Colma — Development Standards

Last reviewed: July 1, 2026

Overview

This page extracts and explains the Colma zoning ordinance rules that govern development standards — setbacks, height, lot coverage, density and related site controls — so applicants and owners know what the local code actually requires. It is drawn from the Town of Colma Zoning Code (Chapter 5.03) and cites the controlling code sections. For rules about building construction (Title 24) or state housing law interpretations see the linked resources below; this page stays focused on the local development standards and how they vary by district.

First, a few helpful links to Colma pages referenced below: Colma’s zoning overview, rules about parking, the town’s land‑use / development standards, design review, overlay districts, ADUs, and the California Building Standards Code.

District-by-district development standards

Below are district-specific summaries (purpose / common uses / key dimensional controls / where it applies). All numeric controls are quoted from the Colma Zoning Code; each paragraph cites the controlling §.

R — Residential (single‑family / general residential)

• Purpose & typical uses: Single‑family dwellings, accessory buildings, and limited multifamily as allowed by the Land Use Table; accessory units (ADUs/JADUs) are specifically regulated in Chapter 5.03.100 et seq. See Table 3 for permitted uses.
• Key dimensional standards (typical): Front setback: 15 ft; Side setbacks: 10% of lot width or 10 ft, whichever is less; Rear setback: 25% of total lot area (but not more than 25 ft, and often 15 ft for one‑story — see note below); Maximum height: 36 ft; Minimum lot width (average): 33.33 ft; Minimum depth: 100 ft; Maximum density: 13 du/acre. These controls are summarized in the Residential Zone standards and Table 1. § 5.03.082 .
• Where it applies: Applies to parcels mapped as R on Colma’s zoning map; zone boundary rules are in § 5.03.060.

Practical note: the front setback rule in § 5.03.082 also requires that at least 60% of the front setback area be landscaped (not paved).

R‑S — Sterling Park Neighborhood (smaller‑lot residential)

• Purpose & typical uses: Neighborhood residential with slightly different bulk controls to reflect Sterling Park character. See § 5.03.082 and Table 1 for permitted uses (similar to R).
• Key dimensional standards: Front setback: 15 ft (with special garage setback rules: 19 ft from property line to face of garage), Side setbacks: 10% of lot width or 10 ft, Maximum height: 27 ft, Min lot width: 33.33 ft, Min lot depth: 100 ft. § 5.03.082

Mixed‑Use / Multifamily Residential

• Purpose & typical uses: Multifamily buildings and mixed residential/retail developments. Specific dimensional standards are referenced to § 5.03.082 and the Mixed‑Use table in Chapter 5.03. See Table 1/3 for uses.
• Key dimensional standards: Referenced in § 5.03.082; the code points to the Mixed‑Use specific table for front/side/rear setbacks and other controls. Verify parcel‑specific standards in the zoning map and the Mixed‑Use table. § 5.03.082

C — Commercial

• Purpose & typical uses: Retail, professional offices, restaurants, commercial centers; residential uses within C follow the same residential rules as R where allowed. § 5.03.133 and the Land Use Table list permitted and conditional uses.
• Key dimensional standards for commercial/light industrial uses: Front setback: 5 ft (20 ft for commercial center); Side & rear setbacks: typically 5 ft (20 ft where commercial center); Maximum lot coverage: 50%; Maximum height: 40 ft (42 ft on Mission Road); Minimum lot width: 33.33 ft; minimum depth: 100 ft. See § 5.03.133.

Practical note: the code requires that parking and loading are provided on site and points to the parking standards in § 5.03.232; residential uses in C are subject to the residential setbacks and open‑space rules in § 5.03.082.

E — Executive / Administrative

• Purpose & typical uses: Office/administrative campuses and executive uses. See the E‑zone development standards in § 5.03.172.
• Key dimensional standards: Minimum avg width: 33.33 ft; minimum depth: 100 ft; Front setback: 5 ft (30 ft where facing El Camino Real); Side & rear: 5 ft; Max site coverage: 50%; Max height: 36 ft. § 5.03.172

PD — Planned Development

• Purpose & typical uses: Large or integrated developments where site‑specific standards are set as part of a PD approval. See § 5.03.185–187 for PD rules and required Detailed Development Plan submittal items.
• Key dimensional approach: PD districts do not have a single numeric table; instead the Detailed Development Plan establishes minimum building site, minimum lot dimensions, maximum site coverage, minimum yards (setbacks), maximum heights, parking, EV charging, and private open space, and those standards become part of the Use Permit. § 5.03.187

Practical note: PD approvals must demonstrate compliance with the findings in § 5.03.185 and submit the Detailed Development Plan elements listed in § 5.03.186 (including floor‑area and density tabulations).

F — Flood Overlay

• Purpose & typical uses: The F zone overlays other zones to regulate development in flood‑prone areas adjacent to Colma Creek. The F zone adds special development controls and is in addition to the base zone standards. See § 5.03.215–217.

Practical note: Because the F zone overlays base zoning, the applicable development standard is the sum of base zone rules plus the additional restrictions in § 5.03.215–217 (e.g., restrictions on filling, grading, and building in flood hazard areas).

Key numeric table — decision‑relevant standards

How special topics interact with development standards

• Parking: Colma requires on‑site parking per the Parking Standards Table; the minimums are referenced in § 5.03.232 but AB 2097 (state law) and colocation near high‑quality transit can eliminate minimums for some projects (see PD and AB 2097 note). § 5.03.232 and § 5.03.187
• ADUs: Accessory dwelling units have a special, partly state‑preempted regime in Chapter 5.03.100–112. Colma implements State Exempt ADU rules (Government Code § 66323) and local objective standards only where allowed; typical local controls include 4‑ft side/rear setbacks for ADUs, detached ADU height up to 18 ft (20 ft in some multi‑family contexts), and ministerial processing timelines. See § 5.03.100–112. Colma ADUs and state ADU law shape what the town can require.
• Design review and discretionary approvals: Where the code requires Council approval of design (for many commercial and PD projects) the design element is discretionary and tied to findings in the PD/use permit chapters; see § 5.03.187 for PD design standards and § 5.03.185 for findings. Design review is therefore frequently triggered for larger or PD projects.
• Overlays & special zones: Overlay districts (for example, F) add requirements on top of base‑zone standards; always cross‑check base‑zone rules with overlay rules in § 5.03.215–217. See Colma Overlay Districts.
• California Building Standards Code: Structural and life‑safety requirements are governed by the California Building Standards Code (Title 24). Local development standards do not replace Title 24 compliance; verify both sets of rules. Not enforced here — see the state code link above.

Note: Floor‑area ratio (FAR) is not published as a universal numeric cap in the R/C/E tables returned in the retrieved materials; PD approvals require an FAR tabulation as part of the Detailed Development Plan, but explicit blanket FAR values for each base zone were Not found in retrieved materials. Verify with the jurisdiction for parcel‑specific FAR limits.

Checklist — what an applicant must satisfy (at minimum)

• Confirm zoning map designation and any overlays (F, PD, etc.) — see § 5.03.060.
• Meet base zone numeric standards for setbacks, height, lot coverage, minimum lot width/depth, and density in the applicable zone (examples: R: 15 ft front, 36 ft max height; C: 5 ft front, 40 ft height) — see § 5.03.082, § 5.03.133, § 5.03.172.
• Compute parking demand using § 5.03.232 and Table 4; confirm whether AB 2097 transit proximity exemptions apply.
• If proposing ADU(s), confirm which ADU pathway applies (State Exempt vs. local objective standards) and comply with § 5.03.100–112; ADUs may have special setback and height rules (e.g., 4 ft side/rear setbacks; detached ADU height up to 18 ft).
• If project is PD or requires a Use Permit, include the Detailed Development Plan elements: density/FAR tabulation, elevations, landscaping, parking, grading, utilities per § 5.03.186 and meet the findings in § 5.03.185.
• If in an F flood overlay, supply required flood studies and comply with § 5.03.215–217.

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English summary

Colma’s zoning code (Chapter 5.03) sets clear base‑zone dimensional limits: most residential lots follow the R rules (front 15 ft, side 10% or 10 ft, rear variable, max height 36 ft, up to 13 du/acre), commercial lots typically allow 5 ft front setbacks and heights up to 40 ft, and Planned Developments set site‑specific controls. ADUs follow a partly state‑controlled regime with separate setback and height allowances. Always confirm overlays (flood) and parking rules for your parcel. See the cited code sections below for the precise text.

Source References

• § 5.03.082 — Residential zone development standards and Table 1 (front/side/rear setbacks, heights, lot dimensions, density).
• § 5.03.133 — C Zone development standards (commercial setbacks, lot coverage, heights).
• § 5.03.172 — E Zone (Executive/Administrative) development standards.
• § 5.03.185–187 — Planned Development (PD) findings, Detailed Development Plan submittal requirements, and PD design standards.
• § 5.03.100–112 — ADU/JADU rules (State Exempt ADUs, local objective standards, ministerial processing).
• § 5.03.232 — Parking Standards (referenced by zone tables).
• § 5.03.215–217 — Flood overlay (F zone) regulations.

If you need the exact ordinance wording, consult the Town of Colma Zoning Code (Chapter 5.03) and the specific sections above; where I summarize requirements I cite the controlling code section(s).

Retrieved passages

• Colma Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Colma Zoning Code (Section 5.03.232) High relevance show source text
• Colma Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Colma Zoning Code (§ 5.323) High relevance show source text
• Colma Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Colma Zoning Code (section 66323) High relevance show source text
• Colma Zoning Code (section 5.03.186) High relevance show source text
• Colma Zoning Code (§ 5.323) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• **§ 5.03.082** — Residential zone development standards and Table 1 (front/side/rear setbacks, heights, lot dimensions, density). (§ 5.03.082)
• **§ 5.03.133** — **C** Zone development standards (commercial setbacks, lot coverage, heights). (§ 5.03.133)
• **§ 5.03.172** — **E** Zone (Executive/Administrative) development standards. (§ 5.03.172)
• **§ 5.03.185–187** — Planned Development (PD) findings, Detailed Development Plan submittal requirements, and PD design standards. (§ 5.03.185)
• **§ 5.03.100–112** — ADU/JADU rules (State Exempt ADUs, local objective standards, ministerial processing). (§ 5.03.100)
• **§ 5.03.232** — Parking Standards (referenced by zone tables). (§ 5.03.232)
• **§ 5.03.215–217** — Flood overlay (F zone) regulations. (§ 5.03.215)
• Colma_ZoningCode.md

• Official Colma code library