Palo Alto · Zoning · RMD
Palo Alto RMD zoning: height, setbacks and lot size
In Palo Alto's RMD zone, generally buildings can be up to 35 ft tall, the front setback is 20 ft and the minimum lot size is 5,000 sq ft, with the conditions listed below (Palo Alto code, read October 2026).
Key points
- Maximum building height: 35 ft
- Minimum front setback: 20 ft
- Minimum side setback: 6 ft
- Minimum rear setback: 20 ft
- Minimum lot size: 5,000 sq ft (All lots except flag lots)
- Maximum lot coverage: 40%
- Maximum floor area ratio (FAR): 0.50
RMD 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 RMD
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 | 35 ft § 18.10.040 · code textTable row “Maximum Height (as measured to the peak of the roof) (ft)”, column “RMD”: 35 |
|---|---|
| Minimum front setback | 20 ft § 18.10.040 · code textTable row “Front Yard (ft)”, column “RMD”: 20 |
| Minimum side setback | 6 ft § 18.10.040 · code textTable row “Interior Side Yard (ft)”, column “RMD”: 6 |
| Minimum rear setback | 20 ft § 18.10.040 · code textTable row “Rear Yard (ft)”, column “RMD”: 20 |
| Minimum lot size | 5,000 sq ft Applies: All lots except flag lots See note 1 below the table in the code. § 18.10.040 · code textTable row “All lots except flag lots(1)”, column “RMD”: 5,000 Note 1: Minimum Lot Size: Any lot less than the minimum lot size may be used in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 18.40. |
| Maximum lot coverage | 40% § 18.10.040 · code textTable row “Single story development”, column “RMD”: 40% |
| Maximum floor area ratio (FAR) | 0.50 § 18.10.040 · code textTable row “First 5,000 square feet”, column “RMD”: .50 |
Not on this page
We did not find a general stories, density limit for RMD 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
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum building height in Palo Alto's RMD zone?
35 ft — Palo Alto Municipal Code § 18.10.040.
What is the minimum front setback in Palo Alto's RMD zone?
20 ft — Palo Alto Municipal Code § 18.10.040.
What is the minimum side setback in Palo Alto's RMD zone?
6 ft — Palo Alto Municipal Code § 18.10.040.
What is the minimum rear setback in Palo Alto's RMD zone?
20 ft — Palo Alto Municipal Code § 18.10.040.
What is the minimum lot size in Palo Alto's RMD zone?
5,000 sq ft (all lots except flag lots) — Palo Alto Municipal Code § 18.10.040.
General information, not legal advice.
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