San Anselmo — Land Use

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes how the Town of San Anselmo regulates land use through its zoning ordinance (commonly Title 10 / "Zoning"). The core control is the Land Use Regulations Table (Table 3A), which marks each use as Permitted (P), Conditionally Permitted (C), or Not Permitted (-) and ties uses to the local zoning districts and overlay rules (§ 10-3.302) . It also explains district purposes, where common uses are allowed, and the procedural controls (conditional use permits, design review, variances) that affect whether or how a use can proceed (§ 10-3.1301; § 10-3.1501) .

How to read San Anselmo's Land Use rules (quick)

• The Land Use Regulations Table (Table 3A) is the master use matrix; if a use is not listed it is prohibited unless the Community Development Director issues a Use Determination finding it similar to a listed use (§ 10-3.302) .
• Many commercial or heavier uses that might be allowed only with conditions require a Conditional Use Permit (CUP); CUP findings and special rules are in Article 13 (§ 10-3.1301 et seq.) .
• Projects subject to exterior review must satisfy design review findings in Article 15 (§ 10-3.1501–1506) before permits can be issued .
• Dimensional rules (setbacks, heights) and lot rules are enforced via the Development Standards tables (Table 4A/4B/4C) and related sections (§ 10-3.403—10-3.409; § 10-3.406) .

District-by-district breakdown

Below are the actual San Anselmo district names used by the code (bolded) with the ordinance text summary and the most decision‑relevant items pulled from the zoning ordinance text. Where the ordinance provides a clear controlling section, that § is cited. Where a particular numeric standard (setback, lot size) is only in Table 4A or other table not reproduced here, I say so and point to where to look.

Note on citations: permitted/conditional use rules and the use matrix are governed by § 10-3.302 (Table 3A) . Design review references below point to § 10-3.1501–1506 . Where district narrative text provides densities or FAR, I cite the ordinance text chunk that contains that narrative (file preview citation).

Very Low Density Residential — R-1‑H

• Purpose: preserve primary ridges and ridge-zone lands; restrict development and preserve open space and visual character. The code limits density to 1 unit/acre, max population 4 persons/acre; accessory dwelling units are allowed consistent with the General Plan and do not count against allowable density (§ text) .
• Typical permitted uses: single‑family residences, ADUs (subject to ADU standards), limited accessory uses (see Table 3A) (§ 10-3.302) .
• Key dimensional/controls: ridge‑zone special limits on development and height (see § 10-3.404(b) — where development on visible ridges is severely constrained and ridge‑zone height is limited) .
• Where it applies: primary ridgelines per General Plan / Zoning Map (see district narrative) .

Single‑Family Residential – Conservation — R-1‑C

• Purpose: low density conservation; design review emphasis; overall density 1 unit/acre, maximum population 4 persons/acre (district narrative) .
• Uses: single‑family homes, accessory uses (e.g., ADUs per ADU rules) and small home occupations — refer to Table 3A for specific accessory/conditional uses (§ 10-3.302) .
• Design review: many exterior changes and new development in R-1‑C trigger design review (§ 10-3.1501–1506) .

Single‑Family Residential — R-1

• Purpose: traditional single‑family neighborhoods (district narrative; R‑1 design and floor‑area controls cross‑referenced to Tables 4E/4A) .
• Uses: single‑family homes, accessory dwelling units allowed under the ADU chapter; small family day care homes typically Permitted (P) in R districts per Table 3A (§ 10-3.302) .
• Key dimensional standards: maximum floor area, lot coverage and other development standards are set in the Development Standards Tables (Table 4A/4E) and the Maximum Adjusted Floor Area rules (§ 10-3.412). For exact setback/coverage numbers see Table 4A (not reproduced here) (§ 10-3.412) .

Medium Density Residential — R-2

• Purpose and density: 6–12 residential units per acre, max population 28 persons/acre; intended for duplex/triplex/mixed small multiunit forms (district narrative) .
• Uses: multifamily up to the density band shown in district narrative; accessory dwelling units permitted on single‑family lots per the ADU chapter (§ 10-6.301 et seq.) .
• Dimensional standards: minimum lot area and other numeric standards are in Table 4A (see § 10-3.407—10-3.409 and Table 4A references) .

High Density Residential — R-3

• Purpose and density: 13–30 residential units per acre, max population 42 persons/acre; intended for apartments/condos and higher density use near commercial areas (district narrative) .
• Uses: multifamily residential forms; some design review thresholds apply for projects with four or more units (§ 10-3.1506) .
• Dimensional standards: numeric standards (setbacks, height, FAR where applicable) are in Table 4A and related tables; see Design Review rules and Maximum Adjusted Floor Area rules (§ 10-3.412) .

Professional — P

• Purpose: buffer/transition zone near commercial core for low‑impact professional uses (district narrative) .
• Uses: professional offices, limited commercial activities compatible with neighbors; accessory residential (ADU) allowed on single‑family lots consistent with ADU chapter (§ 10-6.301) .
• Dimensional standards: minimum lot area and development standards are listed in Table 4A (see § 10-3.407) .

Neighborhood Commercial — C‑1

• Purpose: small commercial nodes serving adjacent neighborhoods; FAR 1.0 (1.25 for 8–10 unit housing projects subject to limits) (district narrative) .
• Typical permitted uses: grocery, drug store, laundromat, small retail — consult Table 3A for exact permitted/conditional status; residential uses are encouraged above ground floor in some zones; ADUs allowed on single‑family lots (§ 10-3.302) .
• Special notes: the 1.25 FAR exception for 8–10 unit housing projects has exclusions for historic districts (see Table 4A notes and § 10-3.403/4 references) .

Downtown / Central Commercial — C‑2

• Purpose: Town center, higher pedestrian focus; FAR 2.0 in central commercial areas (district narrative) .
• Uses: retail, restaurants, cafes, “primary attractors”, with secondary pedestrian‑serving businesses; residential and office uses encouraged above the ground floor; consult Table 3A for restrictions on ground floor residential and other uses (§ 10-3.302) .
• Design and parking: change of occupancy or spaces over certain size triggers CUP and design review per Table 3A notes and § 10-3.503—10-3.504 (parking) .

Limited Commercial — C‑L

• Purpose: limited commercial strip along Sir Francis Drake Blvd intended to avoid high trip generators; district narrative limits uses by trip generation and specifically prohibits quick‑service fast food and some convenience stores (§ district narrative; CUP findings cross‑reference) .
• Uses: low‑trip retail and services; mixed‑use residential allowed when it does not increase peak traffic (§ 10-3.302 and the C‑L narrative) .

General Commercial — C‑3

• Purpose: larger commercial uses and shopping centers (district narrative); residential allowed as mixed‑use with upper‑floor encouragement; see Table 3A for allowed uses and design review thresholds (§ 10-3.302) .

Public Facilities — PF

• Purpose: applied to Town facilities (Town Hall, library, police, parks, schools). PF lands are not included in Table 3A; expansions require Town action, acquisition, General Plan amendment, and rezoning (see § 10-3.302 text) .

Open Space — OS

• Purpose: passive recreation only; OS not included on Table 3A and limited to open space uses (see § 10-3.302) .

Affordable Housing Overlay — AHO (overlay)

• Purpose: overlay to R‑3 and C‑3 to enable greater densities/flexibility when at least 40% of units are deed‑restricted as low‑income; option to use Objective Design Standards in Title 3, Chapter 20 or standard entitlement procedures (§ 10-3.302 / AHO narrative) .

Notes about where numeric dimensional data live

• The numeric development standards (setbacks, heights, lot area minimums, FARs for certain districts, lot coverage, and Maximum Adjusted Floor Area) are maintained in the Development Standards Tables (Table 4A/4B/4C/4E, etc.). The code cross‑references these tables in sections such as § 10-3.406, § 10-3.407, § 10-3.408, and the Maximum Floor Area rules § 10-3.412 .

Quick decision‑relevant table (sample from Table 3A)

This table shows a small, actionable slice of Table 3A (the Town’s official land‑use matrix). For full coverage use Table 3A in the code.

(Notes/footnotes in official Table 3A add conditions — e.g., change of occupancy triggers CUP/design review thresholds; many commercial uses have ancillary limits; see Table 3A notes in the ordinance) .

Practical guidance & how the rules interact

• Start at Table 3A: check whether your proposed use is P, C, or - in the property’s zoning district (§ 10-3.302) .
• If the use is C, prepare for a CUP under Article 13; demonstrate the CUP findings in § 10-3.1301–1305 and any special findings that apply (gas stations, C‑L district trip limits, conversions that affect housing stock) .
• If your work alters building exterior/appearance beyond the design‑review thresholds, expect triggers under Article 15; satisfy the findings in § 10-3.1506 (compatibility, neighborhood impact, etc.) .
• Numeric site standards (setbacks, heights, lot area, FAR, lot coverage, parking) are pulled from the Development Standards Tables (Table 4A/5A). For parking questions consult the San Anselmo Parking rules and Table 5A; the code requires on‑site parking for many commercial enlargements (§ 10-3.503—10-3.504) .
• For accessory dwelling units (ADUs) consult the ADU chapter: San Anselmo allows ADUs with objective standards (height limits, unit sizes, 4‑ft setbacks for new ADUs, parking exemptions) — see § 10-6.301—10-6.304 and the local ADU chapter; state ADU law also applies (California ADU law) .

Useful internal links while you plan: see the Town’s main zoning overview San Anselmo Zoning, the San Anselmo Development Standards (for Table 4A/4E), the San Anselmo Design Review page, the San Anselmo Overlay Districts page (for AHO/R‑HO), the San Anselmo Parking page, the San Anselmo ADUs page, and the California Building Standards Code where building technical compliance is required.

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy to change/establish a use)

• Confirm the property’s zoning district and allowed uses in Table 3A (§ 10-3.302) .
• If use = C, prepare CUP application and show the CUP findings in Article 13 (§ 10-3.1301 et seq.) .
• Check if the project triggers design review and prepare design packages to meet the findings in § 10-3.1506 (§ 10-3.1501–1506) .
• Pull the numeric standards from Table 4A / Table 4E / Table 4C (setbacks/FAR/lot area/height/coverage) and confirm lot-specific slope/lot‑size exceptions (§ 10-3.406—10-3.409) .
• Prepare parking plan per Table 5A; verify whether exemptions apply (ADUs, transit proximity) (§ 10-3.503—10-3.504; ADU parking rules § 10-6.303) .
• For overlays (e.g., AHO, R‑HO) verify overlay availability and deed‑restriction or density requirements; AHO requires 40% deed‑restricted low‑income units to access flexibility (§ AHO narrative) .
• If the use or building is nonconforming, confirm nonconforming‑use rules / limits on expansions or discontinuance (see Nonconforming Uses article) .
• Verify any special local findings (e.g., C‑L trip‑generation limits, ridge‑zone height limits) and prepare technical exhibits (trip generation, soundproofing, geotech) as required (§ 10-3.1305 notes; § 10-3.404(b)) .
• Coordinate building permit and code compliance with California Building Standards Code; design/permitting are separate tracks (see local ADU limits that are subject to state ADU law) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English summary

San Anselmo’s zoning code controls what uses are allowed where primarily via the Land Use Regulations Table (Table 3A): check the table first to see if a use is Permitted, Conditional, or Prohibited (§ 10-3.302). If conditional, you’ll need a Conditional Use Permit; many exterior and size changes also require design review (§ 10-3.1301; § 10-3.1501). Numeric site rules (setbacks, heights, lot area, FAR, parking) live in the Development Standards Tables and related sections; confirm those tables for parcel‑specific numbers and consult Planning staff for any ambiguous or overlay situations (§ 10-3.406—10-3.409; § 10-3.412) .

Source References

• Land Use Regulations Table (Table 3A) and scope — § 10-3.302
• Scope of Article / Land Use Regulations — § 10-3.301
• District narratives (R‑1‑H, R‑1‑C, R‑1, R‑2, R‑3, C‑1, C‑2, C‑L, C‑3, PF, OS, AHO) — district text in Article 3 (district descriptions)
• Conditional Use Permits — § 10-3.1301 and CUP procedure / special findings (§ 10-3.1301 et seq.)
• Planned Development (PD) rules (PD via CUP) — § 10-3.901—10-3.906
• Design review purpose & findings — § 10-3.1501, § 10-3.1506 (findings)
• Setbacks/height measurement & ridge zone — § 10-3.403, § 10-3.404(b)
• Setback exceptions; Development Standards references — § 10-3.406—10-3.409 (Table 4A/4B/4C referenced for numeric standards)
• Parking rules / Table 5A and parking for ADUs — § 10-3.503—10-3.504; ADU parking and exemptions § 10-6.303
• ADU standards — § 10-6.301—10-6.304 (size, setbacks, parking exemptions)
• Cannabis rules / Article 18 — § 10-3.1801 (facility & cultivation rules)
• Nonconforming uses (gas station example) — Nonconforming rules and limitations (see Nonconforming Uses article)

(If you want the exact rows of Table 3A or the numeric cells from Table 4A for your parcel, say so and provide the parcel APN or address and I’ll extract the specific Table 3A/4A cells and cite the exact ordinance lines.)

Retrieved passages

• San Anselmo Zoning Code (Article 8) High relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (Article 13) High relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (Section 10-1305) High relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (Title 3) High relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (Title 11) High relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (Section 6409) High relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (Title 10) High relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (Article 9.) Medium relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (§ 2) Medium relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (Section 10-3.1404) Medium relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (Article 15) Medium relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (Section 65583.2) Medium relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (Title 4) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Land Use Regulations Table (Table 3A) and scope — **§ 10-3.302** (§ 10-3.302)
• Scope of Article / Land Use Regulations — **§ 10-3.301** (§ 10-3.301)
• District narratives (R‑1‑H, R‑1‑C, R‑1, R‑2, R‑3, C‑1, C‑2, C‑L, C‑3, PF, OS, AHO) — district text in Article 3 (district descriptions) (Article 3)
• Conditional Use Permits — **§ 10-3.1301** and CUP procedure / special findings (§ 10-3.1301 et seq.) (§ 10-3.1301)
• Planned Development (PD) rules (PD via CUP) — **§ 10-3.901—10-3.906** (§ 10-3.901)
• Design review purpose & findings — **§ 10-3.1501**, **§ 10-3.1506** (findings) (§ 10-3.1501)
• Setbacks/height measurement & ridge zone — **§ 10-3.403**, **§ 10-3.404(b)** (§ 10-3.403)
• Setback exceptions; Development Standards references — **§ 10-3.406—10-3.409** (Table 4A/4B/4C referenced for numeric standards) (§ 10-3.406)
• Parking rules / Table 5A and parking for ADUs — **§ 10-3.503—10-3.504**; ADU parking and exemptions **§ 10-6.303** (§ 10-3.503)
• ADU standards — **§ 10-6.301—10-6.304** (size, setbacks, parking exemptions) (§ 10-6.301)
• Cannabis rules / Article 18 — **§ 10-3.1801** (facility & cultivation rules) (Article 18)
• Nonconforming uses (gas station example) — Nonconforming rules and limitations (see Nonconforming Uses article)
• SanAnselmo_ZoningCode.md

• Official San Anselmo code library