Corte Madera — Land Use

Last reviewed: July 1, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what Corte Madera's zoning ordinance (Title 18) says about allowed and conditional land uses, the principal zoning districts, and the development rules that control what you may put on a parcel. Use classifications, the town's development standards, and which uses need a use permit are set in Title 18; the ordinance also cross‑references parking, design review, and overlay rules that frequently control feasibility. The ordinance's purpose and how the map + regulations work are described in § 18.02.030 and § 18.02.040 (zoning purpose and contents) .
First occurrences of technical topics are linked: the town's zoning overview and the town's Zoning pages are the gateway; specific implementation actions normally require compliance with development standards, parking rules, design review, any overlay districts that apply, and (where relevant) Corte Madera's ADU rules ADUs and the statewide California Building Standards Code.

District-by-district breakdown (what you need to know)

Note: below each district title I give the local district name used in the ordinance, typical permitted/conditional uses, the most important dimensional standards, and where the district is intended to apply. All items are grounded to the ordinance by the cited code sections.

R-1, R-1-A, R-1-B, R-1-C — Single‑family residential districts

• Purpose / where applied: Standard single‑family residential districts and variants. The ordinance treats these as the baseline residential zone family of districts and ties lot standards and FAR rules to lot size and subdistrict (see standards below) § 18.08.040 and related development standards in § 18.08.220 and § 18.08.320 .
• Typical permitted uses: single‑family dwellings and other residential uses listed in the Permitted Uses Tables; accessory structures and accessory dwelling units are regulated elsewhere (see the ADU chapter) § 18.08.020 and § 18.31 (ADU rules — see ADU link) .
• Dimensional & development controls (high‑priority items):
  • Front yard: minimum 15–25 ft depending on lot size; see § 18.08.220(a) for the split at 7,500 sq ft (15 ft if <7,500 sq ft; 20 ft if ≥7,500 sq ft) .
  • Side yards (permitted uses): 5–6 ft (varies by lot size); corner side yard larger (10–15 ft) § 18.08.220(b) .
  • Rear yard: 25–35 ft minimum depending on district/use and whether conditional (see § 18.08.220(d) and § 18.08.320(d) for R‑1‑A) .
  • Height: generally 30 ft maximum (see § 18.08.320(f) and related measuring rules) .
  • Coverage / FAR: Lot coverage caps and FAR formulas are district‑specific (see § 18.08.220(e) and § 18.08.320(g) for R‑1‑A) .
• Permits & review notes: Projects that exceed standards or trigger design objectives may require design review (see design review) and any deviation may require a variance or conditional use per Chapter § 18.26 and § 18.30 .

MX‑1 — Mixed Use (Tamal Vista Corridor)

• Purpose / where applied: Implements the Tamal Vista Boulevard mixed‑use corridor strategy; intended to allow residential and nonresidential uses to coexist and reinforce neighborhood commercial services § 18.13.100 .
• Typical permitted uses: A broad list of retail, office and service uses are allowed; the ordinance provides a use table where many retail and personal services are Permitted (P) and others are Conditional (C)—for example apparel stores (P), banking (C), restaurants (some conditional); residential uses are allowed with caveats § 18.13.020 and the MX‑1 permitted/conditional use table (table text) .
• Dimensional & key standards:
  • FAR: Non‑residential FAR caps are specified; general MX FAR and special hotel FAR bonus rules are in § 18.13.145 and § 18.13.040 (hotel bonus up to 0.70 FAR with findings) .
  • Setbacks/landscaping/parking: MX projects must meet adjacency yard and landscaping rules and off‑street parking per Chapter § 18.20 (see parking link) and design review per § 18.13.010 and § 18.13.020 .
• Permits & review notes: Mixed‑use developments are tightly linked to design review, FAR allocations, and special findings for FAR/height bonuses; nonconforming or conditional uses require a use permit under Chapter § 18.26 .

C‑2 — Regional Shopping District

• Purpose / where applied: Areas intended for a wide range of retail and services that serve a regional market—e.g., the Town Center and Market Place § 18.12.200 .
• Typical permitted uses: Broad retail, department stores (some conditional), offices and services; specific use permissions are given in the C‑2 rules and cross‑reference the Permitted/Conditional Uses Tables § 18.12.200–§ 18.12.255 .
• Dimensional & key standards:
  • Minimum front yard: 60 ft for typical C‑2 sites § 18.12.215 .
  • Side/rear yards: Often none required except where standard subsection 18.12.040 applies; double‑frontage lots and corner lots have special rules § 18.12.220–225 .
  • Height: typically 35 ft maximum § 18.12.235 .
  • FAR: Gross floor area limits (example 0.34 FAR) are applied in many commercial districts § 18.12.230 .
• Permits & review notes: Sign rules are controlled separately (see Signage); parking and loading must comply with Chapter § 18.20 and many C‑2 projects are subject to design review § 18.12.150 .

Public and Semipublic Facilities District (title in code: public and semipublic facilities)

• Permitted uses: Town‑dedicated open space, facilities owned/operated by public agencies, limited emergency shelter uses and the keeping of chickens in compliance with Chapter § 18.21 § 18.16.305 .
• Conditional uses: public parks, schools, utility structures, parking accessory to public uses, and other public installations upon use‑permit § 18.16.310 .
• Development controls: Front/side/rear yards and height rules fall back to adjacent residential district standards where relevant; landscaping and parking are required per § 18.16.035–055 and § 18.20 .

FC — Flood Control and Drainage Facilities District

• Applies to public flood/drainage installations. Height, yard, and other standards generally reference Chapter § 18.16; conditional uses (drainageways, pump stations, ancillary facilities) require a use permit per § 18.16.105 .

POS — Parks, Open Space and Natural Habitat District

• Permitted uses: preservation/restoration areas, open space conveyed to public/trustees, keeping of chickens subject to Chapter § 18.21, and emergency shelters if they meet town standards § 18.16.205 .
• Conditional uses: limited nature centers, parking accessory to public uses, grading/landscape alterations, and other site‑appropriate public facilities with a use permit § 18.16.210; wetlands get a 100‑ft buffer where shown in the General Plan § 18.16.215 .

W — Waterbodies / Waterways District

• Applies to San Francisco Bay and primary creeks; water‑borne recreation is explicitly permitted § 18.16.405, with habitat‑related or safety uses allowed conditionally via a use permit § 18.16.410 .

Quick reference table — selected decision‑relevant provisions

Practical guidance & synthesis

• Start with the use tables in each district: Corte Madera's ordinance places most day‑to‑day clarity in the Permitted/Conditional Use tables rather than a single uniform list — see § 18.13.020 for MX‑1 and the tables referenced in each district chapter .
• If your proposed activity appears as P in the district table, you still must meet the district's setbacks, coverage, FAR, landscaping and parking rules (the ordinance repeatedly cross‑references Chapter 18.20 for parking and Chapter 18.30 for design review) — e.g., MX and C‑2 refer projects to off‑street parking and design review § 18.13.010, § 18.12.145, § 18.16.050 . Link: parking.
• If the use is C (conditional), you need a use permit through Chapter § 18.26; the ordinance sets findings and site‑specific conditions the Planning Commission may impose § 18.16.105 and related district conditional‑use lists .
• Design and visual compatibility matter: many districts require design review (see § 18.12.150, § 18.16.055) and the town can approve less than maximum FAR to meet design standards § 18.08.320(g) .
• Overlays and special zones can change the base rules — always check whether an overlay district or historic designation applies to the parcel before relying on base district permissions § 18.02.040 .

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy before permits or construction)

• Confirm the zoning district on the Official Zoning Map and read the district chapter to see if the use is P or C (use table in district chapter) § 18.02.040, § 18.13.020 .
• If use is C, prepare a use permit application under Chapter § 18.26 with the required findings and plans § 18.16.105 .
• Confirm applicable setbacks, height, lot coverage and FAR in the district chapter (e.g., § 18.08.220, § 18.12.215, § 18.13.145) .
• Provide off‑street parking and loading per Chapter § 18.20; prepare parking calculations and layout § 18.16.050, § 18.12.145 .
• Prepare landscaping/screening (see Chapter § 18.24 and landscaping and screening) § 18.16.045, § 18.24.110 .
• Determine whether design review applies and submit required design materials per § 18.30 and the district (see design review) § 18.16.055 .
• If proposing housing, evaluate affordable‑housing and density bonus rules under § 18.24 (inclusionary and density bonus provisions) .
• Check overlays, historic preservation, and special flood or wetland buffers (e.g., 100‑ft buffer for wetlands in § 18.16.215) .
• Verify ADU eligibility separately under the ADU chapter and state ADU law (see ADUs and California ADU law) — local ADU rules are codified in Chapter § 18.31 .

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English summary

Corte Madera's Title 18 lays out which uses are allowed in each zone and ties permission to a district‑specific use table plus yard, FAR, coverage, parking and design standards; some uses are allowed outright, others need a use permit, and many projects also require design review and compliance with parking and landscaping chapters § 18.13.020, § 18.12.145, § 18.16.050 .

Source References

• Corte Madera Municipal Code (Title 18, Zoning) — zoning purpose + contents: § 18.02.030, § 18.02.040
• Residential district development standards and R‑1‑A rules: § 18.08.220, § 18.08.320
• MX‑1 Mixed Use district purpose and uses: § 18.13.100, § 18.13.020, FAR rules § 18.13.145, hotel bonus § 18.13.040
• C‑2 Regional Shopping district rules (setbacks, FAR, height): § 18.12.200–235 (notably § 18.12.215, § 18.12.230, § 18.12.235)
• Public and semipublic facilities district permitted/conditional uses: § 18.16.305–310
• Flood control district conditional uses: § 18.16.100, § 18.16.105
• Parks/Open Space (POS) permitted/conditional uses and wetland buffers: § 18.16.200–215 (wetland buffer § 18.16.215)
• Waterbodies/Waterways (W) district permitted uses: § 18.16.400–410 (water‑borne recreation § 18.16.405)
• Design review cross‑references in district chapters: § 18.16.055, § 18.12.150, § 18.13.010
• Off‑street parking cross‑references: district references to Chapter 18.20 (e.g., § 18.16.050, § 18.12.145)
• Affordable housing and related development requirements: Chapter § 18.24 (affordable housing requirements, protected units)

Information Gaps

• A complete, downloadable consolidated "Permitted and Conditional Use Table" image or single printed table for all districts was not provided in the retrieved snippets; the ordinance refers to tables embedded in multiple district sections. Full, formatted use‑tables should be checked on the town's official code website or from planning staff. Not found in retrieved materials.
• Parcel‑specific applicability of overlay districts, hotel bonus maps, or official zoning map parcel boundaries requires review of the Official Zoning Map (on file in the Planning Department). Not found in retrieved materials (map itself) — verify with the jurisdiction.
• Detailed Chapter 18.20 parking ratios are referenced repeatedly but were not fully excerpted in the retrieved snippets; consult the full Chapter 18.20 for per‑use parking counts. Not fully shown in retrieved materials.

Retrieved passages

• Corte Madera Zoning Code (§ 3) High relevance show source text
• Corte Madera Zoning Code (Section 18.30.070) High relevance show source text
• Corte Madera Zoning Code (§ 3) High relevance show source text
• Corte Madera Zoning Code (§ 3) High relevance show source text
• Corte Madera Zoning Code (Section 18.08.020) High relevance show source text
• Corte Madera Zoning Code (§ 6) High relevance show source text
• Corte Madera Zoning Code (§ 3) High relevance show source text
• Corte Madera Zoning Code (Chapter 18.20) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Corte Madera Municipal Code (Title 18, Zoning) — zoning purpose + contents: **§ 18.02.030**, **§ 18.02.040** (Title 18)
• Residential district development standards and R‑1‑A rules: **§ 18.08.220**, **§ 18.08.320** (§ 18.08.220)
• MX‑1 Mixed Use district purpose and uses: **§ 18.13.100**, **§ 18.13.020**, FAR rules **§ 18.13.145**, hotel bonus **§ 18.13.040** (§ 18.13.100)
• C‑2 Regional Shopping district rules (setbacks, FAR, height): **§ 18.12.200–235** (notably **§ 18.12.215**, **§ 18.12.230**, **§ 18.12.235**) (§ 18.12.200)
• Public and semipublic facilities district permitted/conditional uses: **§ 18.16.305–310** (§ 18.16.305)
• Flood control district conditional uses: **§ 18.16.100**, **§ 18.16.105** (§ 18.16.100)
• Parks/Open Space (POS) permitted/conditional uses and wetland buffers: **§ 18.16.200–215** (wetland buffer **§ 18.16.215**) (§ 18.16.200)
• Waterbodies/Waterways (W) district permitted uses: **§ 18.16.400–410** (water‑borne recreation **§ 18.16.405**) (§ 18.16.400)
• Design review cross‑references in district chapters: **§ 18.16.055**, **§ 18.12.150**, **§ 18.13.010** (§ 18.16.055)
• Off‑street parking cross‑references: district references to Chapter **18.20** (e.g., **§ 18.16.050**, **§ 18.12.145**) (§ 18.16.050)
• Affordable housing and related development requirements: Chapter **§ 18.24** (affordable housing requirements, protected units) (§ 18.24)
• CorteMadera_ZoningCode.md

• Official Corte Madera code library