Earlier editions: 2026-09
Redwood City Municipal Code § 4.1 Purpose
Redwood City Municipal Code · 2026-10 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · Redwood City
Cite as: Redwood City Municipal Code § 4.1 · Text as of 2026-10-04
4.1 - Purpose.¶
This Article specifies permitted, conditionally permitted, and prohibited uses in residential zoning districts within the City.
(Ord. No. 1130-386, § 4(Exh. A), 7-24-23)
4.2 - Use Regulations in Residential Zoning Districts.¶
A. Districts Defined. Residential Zoning Districts consist of RH, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5, and MH. Individual development standards and further regulations are found in individual Articles for each zoning district.
B. Land Uses. Table 4.2 (Use Regulations for Residential Zoning Districts) indicate the uses permitted (P), permitted with a conditional use permit (C), and not permitted (—). Any other use not explicitly addressed in Table 4.2 is prohibited, except that the Zoning Administrator may permit or conditionally permit any use not addressed in Table 4.2 if the use is determined to be a similar and/or compatible use to any use in Table 4.2 and meets the purpose and intent of the Zoning District.
C. Applicable Regulations. The last column of the table (Specific Use Regulations) references specific requirements for the use, though other provisions in the Zoning Ordinance may also apply.
D. Accessory Uses.
- Dwelling Unit. The following accessory uses shall be permitted in conjunction with a dwelling unit in Residential Zoning Districts:
a. Accessory Dwelling Units (Government Code Sections 66310 through 66339.5, as they may be amended from time to time).
b. Family Child Care Homes (Article 39).
c. Home Occupations (Section 31.12).
d. Short-Term Rentals (Section 31.3).
e. Accessory Structures, Fences, and Other Improvements (Article 36 Exterior Site Improvements).
- Incidental to Civic Uses. The following accessory uses are permitted in conjunction with uses listed under "Civic Uses" in Table 4.2.
a. Retail and service.
b. Restaurant.
c. Office uses.
E. Table 4.2 Uses Allowed in Residential Zoning Districts.
| P Permitted by Right C Requires a Use Permit — Prohibited | RH | R-1 | R-2 | R-3 | R-4 | R-5 | MH | Subject to Additional Regulations in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential and Specialty Housing 1, 2 | Residential and Specialty Housing 1, 2 | Residential and Specialty Housing 1, 2 | Residential and Specialty Housing 1, 2 | Residential and Specialty Housing 1, 2 | Residential and Specialty Housing 1, 2 | Residential and Specialty Housing 1, 2 | Residential and Specialty Housing 1, 2 | Residential and Specialty Housing 1, 2 |
| Single-Family Dwelling | P | P | P | P | P | P | — | |
| SB 9 Project | P | P | — | — | — | — | — | Section 5.10 - SB 9 Project |
| Two-Family Dwelling, Duplex | — | — | P | P | P | P | — | |
| Multi-Family Dwelling | — | — | P | P | P | P | — | |
| Live/Work | — | — | — | — | — | C | — | Section 31.4 (Live/ |
| Mobile Home Park | — | — | — | — | — | — | P | |
| Care Facilities | Care Facilities | Care Facilities | Care Facilities | Care Facilities | Care Facilities | Care Facilities | Care Facilities | Care Facilities |
| Adult Day Program | C | C | C | C | C | C | — | |
| Child Care Center 3 | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | Article 39 (Child Care Facilities) |
| Senior Residential Care Facility 3 | C | C | P | P | P | P | — | See Section 31.2 (Building Intensity Limits for Residential Care Facilities and Skilled Nursing Facilities) |
| General Residential Care Facility 3 | C | C | P | P | P | P | — | See Section 31.2 (Building Intensity Limits for Residential Care Facilities and Skilled Nursing Facilities) |
| Residential Care Facility, Small | P | P | P | P | P | P | — | |
| Skilled Nursing Facility 3 | — | — | — | — | C | C | — | See Section 31.2 (Building Intensity Limits for Residential Care Facilities and Skilled Nursing Facilities) |
| Group Home 3 | — | — | — | P | P | P | — | |
| Civic | Civic | Civic | Civic | Civic | Civic | Civic | Civic | Civic |
| Assembly and Meeting Facility 3 | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | |
| School | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | |
| Public Use | C | C | C | C | C | C | C |
Footnotes:
Transitional housing and supportive housing shall be considered a residential use of property and shall be subject only to those restrictions that apply to other residential dwellings of the same type in the same zone.
Supportive housing, as defined in Government Code Section 65650, shall be a use by right in all zones where multifamily and mixed uses are permitted.
In accordance with applicable San Carlos ALUCP Safety Compatibility policies and State law.
(Ord. No. 1130-386, § 4(Exh. A), 7-24-23; Ord. No. 1130-890, § 4(Exh. A), 8-26-24; Ord. No. 1130-892, § 5(Exh. A), 7-27-26)
Get a plain-English answer with a citation back to this text.
Ask AI about this code