Local zoning · Danville

Danville — Design Review

Q: Do I always need design review in Danville for an exterior remodel?

Not always. Remodels in the Downtown Business District that change the appearance are explicitly subject to the Architectural Development Standards and thus design review (§ 32-45.22) . Outside downtown, whether a remodel requires a Development Plan or other review depends on the district’s development standards and the scope of change; verify with Development Services and reference Division 5 application thresholds (§ 32-45.41) .

Q: What are the key storefront rules for downtown projects?

Downtown storefronts must allocate a minimum 60% of the storefront to display windows, avoid large expanses of plate glass, and maintain vertical, rectangular window proportions; interior street‑level windows for retail are expected to remain uncovered (§ 32-45.22.g.6–7) .

Q: What density, FAR and height limits apply in Downtown Area 13?

DBD Area 13 sets a minimum 30 du/acre and a maximum 35 du/acre , a net FAR cap of 120% , and a maximum 3‑story building height with specific massing/height averaging rules; these are applied through design review (§ 32-45.21.2.e–g) .

Design Review under the Danville local zoning and planning code, with the controlling citations.

Ask a question free See coverage

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

Design review in Danville is administered through the Town’s Planning and Land Use regulations and is focused on ensuring new buildings and exterior remodels respect local character, especially downtown. The municipal code establishes Architectural Development Standards and a Development Plan / design review pathway that applies to Downtown Business District areas and to many commercial, multifamily, and planned projects (§ 32-45.22; Division 5 — Development Plan Review Procedures) . This page explains where design review is required in Danville, the controlling standards by district, practical submission requirements, and common ambiguities to check with staff.

Note: When this page references related topics you will see inline links to the town menu (parking, standards, overlays, ADUs, Title 24 etc.) to help find collateral rules: see design review under Danville Zoning, parking, development standards, overlay districts, historic preservation, landscaping and screening, ADUs, and the California Building Standards Code.

How Danville frames “design review”

The Downtown Business District’s Architectural Development Standards explicitly require that the design of new buildings and remodels that change appearance comply with downtown design guidelines (§ 32-45.22) .
For many non-downtown projects, a Development Plan (the local vehicle for design/site review) is required under Division 5 — Development Plan Review Procedures; the code lists application detail and submittal requirements to allow design/engineering review (§ 32-45.41 and related subsections) .
The code frequently ties design review findings to compatibility with the Town’s architectural heritage and pedestrian orientation (for downtown areas) (§ 32-45.21.2) .

District-by-district design-review guidance

Below are the districts where the code ties design standards or development-plan review to project approval. Each subsection summarizes the purpose (as framed by the code), typical permitted uses, key dimensional/design standards that drive design review, and where the district applies.

Downtown Business District (DBD Areas 1–13)

Purpose: Preserve a pedestrian‑oriented downtown with sensitive scale and historic character; design review is central to achieving building form and storefront continuity (§ 32-45.22; § 32-45.21.2) .
Typical permitted uses: Mix of retail and restaurant (required as primary ground-floor in Areas 1, 2, 2A, 3, 11), multifamily in some DBD areas (Area 13 allows multifamily with ground-floor commercial orientation) (§ 32-45.21.2) .
Key dimensional / design drivers:
- Storefront design standards (minimum display window %; window proportions; no vast plate glass) — used in design review (§ 32-45.22) .
- Front setbacks: average 10 ft from ROW for downtown parcels unless a site‑specific plan establishes otherwise (§ 32-45.21.2 j) .
- Parking and loading can be adjusted on a project basis; downtown projects may seek reductions tied to housing type or state housing law defaults (§ 32-45.34 and related downtown text) .
Where it applies: the mapped Downtown Business District and the 13 DBD Areas referenced in § 32-45 (map in code) — projects in these areas are explicitly subject to the Architectural Development Standards and development plan review (§ 32-45.22; § 32-45.21.2) .

R / Single-Family Residential districts (32-22)

Purpose: Protect single‑family neighborhood form and scale (see Title listing § 32-22 — Single Family Residential Districts) .
Typical permitted uses: Single-family dwellings and uses accessory to dwellings (see § 32-22 text in the code).
Key design drivers for review: While many small home repairs are administrative, additions, second‑stories, or exterior remodels that change appearance may trigger design review or a development plan (code ties major changes to review thresholds within the development procedures; confirm with staff) (§ 32-45 Division 5 references; Architectural Standards apply downtown explicitly but the development plan pathway is the general route elsewhere) .
Where it applies: parcels zoned under the single-family residential sections in Article VI (32-22).

Two‑Family / Multi‑Family districts (D-1, M‑30, M‑25, M‑20, M‑13, M‑8, M‑35)

Purpose: Provide for duplexes and multifamily housing at the listed densities; where multifamily is proposed in downtown or high‑density special areas, designs must go through the design review / development plan path (§ 32-24, § 32-45.21.2) .
Typical uses: Duplexes, apartments, supportive/transitional housing as allowed by state law (citations in § 32-45.21.2 for Area 13 examples) .
Key design drivers: density targets, FAR caps, story/height limits, required ground-floor commercial in some corridors, and required open/private space metrics all influence the design review findings (see Area 13 rules for an example: 30–35 du/ac, FAR max 120%, max 3 stories, average unit size limits) (§ 32-45.21.2 e–g) .
Where it applies: mapped multifamily zones across town; downtown Area 13 is a concrete example with its own tailored standards (§ 32-45.21.2) .

R‑B Retail Business (32-60), C General Commercial (32-61), O‑1 Limited Office (32-51)

Purpose: Support retail, general commercial and office uses with site and architectural controls set through development standards and design review when improvements are substantial (§ 32-45 context and district listings) .
Typical permitted uses: Retail, restaurants, offices, limited services (see district tables in Article VI).
Key design drivers: building placement/setbacks, storefront treatments in retail zones, screening of utilities and refuse, and site design items that are reviewed under the development plan procedures (§ 32-45.22; site design rules such as screening and refuse appear in Division 3) .
Where it applies: parcels mapped as R‑B, C, or O‑1 in the zoning map (Article V).

P‑1 Planned Unit District (32-63)

Purpose: Allows project‑specific plans where design review and site layout are integral to entitlements.
Typical permitted uses: Uses are governed by the approved P‑1 planned unit development documents; design guidelines are established during plan approval.
Key design drivers: The P‑1 process itself requires detailed design submissions and is reviewed as a development plan per Division 5 procedures (§ 32-63; see Development Plan Review Procedures) .

Light Industrial / Manufacturing (L‑I, etc.)

Purpose: Accommodate light industrial operations; design review focuses on screening, site layout, and compatibility with adjacent uses.
Typical design triggers: outdoor storage screening, building materials and buffering, and landscape/screening requirements (see site design and screening rules) (§ 32-45 divisions on site design and landscaping) .

Practical note: The code uses a town‑wide Development Plan / Land Use Permit / Administrative Relief framework (Division 5 and related sections) to manage how and when projects are reviewed for design. For downtown, the Architectural Development Standards (§ 32-45.22) are explicit and often determinative; elsewhere, the Development Plan rules and district development standards determine the review scope (§ 32-45.22; § 32-45.41) .

Quick reference table — decision‑relevant standards (example: Downtown Area 13)

Standard / Permit item	Rule or requirement	Code Reference
Required minimum density (DBD Area 13)	30 dwelling units / gross acre minimum; max 35 du/ac (absent density bonus)	§ 32-45.21.2
Floor Area Ratio (Area 13)	Max net FAR = 120% of net land area	§ 32-45.21.2.e.1
Maximum story height (Area 13)	3 stories (with massing and height averaging rules; see code for detailed building‑height methodology)	§ 32-45.21.2.g
Ground‑floor commercial requirement (corridor buildings)	8–10% of net floor space of first two stories oriented to specified corridors	§ 32-45.21.2.b.1
Storefront/display window minimum (DBD)	Allocate minimum 60% of storefront to display windows; avoid vast plate glass; transoms encouraged	§ 32-45.22.g.6–7
Front yard (DBD)	Average 10 ft from public ROW unless site‑specific plan specifies otherwise	§ 32-45.21.2.j.1
Site submittal requirements (Development Plan)	Must include parking layout, private open space, transformer screening, fencing/retaining walls, % coverage, lighting, porches/stoops details	§ 32-45 Division 3 supplemental submittal list; see § 32-45.21.g and § 32-45.41

Checklist — what an applicant must satisfy for a typical Danville design review / development plan

Confirm whether the property lies inside the Downtown Business District or another mapped zone that invokes Architectural Standards; if DBD, apply § 32-45.22 requirements .
Prepare a full Development Plan application per Division 5: site plan, elevations, materials/finish samples, landscape plan, lighting, screening for utilities, and parking layout (§ 32-45.41 and supplemental submittal lists) .
Demonstrate compliance with specific district rules (e.g., Area 13 density and FAR caps, height limits, ground-floor commercial orientation) (§ 32-45.21.2) .
For downtown storefronts and remodels, show how the design meets storefront/display window and roof/massing guidance (§ 32-45.22) .
Address parking calculations and any requested reductions by tying to § 32-45.34 downtown parking rules and the Development Plan submittal (§ 32-45.34) .
If the project affects a heritage resource or is in a historic district, provide the heritage‑resource analysis per the Architectural Development Standards and the Town’s heritage guidelines (§ 32-45.22) .
Confirm whether the application requires Planning Commission review or can be acted on administratively (verify with Development Services staff; Division 5 describes decision pathways) (§ 32-45 Division 5) .
Pay applicable fees and supply any environmental or technical studies called for by the Development Plan submittal requirements (§ 32‑45 application language) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Issue	Why it matters	What to verify
Whether a small exterior remodel triggers formal design review	Danville expressly requires design‑level standards in the Downtown Business District for “remodel of existing structures which changes the appearance” (§ 32-45.22), but thresholds for other zones are less explicit	Verify project‑specific threshold with Development Services and cite § 32-45.22 for downtown projects
Who makes the final decision (Director vs. Planning Commission)	Different appeal rights and timelines apply depending on decision authority	Confirm the decision authority and hearing requirement for the exact permit type in Division 5 / § 32-45.41; verify with staff — “Verify with the jurisdiction” (§ 32-45 Division 5)
Exact numeric standards outside Downtown (setbacks, lot coverage, FAR)	Development standards vary by district; design approval depends on the applicable district standard	Check the mapped zoning for the parcel and the district section in Article VI (e.g., 32-22, 32-60, 32-61) — consult the governing district text in the code
Applicability to accessory units (ADUs)	State ADU law can preempt some local design controls, yet the code may still regulate exterior appearance or location	Consult the Town’s ADU guidance and California ADU law; code excerpts relevant to ADUs were Not found in retrieved materials — Verify with the jurisdiction and Danville ADU page
Interaction with Historic Preservation rules	Downtown standards reference heritage resources; a property listed as historic can trigger different review standards	Check the Town’s Heritage Resources / Historic Preservation procedures and the Architectural Development Standards (§ 32‑45.22)
Parking reductions and state housing law conflicts	Parking requirements can be reduced in downtown under certain conditions or when state housing laws apply — affects project feasibility	Confirm parking standard applied to the project (see § 32-45.34 downtown parking language) and whether state housing law defaults apply

Plain‑English summary

If you’re changing the exterior of a building in downtown Danville or proposing a new commercial or multifamily project, expect to submit a Development Plan and meet the Architectural Development Standards aimed at preserving downtown’s scale and storefront character; expect detailed plans for windows, materials, parking, landscape, and utility screening, and verify whether your project needs Planning Commission review or an administrative decision (§ 32-45.22; Division 5) .

Source References

Danville Municipal Code — Chapter XXXII, Planning and Land Use, Division 3 Development Standards: § 32-45.22 Architectural Development Standards
Danville Municipal Code — Downtown Business District: § 32-45.21.2 Area 13 (Multifamily-High Special) (density, FAR, height, required ground-floor commercial)
Danville Municipal Code — Downtown design details (storefronts, roofs, projections): § 32-45.22 and subsections (storefront/display windows, roofing standards)
Danville Municipal Code — Downtown setbacks and parking notes: § 32-45.21.2.j (front yard avg 10 ft) and parking discussion referencing § 32-45.34
Danville Municipal Code — Development Plan procedures and submittal lists: Division 5 / § 32-45.41 (application requirements) and supplemental submittal items described in the code
Danville Municipal Code — Site design and screening requirements (outdoor storage, refuse screening): Division 3 content (site design) § 32-45 subsections

Sources

Retrieved passages

Danville Zoning Code (section sets) Medium relevance
Danville Zoning Code (Section 32-24) Medium relevance
CBC § 8 (§8-4302) Medium relevance
Danville Zoning Code (section and) Medium relevance
Danville Zoning Code (§ 9) Medium relevance
California Building Code (Chapter 15) Medium relevance

Cited sections

Official Danville code library

Frequently asked questions

Do I always need design review in Danville for an exterior remodel?

Not always. Remodels in the Downtown Business District that change the appearance are explicitly subject to the Architectural Development Standards and thus design review (§ 32-45.22) . Outside downtown, whether a remodel requires a Development Plan or other review depends on the district’s development standards and the scope of change; verify with Development Services and reference Division 5 application thresholds (§ 32-45.41) .

What are the key storefront rules for downtown projects?

Downtown storefronts must allocate a minimum 60% of the storefront to display windows, avoid large expanses of plate glass, and maintain vertical, rectangular window proportions; interior street‑level windows for retail are expected to remain uncovered (§ 32-45.22.g.6–7) .

What density, FAR and height limits apply in Downtown Area 13?

DBD Area 13 sets a minimum 30 du/acre and a maximum 35 du/acre, a net FAR cap of 120%, and a maximum 3‑story building height with specific massing/height averaging rules; these are applied through design review (§ 32-45.21.2.e–g) .

Can I seek a parking reduction as part of design review?

Yes — downtown projects can request reductions from the numerical parking standards on a project‑by‑project basis (for seniors housing, reduced vehicle dependency, state housing law defaults, or projects using density bonus provisions); reference the downtown parking provisions and § 32-45.34 for specifics (§ 32-45.34; downtown text) .

Who approves design review decisions — staff or the Planning Commission?

The code establishes administrative pathways and hearing authorities in Division 5; some conversions or major projects, or items specifically noted in district text, require Planning Commission review. Confirm the exact decision authority for your project type in the Development Plan procedures (§ 32-45 Division 5; § 32-45.41) .

Does the Architectural Development Standards allow corporate/chain storefront designs downtown?

No. The standards state that corporate, chain, or franchise designs are not permitted in downtown; designs should relate to historic elements without being direct reproductions and must integrate detailing on all visible elevations (§ 32-45.22.a.1–3) .

Are rooftop mechanicals allowed to be visible in downtown designs?

Rooftop mechanical and electrical equipment must be fully integrated into the roof design and fully screened from off‑site view per the downtown Architectural Development Standards (§ 32-45.22.g.2) .

What submittals are required for a Development Plan in Danville?

The code lists supplemental submittal requirements including parking layout, private open space sizing, storage room sizing, screening of transformers and meters, fencing/retaining wall details, percent coverage, lighting plans, and porch/stoop design as part of a complete Development Plan application (§ 32-45.21.g and § 32-45.41) .

If my property is a historic resource, does that change design review?

Yes. The Architectural Development Standards reference heritage resources and require compatibility with the Town’s architectural heritage; a property designated as historic may trigger additional review criteria — check the Town’s historic preservation rules in conjunction with § 32-45.22 .

Do state ADU laws override Danville design rules for accessory dwelling units?

State ADU law can limit local design controls in some respects. The Danville code’s specific ADU text was Not found in retrieved materials here — consult Danville’s ADU page and California ADU law and verify with the Town for how local design review will be applied to ADUs (Verify with the jurisdiction) .

Ask about any Danville property

Get a cited, plain-English answer on Danville zoning, setbacks, FAR, ADUs and permits — for any address.

Start Free Trial