drive-through and drive-in businesses.

How tall can buildings be in the Village Center?

Up to 50 feet in general, and 30 feet along Paseo Largavista and residential parts of Via Arriba.

Is there a city transfer tax?

No. Only the county’s $0.55 per $500 applies.

Do I need a sewer inspection to sell?

Yes, for escrows opened on or after August 1, 2026, Oro Loma requires a Sewer Lateral Compliance Certificate before title transfers.

What can the Lorenzo Theater become?

Theater use is preferred. Clinics, offices and housing are barred, and other uses need a CUP that protects the building’s historic features.

Does Diamond handle commercial property in San Lorenzo?

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

Sources & notes

Note: The plan gives its area as about 29 acres, while an appendix study cites about 22. The zoning map we reviewed is a 2009 draft.

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

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