Daly City — Land Use

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page explains how land use (what you can put on a parcel) is controlled in Daly City under Title 17 — Zoning. It sticks to the zoning rules that establish permitted, conditionally permitted, and prohibited uses by district and summarizes the dimensional limits that drive whether a project is allowed or must seek a use permit. For the citywide framework see Daly City Zoning and for the numeric rules see Daly City Development Standards. § 17.02.030 requires compliance with Title 17 for any use or structure .

Notes on links used in this page: the first natural mention of each related topic below hyperlinks to the corresponding Daly City reference page (parking, design review, overlays, ADUs, development standards, zoning, and the state building code).

How to read the code here (quick)

• Where the code lists a use as permitted (no use permit) the code lets that use proceed subject to development standards in the district and any citywide requirements (e.g., parking). See § 17.02.030 .
• Where the code lists a use as conditionally permitted the project needs a use permit per Chapter 17.44; those discretionary approvals are described in the Use Permit/Administrative Use Permit chapters and appeals process in Chapter 17.49 .
• Overlay or combining districts can add rules or require additional submittals (for example the -RP combining district). See Daly City Overlay Districts and the specific overlay sections below.

District-by-district (selected, Daly City-specific)

Note: each district subsection lists the stated purpose, typical permitted/conditional uses, key dimensional standards shown in the table headers of the code, and where the district is applied when the code says so. Always verify parcel-specific designation on the zoning map.

BRM — BART Multiple-family District

• Purpose: Encourage higher-density, multi-family housing near BART and transit-supportive development. (§ 17.13.010) .
• Typical permitted uses: small apartment buildings, courtyard apartments, townhouses, flats, duplexes (permits follow R-1/R-2 regulations where applicable). (§ 17.13.010) .
• Key dimensional standards: Maximum height 45 ft, Minimum lot area 5,000 sq ft, Minimum lot width 50 ft, Front yard 5–10 ft, Rear yard 15 ft, Max lot coverage 60%. (§ 17.13.010) .
• Where it applies: BART-area parcels designated by the zoning map; tied to the city’s transit-area policies. Verify parcel zoning on the city map. (§ 17.13.010) .

R-4 — Multiple-family Residential & Professional District

• Purpose: Allow larger multi-family and professional-office uses while preserving lot standards. (§ 17.14.010) .
• Typical permitted uses: All uses permitted in R-1, R-2, R-3 plus multiple-family dwellings subject to objective design rules. (§ 17.14.010) .
• Key dimensional standards: for multifamily the code sets a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) 3.5:1, Minimum lot area 10,000 sq ft, Minimum lot width 100 ft, Maximum lot coverage 70%, Front yard 15 ft, Rear yard 10 ft, plus density metrics. (§ 17.14.010) .
• Where it applies: Larger multi-family neighborhoods and locations identified on the zoning map. Verify with the jurisdiction.

C-MU — Commercial Mixed-Use District

• Purpose: Encourage vertical mixed-use (retail at ground floor, housing or office above) and higher residential density along core corridors. (§ 17.58.010–020) .
• Typical permitted uses: Multiple-family dwellings (when combined with street-level retail), live/work units, accessory dwelling units (ADUs) (per city ADU standards), offices, restaurants (no drive-through), pharmacies, personal services, and many retail uses. (§ 17.58.030) .
  • Accessory and temporary retail (farmers markets, food trucks) are explicitly allowed in certain configurations. (§ 17.58.030) .
• Conditional uses: Animal hospitals, arcades, urgent care/hospitals, vehicle rental and storage, pharmacies with drive-through, and some temporary food sales when not subordinate to an existing use—these require a use permit. (§ 17.58.030) .
• Prohibited: stand-alone parking lots, many automotive uses, drive-through restaurants, and firearm retailing beyond specified limits. (§ 17.58.030) .
• Where it applies: Parcels primarily along Mission Street and Geneva Avenue and parts of the BART Station Area Specific Plan; see the zoning map and the chapter’s applicability statement. (§ 17.58.020) .

BOC — BART Office Commercial District

• Purpose: Support office and higher-intensity commercial development around BART stations. (§ 17.17.010) .
• Typical permitted uses: Class A office, financial institutions, administrative/business/professional offices, research & development, and limited ground-floor convenience retail as allowed in the specific plan. (§ 17.17.010) .
• Conditional uses: Medical clinics require a use permit. (§ 17.17.010) .
• Key dimensional standards: Maximum height six stories (not to exceed 90 ft), Minimum lot area 5,000 sq ft, Minimum lot width 50 ft, Minimum lot coverage 75%. (§ 17.17.010) .
• Where it applies: BART station-adjacent office parcels: see the zoning map and BART-specific plan references. (§ 17.17.010) .

C-1 — Light Commercial District

• Purpose: Neighborhood-level retail and personal services with compact development standards. (§ 17.18.010) .
• Typical permitted uses: art studios, bakeries (retail), banks, barber/beauty shops, bookstores, and many neighborhood-serving retail and personal services. (§ 17.18.010) .
• Key dimensional standards in the use table: Maximum height 36 ft, Minimum lot area ~2,500–3,000 sq ft, Minimum lot width 25–33 ft, front yard often none where storefronts are expected (with specific exceptions). (§ 17.18.010) .
• Where it applies: Small commercial nodes and corridors; see the zoning map.

OS — Open Space District

• Purpose: Preserve public and private open space for recreation, conservation and related uses. (§ 17.23.010–020) .
• Typical permitted uses: active and passive recreation, educational and cultural uses, agriculture/horticulture, and related accessory uses. (§ 17.23.030–040) .
• Conditional uses: New structures or additions that increase coverage beyond minor recreational structures require a use permit. (§ 17.23.050) .
• Where it applies: Parcels designated open space in the General Plan and zoning map. (§ 17.23.020) .

M — Industrial District

• Purpose: Allow industrial, assembly and other employment uses while avoiding incompatible uses near residences. (§ 17.22.010) .
• Typical permitted uses: Uses allowed in C-2 except certain listed exclusions; light industrial uses (assembly/manufacturing), with screening required for open storage when adjacent to residential. (§ 17.22.010) .
• Dimensional notes: The M district references the C-2 tables for many dimensional and use controls; screening and setbacks apply where adjacent to residential. (§ 17.22.010) .
• Where it applies: Industrial/employment areas shown on the zoning map.

Quick reference table — selected decision-relevant standards and permitted uses

Practical guidance & synthesis (plain-English, but code-grounded)

• If your proposed use is listed under the district’s "Permitted Uses" you generally do not need a use permit — but you still must meet the district’s dimensional standards, the citywide parking requirements, and any overlay/combine-district rules (for example -RP), plus any objective design standards. See § 17.58.030 (C-MU) and § 17.13.010 (BRM) for examples . (See Daly City Parking and Daly City Development Standards.)
• If the use is listed as a conditional use the project requires a use permit and review against findings in Chapter 17.44 and the administrative/appeals process in Chapter 17.49; expect public notice/hearing and possible conditions on the approval (§ 17.49.080–110) . (See Daly City Variances and Exceptions for departures.)
• Overlay or combining districts such as -RP (Resource Protection) can add new application content (e.g., geotechnical reports), limit otherwise-allowed development, or prevail over the underlying zone where inconsistent. See § 17.27.010–040 for the -RP combining district requirements. . (See Daly City Overlay Districts.)
• Many commercial districts include the phrase that an unlisted use "similar to or not more objectionable than a permitted use" may be allowed subject to the same conditions — this gives the director some discretion and means you should check early with planning to see where your business fits (§ 17.18.010; § 17.15.010). .
• For projects adding housing, the code references objective design standards and cross-references other chapters (e.g., the Density Bonus chapter, objective design standards and state ADU law). When ADUs are involved see Daly City ADUs and the cross-referenced local ADU standards (C-MU specifically mentions ADUs as permitted accessory uses). (§ 17.58.030; Chapter 17.52) . (Also confirm California ADU law.)

Links to related city topic pages used above: Daly City Zoning; Daly City Development Standards; Daly City Parking; Daly City Design Review; Daly City Overlay Districts; Daly City ADUs; California Building Standards Code.

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy)

• Confirm parcel zoning on the Daly City zoning map and identify the district in Title 17 (e.g., C-MU, BRM, BOC) — verify via the planning counter. (§ 17.02.010–030)
• Confirm that the proposed use is listed as Permitted or Conditionally permitted in the district table (if conditional, prepare a use permit per Chapter 17.44). (See § 17.58.030; § 17.13.010)
• Demonstrate compliance with the district dimensional standards (height, lot area, setbacks, coverage, FAR) listed in the district’s Table of Uses. (Example: § 17.17.010; § 17.14.010)
• Meet citywide parking requirements and any landscaping/screening rules (as applicable). (See Chapter references in each district; § 17.21.070 for Sullivan; city parking chapter)
• Check Overlay/Combining districts (e.g., -RP, -CC) for extra submittal or limitation (geotechnical studies, separation rules for certain uses). (§ 17.27.010–030; § 17.56.050–070)
• Prepare to comply with design review or objective design standards when triggered (see Chapter 17.26 and the district note referencing S-1 design review where applicable). (See Daly City Design Review)
• If proposing ADUs, follow the local ADU chapter and confirm consistency with state ADU law. (See Daly City ADUs; California ADU law)

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

Daly City’s zoning (Title 17) groups land into named districts (for example C-MU, BRM, BOC, C-1, R-4, OS, M). Each district table lists what is allowed without a permit, what needs a use permit, and the dimensional caps (height, lot area, setbacks). If your proposed use is listed as permitted and complies with dimensional and citywide rules (parking, design review, overlays), you can proceed through the building/permit process; otherwise expect a discretionary use-permit track with public notice. See § 17.02.030, § 17.58.030 and the district tables cited above for the governing text .

Information Gaps (items not confirmed in retrieved materials)

• A full, parcel-by-parcel zoning map link and confirmation of which parcels are currently zoned C-MU, BOC, BRM, etc. — Not found in retrieved materials (verify with city).
• Complete section references for every commercial sub-zone (some snippets show the tables but do not show the exact chapter/section headings for C-N and C-O in the extracted pages). Verify the exact section numbers for C-N and C-O on the full municipal print.
• Local objective design standards cross-reference text (the code repeatedly references "Objective Design Standards" and § 17.38.040 but the complete standard language for those standards was not fully present in the returned snippets). See § 17.38.040 mention — full text not found in the retrieved materials. .
• Parcel-specific ALUCP height limits and noise contour applicability — the code references ALUCP effects but parcel applicability must be checked with the city and SFO ALUCP maps. See R-H notes for reference — verify with the jurisdiction. .

Source References

• Title 17 — ZONING, Daly City (general provisions and definitions) § 17.02.010–030 and Chapter 17.04 Definitions.
• BRM BART Multiple-Family District — § 17.13.010 (table of uses and standards).
• R-4 Multiple-Family Residential & Professional District — § 17.14.010 (table of uses and standards).
• BOC BART Office Commercial District — § 17.17.010 (table of uses; height and lot standards).
• C-1 Light Commercial District — § 17.18.010 (table of uses; dimensional rules).
• C-MU Commercial Mixed-Use District — § 17.58.010–030 (purpose, applicability, permitted/conditional/prohibited uses).
• OS Open Space District — § 17.23.010–050 (purpose, permitted and conditional uses).
• M Industrial District — § 17.22.010 (table of uses; references to C-2).
• Use permit process, administrative permits and appeals — Chapter 17.49 (administrative use permits, council action, expiration).
• Density Bonus — Chapter 17.52 (state density bonus implementation notes cited by code).
• RP Resource Protection Combining District — § 17.27.010–040 (purpose, conditional uses, application requirements including geotechnical report).

(Where a district paragraph or table was used, the specific district section above is cited. For full ordinance text see the printed Title 17 export in the city’s code library; verify any parcel-specific application with Planning.)

Retrieved passages

• Daly City Zoning Code (Title companies) High relevance show source text
• Daly City Zoning Code (§ 15) High relevance show source text
• Daly City Zoning Code (Chapter 17.13) High relevance show source text
• Daly City Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Daly City Zoning Code (§ 4) High relevance show source text
• Daly City Zoning Code (§ 10) High relevance show source text
• Daly City Zoning Code (chapter and) High relevance show source text
• Daly City Zoning Code (section is) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Title 17 — ZONING, Daly City (general provisions and definitions) § 17.02.010–030 and Chapter 17.04 Definitions. (Title 17)
• BRM BART Multiple-Family District — § **17.13.010** (table of uses and standards).
• R-4 Multiple-Family Residential & Professional District — § **17.14.010** (table of uses and standards).
• BOC BART Office Commercial District — § **17.17.010** (table of uses; height and lot standards).
• C-1 Light Commercial District — § **17.18.010** (table of uses; dimensional rules).
• C-MU Commercial Mixed-Use District — § **17.58.010–030** (purpose, applicability, permitted/conditional/prohibited uses).
• OS Open Space District — § **17.23.010–050** (purpose, permitted and conditional uses).
• M Industrial District — § **17.22.010** (table of uses; references to C-2).
• Use permit process, administrative permits and appeals — Chapter **17.49** (administrative use permits, council action, expiration).
• Density Bonus — Chapter **17.52** (state density bonus implementation notes cited by code).
• RP Resource Protection Combining District — § **17.27.010–040** (purpose, conditional uses, application requirements including geotechnical report).
• DalyCity_ZoningCode.md

• Official Daly City code library