Simi Valley — Development Standards

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes the Simi Valley Development Code rules that control lot sizes, setbacks, heights, lot coverage, and density for each zoning district. It focuses on the development-standards rules in the Simi Valley Municipal Code (SVMC) — how the city measures and enforces setbacks and heights, where reductions or exceptions may apply, and which tables to consult when preparing plans. For zone lists and uses consult the city's Simi Valley Zoning resources; for site-level technical requirements see the referenced SVMC sections below.

Note: This page interprets and synthesizes the local code; always verify parcel-specific measurements with staff. Key measurement/exception rules are in § 9-30.080 (setbacks) and § 9-30.060 (height) and the zone-specific development tables in Article 2 (Table 2‑3 for residential, Table 2‑6 for commercial/industrial) .

How to read Simi Valley development standards (short guide)

• Setbacks and measurement rules are in § 9-30.080; height measurement and exceptions are in § 9-30.060 .
• Zone-specific numeric standards (minimum lot area/width, front/side/rear setbacks, height limits, and density) are listed in the SVMC tables (e.g., Table 2‑3 for residential zones and Table 2‑6 for commercial/industrial) .
• Landscaping requirements are in Chapter 9‑33 and parking requirements are in Chapter 9‑34; plan to meet both during entitlement (see the city's landscaping and parking pages) .
• Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) special development standards are in § 9-44.160 (see the city's ADUs page) .
• Some projects require design checks or architectural review; see the city's design review guidance and the Administrative Actions/Design provisions in the code .

District-by-district breakdown

Below are the most decision-relevant zoning districts in the SVMC with the purpose, typical uses, and the key numeric standards that most applicants need to know. All numeric standards cited below come from the SVMC development tables and the measurement/exception rules referenced; see the cited code sections for full text and exceptions.

Note: Where a district-standard cross-references a measurement rule, that rule is listed (for example, setbacks measured per § 9-30.080 or height measured per § 9-30.060) .

RVL (Residential Very Low)

• Purpose / typical uses: Very low‑density residential lots (primarily single‑family dwellings); consult Article 2 for permitted uses and the General Plan consistency requirement .
• Key dimensional standards: Front setback 20 ft, Side and Rear as shown in Table 2‑3 (see § 9-30.080 for measurement), Maximum height: generally 2 stories / 30 ft for primary structures unless otherwise allowed by § 9-30.060 .
• Where it applies: low-density residential neighborhoods and the valley floor; lot size and width minimums shown in Table 2‑3 apply to subdivisions .

RL (Residential Low)

• Purpose / typical uses: Single‑family residential neighborhoods.
• Key dimensional standards: Minimum lot area ~10,000 sf, Front setback 20 ft, Interior side 10 ft, Rear 20 ft, Primary height: typically 2 stories / 30 ft (exceptions in § 9-30.060) .

RM (Residential Medium) and RMod‑Single / RMod‑Multi

• Purpose / typical uses: Duplexes, small multi‑family, or attached housing depending on the subzone.
• Key dimensional standards: lot sizes and widths reduced from RL; RMod‑Multi density ~10 units/acre, RH ~20 units/acre, RVH ~35 units/acre per Table 2‑3 (see § 9-24.060 cross‑references) . Setbacks: Front 20 ft (with additional setback for building height in some subzones), side and rear vary by subzone; primary structure height commonly 2 stories / 30 ft, with exceptions noted in § 9-30.060 .

RH / RVH (Residential High / Very High)

• Purpose / typical uses: Higher‑density multi‑family housing — apartments, condominiums.
• Key dimensional standards: Maximum density: RH 20 du/acre, RVH 35 du/acre (see Table 2‑3 and § 9‑24.060 references), setbacks and height follow Table 2‑3 and measurement rules § 9-30.080 and § 9-30.060 .

OS (Open Space) and RE (Rural Estate)

• Purpose / typical uses: Agricultural, parkland, very low intensity residential; limited densities (e.g., OS = 1 primary unit / 40 acres, RE = 1 primary unit / lot) and large front yard setbacks such as 50 ft in some cases (see Table 2‑3) . Setbacks/height and landscaping requirements apply per Article 3 and § 9-30.080 .

CO / CN / CR / CC / CPD (Commercial Districts) and CI / LI / GI (Industrial)

• Purpose / typical uses: Retail, service, office, planned commercial developments and industrial uses. See the general commercial/industrial development table (Table 2‑6) for standards .
• Key dimensional standards: Front/street side setback typically 20 ft for structures over 20 ft in height, with additional 1 ft of setback for each ft the building exceeds 20 ft; Primary structure height often 48 ft / 3 stories in many commercial districts (exceptions and specifics in § 9-26.050 and § 9-30.060) . Side and rear setbacks are often none required unless adjacent to residential zones (where a 20 ft plus 1 ft per foot above 20 ft rule applies) .

Mixed‑Use Overlay (MU) and BP Overlay

• Purpose: Overlay standards modify base-zone rules for mixed residential/commercial development (e.g., ground-floor commercial percentages, lower residential or mixed‑use parking ratios). The MU overlay establishes higher building heights (e.g., primary structures up to 55 ft / 4 stories in the Mixed‑Use District) and specific site‑planning rules; exceptions above that height must comply with the multi‑story standards in § 9‑26.050.A . See Overlay Districts for context.

Quick-reference table (decision-relevant standards)

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy)

• Confirm base zone and any overlays that modify standards (see § 9‑24.x et seq. and the Overlay Districts page) .
• Demonstrate compliance with setbacks and separation measurement rules in § 9-30.080 (show property line measurements and any permitted projections) .
• Show building heights measured per § 9-30.060 and call out any requested exceptions or CUP/administrative actions for higher structures (e.g., commercial zones per § 9-26.050) .
• Meet lot coverage / accessory structure limits (no more than 40% cumulative coverage of certain yard areas; accessory-structure size limits in § 9-44.220) and ADU-specific rules in § 9‑44.160 (see ADUs) .
• Provide required landscaping (Chapter 9‑33) and show parking per Chapter 9‑34 on the plans (see city's parking page) .
• If applicable, prepare an architectural/design package for review or ministerial design checks as required (see design review and Administrative Actions provisions) .
• Identify any nonconformities and reference the rules in Chapter 9‑72 (nonconforming uses/structures) if applicable .
• If proposing deviations (height >48 ft, reduced setbacks, etc.), prepare findings and studies required by § 9-26.050 and § 9‑30.080 (e.g., traffic study, compatibility finding) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

Simi Valley sets numeric front/side/rear setbacks, maximum building heights, lot-size minima, and density caps in zone-specific tables (residential Table 2‑3 and commercial/industrial Table 2‑6), measures setbacks by the rules in § 9‑30.080, and calculates height per § 9‑30.060; ADUs and accessory structures have their own special limits and exceptions in § 9‑44.160 and § 9‑44.220. Always check for overlays, CUP-triggered exceptions, and Chapter 9‑33 landscaping and Chapter 9‑34 parking requirements when preparing plans .

Source References

• Simi Valley Development Code — Table 2‑3 (Residential & Open Space District Standards) and related notes (see residential district standards and density rows) § 9‑24.x and Table 2‑3 (SVMC) .
• SVMC § 9‑30.080 — Setback and separation requirements and exceptions (setback measurement rules) .
• SVMC § 9‑30.060 — Height measurement and exceptions; 10% residential height increase allowance and roof feature exceptions .
• Table 2‑6 — Commercial and Industrial District General Development Standards; § 9‑26.040 and § 9‑26.050 (height exceptions and multi‑story standards) .
• SVMC § 9‑44.160 and Table 4‑6 / Table 4‑7 — ADU development standards (size limits, setbacks, conversion exceptions) — see ADU chapter for details .
• SVMC § 9‑44.220 — Accessory residential structure size/coverage and separation rules .
• SVMC applicability, definitions and general provisions (Development Code authority and applicability) § 9‑10.030 & § 9‑10.040 .
• Administrative Actions and ministerial review authority for certain deviations and minor requests § 9‑52.030 .

Retrieved passages

• Simi Valley Zoning Code (Chapter 9-33) High relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (Section 9-24.050) High relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (Chapter 9-33) High relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (Section 9-24.050.C.2) High relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (Chapter 9-34) High relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (Section may) High relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (Article 2) High relevance show source text
• Simi Valley Zoning Code (Section 9-44.160) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Simi Valley Development Code — Table 2‑3 (Residential & Open Space District Standards) and related notes (see residential district standards and density rows) **§ 9‑24.x** and Table 2‑3 (SVMC) . (§ 9)
• SVMC **§ 9‑30.080** — Setback and separation requirements and exceptions (setback measurement rules) . (§ 9)
• SVMC **§ 9‑30.060** — Height measurement and exceptions; 10% residential height increase allowance and roof feature exceptions . (§ 9)
• Table 2‑6 — Commercial and Industrial District General Development Standards; **§ 9‑26.040** and **§ 9‑26.050** (height exceptions and multi‑story standards) . (§ 9)
• SVMC **§ 9‑44.160** and Table 4‑6 / Table 4‑7 — ADU development standards (size limits, setbacks, conversion exceptions) — see ADU chapter for details . (§ 9)
• SVMC **§ 9‑44.220** — Accessory residential structure size/coverage and separation rules . (§ 9)
• SVMC applicability, definitions and general provisions (Development Code authority and applicability) **§ 9‑10.030** & **§ 9‑10.040** . (§ 9)
• Administrative Actions and ministerial review authority for certain deviations and minor requests **§ 9‑52.030** . (§ 9)
• SimiValley_ZoningCode.md

• Official Simi Valley code library