Albany — Land Use

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes how the City of Albany's Planning and Zoning ordinance controls land use: what uses are permitted or conditional in each zoning district, how permits (major/minor use permits) apply, and the basic site standards that interact with land‑use decisions. The primary land‑use rules are in the Table of Permitted Land Uses (the land‑use table) and the Table(s) of Site Regulations; see § 20.12.040 and § 20.24.020 for the controlling tables and district purposes.

Note on linked resources used below: the ordinance refers to development standards, parking, design review, overlays and accessory dwelling units — those program pages may affect an application. First mentions below link to the City menu pages for those topics: Albany zoning & planning overview, parking, development standards, design review, overlay districts, ADUs, and the California Building Standards Code.

How Albany's ordinance structures land use (quick orientation)

• The master land‑use matrix is Table 1 — Permitted Land Uses by District in § 20.12.040; it uses keys P (permitted), UP (use permit/major), and UP‑M (minor use permit).
• Site and dimensional standards (setbacks, height, lot coverage, FAR) are in Table 2A/2B — Site Regulations by District under § 20.24.020.
• Use permits are governed by § 20.100.030 (major vs. minor use permits, thresholds and procedures).
• Overlay districts (for special controls) are applied by map and have their own rules (for example, Commercial Node, Professional Office, Watercourse, Planned Residential). See § 20.24.030 and related notes.

Below is a district‑by‑district breakdown highlighting the most decision‑relevant land‑use rules and standards (purpose, typical permitted uses, key dimensional standards, and where it applies). Where the ordinance gives a single controlling citation for a rule I note it with the statute symbol and the file citation for verification.

Residential districts — overview (how to read Table 1)

• The residential districts are R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, and RHD (Residential Hillside Development). The general purposes for these districts are listed in § 20.12.050.
• Use permissions (single‑family, two‑family, multifamily, public/quasi‑public, accessory uses) are shown in § 20.12.040 Table 1; note that accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are addressed elsewhere and have special rules — see the City ADU page and local ADU subsection references.

R-1 — Residential Single Family

• Purpose: low‑density housing (General Plan Low Density correspondence). § 20.12.050.
• Typical permitted uses: single‑family dwellings (P); many nonresidential uses are not allowed (consult § 20.12.040 Table 1).
• Key dimensional standards: 15 ft front setback, 20 ft rear setback, maximum building height for single‑family 28 ft (see Table 2A). See § 20.24.020 (Table 2A).
• Where it applies: mapped on the City Zoning Map; boundary questions follow rules in § 20.12.030.

R-2 — Residential Medium Density

• Purpose: moderate density residential; ADUs allowed subject to standards. § 20.12.050.
• Typical permitted uses: two‑family and certain multifamily forms (see § 20.12.040 Table 1).
• Key dimensional standards: 15 ft front setback; side and rear vary by building type; height often 35 ft for multifamily (see Table 2A). § 20.24.020.

R-3 — Residential High Density

• Purpose: high density housing (townhouses, duplexes, apartments). § 20.12.050.
• Typical permitted uses: multifamily dwellings as primary permitted uses; some nonresidential uses require a use permit. See § 20.12.040 Table 1.
• Key dimensional standards: front setbacks 15 ft, building heights noted in Table 2A (refer to § 20.24.020); minimum usable open space rules apply (see § 20.24.090 referenced in the table notes).

R-4 — Residential Towers District

• Purpose: applies to specific high‑rise residential areas on the west side of Albany Hill; distinctive rules and PUD/Use Permit flexibility. § 20.12.050.
• Typical permitted uses: high‑density apartments/condominiums; other uses handled on a case‑by‑case basis—see Table 1 and note that in the R‑4 many standards are determined through the Planning and Zoning Commission with a use permit.
• Key dimensional standards: table lists multiple height strata (e.g., 50/35/28 for different conditions); consult § 20.24.020 Table 2A and the R‑4 notes.

RHD — Residential Hillside Development District

• Purpose: protect slopes, limit grading, preserve natural features on Albany Hill; Hillside rules are supplemental to Table 2A. § 20.24.040.
• Typical permitted uses: single‑ and multifamily consistent with the General Plan and Measure K, with special procedures for larger sites (PUD). § 20.24.040 and § 20.24.020.
• Key dimensional/other standards: additional grading limitations; curb cut width max 20 ft for single family; accessory buildings may require design review; see § 20.24.040 for the detailed list.

Commercial & mixed‑use districts

SC — Service Commercial

• Purpose: local service and retail activities that serve neighborhoods. § 20.12.060.
• Typical permitted uses: neighborhood retail and many service uses (see § 20.12.040 Table 1 for per‑use flags).
• Key dimensional standards: Table 2B lists front yard and lot coverage allowances (refer to § 20.24.020 Table 2B).

SPC — San Pablo / Primary Commercial (Special Plan Commercial)

• Purpose: corridor/commercial center zoning with ground‑floor activation rules. § 20.12.060 and Commerce Node provisions.
• Typical permitted uses: ground‑floor retail, restaurants (some uses require UP or UP‑M); note special restrictions for Kains/Adams frontages and ground‑floor use depth requirements in some opportunity sites (see Table 1 notes). § 20.12.040.
• Key standards: The Commercial Node Overlay (:CN) adds location, massing, pedestrian orientation and limits on ground‑floor parking; see § 20.24.030 for node design standards (build to street line, 0–4 ft exception, service area concealment, parking location).

CMX — Community Mixed Use

• Purpose: higher intensity mixed commercial and residential uses; live/work allowed with special counting rules. See § 20.24.020 notes.
• Typical permitted uses: mixed retail, offices, live/work; many uses need a use permit as noted in § 20.12.040.
• Key standards: Table 2B applies (min lot size, lot width, building heights e.g., 45 ft in some CMX conditions). § 20.24.020.

PF — Public/Quasi‑Public

• Purpose: facilities owned/operated by public or non‑profit entities; site regulations often determined case‑by‑case. § 20.24.020 notes.
• Typical permitted uses: schools, community facilities — check Table 1.

WF — Waterfront

• Purpose: waterfront‑oriented commercial and marine uses; the waterfront has its own permitted use list and special parking schedules. § 20.12.040 notes and Table 5B for parking.

Overlay Districts (examples and what they change)

• Commercial Node Overlay (:CN) — applies to mapped commercial nodes, enforces street‑facing/ground‑floor rules, tighter build‑to‑line and urban design standards. § 20.24.030.
• Professional Office Overlay (:P) — allows professional offices/clinics conditionally and prescribes minimum yards/coverage in addition to the underlying district; see § 20.24.030 notes.
• Watercourse Overlay (:WC) — imposes a 20 ft buffer from top of natural creek bank; buffer may be reduced by use permit. § 20.24.030.
• Planned Residential Overlay (:PR) — allows the Commission to vary standards through conditional use or planned unit development procedures. § 20.24.030.

(Overlay maps and application of overlays are controlled by the City Zoning Map; consult § 20.12.030 for boundary rules.)

Key decision‑relevant table (selected permitted/conditional examples)

For the full, parcel‑specific result consult Table 1 (§ 20.12.040) and its notes — many uses have footnote qualifiers (e.g., size limits, ground‑floor depth requirements, or whether an activity requires a minor vs. major use permit).

Practical guidance / synthesis (how to approach a land‑use question in Albany)

• Step 1: Locate the zoning designation on the City Zoning Map and read Table 1 in § 20.12.040 to see whether your proposed use is P, UP‑M, UP, or not allowed. The table contains many footnotes that change permit type or add size/ground‑floor requirements.
• Step 2: If the use is UP (use permit required), determine whether the project is a major or minor use permit per § 20.100.030 (minor use permits are limited in square footage or dwelling units and may be decided by the Community Development Director).
• Step 3: Check site‑regulation limits in § 20.24.020 Table 2A/2B (setbacks, height, coverage, FAR) and any overlay rules that apply (for CN, P, WC, PR, etc.). Overlay standards can add stricter rules (e.g., 20 ft creek buffer in :WC).
• Step 4: Confirm parking requirements in § 20.28.030; the City sets minimums (and sometimes maximums or UP‑based determinations) and the waterfront has its own schedule. Also confirm if your project will be subject to parking modifications.
• Step 5: Expect that “all construction may be subject to design review” and that design review and development standards can influence approvals; plan to consult the design review and development standards pages early.

Verify site‑specific questions (e.g., lot coverage, exact permitted uses, overlay boundaries) with the City — boundary and mapping uncertainty is addressed in § 20.12.030.

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy for a typical non‑exempt land‑use application)

• Confirm parcel zoning on the Albany Zoning Map and applicable overlay(s). § 20.12.030.
• Determine use classification from Table 1 (§ 20.12.040): P, UP‑M, or UP.
• If UP or UP‑M required, prepare application per § 20.100.030 and the Community Development Department filing requirements.
• Demonstrate compliance with site standards in Table 2A/2B (§ 20.24.020) — setbacks, height, coverage, FAR, usable open space.
• Confirm parking and bicycle parking requirements in § 20.28.030 and prepare parking plans.
• Address overlay or special‑area rules (Commercial Node, Watercourse, Professional Office, Planned Residential) as applicable (§ 20.24.030, § 20.24.040).
• Include design review materials if project may be subject to design review; consult design review.
• For ADUs, follow local ADU rules plus state law; see ADUs and the local ADU subsection references. Not all ADU details are in the land‑use tables; verify with staff.

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English Summary

Albany decides what you can build primarily by where the parcel is zoned and which overlays apply. Look up the parcel on the City zoning map, check the use in Table 1 (§ 20.12.040) to see if your activity is permitted or needs a use permit, then confirm setbacks/height/coverage in Table 2A/2B (§ 20.24.020) and parking in § 20.28.030; overlays and design review often add important additional requirements.

Source References

• Table 1 — Permitted Land Uses by District: § 20.12.040 (Table 1 and notes). — downloaded from https://ecode360.com/AL4074
• District purposes and summaries: § 20.12.050 and § 20.12.060.
• Site Regulations by District (Table 2A/2B): § 20.24.020 (site regulations, FAR, setbacks, height).
• Hillside / RHD supplemental rules: § 20.24.040.
• Overlay district standards including Commercial Node and Professional Office rules: § 20.24.030.
• Use permits: major vs. minor thresholds and procedures: § 20.100.030.
• Parking schedules and bicycle parking: § 20.28.030 (Table 5A/5B).
• Zoning map and boundary rules: § 20.12.030.

(These excerpts were taken from the City of Albany Planning and Zoning code as captured from ecode360 on 2026‑05‑11. For parcel‑specific determinations, contact Albany Community Development and review the live code and map.) https://ecode360.com/AL4074

Retrieved passages

• Albany Zoning Code (§ 20.100.030) High relevance show source text
• Albany Zoning Code (§ 20.24.040.) High relevance show source text
• Albany Zoning Code (Section 20.20.070.B.1) High relevance show source text
• Albany Zoning Code (§ 20.24.030) High relevance show source text
• Albany Zoning Code (§ 20.24.030) High relevance show source text
• Albany Zoning Code (§ 20.24.020) High relevance show source text
• Albany Zoning Code (§ 20.12.040) High relevance show source text
• Albany Zoning Code (§ 20.24.030) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Table 1 — Permitted Land Uses by District: **§ 20.12.040** (Table 1 and notes). — downloaded from (§ 20.12.040)
• District purposes and summaries: **§ 20.12.050** and **§ 20.12.060**. (§ 20.12.050)
• Site Regulations by District (Table 2A/2B): **§ 20.24.020** (site regulations, FAR, setbacks, height). (§ 20.24.020)
• Hillside / RHD supplemental rules: **§ 20.24.040**. (§ 20.24.040)
• Overlay district standards including Commercial Node and Professional Office rules: **§ 20.24.030**. (§ 20.24.030)
• Use permits: major vs. minor thresholds and procedures: **§ 20.100.030**. (§ 20.100.030)
• Parking schedules and bicycle parking: **§ 20.28.030** (Table 5A/5B). (§ 20.28.030)
• Zoning map and boundary rules: **§ 20.12.030**. (§ 20.12.030)
• Albany_ZoningCode.md

• Official Albany code library