San Anselmo — Parking

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

San Anselmo’s zoning ordinance sets minimum rules for off‑street parking, loading, bicycle parking, and how those spaces are sited and sized. The Parking Standards Table (Table 5A) establishes required counts by use, while the Development Standards Table (Table 4A) controls setbacks and where parking may be placed; both are enforced through the town’s zoning rules and, where applicable, through design review or discretionary permits. For ADU projects the local ADU chapter adds special rules and exemptions; and technical construction / accessibility details remain governed by the California Building Standards Code. See § 10-3.502 and Table 5A for the base rules.

The rest of this page focuses only on what the San Anselmo zoning/planning ordinance itself says about parking (off‑street parking, loading, bicycle parking and related siting/dimensional rules). Where the code assigns standards by district, I break out the districts below and cite the exact controlling sections.

Key, townwide rules (what applies everywhere)

• Minimum parking counts come from the Parking Standards Table (Table 5A). § 10-3.502 lists the required spaces by use and delegates any unlisted use to a parking demand study and Planning Commission determination.
• Individual parking space dimensions: minimum 9 ft wide × 19 ft long, with 7 ft minimum vertical clearance. § 10-3.507.
• Parking must meet setback/siting rules in Table 4A (Development Standards) unless the code specifically allows otherwise. § 10-3.508 and § 10-3.402.
• Parking spaces must have access to a public street, alley, easement, drive aisle or driveway. § 10-3.509.
• Surfacing: parking, drive aisles and driveways must be all‑weather surfaces; permeable surfacing may be approved by Public Works. § 10-3.511.
• Rounding rule for fractional spaces: fractions < 0.5 are dropped, ≥ 0.5 are rounded up. § 10-3.521.
• Joint / shared parking: allowed by CUP with conditions (hours compatibility, location, deed restriction if off‑site). § 10-3.522.
• Tandem parking: generally disallowed to satisfy minimums except where the code specifically allows it (see Table 5A notes and ADU rules). Table 5A / § 10-3.502 and related notes.

Loading and service spaces

• Loading requirement: at least one 10 ft × 40 ft × 14 ft (vertical clearance) loading space per 4,000 sq ft of lot for hospitals, institutions, hotels or commercial uses with limited vehicular access; maximum two loading spaces per lot unless Public Works finds special circumstances. § 10-3.512 and § 10-3.513.
• Loading spaces must have direct access to public street, alley, easement, drive aisle or driveway and must be surfaced per Public Works standards. § 10-3.513 and § 10-3.515.

Electric vehicle and accessibility provisions

• An EV charging space or a space served by EV equipment counts as at least one standard auto parking space for minimum calculations; an accessible parking space with EV equipment counts as two standard spaces. Town can reduce required counts to accommodate EV stations if they remove or reduce existing parking. § 10-3.516.
• Disabled parking: must meet State and ADA requirements and counts toward off‑street minimums; conversion to accessible spaces is allowed without variance even if it makes the site nonconforming. § 10-3.517.

Bicycle parking

• Parking lots with 10 or more automobile spaces must provide one bicycle rack per 10 car spaces; racks must give minimum 4 bicycle spaces per rack and allow a bicycle to be locked. § 10-3.518.

District-by-district breakdown (how parking interacts with each zoning district)

The Development Standards Table (Table 4A) lists district names and the dimensional rules that control parking siting; the Parking Standards Table (Table 5A) specifies the number of required spaces for uses that appear in those districts. The code uses the following district labels in Table 4A and Table 5A; below I summarize parking-relevant implications for each district. See Table 4A and Table 5A for the numeric entries cited. § 10-3.402 and Table 4A / Table 5A.

Note: I state the most directly relevant parking-related dimensional standards (lot coverage, setbacks) here — confirm parcel‑specific setbacks in Table 4A for your site. Verify with the jurisdiction for parcel-level questions.

R-1-H (R‑1‑H Preliminary development)

• Purpose & where it applies: special preliminary single‑family development district; uses and development governed by planned or preliminary development rules. § 10-3.401 — 10-3.402.
• Parking implications: Table 4A assigns minimum lot area and front/rear setbacks that determine where on‑site parking may be sited; parking counts for single‑family dwellings are governed by Table 5A (see residential row). Table 4A and Table 5A.

R-1-C and R-1

• Purpose & typical uses: single‑family residential. Table 3A and Article 4 overview.
• Key dimensional standards (Table 4A): minimum front setback 20 ft, typical maximum lot coverage 35%, minimum lot widths noted in Table 4A. These setbacks control where driveways and replacement parking can go. § 10-3.402 and Table 4A.
• Parking counts: single‑family parking requirement is two (2) spaces per unit if located below 150 ft MSL, three (3) per unit if above 150 ft MSL (Table 5A). § 10-3.502 / Table 5A.
• ADU interaction: ADU rules in Chapter 6 modify parking for accessory units (see ADU subsection below). § 10-6.303.

R-2

• Purpose: small multi‑unit residential. Table 4A sets density and setbacks. § 10-3.402 / Table 4A.
• Parking counts: multifamily units use Table 5A: studio/1‑bed = 1 space, 2‑bed = 1 space, 3+ bed = 1.5 spaces per unit. § 10-3.502 / Table 5A.

R-3

• Purpose: higher‑density residential. Table 4A sets density and higher lot‑coverage allowances. § 10-3.402 / Table 4A.
• Parking siting: parking within the R-3 district must be screened (visual screening requirements). § 10-3.510.
• Parking counts: same Table 5A multifamily rules apply (studio → 1, etc.). § 10-3.502.

P (Public Facilities)

• Purpose: public facilities and services; development standards assigned as appropriate. Table 4A shows smaller lot area allowances and different setbacks. § 10-3.402 / Table 4A.
• Parking: parking requirements are use‑based per Table 5A; Public facility sites may have large parking areas and must meet surfacing and access rules. § 10-3.502 / 10-3.511.

C-1, C-2, C-L, C-3 (Commercial / Limited Commercial / Commercial‑Light)

• Purpose: neighborhood and general commercial uses; each has distinct allowable uses in Table 3A. § 10-3.302 / Table 3A.
• Key dimensional rules (Table 4A): front setback 0 ft for many commercial districts, and minimum adjacent setback rules when next to an R district — these control where parking (and parking wings or lots) may be placed. § 10-3.402 / Table 4A.
• Parking counts: non‑residential rates in Table 5A by use — for many commercial or business uses the default is 1 space per 500 gross sq ft; hotels are 1 per guest room; places of assembly measured by seats, etc. § 10-3.502 / Table 5A.
• Exception: the C‑2 district has a code exception for intensifications in some existing buildings (see expansion/intensification rules). § 10-3.520.

Practical quick-reference table (most decision‑relevant standards)

ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units) — special parking rules

• Base rule: one (1) parking space required per ADU, but the ADU chapter lists several exemptions (within 1/2 mile of transit stop, located in an historic district, part of the primary residence or accessory structure, on‑street permit limitations, car share within one block, or small ADUs up to 800 sq ft under certain conditions). § 10-6.303(a), (e).
• The code allows tandem parking on an existing driveway to satisfy an ADU space. § 10-6.303(b).
• If a garage/carport is converted to an ADU the Town generally will not require replacement of those parking spaces, subject to the ADU chapter rules and design review considerations. § 10-6.303(d) and § 10-3.504(b).
• When parking is placed inside setbacks to satisfy ADU requirements, design review findings and mitigation (screening/landscaping) may be required. § 10-3.1506 (design review findings) and § 10-3.504 / § 10-3.1506(g).

For an ADU applicant, consult the ADU page and the ADU chapter § 10-6.303 for the specific exemptions and rules.

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy for a typical project that creates or changes parking)

• Determine required number of spaces from Table 5A or request a Planning Commission parking demand study if the use is not listed (§ 10-3.502).
• Design each stall to 9' × 19' and provide 7' vertical clearance (or follow the smaller minimums where the code explicitly allows), and show surfacing materials (§ 10-3.507, § 10-3.511).
• Site parking to meet the zone setbacks and Table 4A development standards or apply for permitted exceptions (or design review) where parking in setbacks is proposed (§ 10-3.508, § 10-3.402, § 10-3.504).
• Provide bicycle racks if the lot will have 10+ car spaces (1 rack per 10 car spaces, 4 bicycle capacity minimum per rack) (§ 10-3.518).
• Show loading spaces if required by use (10' × 40' × 14'); demonstrate direct access to street/alley/easement (§ 10-3.512–10-3.513).
• If proposing shared or off‑site parking, prepare deed restriction / legal agreements, and show parking is within 150 ft and exclusively reserved for the use, or seek a CUP for joint use (§ 10-3.506(c), § 10-3.522).
• For ADUs: confirm applicability of ADU parking exemptions and whether tandem parking is acceptable (§ 10-6.303).

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

San Anselmo’s zoning code requires you to provide a set number of off‑street parking spaces based on the specific use (Table 5A), build spaces to minimum dimensions (9' × 19'), site them to meet the district setbacks in Table 4A, provide bicycle racks for larger lots, and follow special ADU exceptions — check the code sections § 10‑3.502, § 10‑3.507, § 10‑3.508, and § 10‑6.303 for the precise rules.

Source References

• Parking standards and Table 5A: § 10-3.502 (Parking Standards Table / Table 5A).
• Parking dimensions, siting, access, screening: § 10-3.507, § 10-3.508, § 10-3.509, § 10-3.510.
• Loading rules: § 10-3.512–10-3.515.
• EV charging / counting toward parking: § 10-3.516.
• Disabled parking rule: § 10-3.517.
• Bicycle rack rules: § 10-3.518.
• Rounding and joint use: § 10-3.521, § 10-3.522.
• ADU parking and exemptions: § 10-6.303.
• Development Standards Table (Table 4A) and district rules: § 10-3.402 and Table 4A.
• Rules about parking location, off‑site parking and garages: § 10-3.506 and related provisions.

If you need parcel‑specific confirmation (setbacks, whether your lot is above/below 150 ft MSL for the single‑family parking count, or whether your parcel sits in a local historic district), verify with Town planning staff — those localized facts are not determinate from the ordinance alone. Verify with the jurisdiction.

Retrieved passages

• San Anselmo Zoning Code (§ 4) High relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• CEC § 1 (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 4 (section for) High relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (Title 4) High relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (Article 15) Medium relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (Title 4) Medium relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (Title 10) High relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (§ 9) High relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• San Anselmo Zoning Code (section may) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Parking standards and Table 5A: **§ 10-3.502** (Parking Standards Table / Table 5A). (§ 10-3.502)
• Parking dimensions, siting, access, screening: **§ 10-3.507**, **§ 10-3.508**, **§ 10-3.509**, **§ 10-3.510**. (§ 10-3.507)
• Loading rules: **§ 10-3.512–10-3.515**. (§ 10-3.512)
• EV charging / counting toward parking: **§ 10-3.516**. (§ 10-3.516)
• Disabled parking rule: **§ 10-3.517**. (§ 10-3.517)
• Bicycle rack rules: **§ 10-3.518**. (§ 10-3.518)
• Rounding and joint use: **§ 10-3.521**, **§ 10-3.522**. (§ 10-3.521)
• ADU parking and exemptions: **§ 10-6.303**. (§ 10-6.303)
• Development Standards Table (Table 4A) and district rules: **§ 10-3.402** and Table 4A. (§ 10-3.402)
• Rules about parking location, off‑site parking and garages: **§ 10-3.506** and related provisions. (§ 10-3.506)
• SanAnselmo_ZoningCode.md

• Official San Anselmo code library