Local zoning · Albany

Albany — Development Standards

Q: What can I build on an R-1 lot in Albany?

You can build primarily a single-family dwelling subject to the R‑1 numeric limits in Table 2A: front 15 ft setback, exterior side 7.5 ft , rear 20 ft , and a typical single‑family FAR of 0.55 and height about 28 ft ; check § 20.24.020 for the exact table entries and any overlay rules that apply.

Q: What are Albany’s setback requirements for a typical single-family house?

Table 2A in § 20.24.020 prescribes the table setbacks: commonly 15 ft front, 7.5 ft exterior side, and 20 ft rear in R‑1; other districts and special situations (e.g., second-story additions, daylight planes) may change these amounts — see § 20.24.020 and § 20.24.070 .

Q: How is building height measured in Albany?

Height is measured from the natural grade at the perimeter to the highest point of the structure; exceptions and special rules for hillside lots are in § 20.24.080 and § 20.24.040 .

Q: Do ADUs have different setback/parking rules?

Yes. Albany’s local ADU rules (in § 20.20.080 ) provide specific reduced setbacks, height and parking exceptions for ADUs (for example some ADUs have 3 ft side/rear setbacks and limited or no parking requirement), while also referencing state ADU law — see § 20.20.080 .

Q: Are there different rules on San Pablo Avenue (SPC)?

Yes — the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan / SPC area has its own FAR, height, and upper-story stepback/facing-setback rules (see Table 2B notes and § 20.24.070.C ), and projects there often use specific design guidelines and community-benefit requirements.

Q: Do parking structures count toward FAR in Albany?

Generally enclosed off-street parking is included in FAR calculation , except parking entirely below grade may be excluded; see Table notes in § 20.24.020 and consult the Albany parking standards for how parking interacts with development proposals.

Q: If my lot is in the RHD overlay, how do dimensions change?

RHD adds hillside-focused rules: FAR is typically lower (0.50 for single-family) and there are special height measurement and grading/vegetation protections; see § 20.24.040 plus Table 2A for exact numbers.

Development Standards under the Albany local zoning and planning code, with the controlling citations.

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Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes the development-standards portion of Albany’s zoning/land-use ordinance (primarily Title 20). It focuses on the numeric controls and rules that directly affect what you can build on a parcel: setbacks, height, lot coverage, density, and floor area ratio (FAR), plus daylight-plane and special-area rules. All standards below are drawn from the Albany Municipal Code; citations show the controlling code section (§) and the retrieved ordinance file. For questions about process (permits), historical review, or building-code technical requirements, see the linked procedural pages below.

First mentions of related topics are linked for quick navigation: Albany zoning, parking, design review, overlay districts, ADUs, and the California Building Standards Code. For landscaping or screening requirements see Landscaping and Screening.

How the code is organized (quick)

The primary numeric site rules live in the Tables of Site Regulations: Table 2A (residential) and Table 2B (nonresidential) in § 20.24.020.
Daylight-plane and upper-story stepback rules are in § 20.24.070.
Height measurement and exceptions are in § 20.24.080.
ADU-specific development standards are in § 20.20.080.

District-by-district breakdown (key development standards)

Notes:

When I list a standard, I give the controlling Albany code § and the retrieved file citation. Verify parcel-specific conditions with the City (grade, overlays, easements).
The code distinguishes single-family vs. multifamily standards in many districts; read limits for each building type carefully in § 20.24.020.

R-1 (Single-Family Residential)

Purpose / typical uses: single-family dwellings (primary). See site regulations in § 20.24.020.
Key dimensional standards (typical): Maximum FAR: 0.55 for a single-family dwelling; maximum building height: 28 ft (single-family); front setback: 15 ft; exterior side setback: 7.5 ft; rear setback: 20 ft. These are set in § 20.24.020 (Table 2A).
Density: maximum 12 du/acre (subject to Measure K and notes in Table 2A). § 20.24.020.
Where it applies: standard single-family neighborhoods. Verify if a parcel sits in the RHD Hillside overlay — different RHD rules apply (§ 20.24.040).

R-2 (Residential Medium Density)

Purpose / typical uses: two-family and medium-density residential. See § 20.24.020.
Key dimensional standards: Max density: 35 du/acre; Single-family FAR: 0.55; Height (single-family): 28 ft; front setback: 15 ft; interior side and rear typically 15 ft / 7.5 ft per table notes — see Table 2A. § 20.24.020.

R-3 (Residential High Density)

Purpose / typical uses: multifamily dwellings and higher-density housing. See § 20.24.020.
Key dimensional standards: Maximum density: 63 du/acre (see note); Single-family FAR: 0.55 (where single-family applies); Multifamily FAR may be 1.50 (up to 2.0 in some cases / incentives) — see notes in Table 2A and § 20.24.020 for FAR bonuses and conditions.
Height: up to 35 ft for many multifamily forms (Table 2A and notes).
Additional: when abutting lower-density residential zones, daylight-plane setbacks and additional side/rear setbacks apply — see § 20.24.070.

R-4 (Highest residential)

Purpose / typical uses: densest residential; many site standards may be determined by the Planning & Zoning Commission (use-permit basis) — see § 20.24.020.
Key dimensional standards: Table 2A lists higher maximum densities and special lot-size rules; the Commission may set standards under certain circumstances.

RHD (Residential Hillside Development)

Purpose: hill-area protections, special grading/open-space/vegetation controls in addition to Table 2A standards. See § 20.24.040.
Key dimensional standards: Single-family FAR: 0.50 (Table 2A notes) and special height measurement/provisions for uphill/downhill lots are in the RHD subsection (e.g., downhill max 35 ft measured from midpoint; uphill max 28 ft) — § 20.24.040 and Table 2A notes.

SC (Solano Commercial)

Purpose / typical uses: neighborhood commercial (Solano Ave nodes). See § 20.24.020 and design rules in § 20.24.030.
Key dimensional standards (Table 2B): Mixed-use FAR: 1.25; Commercial portion FAR cap: 1.25; maximum building height: 35 ft (typical). Street-facing build-to rules and node design standards are in § 20.24.030.

SPC (San Pablo Commercial / San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan)

Purpose / typical uses: higher-density, transit-corridor mixed-use; special specific-plan rules apply. See § 20.24.020 and San Pablo Specific Plan subsections in § 20.24.070–.190.
Key dimensional standards: Mixed-use FAR up to 4.0 / 4.5 (varies by circumstance and bonuses); commercial FAR cap 0.95 for pure commercial portion; maximum building height can be 68 ft (85 ft in special cases) per Table 2B notes — see § 20.24.020.
Setback and stepback: San Pablo-specific upper-story stepbacks/abutting-residential standards are in § 20.24.070.C (e.g., 10 ft rear setback, 20 ft upper-story setback above third story up to specified heights).

CMX, WF, PF (Commercial Main, Waterfront, Public Facilities — nonresidential)

Purpose / uses: mixed commercial, waterfront employment, public/quasi-public. See Table 2B (§ 20.24.020) for FAR, heights, and setback rules (e.g., CMX mixed-use FAR 0.5; WF/PF have variable standards).
Height and coverage vary by district and in some cases are determined through design review or use permit (see notes to Table 2B).

Quick decision table — selected, most-used standards

District	Max density / FAR (typical)	Max height (typical)	Typical setbacks (F / S / R)	Code reference
R-1	FAR 0.55 (single-family); max density 12 du/acre	28 ft (single-family)	Front 15 ft / Exterior side 7.5 ft / Rear 20 ft	§ 20.24.020
R-2	FAR 0.55 (single-family) / density 35 du/acre	28 ft (single-family)	Front 15 ft / Side/rear per Table 2A	§ 20.24.020
R-3	Multifamily FAR 1.50 (bonuses available up to 2.0+ in SP areas)	35 ft (multifamily forms)	Front 15 ft / Sides/rear per Table 2A; daylight planes apply	§ 20.24.020; § 20.24.070
RHD	FAR 0.50 (single-family hillsides; other special rules)	28–35 ft depending on slope/location	Table 2A plus RHD special setbacks	§ 20.24.020; § 20.24.040
SC	Mixed-use FAR 1.25	35 ft	Build-to street line; limited front setback in nodes	§ 20.24.020; § 20.24.030
SPC	Mixed-use FAR up to 4.0/4.5 (varies)	68–85 ft in parts of SPC per Table 2B notes	San Pablo stepbacks and facing setbacks apply (see § 20.24.070.C)	§ 20.24.020; § 20.24.070.C

(For full Table 2A and Table 2B numeric detail, see § 20.24.020.)

Important special rules and exceptions

Daylight-plane / stepback rules: where higher-density parcels abut lower-density residential lots, daylight-plane setbacks and additional side/rear offsets apply; figures and detailed prescriptions are in § 20.24.070. These rules can effectively require stepped massing above 28 ft or 20 ft thresholds depending on location.
Height measurement: measured from the natural grade at the perimeter to the highest point; special RHD uphill/downhill rules are in § 20.24.080 and § 20.24.040.
FAR calculation: enclosed off-street parking is generally included in FAR except parking entirely below grade; see Table notes in § 20.24.020. For parking requirements, consult Albany parking.
ADUs: ADU / JADU development standards (setbacks, heights, parking exceptions) are regulated separately in § 20.20.080 — see the Albany ADU page for how these local standards interact with California ADU law.

Checklist — what an applicant must satisfy (high-level)

Confirm parcel zoning (R-1 / R-2 / R-3 / RHD / SC / SPC / CMX / etc.) and any overlay districts (:PR, :P, :WC) that modify standards — § 20.24.020 and overlay subsections.
Calculate allowed FAR (use Table 2A/2B) and whether proposed enclosed parking counts toward FAR — § 20.24.020.
Verify height limit and measurement method (natural grade at perimeter) — § 20.24.080.
Check setbacks (front/side/rear) and daylight plane / stepback requirements where abutting lower-density zones or in San Pablo SPC area — § 20.24.020; § 20.24.070.
If proposing ADU, apply § 20.20.080 ADU standards (reduced/setback/parking rules) and California ADU law where applicable — § 20.20.080.
Determine whether design review, a use permit, or a planned unit development (PUD) procedure is required (PUD applications and allowed exceptions are in § 20.100.060 and related tables).
For San Pablo Avenue projects, consult the San Pablo Specific Plan rules and community-benefit/objective-design standards in § 20.24.190 and related notes.

Risks & Ambiguities (what to double-check)

Issue	Why it matters	What to verify
Grade for height measurement	Height is measured from natural grade at the perimeter, which can differ across the lot and change allowable height.	Confirm grade plane used for your parcel with Community Development (see § 20.24.080)
Daylight-plane application	Daylight planes can require upper-story setbacks even when table setbacks are met; effect depends on adjacent zone and relative grades.	Determine whether adjacent parcel is lower-density and run daylight-plane section per § 20.24.070.
FAR bonuses / exceptions	Notes allow FAR increases (e.g., up to 0.60 or higher with conditions; SPC incentives up to 2.0 or 4.0/4.5).	Check Table 2A/B notes and whether your project qualifies for a FAR increase under § 20.24.020.
ADU interaction with zone standards	State ADU law limits what local standards may require; Albany has specific ADU rules in § 20.20.080 that modify setbacks, height, parking, and FAR calculations.	Verify ADU size/setback exceptions in § 20.20.080 and cross-check with California ADU law.
San Pablo Specific Plan special rules	SPC has unique stepbacks, facing setbacks, and different FAR/height allowances.	Confirm whether parcel is within San Pablo area and review § 20.24.070.C and table notes.
Measure K density cap	Some density changes require voter approval per Measure K (referenced in the code).	Verify allowable density changes and whether an increase would trigger Measure K (§ 20.24.040 and Table notes).

Plain-English Summary

Albany’s Title 20 sets numeric site rules in tables: typical single-family lots in R-1/R-2 are limited to ~0.55 FAR, a 15 ft front setback, small side yards (often 7.5 ft), and height limits around 28 ft for single-family forms; higher-density districts (R-3, SPC) allow much larger FARs and heights but trigger daylight-plane rules and San Pablo-specific stepbacks that can force upper-story setbacks — all spelled out in § 20.24.020, § 20.24.070, and § 20.24.080.

Source References

Albany Municipal Code — Development Regulations (Title 20), § 20.24.010–.020 (Tables of Site Regulations, Table 2A/2B). § 20.24.020. — https://ecode360.com/AL4074 (retrieved ordinance text).
Albany Municipal Code — Setbacks and Daylight Planes, § 20.24.070. — https://ecode360.com/AL4074.
Albany Municipal Code — Hillside Residential (RHD), § 20.24.040. — https://ecode360.com/AL4074.
Albany Municipal Code — Height Limits and Exceptions, § 20.24.080. — https://ecode360.com/AL4074.
Albany Municipal Code — ADU Development Standards, § 20.20.080 (tables for ADU setbacks, height, parking, FAR for multifamily). — https://ecode360.com/AL4074.
Albany Municipal Code — Planned Unit Development procedures and development-plan standards, § 20.100.060. — https://ecode360.com/AL4074.

Sources

Retrieved passages

Albany Zoning Code (§ 20.24.040.) High relevance
Albany Zoning Code (§ 20.20.080) High relevance
Albany Zoning Code (§ 20.24.040) High relevance
Albany Zoning Code (§ 20.24.020) High relevance
Albany Zoning Code (§ 20.24.020) High relevance
Albany Zoning Code (§ 20.24.070) High relevance
Albany Zoning Code (§ 20.24.020) High relevance
Albany Zoning Code (§ 20.24.030) High relevance

Cited sections

Official Albany code library

Frequently asked questions

What can I build on an R-1 lot in Albany?

You can build primarily a single-family dwelling subject to the R‑1 numeric limits in Table 2A: front 15 ft setback, exterior side 7.5 ft, rear 20 ft, and a typical single‑family FAR of 0.55 and height about 28 ft; check § 20.24.020 for the exact table entries and any overlay rules that apply.

What are Albany’s setback requirements for a typical single-family house?

Table 2A in § 20.24.020 prescribes the table setbacks: commonly 15 ft front, 7.5 ft exterior side, and 20 ft rear in R‑1; other districts and special situations (e.g., second-story additions, daylight planes) may change these amounts — see § 20.24.020 and § 20.24.070.

How is building height measured in Albany?

Height is measured from the natural grade at the perimeter to the highest point of the structure; exceptions and special rules for hillside lots are in § 20.24.080 and § 20.24.040.

Can I exceed the listed FAR for my district?

In limited cases the Planning & Zoning Commission may approve a higher FAR (for example up to 0.60 in certain single-family situations, or larger FARs and bonuses in the San Pablo area) subject to findings and conditions described in the Table 2A/B notes in § 20.24.020. Verify eligibility for bonuses and required findings.

Do ADUs have different setback/parking rules?

Yes. Albany’s local ADU rules (in § 20.20.080) provide specific reduced setbacks, height and parking exceptions for ADUs (for example some ADUs have 3 ft side/rear setbacks and limited or no parking requirement), while also referencing state ADU law — see § 20.20.080.

Will I need daylight-plane calculations if my project is near a lower-density lot?

If your project is in a higher-density district abutting a lower-density residential district, daylight-plane rules and supplementary side/rear setbacks will apply (see § 20.24.070). These can force upper-story stepbacks even when ground-floor setbacks meet the table.

Are there different rules on San Pablo Avenue (SPC)?

Yes — the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan / SPC area has its own FAR, height, and upper-story stepback/facing-setback rules (see Table 2B notes and § 20.24.070.C), and projects there often use specific design guidelines and community-benefit requirements.

Do parking structures count toward FAR in Albany?

Generally enclosed off-street parking is included in FAR calculation, except parking entirely below grade may be excluded; see Table notes in § 20.24.020 and consult the Albany parking standards for how parking interacts with development proposals.

If my lot is in the RHD overlay, how do dimensions change?

RHD adds hillside-focused rules: FAR is typically lower (0.50 for single-family) and there are special height measurement and grading/vegetation protections; see § 20.24.040 plus Table 2A for exact numbers.

When will I need design review or a use permit?

Design review and use permits are required for certain accessory structures, planned unit developments, and projects in overlay districts as specified across Title 20 (see § 20.100.030, PUD procedures in § 20.100.060, and design-review cross-references in the applicable district subsections). Verify triggers with Community Development.

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