§ 14.04 — San Rafael Zoning Code

14.04.010 - Specific purposes. ¶

In addition to the general purposes listed in Section 14.01.030, the specific purposes of the residential zoning districts include the following:

A.

To provide a wide variety of housing opportunities in terms of housing types, and neighborhoods with varying densities, lot sizes, and development standards;

B.

To protect and enhance existing residential neighborhoods through retention of existing land development patterns and retention of their varied design character;

C.

To promote new residential development compatible with environmental site constraints and nearby neighborhood development;

D.

To provide opportunities for churches, day care facilities, residential care facilities and other uses which are considered to be compatible and desirable land uses within residential neighborhoods;

E.

To provide outdoor recreational amenities for residents;

F.

To ensure the provision of public services and facilities needed to accommodate planned residential densities;

G.

To promote sensitive hillside residential design.

The additional purposes of each residential zoning district follow.

H.

Single-Family Residential Districts (R5, R7.5, R10, R20, R1a, R2a).

1.

The single-family residential districts provide opportunities for low-density, detached single-family residential development. Development densities are based on existing development patterns in the area and environmental site constraints. In hillside areas, development shall conform to the hillside development standards and review procedures established in Chapter 14.12, Hillside Development Overlay District.

2.

Single-family residential districts include hillside resource residential land use categories with minimum densities of two (2) or more acres for minimum lot sizes; hillside residential and residential estate categories with densities from twenty thousand (20,000) square foot to two (2) acre lot minimums; and low-density residential land use categories with densities ranging from five thousand (5,000) square foot to twenty thousand (20,000) square foot lot minimums.

I.

Duplex Residential District (DR).

1.

The duplex residential district provides opportunities for single-family and duplex residential development. As a transitional area between single-family and multifamily districts, an intent of the district is to maintain the design character of single-family districts.

2.

The duplex residential district is included in the medium-density residential land use category with a density of two thousand five hundred (2,500) square feet per dwelling unit.

J.

Multifamily Residential Districts: Medium-Density (MR2, MR2.5, MR3, MR5).

1.

The medium-density residential districts provide opportunities for a mixture of residential types, including detached single-family residences, duplexes and multifamily dwellings at medium densities. Desired styles of development within this district include garden apartments and condominiums.

2.

Medium-density multifamily residential districts are included in the medium-density residential land use category with densities ranging from two thousand (2,000) square feet to three thousand (3,000) square feet per dwelling unit.

K.

Multifamily Residential Districts: High-Density (HR1, HR1.5, HR1.8).

1.

The high-density residential districts provide opportunities for high-density multifamily residential development.

2.

High-density multifamily residential districts are included in the high-density residential land use category with densities ranging from one thousand (1,000) square feet to one thousand eight hundred (1,800) square feet per dwelling unit.

L.

Planned Development District (PD). Planned development districts on large residential lots promote clustering of residences to avoid sensitive portions of the site. Densities are consistent with the general plan and typically are low. See Chapter 14.07, Planned Development District, for additional information.

(Ord. 1625 § 1 (part), 1992).

14.04.020 - Land use regulations (R, DR, MR, HR, PD).

P: Permitted by right; C: Conditional use permit; A: Administrative use permit; Blank: Not allowed.

Table 14.04.020

Type of Land Use	R	DR	MR	HR	PD	Additional Use Regulations
Residential Uses
Single-family residential	P	P	P	P	C
Duplex residential	P*	P	P	P	C	*Pursuant to regulations and restrictions outlined in Section 14.16.282
Multifamily residential			P	P	C
Accessory dwelling unit (ADU)	P	P	P	P	P	See standards, Section 14.16.285
Junior accessory dwelling unit (JADU)	P	P	P	P	P	See standards, Section 14.16.285
Animal keeping	A	A	A	A	A	See standards, Chapter 14.17.020 See Chapter 6.04
Boardinghouse or roominghouse			C	C	C
Conversion of senior housing to nonsenior housing	C	C	C	C	C
Emergency shelters for the homeless
Permanent				C		See standards, Section 14.16.115
Temporary or rotating	C	C	C	C	C

Home occupations	P	P	P	P	P	See standards, Chapter 14.16
Mobile home parks				C	C	See standards, Chapter 14.17
Residential care facilities for the handicapped
Small (0—6 residents)	P	P	P	P	C
Large (7 or more residents)	P	P	P	P	C
Residential care facilities, other
Small (0—6 residents)	P	P	P	P	C
Large (7 or more residents)				C	C
Visitor Accommodations
Bed and breakfast inns	C*		C	C	C	*On nonhillside lots, 20,000 square feet or larger.
Hotels and motels				C	C
Day Care
Day care facility, child or adult
Family day care home
Small (0—8 children or adults)	P	P	P	P	P
Large (9—14 children)	A	A	A	A	A	See standards, Chapter 14.17
Large (9—14 adults)	C	C	C	C	C
Day care center (15 or more children or adults)	C*	C	C	C	C*	*Prohibited in R2a, R1a and PD districts, and R20 hillside residential lots.
Public, Quasi-Public and Community Uses
Clubs and lodges, including youth groups			C	C	C
Community gardens	P	P	P	P	P	Subject to performance standards outlined in Chapter 14.17.
Open space	P	P	P	P	P
Public parks, playgrounds and recreation facilities	P	P	P	P	P

Religious institutions	C*	C	C	C	C*	*Prohibited in R2a, R1a and PD- hillside districts, and R20 hillside residential lots.
Schools
Public	P*	P	P	P	C*	*Prohibited in R2a, R1a and PD- hillside districts, and R20 hillside residential lots.
Parochial, private	C*	C	C	C	C*	*Prohibited in R2a, R1a and PD- hillside districts, and R20 hillside residential lots.
Use of closed school sites	C*	C	C	C	C*	May include: child care programs; educational, recreational, cultural and religious classes, programs, and activities; administrative ofces incidental to educational service uses; churches; counseling groups and those private business uses which would be permitted as home occupations. *Prohibited in R2a, R1a, and PD-hillside districts, and R20 hillside residential lots.
Ofces and Related Uses
Medical services (medical, dental and health-related services with sale of articles clearly incidental to the services provided)
Hospitals				C	C
Major medical facilities, including extended care facilities (treatment and convalescent) and children's treatment facilities			C	C	C
Commercial Uses
Plant nurseries and garden supply		C	C	C	C
Transportation Facilities

Parking lot, public or private			C	C	C	See regulations, Chapter 14.18
Accessory Structures and Uses
Accessory structures and uses customarily incidental to a permitted use and contained on the same site	P	P	P	P	P	See regulations, Chapter 14.16

(Ord. 1838 § 18, 2005; Ord. 1831 § 1 (part), 2004; Ord. 1802 § 2, 2003: Ord. 1663 § 1 (part), 1994; Ord. 1652 § 1, 1993; Ord. 1641 § 1 (part), 1993; Ord. 1625 § 1 (part), 1992).

(Ord. No. 1882, Exh. A, § 7, 6-21-2010; Ord. No. 1923, § 2(Exh. A), 6-16-2014; Ord. No. 1924, § 1, 9-152014; Ord. No. 1937, § 1, 1-19-2016; Ord. No. 1964, § 2(Exh. B) § 2, 11-19-2018; Ord. No. 2002, div. 5, 126-2021; Ord. No. 2013, § 4, 8-1-2022)

14.04.030 - Property development standards (R).

N.R.: Not required unless otherwise noted in Additional Standards. Note: See Chapter 14.16, Site and Use Regulations, for additional regulations pertaining to site development standards. See Chapter 14.23, Variances, and Chapter 14.24, Exceptions, for allowable adjustments to these standards. See Chapter 14.25, Environmental and Design Review Permits, a listing of improvements subject to review (including upper story additions), and design guidelines and criteria for development.

Table 14.04.030

	R2a	R1a	R20	R10	R7.5	R5	Additional Standards
Minimum lot area (sq. ft.)	2 acres	1 acre	20,000	10,000	7,500	5,000/6,000 (corner)	(I)
Minimum lot width (ft.)	150	150	100	75	60	50/60 (corner)	(I)
Minimum yards
Front (ft.)	20	20	20	20	15	15	(A), (B)
Side/street side (ft.)	15	15	12′6″	10	6	10% of lot width, min. 3′, max. 5′	(C), (D), (H)
Rear (ft.)	25	25	10	10	10	10	(H)

Maximum height of structure (ft.)	30	30	30	30	30	30	(E), (H)
Maximum lot coverage	20%	25%	30%	40%	40%	40%
Maximum upper story foor size	50%/75% of lot coverage calculation	50%/75% of lot coverage calculation	50%/75% of lot coverage calculation	50%/75% of lot coverage calculation	50%/75% of lot coverage calculation	50%/75% of lot coverage calculation	(E), (F), (G)
Private yard area	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR
Parking	*	*	*	*	*	*	* Based on use. See 14.18.040., (H)

(A)

Where two (2) or more lots in a block have been improved with buildings, the minimum required shall be the average of improved lots on both sides of the street for the length of the block. For purposes of determining average front setback on developed lots, setback should be measured from the property line to closest wall of any principal structure.

(B)

Where there is a driveway perpendicular to the street, any garage built after January 1, 1992, or carport built after January 1, 2006, shall be set back twenty feet (20′).

(C)

On a reverse corner lot, the rear twenty feet (20′) of the street side yard shall have a fifteen-foot (15′) setback.

(D)

In the R7.5, R10 and R20 districts, where two (2) or more lots in a block have been improved with buildings, the minimum required shall be the average of improved lots within the same district on both sides of the street for the length of the block.

(E)

In the -EA Combining District, maximum height of seventeen feet (17′) to peak, and one habitable floor.

(F)

For design criteria for upper-story construction, see Section 14.25.050(F)(6), Upper-Story Additions.

(G)

For lots less than five thousand (5,000) square feet, the maximum upper story shall be fifty percent (50%) of the maximum lot coverage calculation; for lots five thousand (5,000) square feet or larger, maximum upper story size shall be seventy-five percent (75%) of maximum lot coverage calculation.

(H)

See Section 14.16.282.C. for property development standard applicable to SB 9 Housing Developments.

(I)

Parcels created through Chapter 15.155 (Urban Lot Splits) are exempt from these standards.

Diagram for Section 14.04.030

==> picture [360 x 350] intentionally omitted <==

(Ord. 1838 § 19, 2005; Ord. 1820 § 1, 2004; Ord. 1802 § 3, 2003; Ord. 1663 § 1 (part), 1994; Ord. 1625 § 1 (part), 1992).

(Ord. No. 1882, Exh. A, §§ 8, 9, 6-21-2010; Ord. No. 2002, div. 6, 12-6-2021; Ord. No. 2013, § 4, 8-1-2022)

14.04.040 - Property development standards—Duplex residential (DR), medium density residential (MR), high density residential (HR).

NA: Not applicable.

Note: See Chapter 14.16, Site and Use Regulations, for additional regulations pertaining to other site development standards, Chapter 14.23, Variances, Chapter 14.24, Exceptions, for allowable adjustments to these standards, and Chapter 14.25, Environmental and Design Review Permits, for a listing of improvements subject to review (including addition of new units or additions of floor area to existing units) and design guidelines and criteria for development.

Table 14.04.040

Table 14.04.040
	DR	MR5	MR3	MR2.5	MR2	HR1.8	HR1.5	HR1	Additional Standards
Minimum lot area (sq. ft.)	5,000/6,000 (corner)	6,000	6,000	6,000	6,000	6,000	6,000	6,000
Minimum lot area/dwelling unit (sq. ft.) (Max. residential intensity)	2,500	5,000	3,000	2,500	2,000	1,800	1,500	1,000	(B), (C)
Minimum lot width (ft.)	50/60 (corner lot)	60	60	60	60	60	60	60
Minimum yards
Front (ft.)	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	(D), (E)
Side (ft.)	10% of lot width, min. 3′, max. 5′	10	10	10	10	10% of lot width, min. 3′, max. 5′	10% of lot width, min. 3′, max. 5′	10% of lot width, min. 3′, max. 5′
Street side (ft.)	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	(E), (F), (G)
Side providing pedestrian access (ft.)	NA	15	15	15	15	12	12	12	(F), (N)
Rear (ft.)	10	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	(F), (H), (I)
Distance between res. structures

No primary pedestrian access to structures (ft.)	NA	15	15	15	15	8	8	8	(N)
Primary pedestrian access to structures (ft.)	NA	20	20	20	20	20	20	20
Maximum height of structure (ft.)	30	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	(J), (K)
Maximum lot coverage	40%	40%	50%	50%	50%	60%	60%	60%
Minimum usable outdoor area (common and/or private)/Dwelling unit (sq. ft.)	200	200	200	200	200	150	150	100	(L)
Landscaping	50% front and street side yards	50% front and street side yards	50% front and street side yards	50% front and street side yards	50% front and street side yards	50% front and street side yards	50% front and street side yards	50% front and street side yards	(M)
Parking	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	* Based on use. See Section 14.18.040.

(A)

Intentionally not used.

(B)

The minimum lot area for a boarding house is five hundred (500) square feet per guest room.

(C)

A density bonus may be granted, as provided for in Section 14.16.030 (Density bonus).

(D)

Where two (2) or more lots in a block have been improved with buildings, the minimum required shall be standard, or the average of improved lots on both sides of the street for the length of the block, whichever is less.

(E)

Where there is a driveway perpendicular to the street, any garage built after January 1, 1991, shall be set back twenty feet (20′).

(F)

Parking and maneuvering areas, excluding access driveways, shall be prohibited in all required yards, per Section 14.18.200 (Location of parking and maneuvering areas) of this title.

(G)

In the DR and MR district, on a reverse corner lot, the rear twenty feet (20′) of the street side shall have a fifteen-foot setback.

(H)

In the MR or HR districts, where development is adjacent to a single-family district, the rear yard setback shall be ten feet (10′).

(I)

In order to provide adequate privacy and sunlight, additional separation may be required through design review.

(J)

The height limit in the Latham Street neighborhood is specified in the Downtown San Rafael Precise Plan Form-Based Code adopted by separate ordinance.

(K)

A height bonus may be granted, as provided for in Section 14.16.190 (Height bonus).

(L)

Private yard areas shall have a minimum dimension of six feet (6′). In the HR districts, common indoor area suitable for recreational uses may be counted toward the usable outdoor area requirement.

(M)

Where a driveway is located in a side yard, a minimum of three feet (3′) of buffer landscaping shall be provided between the driveway and side property line. The required rear yard shall be landscaped to provide a buffer.

(N)

Setback distances apply to areas that provide a primary pedestrian access only.

(Ord. 1838 § 20, 2005; Ord. 1694 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1996; Ord. 1663 § 1 (part), 1994; Ord. 1625 § 1 (part), 1992).

(Ord. No. 1882, Exh. A, §§ 10, 11, 6-21-2010; Ord. No. 1990, div. 1.1, 3-1-2021; Ord. No. 1996, div. 2(Exh. A, 4.1), 8-16-2021)

Chapter 14.05 - COMMERCIAL AND OFFICE DISTRICTS