San Rafael — Historic Preservation

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

San Rafael’s zoning ordinance (Title 14) treats historic preservation as a planning/design-review constraint and a public-policy objective: alterations to landmark sites or properties in historic districts can trigger discretionary review, certificates of appropriateness, limits on ministerial housing actions (SB 9), and special findings/options (density/FAR transfers) to preserve resources. The controlling triggers and bodies are in Title 14 (notably § 14.16.210, § 14.25.020, and related provisions) and the municipal Historic Preservation chapter referenced by Title 14 (Chapter 2.18) .

Throughout this page I synthesize exactly what Title 14 says about historic preservation (what triggers review, what bodies act, and what code tools exist) and point out where the zoning text defers to other ordinances or separate plans. Verify parcel-specific triggers with the Planning Department.

How the ordinance controls historic resources (short list)

• Alterations to a structure on a landmark site or in a historic district may be subject to a certificate of appropriateness and planning commission review per § 14.16.210 and Chapter 2.18 (Historic Preservation) .
• Environmental/design review authority and criteria are used to protect historic resources: planning commission, zoning administrator or community development director act depending on the review level (major/minor/admin) per § 14.25.020 and criteria in § 14.25.050 .
• SB 9 ministerial approvals are explicitly excluded where the parcel is in a historic district, on the State Historic Resources Inventory, or is a legally designated/listed local landmark — see § 14.16.282 .
• Transfers of density or FAR to preserve identified historic buildings are available as discretionary tools (use permit / city‑council review) under § 14.16.330 and § 14.16.335 (findings and recorded covenants required) .

District-by-district breakdown (what a practitioner needs to know)

Note: Where Title 14 defers to a separate plan or table I cite that deferral and the controlling section; where numeric standards were not present in the retrieved extract I mark that as Not found in retrieved materials and advise verification.

DMU — Downtown Mixed Use (DMU)

• Purpose: downtown form‑based control; preserve urban design and historic resources downtown. See § 14.05.022 and § 14.05.032 for cross‑reference to the Downtown San Rafael Precise Plan Form‑Based Code .
• Typical permitted uses: controlled by the Downtown Precise Plan (not Title 14 land use tables). See § 14.05.022 and § 14.05.032 for the required reference to the Precise Plan .
• Key preservation rules: downtown projects are explicitly subject to design review and the Downtown Precise Plan vision to “ensure superior urban design and the protection of historic resources” (see § 14.25.010(H) and § 14.25.050(B)(2)) .
• Where it applies: downtown map/precise plan boundaries; property development and parking standards for DMU come from the Precise Plan (see § 14.05.032) .

R-1 / R-2 / R-3 — Residential districts (single‑family, two‑family, multi‑family)

• Purpose: residential development consistent with General Plan; preservation of neighborhood character is an explicit stated purpose of Title 14 (see § 14.01.030(I)) .
• Typical permitted uses: single‑family or multi‑family residential depending on district; accessory uses per Chapter 14.16. Specific land uses are in Division II (base district land use tables) — see Division II reference in § 14.02.010 .
• Key dimensional standards: Title 14 contains development-standard tables for each district (e.g., Table 14.10.030 for P/OS shows the coding format); however, exact numeric setbacks/lot coverage/FAR for R‑districts were Not found in retrieved materials — verify with Table 14.05.030/individual district tables or planning staff .
• Historic triggers: alterations to properties designated as local landmarks or within a historic district trigger review/certificate of appropriateness (see § 14.16.210) .

GC / NC / O — Commercial & Office districts (General Commercial, Neighborhood Commercial, Office)

• Purpose: allow commercial and office uses while protecting adjacent residential areas and design quality; Title 14’s purposes include preservation of historic, architectural, and cultural resources (§ 14.01.030(I)) .
• Typical permitted uses: listed in Division II land‑use tables (use tables in Title 14) — see Division II reference § 14.02.010(1) .
• Key dimensional standards: development‑standard tables (e.g., Table 14.05.030 and Table 14.10.030) give height and setback frameworks; for the P/OS example the maximum height is 36 ft (Table 14.10.030) — but numeric figures for GC/NC/O individual districts should be confirmed in their specific tables .
• Historic triggers: commercial projects that affect designated historic resources are subject to design review criteria in § 14.25.050 and may require a certificate of appropriateness when landmarks/districts are involved (§ 14.16.210) .

P/OS — Parks / Open Space

• Purpose: public open space and low‑impact uses; Table 14.10.030 lists development standards and shows Maximum height of structure: 36' for P/OS (exceptions possible under Chapter 14.24 for height exceptions) .
• Historic relevance: parks/open space projects still go through design review where historic resources or views are affected — see § 14.25.010 and § 14.25.050 .

-H Hillside Development Overlay (H)

• Purpose: additional overlay controls in hillside areas to limit bulk and grading (see Chapter 14.12 and § 14.16.200 for when hillside standards apply) — the overlay requires design and stepback controls to protect character and resources, some of which are relevant when a historic resource sits on a hillside lot § 14.12.030 and § 14.16.200 .
• Historic relevance: projects in hillside overlay districts that also involve landmark buildings are still subject to certificate/appropriateness and design review per § 14.16.210 .

Quick table — Most decision‑relevant historic‑preservation rules (short)

Practical guidance (plain‑English synthesis)

• If your project affects a property that is listed as a local landmark or sits inside a city historic district, expect discretionary design review and possibly a required certificate of appropriateness — the trigger is explicit in § 14.16.210 and the Historic Preservation chapter (Chapter 2.18) .
• Early step: ask Planning whether the property is on the San Rafael Historic Building Inventory or is locally designated; that determines whether ministerial paths (like some building permits or SB 9 actions) are blocked (see § 14.16.282) .
• Design review is the mechanism Title 14 uses to protect historic character — check the San Rafael Design Review rules and the review authority split (planning commission / zoning administrator / community development director) in § 14.25.020 .
• Downtown parcels are governed by the Downtown Precise Plan for both design and historic‑resource treatment — confirm whether the Downtown Form‑Based Code controls your site (see § 14.05.022 and § 14.05.032) .
• If preserving a historic building is necessary to obtain project approval, Title 14 provides density/FAR transfer mechanisms as discretionary tools — these require findings, recorded covenants and use permits (see § 14.16.330 and § 14.16.335) .
• When preparing drawings, follow the San Rafael Development Standards and be ready to address parking, materials/appearance, and frontage treatment under the design criteria in § 14.25.050 .

(First time I mention each of the following topics I’ve linked them for the city menu: design review; development standards; parking; overlay districts; ADUs; California Building Standards Code; Variances and Exceptions.)

Checklist — what an applicant must satisfy (brief)

• Confirm whether the property is a locally designated landmark, in a historic district, or on the State Historic Resources Inventory; obtain Planning’s written determination (verify legal status).
• If the property is a landmark or in a district, prepare for a certificate of appropriateness per § 14.16.210 and consult Chapter 2.18 (Historic Preservation) .
• Determine the required review level under § 14.25.020 (planning commission vs. zoning administrator vs. director) and submit the corresponding environmental & design review application with materials addressing design criteria in § 14.25.050 .
• If pursuing density/FAR transfer as a preservation tool, prepare the use‑permit application materials required by § 14.16.330 / § 14.16.335, including proposed covenants/restrictive instruments .
• If the proposal would otherwise be ministerial (e.g., SB 9), check § 14.16.282 to see if historic status excludes eligibility .
• Coordinate any required building permits with historic‑resource conditions (note Title 14 defers to Chapter 2.18 and state codes where applicable) and verify with planning and building departments (verify with the jurisdiction).

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English summary

If your San Rafael property is a local landmark or inside a historic district, the city treats exterior changes differently: you may need a certificate of appropriateness and discretionary design review before you can build, and certain ministerial housing shortcuts (including SB 9) may be blocked. Title 14 points to Chapter 2.18 for the preservation rules, uses design review to protect character, and offers discretionary tools (density/FAR transfers) to enable preservation where needed — always confirm designation status and exact numeric standards with Planning. See § 14.16.210, § 14.25.020, § 14.16.282 .

Source References

• San Rafael Zoning Ordinance (Title 14) — Historic preservation trigger: § 14.16.210
• Environmental and design review authority and criteria: § 14.25.020 and § 14.25.050
• Downtown DMU deferral to Downtown San Rafael Precise Plan (form‑based code): § 14.05.022, § 14.05.032
• SB 9 limitations where historic: § 14.16.282
• Transfer of density / FAR to preserve historic resources: § 14.16.330, § 14.16.335
• Example development standards organizational table (P/OS table, height example): Table 14.10.030 / § 14.10.030 (max height 36 ft for P/OS)
• Title 14 overall purposes including historic resources protection: § 14.01.030(I)
• California Historical Building Code (context when working on historic structures): 2025 CHBC extract (uploaded)

Information Gaps (what I could NOT confirm from retrieved files)

• Full text of Chapter 2.18 (Historic Preservation) — Title 14 references it but that chapter’s procedural details and certificate standards were not included in the retrieved materials. Not found in retrieved materials.
• Full district numeric tables for R‑1, R‑2, R‑3, GC, NC, O (exact setbacks, lot coverage, FARs by district) were not present in the search snippets — several table references appear (Table 14.05.030, Table 14.10.030) but the complete per‑district numbers were not retrievable from supplied excerpts. Not found in retrieved materials.
• The city’s current list/map of designated local landmarks / historic districts / the Historic Building Inventory (needed to determine parcel status) was not included. Not found in retrieved materials.

Retrieved passages

• San Rafael Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• CBC § 14.25.010 (Section 14.25.010) Medium relevance show source text
• San Rafael Zoning Code (Section 14.16.030) Medium relevance show source text
• San Rafael Zoning Code (chapter to) Medium relevance show source text
• San Rafael Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• San Rafael Zoning Code (Title 14) Medium relevance show source text
• San Rafael Zoning Code (Title 14) Medium relevance show source text
• San Rafael Zoning Code (Chapter 14.17) Medium relevance show source text
• San Rafael Zoning Code (Chapter 14.17) Medium relevance show source text
• San Rafael Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• San Rafael Zoning Code (Section 65900.) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• San Rafael Zoning Ordinance (Title 14) — Historic preservation trigger: **§ 14.16.210** (Title 14)
• Environmental and design review authority and criteria: **§ 14.25.020** and **§ 14.25.050** (§ 14.25.020)
• Downtown DMU deferral to Downtown San Rafael Precise Plan (form‑based code): **§ 14.05.022**, **§ 14.05.032** (§ 14.05.022)
• SB 9 limitations where historic: **§ 14.16.282** (§ 14.16.282)
• Transfer of density / FAR to preserve historic resources: **§ 14.16.330**, **§ 14.16.335** (§ 14.16.330)
• Example development standards organizational table (P/OS table, height example): **Table 14.10.030** / **§ 14.10.030** (max height **36 ft** for P/OS) (§ 14.10.030)
• Title 14 overall purposes including historic resources protection: **§ 14.01.030(I)** (Title 14)
• California Historical Building Code (context when working on historic structures): 2025 CHBC extract (uploaded)
• SanRafael_ZoningCode.md
• 2025 California Historical Building Code.md

• Official San Rafael code library