Local zoning · San Marino
San Marino — Parking
Parking under the San Marino local zoning and planning code, with the controlling citations.
Last reviewed: July 2, 2026
Overview
This page summarizes what the City of San Marino's zoning ordinance requires for parking (off-street vehicle stalls, loading, and bicycle parking). The controlling rules live in Chapter XXIII (zoning) and Article 10 (off‑street parking) and in the multi‑family development standards; the most-used provisions are § 23.10.02–§ 23.10.05 and the multi‑family standards at § 23.20.03. For related topics see the city's Zoning page and the city's Development Standards page.
The rest of this page stays strictly to what the local ordinance text says (with section citations) and explains practical implications for applicants. Where the ordinance text is silent or unclear, the entry notes that fact and recommends verification with the jurisdiction.
District-by-district parking rules (what the code actually says)
Note: every substantive requirement below is grounded in the San Marino code text; citations show the controlling §. Bolded district names and numeric standards are emphasized for quick scanning.
C-1 (commercial district)
- Purpose / Where it applies: The C-1 zone's off‑street parking rules appear in Article 10 and apply to public parking areas and commercial development along the City's commercial corridors (Mission Street, Huntington Drive and specified commercial frontages) — see § 23.10.01 – § 23.10.03 .
- Typical uses covered: retail, restaurants, markets, offices, medical offices — the ordinance sets use‑specific parking ratios for these uses in § 23.10.03 .
- Key parking standards and rules:
- Minimum construction/maintenance standards for off‑street parking: surfaced with asphalt/concrete/masonry, drainage, bumper guards where needed, continuous maintenance — § 23.10.02.A .
- Separation from adjacent R-1 lots: where a C‑1 parking area adjoins an R-1 side or rear lot, the parking area must be separated by a continuous solid wall at least 5 ft high — § 23.10.02.B .
- Use‑specific numeric parking requirements (examples): convenience market, retail, restaurants, offices, medical — see the table in § 23.10.03 (use table in ordinance) . Some commercial frontages (Huntington Drive, Mission Street, Mission District) have special or conditional requirements listed in that same section (e.g., different ratios, CUP for existing buildings) — § 23.10.03 .
- Landscaping: at least 5% of outdoor parking area must be irrigated landscaping — § 23.10.02.D .
- Off‑site parking (for buildings constructed before 1992 or special plans) is tightly controlled (distance limits, 50% cap beyond 300 ft, covenant/lease terms, Commission approval and conditions) — see § 23.10.05.C(1–9) .
Practical note: C‑1 projects will normally be measured against the numeric tables in § 23.10.03; if a proposed use is not listed the Planning Commission may determine the appropriate requirement (see § 23.10.04) .
Multi‑family zones — RM1 and RIH
- Where these standards sit: multi‑family parking rules appear under the multi‑family development standards in § 23.20.03 (Standards for multi‑family residential development) and within the C‑1 multi‑family provisions when multi‑family occurs in commercial zones — see § 23.20.03 and related subparts .
- Typical permitted uses: multi‑family dwelling units, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), residential care, and related uses as shown in Table 1 for multi‑family zones — § 23.20.02 .
- Key parking/dimensional standards for multi‑family projects:
- Parking location and proximity: parking must be located within 300 ft of building entrances; parking is prohibited in front and side yard setback areas and between building frontage and the public sidewalk (internal walkways and screening required) — § 23.20.03.C.6 .
- Pedestrian separation/safety: pedestrian paths and raised planting strips or grade separation are required between parking and walkways (detailed pedestrian connectivity requirements in § 23.20.03) — § 23.20.03.B.5–6 .
- Bicycle parking: short‑term bicycle parking must be an inverted "U" rack located near building entrances; long‑term bicycle parking must be secure and on‑site or inside a parking structure — § 23.20.03.C.8 .
- Vehicle parking ratios for multi‑family (where specified): the ordinance lists unit‑type ratios (example: Studio = 1 space, 1‑bedroom = 1.5 spaces — see the ordinance table in § 23.20.03.C.9). These ratios apply where multi‑family standards govern parking calculation (see § 23.20.03) .
- Tuck‑under and below‑grade parking: tuck‑under parking is allowed if the first floor of living units is no more than 4 ft above finished street/sidewalk grade and tuck‑under areas are not visible from the right‑of‑way — § 23.20.03.C.7 .
- Practical note: multi‑family projects must combine design, pedestrian connectivity, and parking provisions in the same application; parking visibility and screening are design factors considered under the multi‑family standards and design review procedures — see the city's Design Review guidance.
R-1 (single‑family residential) — what the zoning code shows about parking
- What is explicit in the code: the ordinance references R-1 in places that affect parking adjacency and screening (for example, C‑1 parking areas adjoining an R-1 lot must be separated by a 5 ft solid wall) — § 23.10.02.B .
- What was not found in the retrieved zoning excerpts: the code text included in the materials does not contain a dedicated, numeric local parking table for single‑family R-1 garage/driveway stall counts or specific on‑site stall requirements for single‑family lots (beyond the adjacency/screening language and general parking construction/size rules). Therefore: Not found in retrieved materials — verify with the jurisdiction or the full code for any residential driveway/garage dimensional rules that may appear elsewhere in Chapter XXIII or the municipal code.
Most decision‑relevant standards (quick table)
| Requirement / topic | Rule (plain) | Code reference |
|---|---|---|
| Standard off‑street parking stall area and width | Each required stall at least 170 sq ft and 8.5 ft wide; ingress/egress to public street required; no stacking/tandem allowed | § 23.10.05.A |
| Compact car allowance | Up to 25% of stalls in areas ≥10 stalls may be compact; compact stall area 120 sq ft; width 8 ft, length 15 ft | § 23.10.05.B |
| Off‑site parking distance & limit | Off‑site parking > 300 ft limited to employee parking; >300 ft stalls may satisfy ≤ 50% of requirement; Commission approval & covenants required | § 23.10.05.C.5–6 |
| C‑1 use‑specific parking ratios | Store/office/restaurant/market ratios are spelled out in the C‑1 parking table; special rules apply for Huntington Drive and Mission Street (some cases require CUP) | § 23.10.03 |
| Parking area construction & landscaping | min. surfacing (asphalt/concrete/masonry), drainage, bumper guards; 5% irrigated landscaping for outside parking | § 23.10.02.A, D |
| Multi‑family bike parking | Short‑term: inverted "U" rack near entrance; Long‑term: secure, enclosed or secured in structure | § 23.20.03.C.8 |
| Multi‑family vehicle ratios (example) | Studio = 1, 1‑BR = 1.5 (see ordinance table for full breakdown) | § 23.20.03.C.9 |
| Parking location & pedestrian separation | Parking within 300 ft of entrances; parking prohibited in front/side yard setbacks and between building frontage and sidewalk; raised planting strips, special paving for pedestrian crossings | § 23.20.03.C.4–6 |
Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy before permit or plan approval)
- Show off‑street stall counts calculated against the correct code table: § 23.10.03 (C‑1 uses) or § 23.20.03.C.9 (multi‑family unit ratios) .
- Dimension every stall to meet the 170 sq ft / 8.5 ft minimum (or compact stall standards if used) and show ingress/egress to public street — § 23.10.05.A–B .
- Provide bicycle parking per project type: short‑term inverted "U" racks at entrances and secure long‑term bike storage for multi‑family — § 23.20.03.C.8 .
- If proposing off‑site parking, document distances, leases/covenants, and Commission approval path per § 23.10.05.C .
- Show landscaping (minimum 5% of outside parking) and pedestrian connections/special paving where required — § 23.10.02.D and § 23.20.03.B.5–6 .
- Ensure parking is not located in front/side yard setbacks or between building frontage and a sidewalk where the code prohibits that placement — § 23.20.03.C.6 .
- Include any required findings (for CUP or conditional approvals) where the code requires a finding about parking impacts on surrounding residential areas — § 23.10.03.B .
- Be prepared for design/visibility screening requirements for parking structures and tuck‑under parking visibility rules — § 23.20.03.C.3–7 .
- Coordinate any larger nonresidential projects with the City's transportation demand / bicycle information measures if project size thresholds apply — Not all thresholds and the exact section number for the TDM items were explicit in the retrieved excerpts; verify the full code text (see "Information Gaps") — partial language seen in ordinance excerpts. .
Risks & Ambiguities
| Issue | Why it matters | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| ADUs and local parking reductions | State ADU law may preempt local parking requirements or limit local reductions. San Marino's code excerpts do not state a specific ADU parking exemption. | Verify whether San Marino has an adopted ADU parking exemption or relies on state ADU law; check the full code and the City's ADU procedures. Not found in retrieved materials. |
| Exact parking table entries for every commercial use | C‑1 table contains many entries and different rules for Huntington Drive / Mission Street (conditional uses). Mis‑reading the table could under- or over‑provide stalls. | Use the full § 23.10.03 table for the parcel frontage (Mission vs Huntington) and check for CUP triggers — § 23.10.03 . |
| Single‑family (R‑1) numeric driveway/garage requirements | The excerpts do not include a single‑family numeric parking table or explicit driveway stall rules; parcel review may reveal other local standards. | Verify R‑1 parking/garage and driveway dimensional rules elsewhere in Chapter XXIII or the public works/engineering standards. Not found in retrieved materials. |
| Bicycle parking for smaller nonresidential projects | The multi‑family bicycle rules are explicit, but the exact thresholds and counts for small commercial sites (and the exact section for TDM bicycle counts) are not fully clear in the excerpts. | Confirm bicycle parking counts and TDM thresholds in the full code; consult § 23.20.03.C.8 for multi‑family and seek the full TDM section in the code (excerpt visible but section number not definitive) . |
| Off‑site parking approvals and restrictive covenants | Off‑site parking requires Commission approval and often recorded covenants and minimum lease terms; failure to follow those rules can void the plan. | Follow the process in § 23.10.05.C exactly; record required covenants and meet the lease term and reporting requirements (employee lists if applicable) . |
Plain‑English summary
San Marino's zoning code requires that off‑street parking stalls meet minimum size and access standards (170 sq ft, 8.5 ft width), sets use‑specific stall counts for C‑1 commercial properties (restaurants, markets, offices, etc., in § 23.10.03), and imposes pedestrian, landscaping, and bicycle parking rules for multi‑family developments (detailed in § 23.20.03); off‑site parking and compact car allowances are carefully limited and controlled by the Planning Commission — see § 23.10.05 and § 23.20.03 for the exact rules .
Source References
- San Marino zoning: Article 10 (Off Street Parking) — § 23.10.01 – § 23.10.05 (construction, minimums, and general requirements) .
- C‑1 parking rates and use table — § 23.10.03 (number of parking spaces required in the C‑1 zone) .
- General off‑site parking rules and Commission approval criteria — § 23.10.05.C .
- Multi‑family development parking, pedestrian connectivity, tuck‑under, and bicycle parking — § 23.20.03 (C: Parking and related subparts) .
- Transportation demand / bicycle parking language extracted from the ordinance excerpts (project thresholds and bicycle rack guidance visible in ordinance excerpts) — excerpted material in retrieved files; confirm full section in the municipal code for threshold details .
- For building‑code‑level stall dimensions, accessible stalls, or egress related to structures, consult the California Building Standards Code (Title 24); the municipal zoning code does not replace building‑code accessibility/structural requirements.
Sources
Retrieved passages
- San Marino Zoning Code High relevance
- San Marino Zoning Code High relevance
- San Marino Zoning Code (section 23.21.03.04) High relevance
- San Marino Zoning Code (section 23.10.11) Medium relevance
- San Marino Zoning Code (section 23.03.10.8) Medium relevance
- San Marino Zoning Code (Chapter may) Medium relevance
- San Marino Zoning Code (section unless) Medium relevance
- San Marino Zoning Code Medium relevance
Cited sections
- San Marino zoning: Article 10 (Off Street Parking) — **§ 23.10.01 – § 23.10.05** (construction, minimums, and general requirements) . (Article 10)
- C‑1 parking rates and use table — **§ 23.10.03** (number of parking spaces required in the C‑1 zone) . (§ 23.10.03)
- General off‑site parking rules and Commission approval criteria — **§ 23.10.05.C** . (§ 23.10.05.C)
- Multi‑family development parking, pedestrian connectivity, tuck‑under, and bicycle parking — **§ 23.20.03** (C: Parking and related subparts) . (§ 23.20.03)
- Transportation demand / bicycle parking language extracted from the ordinance excerpts (project thresholds and bicycle rack guidance visible in ordinance excerpts) — excerpted material in retrieved files; confirm full section in the municipal code for threshold details . (section in)
- For building‑code‑level stall dimensions, accessible stalls, or egress related to structures, consult the California Building Standards Code (Title 24); the municipal zoning code does not replace building‑code accessibility/structural requirements. (Title 24)
- SanMarino_ZoningCode.md
- 2025 California Green Building Standards Code.md
Frequently asked questions
Do I use the C‑1 parking table or the multi‑family ratios to calculate stalls?
Use the table in § 23.10.03 when the proposed use is commercial in the C‑1 zone. If a multi‑family development standard applies (multi‑family project or multi‑family units within a zone that defers to § 23.20.03), use the unit‑type ratios in § 23.20.03.C.9. Always confirm which zone and subsection apply to your parcel before calculating .
What is the minimum size for an off‑street parking space in San Marino?
The zoning ordinance requires each required off‑street parking space to be a minimum of 170 square feet and at least 8.5 feet wide; compact stalls (where allowed) can be smaller — see § 23.10.05.A–B .
Can I satisfy required parking with spaces located off‑site?
Yes, but off‑site parking is tightly limited: off‑site parking must be within the City (subject to certain exceptions), parking more than 300 ft from the served property is generally limited to employee parking and cannot satisfy more than 50% of the requirement, and any off‑site plan requires Commission approval and often recorded covenants — see § 23.10.05.C .
Are bicycle racks required?
Multi‑family developments must provide bicycle parking: short‑term parking as inverted "U" racks near entrances and long‑term secure bicycle parking on‑site or in a structure — see § 23.20.03.C.8. Nonresidential thresholds and counts may appear elsewhere in the code or TDM sections; verify the exact thresholds in the full ordinance text .
How does parking interact with the front yard setback and sidewalks?
The ordinance states that parking is prohibited in front and side yard setback areas and between building frontage and a public sidewalk where that rule is invoked in the development standards; parking must be screened and connected to pedestrian routes as required by the multi‑family standards — see § 23.20.03.C.6 and related pedestrian connectivity rules .
Can I use compact stalls to reduce footprint?
Yes — in parking areas/garages with 10 or more stalls a maximum of 25% of spaces may be compact, and compact stalls must meet the compact stall dimensions in § 23.10.05.B .
If my project is on Huntington Drive or Mission Street, are there special parking rules?
Yes. The ordinance includes special rules and alternative parking calculations (and in some cases requires a Conditional Use Permit) for buildings located on Huntington Drive and Mission Street; consult the C‑1 table and the special paragraphs in § 23.10.03 for the affected uses and conditional provisions .
Are there landscaping requirements inside parking areas?
Yes — outdoor parking areas in the C‑1 zone must dedicate at least 5% of the parking area to irrigated landscaping; pedestrian crossings must use enhanced or textured paving where required by the development standards — see § 23.10.02.D and the pedestrian/paving requirements in the multi‑family standards .
What happens if my use is not listed in the C‑1 parking table?
If a use in the C‑1 zone is not listed, the Planning Commission determines the parking requirement using the most comparable listed use or a special parking study and issues findings under § 23.10.04 .
Does San Marino's zoning code address EV charging or future‑ready parking?
The retrieved ordinance excerpts include references to design and parking structure treatment, and California state green/building codes discuss EV infrastructure, but the local excerpts did not include a clear, specific local EV charging stall mandate. For building‑level EV stall/infrastructure requirements consult the California Building Standards Code and check the full local code for any adopted EV parking requirements. Not found in retrieved San Marino excerpts.
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