Woodside Zoning, Planning & Building Codes

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

Woodside’s local land-use rules are codified as CHAPTER 153 — the Town’s Zoning Law (often referenced as “Title 17 / Zoning” in practice) and organize the map, permitted uses, and detailed development standards that implement the General Plan (§ 153.001–§ 153.003) . The code emphasizes preserving Woodside’s rural, low‑density character while providing targeted rules for town‑center commercial parcels, multi‑family sites, and special conservation areas (§ 153.002; § 153.102) . Major technical rules — setbacks, height, paved coverage, parking, ADUs, and nonconforming structures — live in named sections so you can navigate straight to them (§ 153.207; § 153.208; § 153.209; § 153.211; § 153.230) . This page orients you to where those rules are, how the district map is structured, how review and permits work, and how state housing laws (ADU/SB9) have been folded into Woodside’s ordinance.

How Woodside's code is organized

• The Zoning Law is titled CHAPTER 153 — ZONING; the short title and purposes are in § 153.001 and § 153.002 respectively; the chapter also defines scope and basic interpretation rules in § 153.003–§ 153.005 (§ 153.001–§ 153.005) .
• District definitions and the official zoning map categories are collected in the district classification subchapter, notably § 153.102 and the district tables that follow; that listing is the place to find the official district names and map families (§ 153.102) .
• Numeric development standards and measurement rules (setbacks, height, coverage, paved area, parking) are grouped in predictable sections so you can search for setbacks (§ 153.207), height (§ 153.208), paved area & surface coverage (§ 153.209), and parking rules (§ 153.221–§ 153.225) when preparing a project permit application (§ 153.207–§ 153.225) .
• The ordinance also has dedicated subchapters for: conditional uses / use permits (the 153.9xx subchapter referenced throughout), variances and exceptions (e.g., § 153.953), nonconforming uses and buildings (§ 153.230 series), and amendment procedures (rezones/amendments § 153.961–§ 153.965) (§ 153.230; § 153.953; § 153.961–§ 153.965) .
• The code cross‑references the Town’s building regulations as Chapter 150 (Building Regulations), so building‑permit technical compliance is checked against those local building rules and the California Building Standards Code as applicable (see Chapter 150 references in multiple permit rules) (§ 153.x references to Chapter 150) .

Quick links inside the Woodside menu (first natural mention of each topic):

• Woodside zoning (the zoning map and district list live under CHAPTER 153) .
• The town’s development standards pages summarize setbacks, height, coverage, and measurement rules in the ordinance (§ 153.207–§ 153.209) .
• Woodside parking rules and the ADU parking waiver are written into the Zoning chapter (see § 153.211 and the off‑street parking subchapter) (§ 153.211; §§ 153.221–153.225) .
• Routine project review and the Town’s aesthetic standards are handled through design review and the code’s objective design criteria (see multi‑family/objective standards and the site‑planning and building design evaluation criteria) (§ 153.110 et seq.; objective design standards for MF/MFRZ sites) .
• Special rules and mapping for overlay districts such as the MFOZ (Multi‑Family Development Overlay) and SCP classifications are established in the district classification tables (§ 153.102 and follow‑ons) .
• For accessory units see Woodside ADUs (local ADU rules are consolidated at § 153.211) .
• The Town enforces building and construction technical standards consistent with the California Building Standards Code and the Town’s Chapter 150 building rules; construction permitting therefore checks both zoning and building chapters (§ references to Chapter 150 within CH.153) .
• For state housing law context (SB9, ADU, density bonus) see the state California housing laws and the Town’s local SB9/ministerial provisions (see the SB9 sub‑sections of CH.153) (§ 153.980 et seq.) .
• For state ADU preemptions and related rules see the California ADU law; Woodside’s ADU rules implement those state constraints and also identify local parking/height/utility conditions (§ 153.211) .

Zoning district families (the actual Woodside district names)

Woodside uses multiple named zone‑families on its official zoning map; the ordinance lists them explicitly (the list below reflects the code’s district classifications in § 153.102 and the district table) (§ 153.102) :

• SCP — Special Conservation Planning (with SCP-5, SCP-7.5, SCP-10 minimum lot sizes depending on slope and constraints) (§ 153.102) .
• RR — Rural Residential (large‑lot rural districts) (§ 153.102) .
• SR — Suburban Residential (lower‑density residential) (§ 153.102) .
• R‑1 — Residential (single‑family) (the primary single‑family district; many citywide standards and exceptions reference R‑1) (§ 153.102) .
• MF, MF‑20, MFRZ — Multi‑Family Residential variants; MFRZ and specific MF designations carry site‑specific objective design standards for parcels such as Cañada College, Raymundo Drive, and other Town‑owned or identified parcels (§ 153.110 and MF provisions) .
• MFOZ — Multi‑Family Residential Overlay District (overlay used for targeted design/regulatory rules) (§ 153.102) .
• CC — Community Commercial and PCCD — Planned Community Commercial District (Town Center and commercial parcels; PCCD has its own conceptual plan / rules and findings) (§ 153.102; PCCD rules) .
• Open space variants: OSH, OSRL, OSRM, OSN, OSM for health & safety, low/medium recreation, preservation, and managed production open space categories (§ 153.102) .

When you read the zoning map, match the map name to these exact district codes and then read the district‑specific standards referenced in the same CHAPTER 153 sub‑sections.

Citywide development standards — where the big rules live

• Setbacks and measurement rules: § 153.207 is the core setbacks chapter (how front/side/rear setbacks are measured and typical exceptions) and contains the district‑by‑district requirements and listed exceptions such as permitted eave/porch projections (§ 153.207) .
• Height measurement and exceptions: § 153.208 establishes plate and overall height measurement, ministerial exceptions (chimneys, cupolas), and discretionary height exceptions (the Planning Commission can approve a 35‑foot main‑residence height under specific findings) (§ 153.208) .
• Paved area, surface coverage & lot coverage: § 153.209 (and the tables that follow for R‑1, SR, RR, SCP variants) contains the town’s coverage formulas and the special Town‑Center exceptions; the measurement rules for “building coverage” are explained in the coverage sub‑articles (§ 153.209) .
• Parking and loading: off‑street parking rules are in the parking subchapter (see §§ 153.221–153.225 and ADU‑specific parking waivers inside § 153.211) (§ 153.211; §§ 153.221–153.225) .
• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs): Woodside consolidated ADU rules at § 153.211 — this section sets the local approach to building/fire/sanitation compliance, parking requirements and waivers, and allowed ADU types while referencing state standards where applicable (§ 153.211) .
• Nonconforming structures and uses: the nonconforming subchapter § 153.230 onward governs continuation, alteration, reconstruction after destruction, and limited additions to nonconforming structures (§ 153.230 et seq.) .
• Special exceptions and administrative/ discretionary modifications: ministerial exceptions and Planning Director discretion appear in many development sections (height exceptions, setback encroachments, SB9 feasibility exceptions); formal variances and appeals are handled in the variance and amendment subchapters (see § 153.953 for variance timing rules and § 153.961–§ 153.965 for rezones/amendments) (§ 153.953; § 153.961–§ 153.965) .

Design & discretionary review

• Woodside emphasizes preserving scenic corridors, natural features, and an equestrian/rural character — the code’s design evaluation criteria focus on site planning, building design, landscape elements, and neighborhood compatibility; these guidelines are used in design reviews and are cited directly in the objective design standards for specific zone types and projects (§ 153.110 objective standards; design evaluation criteria) .
• Multi‑family and specific parcels (e.g., Cañada College parcels, 773 Cañada Road, Raymundo Drive, High Road parcel) have objective design standards called out in the MF/MFRZ sections and are evaluated under the MFRD procedures in the code (§ 153.110 and the MF/MFRZ sub‑rules) .
• The ordinance distinguishes between ministerial (objective) review and discretionary design review/use permit processes; multi‑family projects, PCCD projects, and many conditional uses require the findings and public hearings listed in the 153.9xx permit subchapter (§ 153.110; PCCD and conditional use findings) .

Specific plans & overlays

• Planned Community Commercial District (PCCD) rules create a conceptual plan + specific development rules and require special findings for any PCCD rule adoption or changes; PCCD processes and findings are laid out in the PCCD chapter text and tie back to the General Plan (§ references within PCCD rules) (§ 153.9xx PCCD rules; PCCD findings in the PCCD subchapter) .
• Overlay and specialty districts such as MFOZ (Multi‑Family Overlay), MFRZ, and the SCP families are used to adapt base‑zone rules where site constraints or policy objectives justify it; the district classification language and overlay controls are in § 153.102 and the related district rules (§ 153.102) .
• The code also contains a discrete SB9 implementation block (SB9 lot‑split and SB9 housing project rules) that creates an SB9 pathway with objective standards and deed‑restriction requirements specific to SB9 lots (see § 153.980–§ 153.989) (§ 153.980–§ 153.989) .

Building permits & review — the practical permit path

• Two permits are always relevant: (1) the local zoning clearance/land‑use approval (ministerial or discretionary) required by CH.153, and (2) the building permit checked against Chapter 150 (Town building rules) and the California Building Standards Code. The code requires both zoning and building conformity before construction can proceed (see CH.153 application rules and Chapter 150 cross‑references) (§ 153.004; Chapter 150 cross‑refs) .
• Ministerial approvals: many smaller projects and objective standards (including certain SB9 housing projects when they meet objective criteria) are processed ministerially; the SB9 subchapter makes ministerial approval the baseline for qualifying projects and spells out the narrow denial criteria (specific, adverse impacts; objective noncompliance) (§ 153.989; § 153.987–§ 153.989) .
• Discretionary approvals: conditional use permits, design review, rezonings, variances, and PCCD rule adoptions require public hearings and findings under the 153.9xx subchapter and the amendment/variance procedures (see §§ 153.921–153.930; §§ 153.961–153.965; § 153.953) (§ 153.921–§ 153.930; §§ 153.961–153.965; § 153.953) .
• Practical steps: start with a zoning clearance to confirm allowed uses and objective standards (check the district table), then submit design plans and Chapter 150 permit documents; if your proposal triggers discretionary review (use permit, variance, rezoning) expect hearings and findings as spelled out in the applicable subchapter (§ 153.961–§ 153.965; §§ 153.921–153.930) .
• Enforcement and permit nullification: the Town’s enforcement authority and rule that permits must conform to the chapter (and become void if issued in conflict) are stated in § 153.991 and nearby enforcement text (§ 153.991) .

State housing law in Woodside

Woodside’s zoning code implements and references state housing statutes while retaining local objective standards where allowed:

• ADUs: the Town’s ADU rules are consolidated at § 153.211. That section requires ADUs to meet building/fire/septic code and sets local parking rules (one space for ADUs with bedrooms but waivers apply in enumerated situations), allows certain ADU utility and height arrangements, and references Chapter 150 building requirements (§ 153.211) . See the Woodside ADU page for local specifics and the state California ADU law for preemptive rules influencing local ADU permitting (§ 153.211) .
• SB9 (ministerial two‑unit and lot split rules): Woodside added an SB9 subchapter (§ 153.980–§ 153.989) that sets out objective SB9 development standards, ministerial review procedures, deed‑restriction requirements for SB9 lots, and narrow denial grounds (public health and safety specific impacts and objective noncompliance) (§ 153.980–§ 153.989) . The SB9 rules also detail how existing nonconformities on an SB9 lot are handled and when exceptions to local site standards may be considered for strict feasibility reasons (§ 153.986–§ 153.989) .
• Density bonus / by‑right affordability incentives: the specific local implementation language for state density bonus provisions was not located in the retrieved CH.153 excerpts. Verify with the Planning Department or the Town’s housing‑law implementing ordinances for any local density‑bonus procedures (Not found in retrieved materials) (verify with jurisdiction).
• Rent control/tenant protections: the zoning chapter does not create or reference a town‑level rent‑control ordinance in the retrieved sections. For rent‑control questions consult the Town Clerk or municipal code search (Not found in retrieved materials).

Information gaps (what I could not confirm in the retrieved files)

• A standalone local density‑bonus implementing section (specific cross‑references to Government Code density bonus implementation) was not found in the CH.153 excerpts I reviewed — confirm with the Planning Department or full municipal code search. (Not found in retrieved materials) .
• A townwide rent‑control ordinance or residential eviction‑protections program is not present in the CH.153 materials retrieved here; the municipal code may have other chapters outside CH.153 addressing housing programs. (Not found in retrieved materials) .
• Historic‑preservation procedural text and inventory listings were not visible in the CH.153 excerpts I searched; if your project touches a potentially historic structure, confirm with the Town’s Historic Preservation staff or the full municipal code search (Not found in retrieved materials) .

Source References

• Woodside Municipal Code — CHAPTER 153: ZONING (adoption, purposes, district classification, and general provisions) — see § 153.001–§ 153.005, § 153.102 .
• Setbacks and measurement: § 153.207 (setback rules and measurement) .
• Height: § 153.208 (height measurement, ministerial and discretionary exceptions) .
• Paved area & surface coverage: § 153.209 and coverage tables for R‑1 / SCP / etc. .
• ADUs: § 153.211 (ADU definitions, parking, safety, and local ADU rules) .
• Nonconforming uses/structures: § 153.230 (continuation, alteration, reconstruction) .
• PCCD / Planned Community Commercial rules and findings: PCCD subchapter (PCCD findings and process) .
• Multi‑Family / MFRZ objective design standards and MFRD procedures: MF/MFRZ sub‑rules and objective standards § references .
• SB9 implementation: § 153.980–§ 153.989 (SB9 housing project rules, deed restrictions, ministerial review and denial grounds) .
• Enforcement and permit authority: § 153.991 and enforcement language in CH.153 .