Local zoning · Pasadena

Pasadena — Land Use

Q: What can I build on an R‑1 / RS lot in Pasadena?

The RS zoning tables (Table 2‑2) and RS standards in § 17.22.030 and § 17.22.040 control. Typical allowed items include single‑family homes, ADUs as permitted uses (with ADU standards in § 17.50.275 ), and home occupations; other uses are conditional or not allowed depending on the RS suffix. Always check the RS suffix (e.g., RS‑6) and Table 2‑2 footnotes for parcel‑specific limits .

Land Use under the Pasadena local zoning and planning code, with the controlling citations.

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Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

Pasadena's land-use rules live in Title 17 — Zoning Code and organize what uses are allowed in each zoning district, what permits are required, and which additional, site-specific standards apply (e.g., pedestrian ground-floor rules in specific plans). The Zoning Code groups rules into district tables (residential, commercial/industrial, special‑purpose and Specific Plans) and attaches "specific use standards" (Article 5) and review procedures (Article 6) to many uses. Key programmatic references are § 17.22.030, § 17.24.030, § 17.26.030, and the Specific Plan tables (for example ECSP and LASP) .

Important first reads: confirm your base zoning district and then check the district's land‑use table (the "P / C / MC" symbols) and any applicable specific plan or overlay (overlays are covered in § 17.28.010) . Also verify accessory‑use rules such as ADUs under § 17.50.275 and parking obligations under Chapter § 17.46; many project approvals also require design review under § 17.61.030. Linkable guides (first mention of these topics): see the sections on parking, development standards, design review, overlay districts, ADUs, and California Building Standards Code.

How Pasadena organizes land use (quick map)

The Zoning Code organizes allowed uses by district tables: residential tables (Table 2‑2) appear in § 17.22.030, commercial/industrial in § 17.24.030 (Table 2‑5), special purpose in § 17.26.030 (Table 2‑7), and multiple Specific Plans (ECSP, LASP, WGSP, EPSP, FGSP, etc.) publish their own tables (for example § 17.31.040 for ECSP and § 17.37.040 for LASP) .
Each table uses symbols: P = permitted, MC/AC/C = varying levels of conditional/administrative permits, TUP = temporary, and — = not allowed (see the legend in each table) .

District-by-district breakdown (purpose, typical permitted uses, key standards, where it applies)

RS (Single‑Family Residential)

Purpose: preserve single‑family neighborhoods, light/air/privacy and limit density (see § 17.22.020). Applicable to RS‑1 through RS‑6 suffixes (map shows numerical density) .
Typical permitted uses: Accessory dwelling units (P) and home occupations (P) are explicitly allowed; two‑unit/Two‑Unit Development rules and limits on short‑term rentals are spelled out in the RS provisions (see notes in the RS tables) — consult § 17.22.030 and § 17.22.040 and Table 2‑2 for exact symbols and notes (ADU standards in § 17.50.275) .
Key dimensional / development standards: See Table 2‑3 and § 17.22.040 for setbacks, lot coverage and related RS/RM‑12 standards; additional RS/RM‑12 detailed standards are in § 17.22.050 (verify measurements against Table 2‑3) .
Where it applies: citywide single‑family map designations per Section 17.20.020; check the Zoning Map and Table 2‑2 in § 17.22.030 for the specific symbol on your parcel .

RM (Multi‑Family Residential — RM‑12, RM‑16, RM‑32, RM‑48)

Purpose: provide low to high density multi‑family housing and "City of Gardens" standards where stated (see § 17.22.020 and § 17.22.040) .
Typical permitted uses: Multi‑family housing (P in many RM subdistricts), boarding/rooming in some RM zones, home occupations, accessory residential uses (see Table 2‑2, § 17.22.030) .
Key standards: consult Table 2‑3 and § 17.22.040 for density, FAR and setbacks; special urban RM standards (for example RM‑48 Urban Residential) are called out where applicable and may be superseded by PD ordinances (verify parcel) .
Where it applies: mapped RM zones and certain Specific Plans that reference RM standards (ECSP maps reference 17.22 for EC‑RM‑32, etc.) .

CO / CL / CG (Commercial Office / Commercial Limited / Commercial General)

Purpose: tailored commercial intensities — CO for office/residential scale, CL for neighborhood retail, CG for full‑range retail and higher‑impact commercial uses (see § 17.24.020) .
Typical permitted uses: check Table 2‑5 in § 17.24.030 — examples include retail sales, restaurants, offices and personal services; many uses have specific use standards in Article 5 (e.g., restaurants § 17.50.260, alcohol sales § 17.50.040) .
Key standards: commercial base tables specify permit symbol (P/MC/C) and reference specific standards; off‑street parking is required per Chapter § 17.46 and certain large new non‑residential projects (≥25,000 sf) trigger a Conditional Use Permit per § 17.61.050.J.2 .
Where it applies: commercial zoning map and within Specific Plans (ECSP, EPSP, etc.) that may overlay or replace portions of the base commercial rules (see ECSP § 17.31.040) .

IG (Industrial General)

Purpose: accommodate tech/manufacturing/service/distribution uses while minimizing impacts adjacent to residential (see § 17.24.020 and § 17.24.030) .
Typical permitted uses: various industrial and research & development uses listed in Table 2‑5; certain heavy industrial uses are limited or prohibited; accessory and performance standards apply (see Article 5) .
Key standards: operations limits (e.g., truck‑trip limits near R districts), screening and storage rules appear in Table 2‑5 notes; cannabis cultivation is limited to CG and IG with location and distance buffers and operating rules (see § 17.39. and related cannabis rules) .

OS / PS (Open Space / Public‑Semi‑Public)

Purpose: accommodate parks, institutional, and public uses; Master Plans and Conditional Use Permits are typical review mechanisms (see § 17.26.030 and § 17.26.040) .
Typical permitted uses: parks, public facilities and accessory uses as set out in Table 2‑7 (§ 17.26.030) — many uses require a Master Plan or Conditional Use Permit; accessory uses in open space are tightly limited (see Table notes) .
Key standards: where no Master Plan/Conditional Use Permit exists, development standards default to the most restrictive adjacent zoning district until a plan/permit is approved; the Planning Director may require a Master Plan per § 17.26.040 .
Where it applies: mapped OS/PS parcels and certain Specific Plan areas.

PD (Planned Development)

Purpose: site‑specific mix of permitted and conditional uses, with PD ordinances and exhibits that can supersede Title 17 where specified (see the various PD entries and the PD rule language) — PDs are implemented through rezoning to PD and have their own tables and site plans (examples summarized in PD entries such as PD‑1, PD‑3, PD‑39) .
Typical permitted uses & standards: spelled out in each PD's Table; PDs commonly set maximum FAR, lot coverage, height, setbacks and parking minima (examples: PD‑1 requires 40 ft street setbacks and 35% building coverage for a particular site) .
Where it applies: parcels rezoned to PD — check the City Council PD ordinance for parcel‑specific standards; where conflicts exist, the PD ordinance controls (see PD notes) .

Specific Plans (examples: ECSP, LASP, WGSP, EPSP, FGSP)

Purpose: Specific Plans contain tailored land‑use tables (their own P/MC/C symbols), development standards, and sometimes different permit triggers. Example: ECSP land uses and the ECSP tables are found in § 17.31.040 and the ECSP ground‑floor frontages and pedestrian use rules are called out there; LASP is in § 17.37.040 with its LA‑CG / LA‑CL / LA‑CF / LA‑MU‑N / LA‑RM‑16 districts and their own tables .
Typical permitted uses: vary by subdistrict — ECSP mixes commercial, lodging and mixed‑use cores; LASP promotes neighborhood‑serving retail and mixed‑use in LA‑CG/LA‑MU‑N, etc. Always read the specific plan table (e.g., Table ECSP‑2 or LASP‑2) for exact permit symbols and ground‑floor rules .
Key local rules: many Specific Plans add pedestrian‑oriented requirements (e.g., ground‑floor residential prohibitions within the first 35 feet along certain corridors — see ECSP ground-floor rules in § 17.31.040) and different thresholds for CUPs (e.g., 25,000 sf major construction rule) .

Quick reference table — common decisions at application time

Issue / Use	Usual permit trigger	Where to check (code)	Code reference / note
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)	Permitted in most RS / RM / CO zones	Article 5 use standards + residential tables	See § 17.50.275 and Table 2‑2 / § 17.22.030
Ground‑floor commercial requirement in ECSP	Use must meet pedestrian‑oriented rules	ECSP tables and frontage rules	See § 17.31.040 (ECSP Table ECSP‑2 and frontage rules)
New restaurant or fast food	Often P but specific standards apply	Table 2‑5 and Article 5 (restaurants)	See § 17.24.030 and § 17.50.260
Large non‑residential building (≥25,000 sf)	Conditional Use Permit for major construction	CUP rules in Article 6	See § 17.61.050.J.2 (CUP threshold)
Parking requirements for any use	Off‑street parking required	Chapter § 17.46 (Parking & Loading)	Refer to § 17.46 and district notes; shared parking needs minor CUP per § 17.46.050
Variances (setbacks/height adjustments)	Variance or Minor Variance	Variance procedures in Article 6	See § 17.61.080 and related variance tables (Minor Variance limits)

Where specific use standards live (common cross‑references)

Specific use standards (restaurants, alcohol sales, child care, home occupations, ADUs, parking/drive‑throughs, etc.) are in Article 5 — look up the referenced section number in the land‑use table's last column (e.g., § 17.50.260 for restaurants, § 17.50.040 for alcohol) .
Definitions (land use definitions like "Urban Housing", "Vehicle Services", "Pedestrian Oriented Uses") are in § 17.80.020; always confirm the land‑use classification term used in the table to locate the corresponding specific standard .

Checklist

Confirm your property's base zoning (RS, RM‑12, CO, CL, CG, IG, OS, PS, PD) on the City Zoning Map and identify any Specific Plan overlays (ECSP, LASP, WGSP, EPSP, FGSP). See the district landing pages and the District tables in § 17.22.030, § 17.24.030, § 17.26.030, § 17.31.040, § 17.37.040 .
Read the applicable land‑use table (P / C / MC symbols) for permitted vs conditional status and note any table footnotes that change rules for your parcel; tables live in each chapter (e.g., Table 2‑2, Table 2‑5, Table ECSP‑2) .
If use is conditional (C / MC / AC), identify the needed permit type and review authority and prepare for findings in Article 6 (Conditional Use Permits in § 17.61.050) .
Check Article 5 specific use standards referenced in the table's right‑hand column (e.g., § 17.50.275 for ADUs, § 17.50.040 for alcohol) and include required documentation in your submittal .
Prepare parking and loading plan per § 17.46; if shared parking or special parking arrangements are proposed, expect a Minor CUP per § 17.46.050 .
Determine if Design Review under § 17.61.030 applies (many new construction and exterior alteration projects do) and schedule early consultations where possible .
For deviations from numeric standards, evaluate Minor Variance limits and Variance procedures in § 17.61.080 and Chapter 17.70 (review authorities) .
Verify whether overlays (Historic, HD, etc.) or PD ordinances modify or supersede the base rules — overlays are in Chapter § 17.28.010 and specific PD ordinances list parcel‑specific standards (PD appendices) .
If a use existed prior to a change, verify nonconforming use status and limitations in Chapter § 17.71 .

Risks & Ambiguities

Issue	Why it matters	What to verify
Parcel‑specific PD provisions	PD ordinances can override Title 17 standards	Check the PD ordinance text and exhibits recorded for that parcel; PD controls where conflict exists (see PD notes)
Specific Plan supersession (ECSP/LASP)	Specific Plans publish their own tables and frontage rules that can differ from base districts	Read the applicable Specific Plan chapter (e.g., § 17.31.040 for ECSP, § 17.37.040 for LASP) and the Specific Plan tables (ECSP‑2, LASP‑2)
Table footnotes and use definitions	A use's permitted/conditional status often depends on a table note or the land‑use definition	Confirm the land‑use definition in § 17.80.020 and any table footnotes attached to your parcel's row (Table 2‑2/2‑5/ECSP‑2)
Whether a project triggers a CUP because of size	Large non‑residential projects (≥25,000 sf) have an automatic CUP trigger	Check § 17.61.050.J.2 and the specific plan language for exceptions (many Specific Plans repeat or modify this threshold)
Nonconforming use status after zoning changes	Nonconforming uses have limitations on expansion or change of use	Review Chapter § 17.71 for conversion, expansion and abandonment rules and check historical permits for your use
Variance scope vs. allowable uses	Variances cannot be used to permit a use that is not allowed in the zoning table	Variances are for development standards only; the code explicitly prohibits variances that change permitted uses — see § 17.61.080

Plain‑English Summary

Pasadena's zoning tables tell you what you can build on a property (Permitted vs. Conditional vs. Not allowed); read the table for your zone, then the Article 5 specific‑use rules, the parking chapter, and any Specific Plan or PD rules that sit on top of the base zoning. If you need relief from numeric rules use the Variance/Major or Minor process; if the use is conditional, expect a Conditional Use Permit and possibly Design Review. Always confirm table footnotes, Specific Plan text, and PD ordinances — those are frequently decisive. See the cited code sections above for the controlling language and the linked topic pages for practical checklists like parking and ADUs.

Source References

Title 17 — Zoning Code (entire ordinance text) — official print export and chapter headings (Title 17 general) .
§ 17.22.030 / § 17.22.040 — Residential district land‑use tables and RS/RM standards (Table 2‑2 & Table 2‑3) .
§ 17.24.030 — Commercial and Industrial district land‑use tables and permit requirements (Table 2‑5) .
§ 17.26.030 / § 17.26.040 — Special Purpose (OS / PS) district allowable uses, master plan and related development standards (Table 2‑7) .
§ 17.31.040 — East Colorado Specific Plan (ECSP) allowable land uses and Table ECSP‑2; ground‑floor frontage and pedestrian rules referenced there .
§ 17.37.040 — Lincoln Avenue Specific Plan (LASP) zoning districts and Table LASP‑2 .
§ 17.61.030 / § 17.61.050 / § 17.61.080 — Design Review, Conditional Use Permits (CUPs), and Variance rules and procedures (including Minor Variance limits) .
Article 5 specific use standards — e.g., § 17.50.275 for ADUs; § 17.50.260 for restaurants; § 17.50.040 for alcohol sales — referenced by the tables' last column .
Chapter 17.46 — Parking and Loading minimums and shared‑parking rules; referenced across Specific Plans and PDs for parking compliance .
Chapter 17.28 — Overlay Zoning District Chapter (purpose and effect of overlays) .
Definitions — Article 8 / § 17.80.020 (land‑use definitions referenced by tables) .
Note: PD and Specific Plan ordinances are adopted as separate ordinances and may include site‑specific attachments and older PD entries; where conflict exists the PD ordinance controls (see PD notes in text) .

Sources

Retrieved passages

Pasadena Zoning Code (§ 5) High relevance
Pasadena Zoning Code (Section 17.80.020.) High relevance
Pasadena Zoning Code (§ 3) High relevance
Pasadena Zoning Code (Section 17.61.050.J) High relevance
Pasadena Zoning Code (§ 3) High relevance
Pasadena Zoning Code (Section 17.21.030) High relevance
Pasadena Zoning Code (Section 9.36) High relevance
Pasadena Zoning Code (Chapter 17.33) High relevance
Pasadena Zoning Code (Section 17.21.030) High relevance
Pasadena Zoning Code (Section 17.21.030) High relevance
Pasadena Zoning Code (§ 3) High relevance
Pasadena Zoning Code (Chapter lists) High relevance
Pasadena Zoning Code (Section 17.22.050.G) Medium relevance
Pasadena Zoning Code (Chapter 17.24) Medium relevance
Pasadena Zoning Code (Chapter 17.24) Medium relevance
Pasadena Zoning Code (Chapter 17.46) Medium relevance
Pasadena Zoning Code (Section 17.40.060) Medium relevance
Pasadena Zoning Code (Title 17) Medium relevance
Pasadena Zoning Code (Section 17.61.050) Medium relevance
Pasadena Zoning Code (Chapter 17) Medium relevance
Pasadena Zoning Code Medium relevance

Cited sections

Official Pasadena code library

Frequently asked questions

What can I build on an R‑1 / RS lot in Pasadena?

The RS zoning tables (Table 2‑2) and RS standards in § 17.22.030 and § 17.22.040 control. Typical allowed items include single‑family homes, ADUs as permitted uses (with ADU standards in § 17.50.275), and home occupations; other uses are conditional or not allowed depending on the RS suffix. Always check the RS suffix (e.g., RS‑6) and Table 2‑2 footnotes for parcel‑specific limits .

What are Pasadena's setback requirements?

Setbacks are district‑specific and presented in the development standards tables (for residential see Table 2‑3 with § 17.22.040 and § 17.22.050 for supplemental rules). Many Specific Plans and PDs set their own numeric setbacks (for example some PD ordinances require 40 ft front setbacks); if a PD applies, the PD controls where inconsistent with Title 17 .

Do I need Design Review for a new building in Pasadena?

Probably — Design Review requirements and thresholds are in § 17.61.030; many new constructions and substantial exterior alterations in commercial, RM and Specific Plan areas must go through design review. Specific Plans often restate Design Review requirements for their areas (see ECSP and PD provisions) .

How do I know whether my proposed commercial use is permitted or needs a CUP?

Locate your parcel’s zoning (CO/CL/CG/IG or a Specific Plan district) and read that district’s land‑use table (Table 2‑5 for commercial/industrial in § 17.24.030, or the applicable Specific Plan table such as ECSP‑2 in § 17.31.040). The table’s symbol (P, MC, C, —) tells you whether the use is permitted, requires a Minor CUP, a full CUP, or is prohibited; the table's right column points to any additional Article 5 standards you must meet .

Are ADUs allowed everywhere in Pasadena?

ADUs are allowed in most residential and many mixed‑use districts but must meet the ADU standards in § 17.50.275. The residential use tables in § 17.22.030 list ADU status by zone (see Table 2‑2) — consult those tables and Article 5 ADU standards for size, placement and other requirements .

Where do I find parking requirements for my project?

Parking minimums and rules (including shared parking rules and Minor CUP requirements for shared spaces) are in Chapter § 17.46 (Parking and Loading). Specific Plans and PDs frequently cite Chapter 17.46 and may add shared‑parking or shared‑loading rules (for example some PDs require a Minor CUP for shared parking) .

Can a Variance let me put in a use that the zoning table forbids?

No. Variances are limited to development standards (setbacks, height, numeric standards) — they cannot change the underlying allowable uses listed in the land‑use tables. That prohibition is explicit in § 17.61.080; flexibility to allow different uses is provided via Conditional Use Permits in § 17.61.050 where the code allows it .

What if a Specific Plan table and the base zoning table conflict?

Specific Plans (ECSP, LASP, etc.) generally control within their plan area and provide their own zoning and land‑use tables (see § 17.31.040 for ECSP and § 17.37.040 for LASP). Always read the Specific Plan chapter and its tables first for parcels inside the plan boundary; where the Specific Plan applies it will often supersede the base district language .

How are "pedestrian‑oriented" ground‑floor rules enforced in ECSP?

ECSP defines ground‑floor frontage types and prohibits residential units within the first 35 feet of certain frontages; the ECSP land‑use chapter and tables (ECSP‑2 and ECSP‑6) lay out the commercial frontage percentages and minimum depths — see § 17.31.040 and the ECSP frontage rules for exact distances and required percentages .

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