Redding Zoning, Planning & Building Codes

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

Redding’s zoning and land‑use rules are organized in the Redding Municipal Code as Title 18 (Zoning) and implement the General Plan through base districts, overlays, specific plans, and administrative procedures. The ordinance groups use rules, development standards, and performance rules into divisions so readers can find land‑use permissions, bulk/height/setback rules, and permit procedures in predictable places (§ 18.01.040) . Day‑to‑day permitting is handled through a mix of director-level approvals, a Board of Administrative Review, and the Planning Commission depending on the permit type (§ 18.10.010; § 18.13.040–.050) .

How Redding's code is organized

• The municipal zoning ordinance is structured into Divisions and Chapters that separate administration, base zoning districts, overlay districts/special regulations, and general rules (definitions, measurement): see the Division summary and the general applicability rules (§ 18.01.040) .
• Administrative bodies and review roles are centralized in Division II: the City Council, Planning Commission, Board of Administrative Review, and the Director (Development Services) with explicit duties and appeal roles (§ 18.10.010–.030) .
• Permit processes are grouped by permit type: site development permits (Chapter 18.13), use permits (Chapter 18.14), zoning exceptions (Chapter 18.15), and planned development procedures (Chapter 18.53) — each chapter sets application contents, findings and appeal rules (§ 18.13.030; § 18.14.080; § 18.15.010; § 18.53.040) .
• Graphics and schedules supplement text (density tables, use schedules, buffer/landscape schedules) and the code says the text controls if conflict exists (§ 18.01.040; Schedule references) .

(First time mentions below link to topical pages for quick navigation: Redding Zoning, Redding Land Use, Redding Development Standards, Redding Parking, Redding Design Review, Redding Overlay Districts, Redding ADUs, California Building Standards Code.)

Zoning district families (citywide)

Redding uses a standard set of base residential, commercial and mixed‑use district families and explicit overlay districts. The code’s schedules and tables show the base district names used across the zoning map:

• Single‑family / estate residential: RE‑1, RE‑2 (residential estate tiers) — density rules appear in the residential density schedule (§ 18.31.030‑B) .
• Single‑family neighborhoods: RS‑2, RS‑2.5, RS‑3, RS‑3.5, RS‑4 (single‑family “RS” districts) with base and maximum density ranges referenced in Schedule 18.31.030‑B (§ 18.31.030‑B) .
• Multi‑family residential: RM‑6, RM‑9, RM‑10, RM‑12, RM‑15, RM‑18, RM‑20, RM‑30 with net/gross density numbers and specific density rules in the schedule (§ 18.31.030‑B) .
• Commercial and mixed‑use base districts: GC (General Commercial) and related commercial designations referenced as base districts in specific plan mappings (§ 18.57.080) .
• Important overlay and special districts (described below): SP (Specific Plan overlay), BH (Building Height overlay), MU (Mixed‑Use overlay), DR (Design Review district), and FP (Floodplain) — each overlay has its own applicability and rules (§ 18.57.010; § 18.58.010; § 18.54.040; § 18.56.030; floodplain chapter) .

Citywide development standards — where to look and what’s typical

• The code separates "land use regulations" (what uses are allowed) and "development regulations" (bulk/height/setbacks/coverage) and points readers to the schedules in Division III and other divisions for the detailed numeric standards (§ 18.01.040; Division summaries) .
• Density rules: maximum and base residential densities (units per acre and minimum lot sizes) are codified in Schedules such as Schedule 18.31.030‑B for residential densities (§ 18.31.030‑B) .
• Setbacks / lot coverage / FAR / height: the code implements these as district‑specific development standards and allows limited relief through planned development approvals (§ 18.53.050) or zoning exceptions (§ 18.15.030–.040) where findings are met (§ 18.53.050; § 18.15.030) .
  • Example: small reductions in setbacks, building separation, or fence height increases can be administratively allowed under the zoning exception rules (§ 18.15.030) .
• Parking: parking standards and parking plan requirements are implemented through the development regulations and are required to be shown on site plans; site development / use permit submittals must include parking layouts (§ 18.13.060) . For the controlling numeric parking schedule and loading requirements, consult the development standards schedules (Division V and the specific district schedules) (§ 18.01.040 summary) .
• Landscaping and screening: mandatory landscape standards for new development (and maintenance requirements) are found in Chapter 18.47 and apply to most new development; single‑family and duplexes are exempt from Chapter 18.47 but not from stormwater controls (§ 18.47.010–.020) .
• Design guidance: the code references council‑adopted design criteria and requires projects subject to discretionary review to be consistent with those criteria (§ 18.14.070; § 18.40.050) .

(For quick navigation to numeric rules and illustrations, start at Redding Development Standards and the Redding Parking page.)

Specific plans & overlays — what changes locally

• Specific Plans: Redding uses a Specific Plan overlay (SP); the code identifies adopted specific plans and ties them to the zoning map. Where a specific plan contains different allowable uses or standards, the specific plan controls; where it is silent, the zoning code supplements it (§ 18.57.020; § 18.57.070) .
  • Examples listed in the code include SP‑1 Redding Downtown Specific Plan Update and SP‑2 Redding Riverfront Specific Plan; the code explicitly maps specific plan districts to base districts (e.g., Downtown Core → GC) (§ 18.57.080) .
• Building Height overlay (BH): the BH overlay allows additional height in specified areas to support mid‑rise and high‑rise development and downtown intensification; purpose and applicability are in § 18.58.010–.020 (§ 18.58.010) .
• Mixed‑Use overlay (MU): an MU overlay establishes mixed‑use rules and allows the planning commission to adjust permitted uses and standards where appropriate; development standards inside an MU can be driven by the applicable plan or ordinance (§ 18.54.040–.050) .
• Design Review district (DR) and Floodplain (FP): the DR district requires a site development permit/use permit for new development and can invoke a design review committee; the FP chapter governs floodplain regulation and ties to FEMA standards (§ 18.56.030; § 18.56.070; floodplain chapter language) .

(See Redding Overlay Districts for a navigable list of overlays and Redding Design Review for DR procedures.)

Building permits & review — the practical permit path

• Pre‑application and administrative review: applicants are strongly encouraged (and sometimes required) to use pre‑submittal conferences for planned developments and specific plans; the director handles smaller site development permit approvals (§ 18.53.040; § 18.13.040) .
• Director → Board → Planning Commission → Council: the code establishes a tiered approval path: the Director reviews and approves smaller, ministerial or limited discretionary permits (§ 18.13.040); the Board of Administrative Review handles larger site development permits and many administrative appeals (§ 18.13.050; § 18.10.040) . The Planning Commission hears use permits, variances, tentative maps, and appeals; the City Council is the final legislative body for general plan and specific plan adoption and rezones (§ 18.10.020–.030) .
• Typical submittal materials: site plans must show building footprints, gross floor area, parking, landscape, circulation, utilities and any stormwater/detention features; environmental determination materials are required where appropriate (§ 18.13.060) .
• Findings and conditions: approvals (use permits, site development permits, planned developments) carry findings and may carry conditions to address compatibility, traffic, landscaping, and design; use permits become effective after an appeal period (§ 18.14.080–.090) .
• Minor relief paths: small deviations are available through zoning exceptions (§ 18.15) and the director may approve minor amendments; larger deviations are handled via planned development approval or by the commission (§ 18.15.020–.040; § 18.53.050) .

(For design review process detail, see Redding Design Review. For variances and exceptions, see Redding Variances and Exceptions.)

State housing law in Redding — interaction and specific local chapters

• Density bonus: Redding has a local density‑bonus chapter, Chapter 18.26, that explicitly incorporates California’s State Density Bonus Law (Gov. Code §§ 65915–65918) and provides procedures and definitions for local implementation (§ 18.26.010–.020) .
• ADUs / SB9 / other state housing laws: the city’s code as retrieved does not include a clearly labeled local ADU chapter in the excerpts provided. State ADU standards (size, setbacks, parking exemptions, ministerial approval rules) are controlled by statewide law; applicants should expect Redding to implement state ADU rules and to follow the California ADU law and state building code standards (California Building Standards Code). Where local ADU provisions exist they must still be consistent with state statutory limits; if you need the exact Redding ADU text, that provision was Not found in the retrieved materials and should be verified with the city’s current code or building‑counter staff (Not found in retrieved materials) .
• Rent control / tenant protections: no rent‑control ordinance language or local rent regulation provisions were found in the retrieved zoning excerpts; confirm by checking the full municipal code or city housing administrative pages (Not found in retrieved materials) .
• Building code: all construction in Redding must comply with the California Building Standards (Title 24); the zoning code repeatedly cross‑references compliance with the California Building Code for building separation and safety-related relief (§ 18.15.030) .

(For state laws that preempt or supplement local rules, see California housing laws and California ADU law.)

Practical orientation — quick checklists

• Before you apply: verify the property’s base district and overlays on the zoning map; check whether an SP, BH, MU, DR, or FP overlay applies (§ 18.57.020; § 18.58.010; § 18.54.040; § 18.56.030) .
• Plan for: site plans must show parking, landscape, circulation and stormwater measures; if your project triggers discretionary review you will need design elevations and findings for the relevant chapter (§ 18.13.060; § 18.14.070) .
• If you need flexibility: check the zoning exception rules for small deviations (§ 18.15.030) and planned development or use permit processes for larger adjustments (§ 18.53.050; § 18.14.080) .
• Affordable housing incentives: use Chapter 18.26 for density bonus requests and negotiation of incentives in accordance with state law (§ 18.26.010–.020) .

Information gaps

• The retrieved code excerpts did not include a standalone local ADU chapter or explicit numerical parking table text visible in these snippets. For ADU technical limits, consult the city's ADU page or the full municipal code; local practice must still conform to state ADU rules (Not found in retrieved materials) .
• For precise numeric standards (e.g., exact front‑yard setback inches/feet, FAR percentages, per‑use parking counts), consult the specific district schedules and the full Division III and Division V schedules in the municipal code (these schedules are referenced but the full numeric tables were not fully displayed in the retrieved excerpts) (§ 18.01.040 summary; Schedule references) .

Source References

• Redding Municipal Code, Title 18 (Zoning): Division and chapter summaries, administrative chapters and schedule references (§ 18.01.040) .
• Site development permit procedures: Chapter 18.13 (§ 18.13.030–.080) .
• Use Permits and conditions: Chapter 18.14 (§ 18.14.080–.110) .
• Zoning exceptions: Chapter 18.15 (§ 18.15.010–.040) .
• Planned development procedures: Chapter 18.53 (§ 18.53.040–.050) .
• Specific Plans (SP) overlay: Chapter 18.57 (§ 18.57.010–.080) .
• Building Height (BH) overlay: Chapter 18.58 (§ 18.58.010–.020) .
• Mixed‑Use (MU) overlay provisions: Chapter 18.54 (§ 18.54.040–.050) .
• Density schedules and residential density table: Schedule 18.31.030‑B (§ 18.31.030‑B) .
• Density bonus (local implementation): Chapter 18.26 (§ 18.26.010–.020) .
• Landscape standards: Chapter 18.47 (§ 18.47.010–.020) .
• Design review district rules and design review committee: Chapter 18.56 (§ 18.56.030–.070) .
• California ADU and statewide building standards (context): California ADU law and California Building Standards Code (state sources for ADU/building code compliance).