Commercial Real Estate in Rio Vista: Downtown Waterfront, Airport Commercial and Delta Rules

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

Rio Vista is a Sacramento River town in the Delta, at the far eastern edge of Solano County, and its commercial property reflects that setting: a small historic downtown on the riverfront, Highway 12 service and highway commercial sites, a municipal airport with its own commercial district, heavier commercial and light industrial land northeast of Airport Road, and the city-owned former Army Reserve Center on the river. Confirm zoning and permits with the City of Rio Vista before relying on this page.

Who controls the parcel

Inside city limits, Title 17 of the Rio Vista Municipal Code is the zoning ordinance. It is an older-style code with a separate chapter for each district, many dating to a 2002 recodification (Ordinance 589) with later amendments. Downtown is zoned to a Waterfront Specific Plan. Surrounding farmland and the river islands are under Solano County or, across the river, Sacramento County; see our Solano County commercial guide. Because Rio Vista is in the Delta, some public approvals also trigger state Delta Plan review, discussed below. The Solano County Airport Land Use Commission administers the compatibility plan for Rio Vista Municipal Airport.

Rio Vista zoning for commercial, industrial and mixed use

District	Intended uses	Notes
C-1 Neighborhood Commercial (Ch. 17.18)	Neighborhood shopping and services	Separate chapter; not reviewed in detail
C-2 Community Commercial (Ch. 17.20)	Community-serving retail and services	Separate chapter; not reviewed in detail
C-2A Airport Commercial	A full range of airport-related services at the airport	Repair, parts stores, restaurants, offices and trade schools permitted; hotels, motels and service stations by use permit
C-3-I General and Service Commercial and Industrial	Heavier commercial and lighter industrial uses northeast of Airport Road	7,500 sq ft lots in the C-3 portion, 1 acre or more in the I portion; warehousing, building material yards and vehicle sales permitted
C-H Highway Commercial (Ch. 17.26)	Highway-oriented services	Separate chapter; not reviewed in detail
D-W Downtown Waterfront	Downtown and riverfront under the Waterfront Specific Plan	Uses and standards set in Section 2 of the plan; parking in-lieu fee option
A-B Army Base	Recreation, limited support commercial and Delta research on the 28-acre former Army Reserve Center	Research labs, fish technology center and small eateries by use permit
I-P-I, B-P, M-G, I-R (Ch. 17.28 to 17.32)	Industrial park, business park, general manufacturing and industrial reserve	Separate chapters; not reviewed in detail

Site and architectural approval under Chapter 17.60 applies to new buildings and exterior changes in the C-2A, C-3-I, D-W and A-B districts.

Downtown waterfront and the Army Base site

Downtown. The D-W district, adopted by Ordinance 633 in 2008, exists to carry out the Waterfront Specific Plan. Its boundaries follow the plan’s regulating diagram, and permitted and conditional uses and the development standards all come from Section 2 of the plan, which the city can amend. Required parking can be built on site or covered by an in-lieu fee agreement; the fee per space is set by council resolution, is due before any permit issues and is refundable only if unused after ten years. Signs, remodels, demolition and new construction all need design review.

Army Base District. Adopted by Ordinance 664 in 2012, the A-B district covers the 28-acre, city-owned former Rio Vista Army Reserve Center. Permitted uses lean to public recreation: a play area or Delta Discovery Park, fishing facilities and small-craft launch, trails, a riverfront promenade, piers and wharves. With a use permit, the site can host an estuarine research station, Delta science facilities, a fish technology center, research boat slips, lab storage, recreation-serving commercial uses such as an outfitter or small eatery, and up to six lodging units tied to research. Projects must follow the Army Base District Design Guidelines, and a planned unit development permit or specific plan is encouraged. For a private party, the practical path is a lease or partnership with the city.

Airport, Highway 12 and industrial land

The C-3-I district is set northeast of Airport Road near the arterials, and its purpose statement anticipates a planned Highway 12 off-ramp and a new rail line, which we could not confirm as current. It accepts the uses that clash with retail areas: wholesale and warehousing, auto, truck, boat and farm equipment dealers with major repair, building material and concrete yards, corporation yards and equipment rental, bakeries, bottling plants and laundries. Body and paint work must be indoors or behind a solid wall, and outdoor storage needs a use permit and full screening. Manufacturing must use gas or electric power unless the city approves otherwise.

At the airport, C-2A is limited to airport-related services. Any project near the runway should also be checked against the Rio Vista airport compatibility plan, which was amended along with the Travis plan in 2024 according to the CEQAnet filing.

Delta Plan and flood rules

Rio Vista lies within the Delta. Under the Delta Stewardship Council’s rules, a project within the Delta or Suisun Marsh that a state or local agency carries out, approves or funds, and that significantly affects the state’s coequal goals or flood control, is a covered action. The agency must file a certification of consistency with the Delta Plan before implementation, and anyone may appeal within 30 days. Most small private projects will not qualify, but large riverfront or levee-adjacent proposals should be screened. The city also has a floodway zoning district (F-W, Chapter 17.34) and flood hazard protection rules (Chapter 15.16) that we did not review.

Transfer tax, business tax and property tax

Rio Vista’s real property transfer tax, Section 3.24.020, is 27.5 cents per $500, administered by the County Recorder. The Solano County tax of $0.55 per $500 is reduced by a half-rate city tax under Section 11-67, so the combined rate should be $0.55 per $500. The city licenses businesses under Chapter 5.04; we did not verify tax rates. Under Proposition 13, a change in ownership generally triggers reassessment.

Due diligence that matters in Rio Vista

Start with our commercial due diligence checklist, then add:

Downtown, get Section 2 of the Waterfront Specific Plan and confirm the use and standards there.
Price the parking in-lieu fee before changing a downtown use.
Near the airport, check the compatibility plan and the C-2A use list.
For riverfront or levee sites, check the floodway district, FEMA mapping and whether Delta Plan certification applies.
For C-3-I land, confirm lot size by zone and screening rules for outdoor storage.
For the Army Base site, start with the city as landowner.

Questions people ask

What controls zoning in downtown Rio Vista?

The D-W district, which defers uses and standards to Section 2 of the Waterfront Specific Plan.

What is the Army Base District?

A zone for the 28-acre former Army Reserve Center, focused on recreation, Delta research and small supporting commercial uses.

Where can I put a warehouse or contractor’s yard?

In C-3-I, northeast of Airport Road, where warehousing and building material yards are permitted. Several other industrial districts also exist.

Can I open a hotel near the airport?

Hotels and motels are conditional uses in C-2A, subject to a use permit and airport compatibility review.

Does the Delta Plan apply to my project?

Only if it is a covered action: within the Delta, approved, funded or carried out by a public agency, and significant to the coequal goals or flood control.

Does Rio Vista charge a city transfer tax?

Yes, 27.5 cents per $500, credited against the county’s $0.55.

Does Diamond handle commercial property in Rio Vista?

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

Sources & notes

Note: The off-ramp and rail line in the C-3-I purpose statement come from older code text; confirm their status with the city.

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

Inquire about a listing or to schedule a meeting

Matthew Martinez

Your inquiry is processed through our iHomefinder service. Review the form’s contact choices before submitting. Privacy Policy · Terms of Use.