Davis — Zoning

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

Davis implements zoning through Chapter 40 (formerly Title 17 style organization) of the Davis Municipal Code. The code establishes specific zoning districts and adopts an official City Zoning Map as part of the ordinance; boundaries, interpretations, and special overlay rules are controlled in the same chapter. Key procedural controls (design review, minor modifications, nonconforming uses) are handled by named articles within Chapter 40. See the citywide zoning & planning overview for context. § 40.01.080 and § 40.01.090 govern district names and the zoning map respectively .

The sections below summarize what the Davis zoning ordinance actually says about the zoning system, organized district‑by‑district where the code provides text; every legal point below is anchored to the cited municipal code sections.

How the map and district boundaries work (quick)

• The official zoning map is adopted and is part of the code: § 40.01.090 .
• Where boundaries are ambiguous, the planning commission interprets them; centerlines of streets/alleys are normally used, or lot lines/scale on the map as described in § 40.01.100 .
• The code lists the district names that exist in Davis (for example R-1, R-2, C-C, M-U, I-R, P-D, C-I, C-D, DTRN, etc.) in § 40.01.080 .

District-by-district (selected districts with code grounding)

Note: where the Davis code text for a district’s numeric dimensional table is present in the retrieved materials, that numeric standard is shown and cited. Where a district is established but the specific numeric table is not included in the retrieved excerpts, the entry points you to the controlling article/section to verify parcel‑level requirements.

R-1 — Residential One‑Family

• Purpose: Single‑family residential neighborhoods (district name listed in § 40.01.080) .
• Typical permitted uses: single‑family dwellings and customary accessory uses; specific permitted uses and accessory rules are implemented in the R‑1 article (see the R‑zone articles referenced by the code; specific R‑1 numeric standards are referenced in the code at § 40.03.060 but the numeric table text was Not found in retrieved materials).
• Key dimensional standards: See the R‑1 area/lot/yard/open‑space references (e.g., § 40.03.060) — numeric values Not found in retrieved materials; verify with the planning department and the official code copy.
• Where it applies: citywide single‑family neighborhoods as mapped on the official City Zoning Map (§ 40.01.090) .

R-2 — Residential One‑and Two‑Family

• Purpose: Allows one‑ and two‑family housing forms (district listed in § 40.01.080) .
• Typical uses: duplexes and single‑family; see the R‑zone articles for accessory uses. Specific numeric standards referenced at § 40.04.060 (not included in retrieved excerpts) — numeric details Not found in retrieved materials.
• Where it applies: mapped residential parcels (official Zoning Map) .

R-R — Residential Restricted

• Purpose and typical uses: restricted residential lots; code lists R‑R among districts in § 40.01.080 .
• Standards: See referenced R‑R sections (e.g., § 40.06.060 cited elsewhere in the code) — numeric values Not found in retrieved materials.

R-3 / R-HD — Garden Apartment & High‑Density

• Purpose: multifamily housing types; districts are listed in § 40.01.080 .
• Standards: multifamily standards are governed in their respective articles; specific numeric tables were not contained in the retrieved excerpts (verify in full code).

R-T — Residential Transitional

• Purpose: buffer zones that separate intense commercial development from residential areas; explicitly stated in § 40.10.010 .
• Typical permitted uses: apartments and motels, professional/administrative offices, group care homes (≤6 clients), cooperative housing, supportive and transitional housing — see § 40.10.020 .
• Dimensional standards: the article permits accessory uses and refers to common R‑zone dimensional rules — numeric values Not found in retrieved materials; verify site‑specific limits with the code.

M-U — Mixed Use

• Purpose: encourage mixed residential and commercial activity in core area contexts (purpose is in § 40.15.010) .
• Typical permitted uses: single‑family, duplex, multiple dwellings and residential infill; cooperative housing per § 40.15.030 .
• Where it applies: mixed‑use locations (subject to core area design combining district rules; see § 40.15.020) .

C‑C — Central Commercial and Downtown zones (C‑I, C‑D, MU‑D, etc.)

• Purpose: higher intensity commercial and mixed‑use downtown environments implemented through the Downtown Code (Articles 40.13 and 40.14). See § 40.13.080–§ 40.13.070 for downtown code relationships and the Downtown Code Zoning Map rules .
• The Downtown Code defines a set of downtown zone types (Neighborhood‑Medium, Main Street‑Large, etc.) with specific urban design rules; those downtown standards are mapped on the official Zoning Map (§ 40.13.070) .
• Downtown building placement and parking maxima/minima are spelled out in the downtown tables (examples: residential parking maxima of 0.75 spaces per studio/1‑BR and 1.0 per 2+ BR; non‑residential 2.5/1,000 sf) — see downtown design/parking table material in § 40.14.080 and related figures .

HDR Overlay — High Density Residential Overlay (HDR‑OZ)

• Purpose: encourage high‑density residential on suitable infill sites; the overlay augments underlying zoning (purpose in § 40.09A.010) .
• Applicability: applied to mapped areas specified in the HDR Overlay Zone Map and identified as HDR‑OZ on the General Plan Map; provisions apply to new residential or mixed‑use development within the overlay (§ 40.09A.020) .
• Principal permitted uses: multiple dwellings, group care homes (≤6), cooperative, supportive and transitional housing, family/group day care; residential combined with limited nonresidential (≥50% residential floor area) — § 40.09A.040 .
• Key development standards explicitly in the code for the HDR overlay (§ 40.09A.080): minimum lot area 7,500 sq ft, lot width 70 ft (with exemptions for existing lots), maximum building height 60 ft, front yard 10 ft, side street yard 10 ft, interior side 5 ft, rear yard 10 ft, lot coverage 50% max, and FAR 2.0 max (garage area excluded from FAR); minimum densities and usable open space requirements are also specified in § 40.09A.030 and § 40.09A.080 .

C‑S, I‑R, I — Commercial Service / Industrial Research / Industrial

• Purpose and permitted heavy/non‑residential uses: the code lists these districts in § 40.01.080; specialized uses (for example cannabis laboratories, distribution, and manufacturing) are explicitly permitted/regulated in selected industrial and commercial districts with permit thresholds identified in Article 40.26B (see § 40.26B.060–.080) .
• Where it applies: industrial and commercial areas per map and the industrial articles in Chapter 40.

P‑D — Planned Development

• Purpose: site‑specific planned development districts carry their own approved development standards; the code permits final planned development standards to be the definitive standards for a site (see cross‑references in the HDR article and Article 40.22 references) — see § 40.09A.090 and Article 40.22 for process and conflicts .

DTRN — Downtown & Traditional Residential Neighborhood Overlay

• Purpose: design guidelines and additional architectural standards for the DTRN area; applicability and mandatory design review for projects in the overlay are in § 40.14A.020–.030 .

Quick decision‑relevant table

Practical guidance / synthesis

• First confirm the zoning district on the official City Zoning Map — the map is legally part of the code (§ 40.01.090) and is the starting point for any project permit strategy .
• If your parcel falls in an overlay (for example HDR‑OZ or DTRN), overlay standards may add or supersede underlying zone rules; read the overlay article closely (HDR: § 40.09A.010–.120; DTRN: § 40.14A.020–.030) and note the mapping instructions in the Downtown articles (§ 40.13.070) .
• Many dimensional or use items are controlled by named sections (e.g., R‑zone area/width/setbacks are referenced in §§ 40.03.060, 40.04.060, 40.06.060). If the numeric table for a district isn’t present in your copy of the code excerpts, pull the full Chapter 40 article or confirm with planning staff. The code also provides a procedure for minor modifications to setbacks, coverage, heights and other standards (minor modifications limited to ~10% in many cases under § 40.27.080) .
• Expect design review (site plan and architectural review) for many additions and new projects — review requirements and review principles are in Article 40.31 (§ 40.31.050) . See the city’s design review summary for practical steps.
• Parking expectations differ by district and downtown zones — consult the downtown tables for downtown parcels and the parking article for citywide rules; see the downtown parking table in § 40.14.080 and the city parking summary for guidance .

(First mention of "development standards" links to the city Davis Development Standards. First mention of "overlay districts" links to overlay districts. First mention of "ADUs" links to ADUs. First mention of "California Building Standards Code" links to California Building Standards Code. First mention of "parking" linked above to the parking page. First mention of "design review" linked above to the design review page. First mention of "land use" linked above to Davis Land Use.)

Checklist

• Confirm zoning district on the official City Zoning Map (§ 40.01.090)
• Read the precise district article and any overlay article that applies (e.g., HDR: § 40.09A.010–.140)
• Check permitted uses for the district (e.g., R‑T uses in § 40.10.020; M‑U uses in § 40.15.030)
• Confirm numeric development standards (lot area, setbacks, height, FAR, lot coverage) in the district article or final planned development — if absent in your excerpt, obtain the full Chapter 40 article or ask planning staff (HDR numbers present in § 40.09A.080)
• Determine if design review is required (Article 40.31; see § 40.31.050) and assemble site plan/architectural materials
• Check overlay‑specific rules and downtown code if inside core area (§ 40.13.060, § 40.13.070)
• If requesting deviations (setback, coverage, height, parking), evaluate minor modification limits in § 40.27.080 and plan for variance/revised P‑D if larger relief is needed

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English summary

Davis’s zoning rules live in Chapter 40: the official City Zoning Map is adopted as law and lists dozens of districts (residential, commercial, industrial, planned developments and overlays). Many rules are district‑specific or overlay‑specific (for example the HDR overlay lists explicit lot, setback and FAR limits in § 40.09A.080); when in doubt, check the map, the district article and the overlay text, and expect design review for most new projects and additions .

Source References

• Districts designated; zoning map adoption and interpretation: § 40.01.080, § 40.01.090, § 40.01.100
• High Density Residential Overlay (HDR‑OZ) — purpose, permitted uses, and development standards: § 40.09A.010–§ 40.09A.120, especially § 40.09A.080 for numeric standards
• Downtown Code, zoning map relationship and downtown zones: § 40.13.050–§ 40.13.080, Downtown Code Zoning Map: § 40.13.070
• Downtown building placement / parking tables and notes: Downtown tables and notes (see figures/tables referenced in § 40.14.080)
• Residential Transitional district (R‑T): purpose and permitted uses: § 40.10.010 and § 40.10.020
• Mixed Use (M‑U) district: purpose and permitted uses: § 40.15.010–§ 40.15.030
• Site plan and architectural (design) review principles and application triggers: Article 40.31, see § 40.31.050
• Minor modifications rules (setbacks/coverage/height allowances): § 40.27.080
• Nonconforming uses and continuations: Article 40.28 (e.g., § 40.28.020–.050)
• Cannabis/industry‑specific land use rules referenced in Article 40.26B (examples § 40.26B.060–.080)

Information Gaps (what was Not found in retrieved materials)

• The numeric dimensional tables (front/side/rear setbacks, exact lot area, lot coverage, FAR values) for many base residential zones (R‑1, R‑2, R‑R, R‑3) were referenced in the code (e.g., §§ 40.03.060, 40.04.060, 40.06.060) but the explicit numeric table text for those specific R‑zone sections was Not found in the retrieved excerpts. Verify the exact numbers in the full Chapter 40 text or with city planning staff.
• Parcel‑level map evidence (e.g., which parcels exactly are in HDR‑OZ or DTRN on the City’s interactive zoning map) is not in the text excerpts; confirm the official map on file at the planning office per § 40.01.090 .
• Any code updates adopted after the most recent excerpt here may change numeric standards or mapped overlays — always check the latest municipal code online or with city staff.

Retrieved passages

• Davis Zoning Code (§ 40.26B.060.) High relevance show source text
• Davis Zoning Code (§ 40.09A.060.) High relevance show source text
• Davis Zoning Code (§ 1.4) High relevance show source text
• Davis Zoning Code (§ 3.1) High relevance show source text
• Davis Zoning Code (§ 40.13.030.) High relevance show source text
• Davis Zoning Code (§ 40.13.060.) High relevance show source text
• Davis Zoning Code (§ 40.09A.020.) High relevance show source text
• Davis Zoning Code (§ 40.09A.090.) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Districts designated; zoning map adoption and interpretation: **§ 40.01.080**, **§ 40.01.090**, **§ 40.01.100** (§ 40.01.080)
• High Density Residential Overlay (HDR‑OZ) — purpose, permitted uses, and development standards: **§ 40.09A.010**–**§ 40.09A.120**, especially **§ 40.09A.080** for numeric standards (§ 40.09A.010)
• Downtown Code, zoning map relationship and downtown zones: **§ 40.13.050**–**§ 40.13.080**, Downtown Code Zoning Map: **§ 40.13.070** (§ 40.13.050)
• Downtown building placement / parking tables and notes: Downtown tables and notes (see figures/tables referenced in **§ 40.14.080**) (§ 40.14.080)
• Residential Transitional district (R‑T): purpose and permitted uses: **§ 40.10.010** and **§ 40.10.020** (§ 40.10.010)
• Mixed Use (M‑U) district: purpose and permitted uses: **§ 40.15.010**–**§ 40.15.030** (§ 40.15.010)
• Site plan and architectural (design) review principles and application triggers: Article 40.31, see **§ 40.31.050** (Article 40.31)
• Minor modifications rules (setbacks/coverage/height allowances): **§ 40.27.080** (§ 40.27.080)
• Nonconforming uses and continuations: Article 40.28 (e.g., **§ 40.28.020**–**.050**) (Article 40.28)
• Cannabis/industry‑specific land use rules referenced in Article 40.26B (examples **§ 40.26B.060**–**.080**) (Article 40.26B)
• Davis_ZoningCode.md

• Official Davis code library