Palo Alto HD zoning: height, setbacks and lot size

HD (Hospital (HD) District) is a zoning district in Palo Alto. Every value below was read from the Palo Alto Municipal Code and links to its section (read October 2026). State laws such as the ADU and SB 9 rules can allow more on a residential lot. General information, not legal advice — read the code text and check with the city before you build.

Development standards in HD

The general rule for a typical lot in this zone. Zoning tables often attach notes, such as rules for corner lots, lots next to a residential zone, or new subdivisions only. Open “code text” under a value to see the table cell or sentence it was read from.

Maximum building height	130 ft See note 5 below the table in the code. § 18.36.050 · code text Table row “Maximum Height (ft)”, column “HD”: 130 ft (5) Note 5: The maximum height for new construction at the Stanford Hoover Pavilion site shall be 60 ft.
Minimum front setback	10 ft See note 1 below the table in the code. § 18.36.050 · code text Table row “Minimum Street Setbacks”, column “HD”: 10 ft (1) Note 1: Measured from the right-of-way line of any public street to the base of the buildings and not including any awnings or other projections. This setback requirement does not apply to below-grade parking facilities or portions of buildings that bridge a street. This setback requirement also does not apply to any portion of a lot or site that does not abut a public street.
Minimum side setback	None required Applies: Only the street setback applies in the HD district. § 18.36.050 · code text No setback requirements other than street setback requirements apply in the HD district.
Minimum rear setback	None required Applies: Only the street setback applies in the HD district. § 18.36.050 · code text No setback requirements other than street setback requirements apply in the HD district.
Maximum lot coverage	40% See notes 2, 4 below the table in the code. § 18.36.050 · code text Table row “Maximum Site Coverage”, column “HD”: 40% (2)(4) Note 2: Site coverage is calculated based upon the total contiguous area within this zone (Main SUMC site or the Stanford Hoover Pavilion site), rather than on a parcel-by-parcel basis. Note 4: The maximum site coverage for the Stanford Hoover Pavilion site shall be 30 percent.
Maximum floor area ratio (FAR)	1.5 to 1 See notes 3, 6 below the table in the code. § 18.36.050 · code text Table row “Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR)”, column “HD”: 1.5 to 1 (3)(6) Note 3: FAR is calculated based up on the total contiguous area within this zone (Main SUMC site or the Stanford Hoover Pavilion site), rather than on a parcel-by-parcel basis. Note 6: The maximum floor area ratio for the Stanford Hoover Pavilion site shall be 0.5 to 1.

Not on this page

We did not find a general stories, lot size, density limit for HD in the zoning tables we read. The code may still set one elsewhere — check the Palo Alto Municipal Code.

Other Palo Alto zoning districts

Who this affects

HomeownersArchitects and designersDevelopersReal estate agents

Frequently asked questions

What is the maximum building height in Palo Alto's HD zone?

130 ft — Palo Alto Municipal Code § 18.36.050.

What is the minimum front setback in Palo Alto's HD zone?

10 ft — Palo Alto Municipal Code § 18.36.050.

What is the minimum side setback in Palo Alto's HD zone?

None required (only the street setback applies in the HD district) — Palo Alto Municipal Code § 18.36.050.

What is the minimum rear setback in Palo Alto's HD zone?

None required (only the street setback applies in the HD district) — Palo Alto Municipal Code § 18.36.050.

What is the maximum lot coverage in Palo Alto's HD zone?

40% — Palo Alto Municipal Code § 18.36.050.

General information, not legal advice.