Palo Alto City Zoning Code
Complete index of all zoning chapters, sections, and subsections
CHAPTER 18
01 ADOPTION, PURPOSES, AND ENFORCEMENT
Sections
- 18.01.010 Adoption of Zoning Map and Zoning Regulations
- 18.01.020 Purposes
- 18.01.025 Zoning Code Interpretation
- 18.01.030 Compliance with Regulations
- 18.01.040 Regulations Minimal
- 18.01.050 Conflict with Other Regulations
- 18.01.060 Noncompliance a Public Nuisance
- 18.01.070 Remedies Cumulative
- 18.01.080 Violations - Penalties
- 18.01.085 Enforcement - Criminal Enforcement Authority
CHAPTER 18
08 DESIGNATION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF DISTRICTS
Sections
- 18.08.010 Designation of General Districts
- 18.08.020 Designation of Combining Districts
- 18.08.030 References to Districts
- 18.08.040 Zoning Map and District Boundaries
- 18.08.050 Areas Not Shown on Zoning Map
- 18.08.060 Use and Interpretation of Zoning Map
- 18.08.070 Application of Regulations to Sites Divided by Zone Boundaries
- 18.08.080 Interpretation of Land Use Classifications
CHAPTER 18
10 LOW-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL RE, R-2 and RMD DISTRICTS
Sections
- 18.10.010 Purposes
- 18.10.020 Applicable Regulations
- 18.10.030 Land Uses
- 18.10.040 Development Standards
- 18.10.050 Permitted Encroachments, Projections and Exceptions
- 18.10.060 Parking
- 18.10.070 Accessory and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units
- 18.10.080 Accessory Uses and Facilities
- 18.10.090 Basements
- 18.10.100 Standards for Agricultural Uses
- 18.10.110 Home Improvement Exceptions
- 18.10.120 Architectural Review
- 18.10.130 Historical Review and Incentives
- 18.10.140 Neighborhood Preservation Combining District (NP)
- 18.10.150 Grandfathered Uses
CHAPTER 18
12 R-1 SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT*
Sections
- 18.12.010 Purposes
- 18.12.020 Applicable Regulations
- 18.12.030 Land Uses
- 18.12.040 Site Development Standards
- 18.12.050 Permitted Encroachments, Projections and Exceptions
- 18.12.060 Parking
- 18.12.070 Accessory and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units
- 18.12.080 Accessory Uses and Facilities
- 18.12.090 Basements
- 18.12.100 Regulations for the Single Story Overlay (S) Combining District
- 18.12.110 Single Family Individual Review
- 18.12.120 Home Improvement Exceptions
- 18.12.130 Architectural Review
- 18.12.140 Historical Review and Incentives
- 18.12.150 Grandfathered Uses
CHAPTER 18
13 MULTIPLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL RM-20, RM-30 AND RM-40 DISTRICTS
Sections
- 18.13.010 Purposes
- 18.13.020 Applicable Regulations
- 18.13.030 Land Uses
- 18.13.040 Development Standards
- 18.13.045 Increased Floor Area for Housing Developments of 3-10 Units
- 18.13.050 Village Residential Development
- 18.13.055 General Standards, Exceptions, and Performance Criteria
- 18.13.060 Multiple Family Context-Based Design Criteria and Objective Design Standards
- 18.13.070 Grandfathered Uses
CHAPTER 18
14 HOUSING INCENTIVES
Sections
- 18.14.010 Purpose
- 18.14.020 Housing Element Opportunity Sites and Focus Areas
- 18.14.030 Housing Incentive Program
- 18.14.040 Affordable Housing Incentive Program
- 18.14.050 By Right Status of Qualifying Projects on Specified Housing Opportunity Sites.
- 18.14.060 By Right Affordable Housing and Supportive Housing Projects.
CHAPTER 18
15 DENSITY BONUS
Sections
- 18.15.010 Purpose and Applicability
- 18.15.020 Definitions
- 18.15.030 Density Bonuses
- 18.15.035 Additional Density Bonus
- 18.15.040 Development Standards for Affordable Units
- 18.15.050 Development Concessions and Incentives
- 18.15.060 Waiver/Modification of Development Standards
- 18.15.070 Child Care Facilities
- 18.15.080 Application Requirements
- 18.15.090 Review Procedures
- 18.15.100 Regulatory Agreement
CHAPTER 18
16 NEIGHBORHOOD, COMMUNITY, AND SERVICE COMMERCIAL CN, CC and CS DISTRICTS
Sections
- 18.16.010 Purposes
- 18.16.020 Applicable Regulations
- 18.16.030 Definitions
- 18.16.040 Land Uses
- 18.16.050 Office Use Restrictions
- 18.16.060 Development Standards
- 18.16.065 Increased Floor Area for Housing Developments of 3-10 Units
- 18.16.070 Parking and Loading
- 18.16.080 Performance Standards
- 18.16.090 Context-Based Design Criteria and Objective Design Standards
- 18.16.100 Grandfathered Uses
CHAPTER 18
18 DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL CD DISTRICT
Sections
- 18.18.010 Purposes
- 18.18.020 Applicable Regulations
- 18.18.030 Definitions
- 18.18.050 Land Uses
- 18.18.060 Development Standards
- 18.18.065 Increased Floor Area for Housing Developments of 3-10 Units
- 18.18.070 Floor Area Bonuses
- 18.18.080 Transfer of Development Rights
- 18.18.090 Parking and Loading
- 18.18.100 General Standards, Exceptions, and Performance Standards
- 18.18.110 Context-Based Design Criteria and Objective Design Standards
- 18.18.120 Noncomplying (Grandfathered) Uses and Facilities
CHAPTER 18
24 Contextual Design Criteria and Objective Design Standards
Sections
- 18.24.010 Purpose and Applicability
- 18.24.020 Public Realm/Sidewalk Character
- 18.24.030 Site Access
- 18.24.040 Building Orientation and Setbacks
- 18.24.050 Building Massing
- 18.24.060 Façade Design
- 18.24.070 Residential Entries
- 18.24.080 Open Space
- 18.24.090 Materials
- 18.24.100 Sustainability and Green Building Design
CHAPTER 18
28 SPECIAL PURPOSE PF, OS and AC DISTRICTS
Sections
- 18.28.010 Purposes
- 18.28.020 Definitions
- 18.28.030 Applicable Regulations
- 18.28.040 Land Uses
- 18.28.050 Site Development Standards
- 18.28.060 Additional PF District Design Requirements
- 18.28.070 Additional OS District Regulations
- 18.28.080 Additional AC District Design Requirements
- 18.28.090 Parking and Loading
- 18.28.100 (Reserved)
CHAPTER 18
29 NORTH VENTURA NV DISTRICT REGULATIONS
Sections
- 18.29.010 Purpose
- 18.29.020 Applicability of Regulations
- 18.29.030 Zoning Districts
- 18.29.040 Definitions
- 18.29.050 Permitted Uses
- 18.29.060 Development Standards
- 18.29.070 Parking and Loading
- 18.29.080 Context-Based Design Criteria and Objective Design Standards
- 18.29.090 Housing Incentive Programs for NV District
- 18.29.100 Non-conforming Uses and Non-Complying Facilities
- 18.29.110 Transportation Demand Management Plan
CHAPTER 18
30 COMBINING DISTRICTS
Sections
- Chapter 18.30(A) RETAIL SHOPPING (R) COMBINING DISTRICT REGULATIONS
- Chapter 18.30(B) PEDESTRIAN SHOPPING (P) COMBINING DISTRICT REGULATIONS
- Chapter 18.30(C) GROUND FLOOR (GF) COMBINING DISTRICT REGULATIONS
- Chapter 18.30(D) HOTEL (H) COMBINING DISTRICT REGULATIONS
- Chapter 18.30(E) LANDSCAPE (L) COMBINING DISTRICT REGULATIONS
- Chapter 18.30(F) AUTOMOBILE DEALERSHIP (AD) COMBINING DISTRICT REGULATIONS
- Chapter 18.30(G) SITE AND DESIGN (D) REVIEW COMBINING DISTRICT REGULATIONS
- Chapter 18.30(H) FLOODPLAIN (F) DISTRICT REGULATIONS
- Chapter 18.30(I) NONCONFORMING USE AMORTIZATION (N) COMBINING DISTRICT
- Chapter 18.30(K) WORKFORCE HOUSING (WH) COMBINING DISTRICT REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 18
34 PEDESTRIAN AND TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT PTOD COMBINING DISTRICT REGULATIONS
Sections
- 18.34.010 Purposes
- 18.34.020 Applicability
- 18.34.030 Land Uses
- 18.34.040 Pedestrian and Transit Oriented Development (PTOD) Combining District Regulations
- 18.34.050 Pedestrian and Transit Oriented Development (PTOD) Combining District Context-Based Design Criteria and Objective Design Standards
- 18.34.060 Review Process
- 18.34.070 Non-conforming Uses and Non-complying Facilities
CHAPTER 18
36 HOSPITAL HD DISTRICT
Sections
- 18.36.010 Purposes
- 18.36.020 Applicable Regulations
- 18.36.030 Definitions
- 18.36.040 Land Uses
- 18.36.050 Development Standards
- 18.36.060 Parking and Loading
- 18.36.070 Tree Preservation
- 18.36.080 Signs
- 18.36.090 Historic Review
- 18.36.100 Architectural Review
- 18.36.110 Grandfathered Uses
- 18.36.120 Consistency with Development Agreement
CHAPTER 18
38 PC PLANNED COMMUNITY DISTRICT REGULATIONS
Sections
- 18.38.010 Specific purposes.
- 18.38.020 Applicability of regulations.
- 18.38.030 Permitted uses.
- 18.38.040 Conditional uses.
- 18.38.050 Establishment of districts.
- 18.38.060 Required determinations.
- 18.38.065 Application process.
- 18.38.070 Application requirements.
- 18.38.080 Development program statement.
- 18.38.090 Development plan.
- 18.38.100 Development schedule.
- 18.38.110 Action by commission.
- 18.38.120 Action by council.
- 18.38.130 Change in development schedule.
- 18.38.140 Failure to meet development schedule.
- 18.38.150 Special requirements.
- 18.38.160 Inspections.
- 18.38.170 Recycling storage.
- 18.38.180 Safe parking.
CHAPTER 18
40 GENERAL STANDARDS AND EXCEPTIONS
Sections
- 18.40.010 Purposes
- 18.40.020 Application
- 18.40.030 Measurement
- 18.40.040 Separation Between Buildings
- 18.40.050 Location and Use of Accessory Buildings
- 18.40.060 Permitted Uses and Facilities in Required Yards
- 18.40.070 Projections into Yards
- 18.40.080 Substandard Lots
- 18.40.090 Height Exceptions
- 18.40.100 Setback Map
- 18.40.110 Utility Easements
- 18.40.120 Hazardous Conditions
- 18.40.130 Landscaping
- 18.40.140 Stream Corridor Protection
- 18.40.150 Storm Water Quality Protection
- 18.40.160 Replacement Project or Discretionary Review Required
- 18.40.170 Deferral of Director's Action
- 18.40.180 Retail Preservation
- 18.40.190 Application Withdrawal by Applicant or Director
- 18.40.200 New Application Submittal Required
- 18.40.210 Annual Office Limit
- 18.40.220 Growth Management.
- 18.40.230 Rooftop Gardens
- 18.40.240 Refuse Disposal Areas
- 18.40.250 Lighting
- 18.40.260 Visual Screening and Landscaping
- 18.40.270 Air Quality
CHAPTER 18
42 STANDARDS FOR SPECIAL USES
Sections
- 18.42.010 Purposes
- 18.42.020 Application
- 18.42.030 Accessory Uses and Facilities
- 18.42.040 Late Night Uses and Activities
- 18.42.050 Temporary Uses
- 18.42.060 Home Occupations
- 18.42.070 Vehicle Equipment Repair and Storage
- 18.42.080 Reverse Vending Machines
- 18.42.090 Alcoholic Beverages
- 18.42.100 Mobile Homes (Manufactured Housing)
- 18.42.110 Wireless Communication Facilities
- 18.42.120 Resource Conservation Energy Facilities
- 18.42.140 Housing Inventory Sites Small Lot Consolidation
- 18.42.150 Cannabis Cultivation and Commercial Activities
- 18.42.160 SAFE PARKING.
- 18.42.170 PF District Safe Parking
- 18.42.180 Standards for Two Units on Single Family Zoned Lots Pursuant to Senate Bill 9.
- 18.42.185 Standards for Up to Ten Units on Lots Subdivided Pursuant to Senate Bill 684
- 18.42.190 Noise and Vibration
- 18.42.200 Hazardous Materials
- 18.42.210 Firearms Dealers
- 18.42.220 Standards for Up to Ten Units Pursuant to Senate Bills 684 and 1123
CHAPTER 18
52 PARKING AND LOADING REQUIREMENTS
Sections
- 18.52.010 Purpose
- 18.52.020 Definitions
- 18.52.030 Basic Parking Regulations
- 18.52.040 Off-Street Parking, Loading and Bicycle Facility Requirements
- 18.52.045 Adjustments to Existing Parking Facilities
- 18.52.050 Adjustments by the Director
- 18.52.060 Parking Assessment Districts and Areas - General
- 18.52.070 Parking Regulations for CD Assessment District
- 18.52.080 Adjustments to Parking Assessment Area Requirements by the Director
CHAPTER 18
60 ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR STANFORD LANDS
Sections
- 18.60.010 Purpose
- 18.60.020 Definitions
- 18.60.030 Applicability
- 18.60.040 Relation of Overlay District to Other Land Use Regulations
- 18.60.050 Alternative Standards Overlay District One (AS1): Housing and Mixed Use at El Camino Site
- 18.60.060 Alternative Standards Overlay District Two (AS2): Housing at Upper California Site
- 18.60.070 Alternative Standards Overlay District Three (AS3): Community Soccer Fields at Mayfield Site
CHAPTER 18
70 NONCONFORMING USES AND NONCOMPLYING FACILITIES
Sections
- 18.70.010 General application.
- 18.70.020 Nonconforming use - Expansion.
- 18.70.030 Nonconforming use - Change.
- 18.70.040 Nonconforming use - Discontinuance.
- 18.70.050 Nonconforming use - Maintenance and repair of facility.
- 18.70.060 Nonconforming use - Replacement of facility.
- 18.70.070 Nonconforming use - Required termination.
- 18.70.080 Noncomplying facility - Enlargement.
- 18.70.090 Noncomplying facility - Maintenance and repair.
- 18.70.100 Noncomplying facility - Replacement.
- 18.70.110 Determination of value.
- 18.70.120 Determination of age.
- 18.70.130 Certificate of use and occupancy.
- 18.70.140 Unsafe buildings.
CHAPTER 18
76 PERMITS AND APPROVALS
Sections
- 18.76.010 Conditional Use Permit (CUP)
- 18.76.015 Additional Findings for Specified Retail Uses
- 18.76.020 Architectural Review
- 18.76.025 Multi-Family Residential Projects Exempt from Architectural Review
- 18.76.030 Variance
- 18.76.040 Neighborhood Preservation Exception
- 18.76.050 Design Enhancement Exception (DEE)
- 18.76.060 Reserved
CHAPTER 18
77 PROCESSING OF PERMITS AND APPROVALS
Sections
- 18.77.010 Purpose and Scope
- 18.77.020 Applications
- 18.77.030 Determination of Completeness
- 18.77.040 Time Limits for Review
- 18.77.050 Review Procedures - Summary
- 18.77.060 Standard Staff Review Process
- 18.77.070 Architectural Review Process.
- 18.77.073 Streamlined Housing Development Project Review Process
- 18.77.074 Ministerial and By Right Review Process
- 18.77.075 Low-density Residential Review Process
- 18.77.077 Over the Counter Project Review Process
- 18.77.080 Notice
- 18.77.090 Expiration of Approvals
- 18.77.100 Duration of Permits
- 18.77.110 Revocation or Modification of Approvals
- 18.77.120 Reserved
CHAPTER 18
80 AMENDMENTS TO ZONING MAP AND ZONING REGULATIONS
Sections
- 18.80.010 Amendments
- 18.80.020 Changes in District Boundaries
- 18.80.030 Application by Property Owner
- 18.80.035 Application for Single-Story Overlay Districts
- 18.80.040 Initiation by City
- 18.80.050 Action by Director
- 18.80.060 Notice of Public Hearing
- 18.80.070 Action by Commission
- 18.80.080 Changes in Regulations
- 18.80.090 Recommendations by Planning Commission
- 18.80.100 Action by City Council
- 18.80.110 Resubmittal of Application
- 18.80.120 Prezoning