Commercial Real Estate in Knightsen: Agricultural Zoning, Farm Businesses and What the County Allows

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

Knightsen is a small farming community in East Contra County, between Brentwood, Oakley and Discovery Bay. It has no shopping district. Commercial property here means farms and the businesses agricultural zoning allows: farm stands and farm markets, horse boarding and riding academies, value-added food processing, agricultural supply and a handful of rural service uses. Before you buy for a business use, confirm the parcel’s zoning, the permit it needs, and how water, wastewater and drainage will work with Contra Costa County.

Who controls the parcel

Knightsen is unincorporated, so Contra Costa County’s Department of Conservation and Development handles zoning and permits under Division 84 of the county code.

For years Knightsen also had its own special district, but that ended in 2023:

• Knightsen Town Community Services District. LAFCo’s 2008 service review says the district was formed in 2005 to provide flood control and drainage, covering about 5,100 acres and roughly 1,415 residents. It owned no physical assets and had not yet delivered those services.
• Dissolution. LAFCo’s June 2023 report says the Commission approved dissolution on May 10, 2023 because the district lacked enough tax base. That report put the area at more than 8 square miles and about 1,600 residents. The Commission’s minutes record a 7-0 vote.
• Fire. LAFCo lists the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District as serving the area.

Nearby Brentwood and Oakley are cities with their own zoning. See our Brentwood, Oakley and Discovery Bay guides.

Knightsen zoning for business uses

LAFCo describes Knightsen’s land use as largely rural, mostly large-lot homes and farmland, with the county general plan calling for that to continue. Recent county project files show the two agricultural districts in use. A 2023 horse facility on Cummings Road was zoned A-2, and a 2010 second-home permit on Sunset Road was zoned A-3. Both were designated Agricultural Lands in the general plan.

What business uses the A-2 district allows

By right. All types of farming, wholesale nurseries and greenhouses, dairies, livestock and apiaries. A grower stand or farm stand. Agricultural buildings for storage, processing, packing and cold storage on parcels of at least 10 acres.

With a county land use permit. The A-2 list is broad for a farm district. Uses that matter to buyers include:

• A farm market, and commercial kitchens for value-added farm products
• Riding academies, stables, dude ranches and dog kennels
• Sales of agricultural supplies and services incidental to farming
• Cold storage on parcels under 10 acres
• Outdoor commercial recreation
• Canneries, livestock auction yards and recycling operations
• Medical and dental offices, child care centers, churches and private schools
• Boat storage within one mile by road of a public boat launch, with RVs capped at 15% of spaces
• Retail firewood sales and museums

A real example. The 2023 Cummings Road application asked to legalize an existing boarding facility for up to 50 horses on 10.71 acres. It included a riding academy of up to 12 lessons a day, small events of up to 16 participants, 20 unpaved parking spaces and a parking variance. Expect similar detail, and a county environmental review, for any operating business on farmland.

Knightsen-specific limits

• No cannabis. Knightsen is one of nine areas in the county’s -CE Cannabis Exclusion district, under Ordinance 2018-18. The A-2 list would otherwise allow commercial cannabis by permit under Chapter 88-28; in Knightsen it is prohibited regardless of zoning.
• Drainage and flooding. LAFCo’s 2008 review describes Knightsen as a low area that collects runoff from surrounding land, causing flooding and overflow problems. The district formed to fix that was dissolved without building facilities. Check flood zones, drainage and any grading limits before planning buildings or parking.
• Wells and septic. We did not verify water and sewer providers for Knightsen. County rules require health officer approval of private water and septic systems for ADUs, and the same questions apply to any business.
• Short-term lodging. Rentals under 30 days need a county permit under Chapter 88-32. Lots under a Williamson Act contract cannot host them.

Transfer tax, business tax and property tax

Knightsen has no city transfer tax. The Contra Costa Clerk-Recorder collects the county’s $0.55 per $500, and lists city taxes only for El Cerrito and Richmond. Under Proposition 13, a sale generally resets assessed value. Ask whether the land is under a Williamson Act contract, which changes both property tax and allowed uses. We did not verify a county business license tax for farm businesses; ask the Treasurer-Tax Collector.

Due diligence that matters in Knightsen

Start with our commercial due diligence checklist, then add:

• Confirm the zoning (A-2, A-3 or exclusive agricultural) and any existing land use permit.
• Check parcel size against the 10-acre line for by-right processing buildings.
• Ask whether the land is under a Williamson Act contract.
• Review flood zone, drainage and fill history.
• Confirm well and septic capacity for any employees, customers or kitchen.
• Rule out any cannabis use, which the -CE overlay bans.

Questions people ask

Sources & notes

1. Contra Costa LAFCO: East County Sub-Regional MSR, Chapter IX, Knightsen CSD (adopted December 10, 2008), June 14, 2023 dissolution report, Commission minutes
2. CEQAnet: SCH 2023040092 (April 2023) and SCH 2010022040 (March 2010)
3. County Ordinance Code via GoCodebook: Division 84, A-2 uses, A-3, -CE, Chapter 88-32
4. Contra Costa Clerk-Recorder, Documentary Transfer Tax

Note: We did not open the A-3 use list, A-2 lot standards or the county winery rules, and did not confirm Knightsen’s water and sewer providers, flood zones or any commercially zoned parcels. The outcome of the 2023 horse facility application was not confirmed.

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

Related: Knightsen real estate guide · Multifamily property in Knightsen · Commercial real estate services