Commercial Real Estate in Vacaville: I-80 Commercial, Employment Parks and the Airport Environs Overlay

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

Vacaville’s commercial land lines Interstate 80 for most of the city’s length: highway retail and auto-oriented sites at the interchanges, the Nut Tree area with its general aviation airport, the downtown around Main Street and Vine Street, and employment parks on the east side where industrial, warehouse and research buildings cluster. Two airports shape the rules, because the city’s overlay covers both Nut Tree Airport and the Travis Air Force Base area of influence. Confirm zoning and overlay status with the City of Vacaville before relying on this page.

Who controls the parcel

Inside city limits, zoning is Division 14.09 of the Vacaville Land Use and Development Code, which the city repealed and replaced through Ordinance 1972 on February 22, 2022, with later amendments through Ordinance 2011 in February 2026. Overlays can add rules on top of the base district: Airport Environs (AE), Vine Street (VS), Historic Preservation (HP), Planned Development and a Northeast Growth Area overlay, plus a Specific Plan district. Rural land outside the city limits falls under Solano County; see our Solano County commercial guide.

Vacaville zoning for commercial, industrial and mixed use

District	Intended uses	Notes
CN Neighborhood Commercial	Centers meeting residents’ everyday needs	30 ft; 0.3 FAR; new development on 4+ acre sites needs a CUP
CG General Commercial	Full range of local and regional commercial uses	40 ft, up to 70 ft with a CUP; bars and nightclubs barred between Lawrence Drive and Auto Center Drive
CO Office Commercial	Office centers with support retail and services	30 ft; multi-unit housing by CUP
CH Highway Commercial	Retail, service and recreation tied to highway travel	40 ft, 70 ft with a CUP; no housing; major auto repair permitted
MX Mixed Use	Housing combined with non-residential uses	1.0 FAR; 10 to 40 units per acre; 25% non-residential ground floor; new development needs a CUP
IS Commercial/Industrial Service	Industrial and service commercial for the community	30 ft; 0.3 FAR; 20,000 sq ft lots
IP Industrial Park	Manufacturing, warehousing and supporting uses	70 ft, up to 90 ft with a CUP; 0.4 FAR
BP Business Park	Campus office, R&D, technology manufacturing	70 ft, up to 90 ft with a CUP; 0.4 FAR; warehousing not allowed

Commercial districts carry a 0.3 FAR, which is low compared with many Bay Area cities, so check the FAR before you plan a pad addition. In the employment districts, the FAR can be exceeded if the decision maker finds the use advances economic development goals and public facilities can serve it.

Employment parks and the I-80 corridor

The east-side employment districts are where Vacaville’s larger buildings go, and the employment chapter is specific about them:

Warehousing. Indoor storage, warehousing and wholesaling are permitted in IS and IP but not in BP. Outdoor storage, self-storage and freight terminals need a CUP.
Research and medical. R&D is permitted in all three districts; medical and dental offices in IP and BP.
General industry. Permitted in IP; a CUP is needed in IS and BP.
Housing in BP. Multi-unit dwellings are possible in BP with a CUP, and supportive housing is permitted there.
Transitions. Next to residential zoning, buildings are held to 35 feet within 50 feet of the boundary and 50 feet out to 75 feet, with setbacks of 30 feet (IS) or 50 feet (IP and BP).
Freeway design. Buildings visible from the freeway need four-sided architecture, and projects of 80,000 square feet or more must provide 10% open space.

Sites in the Northeast Growth Area must also follow its own overlay chapter, 14.09.191.

Nut Tree Airport and Travis AFB: the AE overlay

Vacaville’s Airport Environs overlay covers both the Nut Tree compatibility areas and the Travis AFB area of influence:

Nut Tree Areas A through F each set a persons-per-acre intensity limit and lists of allowed, normally not allowed and prohibited uses, with Area A strictest.
Open land. Areas A through D must keep minimum shares of land suitable for emergency landings: 65%, 50%, 15% and 10%.
Height. Structures may not penetrate the airspace surfaces, and a height review zone adds review for objects over 35 feet.
Easements. Near Nut Tree, an overflight easement to Solano County is required before building permits issue; in the Travis height review zone, an overflight easement is also required.
Travis-specific studies. New or expanded commercial solar needs a glint and glare study, and parts of the outer perimeter need a wildlife hazard analysis.
ALUC referral. Plan amendments, rezonings and height exceptions go to the Solano County Airport Land Use Commission first, and overriding a finding of inconsistency requires a two-thirds council vote.

Transfer tax, business tax and property tax

Vacaville’s real property transfer tax, Section 3.08.020, is 27.5 cents per $500, adopted by Ordinance 657 in 1967 and 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 inside Vacaville should be $0.55 per $500. Vacaville levies business license taxes under Chapter 5.12; we did not verify rates. Under Proposition 13, a change in ownership generally triggers reassessment.

Due diligence that matters in Vacaville

Start with our commercial due diligence checklist, then add:

Pull the base district and every overlay, especially AE, VS, HP and the Northeast Growth Area.
Near Nut Tree, find the compatibility area and its persons-per-acre limit before planning assembly, restaurant or school uses.
Check the 0.3 commercial FAR, or the 0.4 employment FAR, against your expansion plan.
For a bar or nightclub, confirm the site is not on the Lawrence Drive to Auto Center Drive stretch of CG.
Next to homes, apply the transitional height and setback rules.
Ask whether an overflight easement is already recorded or will be required.

Questions people ask

How tall can industrial buildings be in Vacaville?

70 feet in IP and BP, up to 90 feet with a conditional use permit, unless the AE overlay or a residential transition rule sets a lower limit.

Can I build warehouses in the Business Park district?

No. Indoor warehousing and wholesaling are permitted in IS and IP but not BP.

Does the Nut Tree Airport limit what I can build?

Yes. Six compatibility areas set intensity limits and use lists, and the inner areas must keep land open for emergency landings.

Is housing allowed in Highway Commercial zoning?

No. CH does not allow residential uses. MX allows 10 to 40 units per acre with a use permit.

Does Vacaville have a city transfer tax?

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

Does Travis Air Force Base affect Vacaville sites?

Yes. The AE overlay applies Travis rules to its area of influence, including glare studies for commercial solar and overflight easements in the height review zone.

Does Diamond handle commercial property in Vacaville?

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

Sources & notes

Note: Downtown specific plan areas have separate columns in the city’s use tables; we did not review those plans.

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.