San Mateo — Landscaping and Screening

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the City of San Mateo's zoning ordinance requires for landscaping, screening, buffers, fences/walls, street trees and related site planting rules. All requirements below are drawn from the City's Title 27 zoning provisions; specific standards are cited by section (§) and the ordinance extract used. For issues that trigger design review or development standards, confirm details with the Planning Division and the applicable plan check because some items are tied to site plan review or overlays. See local pages on parking, development standards, design review, overlay districts, and ADUs as you prepare plans.

Important: the zoning ordinance central landscaping chapter is Title 27, Chapter 27.71; fences/walls and tree/hedge regulation are in Chapter 27.84. All quoted rules below are paraphrased and interpreted; see the cited § for the raw legal text.

Key Citywide Standards (decision table)

District-by-district breakdown

Note: each district subsection below highlights the landscaping/screening rules that are explicit in Title 27. For broader use/height/FAR/coverage rules consult the district chapters and the city's development standards.

R1‑A (single‑family, lower density)

• Purpose & typical uses: R1‑A is single‑family residential (detached houses). See general R1 yard and landscaping rules.
• Landscaping & frontage: Required front yards are intended to be landscaped; paving in the front or street side yard is limited to driveways/walkways and the remainder must be landscaped and reserved for outdoor living and tree preservation. See § 27.18.070(e) and § 27.18.080(4–5) for limits on paving and landscaping intent.
• Dimensional standards that affect landscaping: Front yard: 25 ft in R1‑A; interior side yards: 7 ft; street‑side setbacks (corner lots) are a percentage of lot width per § 27.18.070/080. These affect where landscaping and fences can sit.
• Where it applies: City residential neighborhoods designated R1‑A. Verify exact parcel zone on the zoning map. Verify with the Planning Division for design review triggers.

R1‑B and R1‑C (single‑family, smaller lots)

• Purpose & typical uses: R1‑B and R1‑C allow single‑family dwellings on smaller lots; rules largely mirror R1‑A with different numeric setbacks. See § 27.18.070–080.
• Landscaping specifics: Same policy that required front/street side yards be landscaped; paving limits for driveways/walkways apply; front yard minimums are 15 ft for R1‑B/C (see §). The landscaping requirement also supports preservation of heritage trees in these required yards. § 27.18.070(e) and § 27.18.080(4–5).
• Fences: Front/street side fence height limits (3 ft) and intersection sight triangle rules apply. § 27.84.010(a‑b).

E1 District (Executive Office / light commercial)

• Purpose & typical uses: E1 targets office and compatible commercial uses; site design standards require landscaping to soften building forms and buffer uses. See Chapter 27.44 for yard and buffer rules.
• Buffers & yards: When an E1 plot is contiguous to any residential district, an adequate landscape buffer is required adjacent to the R‑zoned property. Buffer depth along interior lot lines must be at least one‑half the building height or 15 ft, whichever is greater; along street frontages the buffer depth is at least one‑half the building height measured from the property line. § 27.44.090(a).
• Required fences/walls: Where E1 abuts residential districts the city also refers to the solid wall/fence requirement in § 27.84.030.
• Typical application: small office sites where parking and service areas must be screened from adjacent houses. Confirm applicable SPAR (site plan & architectural review) standards when submitting a planning application. § 27.04.130.

E2 District (Executive Offices—small sites)

• Purpose & typical uses: E2 supports professional/admin offices on smaller sites; landscaping & open space minimums apply. § 27.48.010–070.
• Open space & landscaping: A minimum of 20% at‑grade open space shall be provided, except in the /R overlay where 10% is allowed; open space must contain landscaping and/or decorative elements. § 27.48.065.
• Screening and buffering: E2 uses must be conducted within enclosed buildings and are subject to the same performance standards as E1; buffers will be applied where adjacent to residential per general buffer rules. § 27.48.050; combine with § 27.44.090 if adjacent to R zones.

S District (Shoreline / waterfront)

• Purpose & typical uses: S district regulates shoreline uses (marina, water‑dependent uses) with special site conditions. § 27.59.010 et seq.
• Buffer requirements: When an S parcel is contiguous to an R district, an adequate landscaped buffer of at least 15 ft is required adjacent to the R parcel; parking may be located in the buffer but must meet screening requirements. § 27.59.060(a).
• Where it applies: shoreline and marina properties. Verify shoreline plan requirements concurrently with any landscape proposal. § 27.59.040–060.

R6‑D (high‑density multi‑family)

• Purpose & typical uses: R6‑D permits high‑density multi‑family housing; requires landscaped open areas as part of parcel coverage rules. § 27.28.010 et seq.
• Landscaping rules: All areas open to the sky (excluding driveways/accessways) shall be landscaped; at least 25% of the required rear yard must be landscaped as usable open space for common areas on multi‑family projects. § 27.28.082–090.
• Implications: planting plans and tree protection are reviewed as part of SPAR or project review; parking lot landscaping requirements (Chapter 27.71) also apply where open parking exists. § 27.71.130.

Site‑specific uses with explicit landscaping rules

• Service stations: require a minimum 4‑ft landscaped strip along all street frontages (except driveways), raised curb/planter, 10% of lot landscaping, irrigation, corner triangle planting limitations, and a 6‑ft wall or fence where adjacent to residential with a reduced height within 25 ft of intersections. § 27.77.050.
• Recreational vehicle storage: storage areas must be enclosed and screened by a 6‑ft solid wall/fence or densely planted shrub mass between 6–8 ft high; if abutting residential districts a landscaped transitional yard of at least 15 ft is required and trees must be a major element. (See the recreational vehicle storage standards). § 27.64. (reCREATIONAL storage standards)*

How screening, walls and fences work (practical synthesis)

• Fences in front / street yards are limited to 3 ft to preserve visibility and neighborhood character; posts and entry features have controlled exceptions. § 27.84.010(a).
• Side and rear property fences can be higher (up to 8 ft) but often require a building permit and must be at least 50% open above 6 ft (except where a single‑family property abuts multi‑family, commercial or industrial uses). § 27.84.010(c).
• When a commercial or manufacturing district abuts residential, the code mandates a solid wall/fence 6 ft high placed along/within 10 ft of the zone/parcel boundary, with special setback/landscaped area rules when the boundary is on a street. § 27.84.030.
• Parking lot screening and internal islands: open parking lots (≥5 spaces) must meet 10% landscaping, tree planting rates (1 tree per 3 stalls), perimeter landscape strips (5% of depth or 6 ft), and screening height minima. These items are enforced with site plans and must conform to sight‑distance rules in Chapter 27.84. § 27.71.130.

Link to parking standards early in your design work: the parking rules interact directly with landscape island and screening requirements.

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy prior to approval / what reviewers want)

• Demonstrate that the project is subject to Chapter 27.71 or is exempt (single‑family design review exemption) — § 27.71.020.
• Submit a landscape plan showing all required planting, irrigation and plant species (trees counted with Landscape Units where applicable) — see § 27.71.030–040.
• Parking lot plans: show ≥10% landscaped area, perimeter strip (width = 5% depth or 6 ft), interior islands (minimum dimension 5 ft) and 1 tree per 3 stalls — § 27.71.130(b–e).
• Where property abuts residential, provide required buffer depth and show screening (wall, fence, berm, or dense planting) meeting the 4–6 ft or 6 ft solid wall standard as applicable — § 27.44.090, § 27.84.030, § 27.71.130(c).
• Show street tree planting per the Street Tree Master Plan (typical 24‑inch box; spacing ≤30 ft) and any required access easement if trees sit on private property — § 27.71.120.
• Verify fence heights and sight‑distance compliance for intersections and driveways; front yard fences limited to 3 ft — § 27.84.010(a–b).
• Indicate preservation measures for existing trees (trees > 6 in DBH) and any protected/heritage trees; check Chapter 13.40 for heritage tree rules referenced by the landscaping chapter — § 27.71.040(a) and cross‑references.

If your project triggers SPAR or permits over‑height fences, a planning application and findings under § 27.04.130 will apply and the Zoning Administrator or Planning Commission may condition landscaping/fence approvals.

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English summary

San Mateo requires most projects to include landscaping that buffers different uses, screens parking and service areas, preserves significant trees, and provides street trees; parking lots must provide at least 10% landscaping and perimeter screening, front yards must be landscaped rather than paved, and fences are limited in height in front yards but can be taller on rear/side lines with conditions. Key rules live in Chapter 27.71 (landscaping) and Chapter 27.84 (fences, trees, hedges) — check § 27.71.020–150 and § 27.84.010–030 for the governing text.

Source References

• Title 27, Chapter 27.71 — Landscaping (purpose, scope, objectives, definitions, parking area landscaping, street trees, right‑of‑way landscaping). See § 27.71.020, § 27.71.030, § 27.71.040, § 27.71.120, § 27.71.130, § 27.71.140.
• Title 27, Chapter 27.84 — Fences, Trees and Hedges (height limits, measurement on slopes, required walls between non‑residential and residential). See § 27.84.010, § 27.84.015, § 27.84.030.
• E1 and E2 district development & buffer rules: § 27.44.080–090; § 27.48.010–070.
• S district shoreline buffers: § 27.59.060.
• R‑district yard, front/street side landscaping intent and dimensional rules: § 27.18.070–080.
• R6‑D multi‑family landscaping: § 27.28.082–090.
• Service station landscaping requirements: § 27.77.050.
• Recreational vehicle storage screening & transitional yard requirement: (local standards in Title 27—see the relevant use standards). § 27.64. (see extracted recreational vehicle storage clauses)*.
• SPAR & review standards that govern landscaping findings: § 27.04.130.

(If you need the ordinance PDF or exact paragraph text for a particular §, I can pull the exact extract or link to the City’s code viewer—verify with the Planning Division for parcel‑specific interpretation.)

Retrieved passages

• San Mateo Zoning Code (chapter is) High relevance show source text
• San Mateo Zoning Code (§ 8) High relevance show source text
• San Mateo Zoning Code (Title 27) High relevance show source text
• San Mateo Zoning Code (chapter may) High relevance show source text
• San Mateo Zoning Code (Section 27.64.023) High relevance show source text
• San Mateo Zoning Code (Chapter 27.84) High relevance show source text
• San Mateo Zoning Code (Chapter 27.84) High relevance show source text
• San Mateo Zoning Code (Title 23) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Title 27, Chapter 27.71 — Landscaping (purpose, scope, objectives, definitions, parking area landscaping, street trees, right‑of‑way landscaping). See **§ 27.71.020**, **§ 27.71.030**, **§ 27.71.040**, **§ 27.71.120**, **§ 27.71.130**, **§ 27.71.140**. (Title 27)
• Title 27, Chapter 27.84 — Fences, Trees and Hedges (height limits, measurement on slopes, required walls between non‑residential and residential). See **§ 27.84.010**, **§ 27.84.015**, **§ 27.84.030**. (Title 27)
• E1 and E2 district development & buffer rules: **§ 27.44.080–090**; **§ 27.48.010–070**. (§ 27.44.080)
• S district shoreline buffers: **§ 27.59.060**. (§ 27.59.060)
• R‑district yard, front/street side landscaping intent and dimensional rules: **§ 27.18.070–080**. (§ 27.18.070)
• R6‑D multi‑family landscaping: **§ 27.28.082–090**. (§ 27.28.082)
• Service station landscaping requirements: **§ 27.77.050**. (§ 27.77.050)
• Recreational vehicle storage screening & transitional yard requirement: (local standards in Title 27—see the relevant use standards). **§ 27.64.* (see extracted recreational vehicle storage clauses)**. (Title 27)
• SPAR & review standards that govern landscaping findings: **§ 27.04.130**. (§ 27.04.130)
• SanMateo_ZoningCode.md

• Official San Mateo code library