Davis — Parking

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page explains how the City of Davis regulates parking and related facilities (off‑street parking, loading, and bicycle parking) under the local zoning/planning ordinance. It summarizes the controlling provisions, district-level differences, and the practical steps an applicant must take when proposing parking or changes that affect parking supply. For design, landscaping, and location interactions also see the city's development standards, design review, and landscaping and screening requirements.

Important note: Davis separates general parking rules in Article 40.25 and downtown-specific parking rules in the Downtown Code (Articles 40.13 / 40.14). Where those conflict, the stricter downtown provisions apply (§ 40.13.020) .

What the ordinance actually requires (high‑level)

• No universal numeric minimum for automobile parking in downtown zones; downtown rules focus on walkability, bicycle parking, and trip‑reduction measures (§ 40.14.050) .
• General off‑street parking design, surfacing, landscaping, and screening rules are in Article 40.25 and related site standards (§ 40.25.040; § 40.25.060; § 40.25.050) .
• Off‑street loading is required for larger floor‑area uses and has specific minimum dimensions (§ 40.25.030) .
• Bicycle parking is mandatory and governed by a dedicated bicycle standards article (Article 40.25A) and the Downtown Code requires conveniently located bike parking (§ 40.25 (bicycle parking) ; § 40.14.050) .
• Parking lots must meet surfacing, drainage and maintenance standards, tree shade/solar/landscaping requirements, and screening rules (Article 40.25 and Table 40.14.050.C) (§ 40.25.060; Table 40.14.050.C) .

District-by-district breakdown

Note: every district subsection below lists the Davis zoning name in bold, the parking-related purpose or emphasis, typical uses that trigger parking/loading standards, the key numeric or design requirements taken from the municipal code, and where the district applies. Always verify zone boundaries on the official City of Davis Zoning Map (verify with the jurisdiction).

Downtown zones (Downtown Code; e.g., C‑I, C‑D, C‑C, MU‑D, DTRN)

• Purpose / emphasis: foster a compact, walkable urban environment and reduce vehicle trips; parking standards emphasize trip reduction, bicycle parking, and sensitive location of vehicle parking (§ 40.14.050(a)) .
• Typical triggers: new buildings, changes in use or occupancy that change floor area, seating, dwelling units or parking by ≥25% (see applicability) (§ 40.13.020(4)) .
• Key standards:
  • There is generally no minimum automobile parking requirement for land uses in Downtown; instead the Downtown Code uses parking management measures and requires bicycle parking and trip‑reduction elements (§ 40.14.050) .
  • If parking is provided, the code requires carshare spaces, carpool spaces, EV charging (per the city's EV plan), and bicycle parking in specified amounts and locations (see Table 40.14.050.A/B and § 40.14.050(e)–(f)) .
  • On downtown parcels, on‑site parking location, separation from buildings, and plantings follow the downtown site standards (§ 40.14.050 and § 40.13.020) .

See Table: Required carshare/car‑pool rules and landscaping (Table 40.14.050.A/B/C) (§ 40.14.050) .

Residential districts (R districts; e.g., single‑family R‑1, duplex, multi‑family R zones)

• Purpose / emphasis: encourage residential character while allowing limited vehicle storage/parking with controls to protect yards, streetscape, and access (§ 40.25.050(b)) .
• Typical triggers: single‑family and duplex dwellings vs. other residential uses; driveways and uncovered parking in front yards are regulated differently for single/double family vs. other uses (§ 40.25.050) .
• Key standards:
  • For single‑family and duplex: limit of one driveway per street frontage, except where frontage ≥80 ft or circular drive is used; impervious surfacing limits in front/side yards (max 40% or 18 ft width, whichever greater); rear‑yard parking allowed under sideyard and open‑space coverage limits (§ 40.25.050(b)(1)–(3)) .
  • Tandem parking is allowed in all zones (§ 40.25; see bicycle-parking article as well) .
  • Garage/carport floor area counts toward FAR limits (see local FAR rules) — verify with development standards (§ 40.04A and related) .

Community Mixed Use / Community Retail (CMU / community retail)

• Purpose / emphasis: oriented to commercial uses with parking located behind buildings; bicycle parking and pedestrian access prioritized (§ 40.18A.090) .
• Typical triggers: retail centers, shopping centers, services that draw drive‑up customers.
• Key standards:
  • Parking is to be behind buildings when feasible, and bicycle parking is required near building entrances (§ 40.18A.090(b)–(c)) .
  • Landscaping and screening standards are relatively strict (minimum recommended site landscaping, screening from residential zones) and internal circulation for customer safety must be provided (§ 40.18.070 and § 40.14.040) .

Industrial / Research (I‑R)

• Purpose / emphasis: serve administrative, research, and light manufacturing; loading and parking design play a larger role because of goods movement (§ 40.19.010) .
• Typical triggers: manufacturing, warehouses, labs.
• Key standards:
  • Off‑street loading required where a building has ≥10,000 sq ft gross floor area used for goods receipt/distribution; loading space minimum size 10 ft × 25 ft × 14 ft (§ 40.25.030) .
  • Parking/loading areas adjacent to residential districts may have increased setbacks and screening (e.g., parking/loading located at least 10 ft from a street and buildings 20 ft from the street when CMU abuts residential) — see special conditions (§ 40.18.070) .

Key numeric standards and design rules (decision‑relevant table)

Practical guidance and interpretation (plain‑English)

• If you are inside the Downtown zones, do not expect a city‑mandated minimum number of automobile spaces; instead design for walkability, provide required bicycle parking, and include carshare/carpool/EV infrastructure where the code requires it (§ 40.14.050) .
• For industrial or large retail uses, plan for at least one off‑street loading berth once gross floor area reaches 10,000 sq ft; design it to the 10×25×14 ft standard and keep it screened from nearby residences (§ 40.25.030; § 40.25.060; § 40.18.070) .
• Every parking lot needs a landscape plan that meets the tree‑shade and percent‑landscaped rules (Table 40.14.050.C) and provides screening next to residential zones (§ 40.25.060; Table 40.14.050.C) .
• Bicycle parking counts and details are in Article 40.25A (referenced in the parking article); always include a bike parking schedule on project plans (§ 40.25; Article 40.25A) .
• Surfacing choices (pervious vs. conventional) are allowed with city review; discuss alternatives early with staff and the city engineer (§ 40.25.060(c),(d)) .

Also note: some design exceptions (e.g., reduced side yard for trellised/detached parking, or alternate surfacing to limit hard paving) are addressed through the city's design review process — see design review and the discretionary standards (§ 40.04A.070) .

Checklist

• Confirm the parcel's zoning (Downtown vs. non‑downtown) and applicable overlay(s); downtown rules may supersede general parking rules (§ 40.13.020) .
• Determine whether the proposed use/building triggers an off‑street loading requirement (≥10,000 sq ft) and size the berth 10×25×14 ft if required (§ 40.25.030) .
• Prepare parking and circulation exhibits showing surfacing, aisle widths, and that ingress/egress do not allow direct entry to/from a public thoroughfare (§ 40.25.060; § 40.14.050(g)) .
• Provide a landscape plan meeting Table 40.14.050.C percentages and tree‑well spacing (or alternate solar/EV shading option) (§ 40.25.060(f); Table 40.14.050.C) .
• Show bicycle parking per Article 40.25A and locate bike racks near entrances as required in downtown/CMU standards (§ 40.25; § 40.18A.090) .
• If providing parking, plan to comply with EV charging requirements per the City's EV Charging Facilities Plan (§ 40.14.050(e)) .
• If proposing nonstandard surfacing, tandem spaces, or reduced setbacks for parking structures/trellises, note design review or director approval routes and cite § 40.04A.070 or other applicable discretionary processes (§ 40.04A.070) .
• For shared parking strategies (joint use or off‑site carshare), include legal instruments/recordation language if the code or director requires it (§ 40.25.020; Table 40.14.050.A carshare rules) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English summary

Davis focuses on walkability and bike access downtown (no downtown auto‑parking minimums) while outside downtown it requires common design, surfacing, and landscape controls for all parking; big retail/industrial projects must provide standard loading berths and all projects must show bike parking per the code. See the specific ordinance sections cited below for the exact rules (§ 40.14.050; § 40.25.030; § 40.25.060) .

Source References

• Davis Municipal Code, Article 40.25 (Parking / Loading / Related rules): § 40.25.020; § 40.25.030; § 40.25.040; § 40.25.050; § 40.25.060.
• Downtown Code — Articles 40.13 and 40.14: § 40.13.020; § 40.13.030; § 40.14.050 (Parking and loading in Downtown Code), including Table 40.14.050.A/B/C.
• Bicycle parking applicability and cross‑reference to Article 40.25A (Bicycle Parking Standards) — referenced in the parking article (§ 40.25)
• Parking design and development maintenance requirements (surfacing, landscape, tree wells, shade/solar) — § 40.25.060 and Table 40.14.050.C
• CMU, industrial and downtown design guidance that affects parking location and screening — § 40.18A.090; § 40.18.070; § 40.19.010–020

(If you need direct links to the live municipal code or to Article 40.25A bicycle standards, request those and I will pull or link the exact city web pages. If anything parcel‑specific is at issue, verify with the Community Development & Sustainability Department.)

Retrieved passages

• Davis Zoning Code (§ 40.25.020.) High relevance show source text
• Davis Zoning Code (Article 40.42) High relevance show source text
• Davis Zoning Code (article shall) High relevance show source text
• Davis Zoning Code (§ 40.14.040.) High relevance show source text
• Davis Zoning Code (§ 40.25.060.) High relevance show source text
• Davis Zoning Code (Article 40.42) High relevance show source text
• Davis Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Davis Zoning Code (article sets) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Davis Municipal Code, Article 40.25 (Parking / Loading / Related rules): § 40.25.020; § 40.25.030; § 40.25.040; § 40.25.050; § 40.25.060. (Article 40.25)
• Downtown Code — Articles 40.13 and 40.14: § 40.13.020; § 40.13.030; § 40.14.050 (Parking and loading in Downtown Code), including Table 40.14.050.A/B/C. (§ 40.13.020)
• Bicycle parking applicability and cross‑reference to Article 40.25A (Bicycle Parking Standards) — referenced in the parking article (§ 40.25) (Article 40.25A)
• Parking design and development maintenance requirements (surfacing, landscape, tree wells, shade/solar) — § 40.25.060 and Table 40.14.050.C (§ 40.25.060)
• CMU, industrial and downtown design guidance that affects parking location and screening — § 40.18A.090; § 40.18.070; § 40.19.010–020 (§ 40.18A.090)
• Davis_ZoningCode.md

• Official Davis code library