Local zoning · San Bruno

San Bruno — Overlay Districts

Overlay Districts under the San Bruno local zoning and planning code, with the controlling citations.

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Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes the San Bruno zoning ordinance's overlay and specific‑plan overlay districts — what each overlay is for, where it applies, and the most decision‑relevant rules an applicant must know. It interprets only what the San Bruno Zoning/Planning Ordinance says about overlays (not Title 24 building code or state housing law). For general context about the city's zoning framework, see the San Bruno zoning & planning overview. Verify with the jurisdiction for parcel‑specific determinations.

What counts as an “overlay” in San Bruno

San Bruno's ordinance lists the standard zoning districts and several overlay/specific‑plan districts. The ordinance explicitly establishes an Emergency Shelter Overlay (ES) and two Bayhill overlay zoning districts — the Bayhill Residential (BR) Overlay and Bayhill Mixed‑Use (BMU) Overlay — as part of the Bayhill Specific Plan. These appear in the district list and in the Bayhill chapter (see § 12.96.010 and the Bayhill Specific Plan chapters § 12.290.010–§ 12.290.100) .

Below are district‑by‑district breakdowns (purpose, typical permitted uses, key dimensional/development rules, and where they apply), grounded to the controlling ordinance sections.

Emergency Shelter Overlay (ES)

  • Purpose: Ensure emergency shelters for the homeless are developed to protect adjoining properties and the public welfare; the overlay is meant to allow shelters while imposing performance standards and compatibility rules (§ 12.96.205) .

  • Typical permitted uses: Emergency shelters are a permitted use within the Emergency Shelter Overlay (ES) and in the Mixed‑Use zoning districts shown in Table 12.280‑1 (see § 12.280.020) — the ES makes shelters permitted rather than conditional on listing in the underlying zone (§ 12.96.205(C) and § 12.280.020) .

  • Key development/performance standards (selected):

    • Must conform to the objective site development standards of the underlying zoning district, except where the ES provides exceptions (§ 12.96.205(D)) .
    • Maximum beds: 32 per facility (§ 12.96.205(E)(1)) .
    • Waiting/intake area: 10 sq ft per bed of interior waiting/client intake space; staffing/office minima also specified (§ 12.96.205(E)(2)) .
    • On‑site management, security plan, operations/management plans, and compliance with applicable federal/state rules are required (§ 12.96.205(E)(3)-(6)) .
    • Parking: must provide sufficient parking for staff and may not be required at a higher rate than comparable uses in the zone; see Chapter 12.100 for the specifics referenced in § 12.96.205(E)(5) (see parking guidance) [/us/california/san-bruno/parking].

  • Where it applies: Properties mapped as ES on the zoning map and certain mixed‑use districts identified in Table 12.280‑1; confirm the zoning map for a given parcel (§ 12.96.020) .

Bayhill Residential Overlay (BR) — Bayhill Specific Plan

  • Purpose: Allow residential development on specific parcels in the Bayhill Regional Office (BRO) area to implement the Bayhill Specific Plan goals for housing and mixed uses (§ 12.290.010—§ 12.290.020) .

  • Typical permitted uses: The BR Overlay permits residential uses on identified properties within the BRO district; residential can be stand‑alone or combined with uses otherwise allowed in BRO (§ 12.290.020(C)) .

  • Key dimensional/quantitative controls and special rules:

    • Total allowed residential units in BR: 363 units across specific parcels (see Bayhill Specific Plan Table 2‑2 and § 12.290.040(E)) with parcel‑specific caps: 801–851 Traeger = 205 units; 1111 Bayhill Drive = 158 units (§ 12.290.040(E)) .
    • Where residential replaces office, office square footage is reduced using conversion factors: 801–851 Traeger: reduce office by 1,267 sq ft per dwelling unit; 1111 Bayhill: reduce office by 1,454 sq ft per dwelling unit (§ 12.290.040(E)(1–2)) .
    • Additional Bayhill design/development standards apply (setbacks, coverage, building length, FAR, open space) — see Table 12.290‑3 and related Bayhill policies (§ 12.290.060 and Table 12.290‑3) .
    • Architectural review is required for new construction or façade changes in the Bayhill Specific Plan area (§ 12.290.080) .
    • Vehicle access and parking must comply with Chapter 12.100 as expressly required by the Bayhill chapter (§ 12.290.090) — see parking guidance [/us/california/san-bruno/parking] .

  • Where it applies: Parcel‑level — BR applies only to the parcels identified in the Bayhill Specific Plan (refer to Bayhill Specific Plan Figure 2‑2 and Table 2‑2) and is implemented via the zoning map; property eligibility must be confirmed on the zoning map (§ 12.290.020(C) and § 12.96.020) .

Bayhill Mixed‑Use Overlay (BMU) — Bayhill Specific Plan

  • Purpose: Allow transformation of the Bayhill Shopping Center into mixed‑use, enabling residential together with neighborhood commercial uses while preserving neighborhood commercial square footage where required (§ 12.290.010, § 12.290.020(D)) .

  • Typical permitted uses: Mixed‑use residential + commercial (horizontal or vertical); on Cherry Avenue ground‑floor commercial with housing above is required for fronting parcels (§ 12.290.020(D)) .

  • Key dimensional/standards:

    • Maximum residential units in BMU: 210 dwelling units for the Bayhill Shopping Center transformation (see Bayhill Specific Plan Table 2‑2 and § 12.290.040(F)) .
    • The ordinance preserves existing neighborhood commercial square footage — residential development may not reduce current neighborhood commercial square footage where the Specific Plan requires it (§ 12.290.040(F)) .
    • Architectural review, parking, signage, and the Bayhill design standards apply (see § 12.290.080–§ 12.290.100 and Table 12.290‑3) .

  • Where it applies: The BMU overlay is mapped to the Bayhill Shopping Center parcels listed in the Bayhill Specific Plan (confirm via the zoning map and Specific Plan figures) (§ 12.290.020(D) and § 12.96.020) .

Decision‑relevant table (high‑level)

Overlay / Topic Most decision‑relevant rules / permitted uses Code Reference
Emergency Shelter Overlay (ES) Emergency shelters permitted in ES and mixed‑use districts; must meet objective site standards of underlying district; max 32 beds; 10 sq ft waiting area per bed; security/management plan; parking for staff (no greater than comparable uses) § 12.96.205
Bayhill Residential Overlay (BR) Allows residential on certain BRO parcels; total 363 units (205 @ 801–851 Traeger; 158 @ 1111 Bayhill); residential converts office sq ft using parcel‑specific conversion factors (1,267 / 1,454 sq ft per unit) § 12.290.020(C), § 12.290.040(E), Table 2‑2
Bayhill Mixed‑Use Overlay (BMU) Allows mixed‑use (horizontal/vertical); max 210 units for Bayhill Shopping Center; Cherry Ave parcels require ground‑floor commercial and above‑floor housing; cannot reduce required neighborhood commercial sq ft § 12.290.020(D), § 12.290.040(F)
Bayhill design/quantitative standards Setbacks, FAR, height, coverage, building length, minimum open space are governed by Bayhill Tables including Table 12.290‑3; architectural review required; parking per Chapter 12.100 § 12.290.060, § 12.290.080–§ 12.290.100
Zoning map confirmation Overlay applicability must be confirmed on the official zoning map; unmapped land is zoned via General Plan § 12.96.020

Practical guidance / synthesis

  • Start by confirming whether the parcel is actually mapped as ES, BR, or BMU (zoning map; § 12.96.020) . If it is not mapped, the overlay rules do not apply.
  • For Bayhill proposals, read both the Bayhill Specific Plan text and the Bayhill Tables (Table 2‑2 and Table 12.290‑3) because unit caps, conversion factors, and design standards are implemented through the Specific Plan chapters (§ 12.290.020–§ 12.290.060) . For architectural controls see the city's design review procedures (see design review) [/us/california/san-bruno/design-review].
  • For emergency shelters, the ES overlay makes shelters permissible, but program details (beds, intake area, management/security) are numerical requirements that must be documented with the permit application (§ 12.96.205(E)) .
  • Parking for any overlay project is governed by Chapter 12.100, and Bayhill specifically references Chapter 12.100 for compliance (§ 12.290.090) — check the parking table early in site planning (see parking) [/us/california/san-bruno/parking] .
  • The Bayhill overlays include cross‑cutting rules (e.g., transfer of development rights, unallocated square footage) and specific plan findings for transfers; these are discretionary and require careful review of § 12.290.060 and related Bayhill provisions .

Checklist

  • Confirm parcel overlay and underlying zoning on the official zoning map (§ 12.96.020) .
  • Determine which overlay applies (ES, BR, BMU) and read the controlling overlay section: § 12.96.205 for ES; § 12.290.020–§ 12.290.060 for Bayhill overlays .
  • For Bayhill projects: verify parcel‑specific unit caps and conversion factors in § 12.290.040 and Bayhill Table 2‑2; plan corresponding office/residential swaps if any .
  • Prepare materials required for architectural review and design standards compliance (§ 12.290.080; see design review) [/us/california/san-bruno/design-review] .
  • Show compliance with parking requirements in Chapter 12.100 and Bayhill vehicle access/parking rules (§ 12.290.090) .
  • For emergency shelters: include management plan, operations/security plan, intake/waiting area calculations, and parking plan in the submittal (§ 12.96.205(E)) .
  • If seeking development transfers/adjustments in Bayhill, prepare findings and analyses required by § 12.290.060 (e.g., FAR caps, public benefit findings) .
  • Verify sign program conformance with Chapter 12.104 if signs are proposed in Bayhill (§ 12.290.100) .
  • Confirm whether any project components implicate accessory dwelling units or state ADU law; ADU rules live in other ordinance sections — see ADUs and California ADU law for permit/process context [/us/california/san-bruno/adu] [/us/california/california-adu-laws].

Risks & Ambiguities

Issue Why it matters What to verify
Parcel eligibility for BR/BMU Bayhill overlays apply only to specific parcels; mistaken mapping can derail entitlement plans Confirm parcel is shown in Bayhill Specific Plan Figure/Table and on the City zoning map (§ 12.96.020, § 12.290.020)
Conversion factors and office‑to‑housing swaps Residential units in BR reduce allowed office sq ft by specific conversion factors; failure to apply them will cause inconsistent floor area calculations Apply parcel‑specific conversion factors in § 12.290.040(E)(1–2) and recalculate FAR/allowed development accordingly
Discretionary findings for transfers/unallocated development Transfers of development rights or use of unallocated development square footage require findings and may be discretionary Review § 12.290.060 and be prepared to demonstrate public benefit and FAR limits; "Verify with the jurisdiction" for transfer approval criteria
Emergency shelter operational standards vs. local neighborhood expectations Shelters are allowed in ES but must meet operational/management standards; neighbors may still raise concerns during public processes Ensure the management/security plan and performance standards in § 12.96.205(E) are met and documented
Architectural review discretion Architectural review is required in Bayhill and can impose design conditions Plan to meet Bayhill Specific Plan objective standards and the architectural review criteria in § 12.290.080; consult design review page [/us/california/san-bruno/design-review]
Parking standards interaction with reductions/exceptions Bayhill defers to Chapter 12.100 but project specifics or exemptions (e.g., transit proximity) may alter parking needs Check Chapter 12.100 and Bayhill reference in § 12.290.090 early in design; consult city parking staff for reductions (see parking) [/us/california/san-bruno/parking]

Plain‑English summary

San Bruno has a small set of ordinance overlays that change what you can build on specific parcels: the Emergency Shelter Overlay (ES) lets shelters be permitted subject to clear operational limits (like 32 beds and waiting‑area/management requirements) (§ 12.96.205) ; the Bayhill overlays (BR and BMU) are parcel‑level rules inside the Bayhill Specific Plan that allow housing and mixed‑use conversion on specific Bayhill parcels, but with hard unit caps, conversion factors, and Bayhill‑specific design rules that must be followed (§ 12.290.020–§ 12.290.060) . Always confirm overlay mapping on the official zoning map before planning a project (§ 12.96.020) .

Source References

  • Zoning districts established (district list) — § 12.96.010
  • Zoning map requirement (confirm overlay) — § 12.96.020
  • Emergency Shelter Overlay — § 12.96.205
  • Bayhill Specific Plan districts and overlays — § 12.290.010–§ 12.290.020 (Purpose; BR and BMU descriptions)
  • Bayhill conversion factors, unit caps, and BR/BMU rules — § 12.290.040(E–G) and Bayhill Table references (Table 2‑2 in Specific Plan)
  • Bayhill development & design standards (Table 12.290‑3) and development standards chapter — § 12.290.060
  • Bayhill architectural review / parking / signage references — § 12.290.080–§ 12.290.100
  • Mixed‑Use district table and mixed‑use standards (context for ES and mixed‑use overlays) — § 12.280.020 and § 12.280.030

Sources

Retrieved passages

  • San Bruno Zoning Code Medium relevance
  • San Bruno Zoning Code (§ 3) Medium relevance
  • San Bruno Zoning Code (§ 3) Medium relevance
  • San Bruno Zoning Code (§ 3) Medium relevance
  • San Bruno Zoning Code (§ 3) Medium relevance
  • San Bruno Zoning Code (Chapter 12.290.) Medium relevance
  • San Bruno Zoning Code (§ 12.245.030.) Medium relevance
  • San Bruno Zoning Code (§ 27-7.18) Medium relevance

Cited sections

Frequently asked questions

What does the Emergency Shelter Overlay allow in San Bruno?

The Emergency Shelter Overlay (ES) makes emergency shelters a permitted use in ES‑zoned areas and in the mixed‑use districts listed in Table 12.280‑1; shelters must meet the overlay's development and performance rules (objective site standards of the underlying district, max 32 beds, waiting/intake area and management/security plan requirements) — see § 12.96.205 .

Which Bayhill parcels can be developed for housing under the BR overlay?

The Bayhill Residential (BR) overlay applies only to specific parcels shown in the Bayhill Specific Plan figures and Table 2‑2; the ordinance caps total BR residential units at 363 and lists parcel caps (e.g., 801–851 Traeger = 205 units; 1111 Bayhill = 158 units) — see § 12.290.020(C) and § 12.290.040(E). Confirm the parcel on the zoning map before assuming eligibility (§ 12.96.020) .

If I build housing in BR, does that reduce office square footage? How is it calculated?

Yes. The Bayhill rules use parcel‑specific conversion factors that reduce permitted office square footage when residential units are developed on the parcel — for example, 801–851 Traeger: office reduced by 1,267 sq ft per dwelling unit; 1111 Bayhill: 1,454 sq ft per dwelling unit — see § 12.290.040(E)(1–2) .

Do Bayhill projects require design review and parking compliance?

Yes. The Bayhill Specific Plan requires an architectural review permit for new construction or façade changes (§ 12.290.080) and expressly requires compliance with the city's parking chapter (Chapter 12.100) for Bayhill projects (§ 12.290.090) — see the city's design review and parking pages for process details [/us/california/san-bruno/design-review] [/us/california/san-bruno/parking] .

Can the Bayhill Shopping Center be converted to mixed‑use and lose retail?

The Bayhill Mixed‑Use Overlay (BMU) permits conversion of the Bayhill Shopping Center to mixed‑use and allows up to 210 dwelling units, but the ordinance requires preservation of neighborhood‑serving commercial square footage in certain cases and requires ground‑floor commercial along Cherry Avenue — see § 12.290.020(D) and § 12.290.040(F) .

Where are the overlay boundaries shown and how do I confirm them?

Overlay boundaries and district labels are on San Bruno's official zoning map; the ordinance makes the zoning map part of the code and requires that unmapped land be zoned according to the General Plan — see § 12.96.020. Always confirm with the community development department for parcel‑specific determinations (§ 12.96.020) .

I’m proposing an emergency shelter — what operational documents are required?

Per § 12.96.205(E) you must provide a written management/operations plan, on‑site management details, security/video surveillance plans, calculations for waiting/intake areas (10 sq ft per bed) and a parking plan for staff; shelters are also limited to 32 beds maximum — see § 12.96.205 .

Do Bayhill overlay rules affect building height, FAR, and setbacks?

Yes — Bayhill development and design standards (including height, FAR, setbacks, building length, and required open space) are set out in the Bayhill Specific Plan development standards and in Table 12.290‑3 and related text; applicants must follow those standards as part of their submittal (§ 12.290.060 and Table 12.290‑3) .

If my project needs reduced parking because it’s near transit, does the overlay allow that?

Bayhill expressly defers to Chapter 12.100 for parking requirements and compliance (§ 12.290.090). If a project qualifies for parking reductions under Chapter 12.100 (e.g., proximity to transit), that chapter governs; verify parking exceptions with the city early in design (see parking) [/us/california/san-bruno/parking] .

Are accessory dwelling units (ADUs) treated differently in overlays?

Not found in retrieved materials: the Bayhill and ES overlay chapters do not explicitly change the accessory dwelling unit rules in the ADU section. ADU rules are handled elsewhere in the zoning ordinance and under state ADU law — consult the ADU chapter and California ADU law for details [/us/california/san-bruno/adu] [/us/california/california-adu-laws].

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