Woodside — Historic Preservation

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

Woodside’s zoning ordinance contains a few targeted references to historic resources (a legal LANDMARK definition, design‑review triggers that affect visible/ridge and scenic sites, and an explicit SB9 historic‑resource exclusion), but it does not contain a stand‑alone historic‑preservation chapter or a local landmark/district designation procedure in the excerpts retrieved. Key cross‑cutting controls you must watch are design review triggers (scenic corridors / ridgelines), the LANDMARK definition, and the Town’s SB9 exclusions. See the local zoning law for the controlling language: § 153.005, § 153.912, § 153.913, § 153.980(B).

Important (first) internal resources mentioned below include Woodside’s rules for design review, parking, development standards (setbacks/height/coverage), overlay districts, and ADUs. Also see the state code reference at California Building Standards Code.

What the Woodside zoning ordinance actually says (synthesis & citations)

• Definition: the code defines LANDMARK as “a site or feature that is so designated by the Woodside Town Council due to the historic value pursuant to a historic preservation ordinance” in § 153.005 (definitions). This establishes that the Town recognizes a local landmark category but does not, in the retrieved material, show the designation procedure or criteria.

• Design review triggers that commonly affect historic resources: projects visible from designated scenic corridors and all buildings on ridge lines visible from those corridors require higher levels of design/architectural review; no permit is to issue until the required reviewing body acts as set out in § 153.912 and the design‑review process is in § 153.913–§ 153.915. These provisions are the primary route by which preservation‑sensitive oversight occurs in Woodside (appearance, siting, massing, materials).

• SB9 / small‑lot ministerial projects: Woodside’s objective SB9 rules explicitly exclude lots that are on the State Historic Resources Inventory or “within a site that is legally designated or listed as a Town historic property.” See § 153.980(B) — this is an important, concrete protection for listed historic resources because it removes the SB9 ministerial pathway for those parcels.

• Trees / landmark trees: the Town’s tree‑protection rules treat trees designated as a landmark specially — one specific rule exempts Eucalyptus/Acacia/Monterey Pine from administrative removal only if they are not designated as a landmark (i.e., if they are designated landmark trees they are protected). See § 153.436(A)(5) and the tree protection subchapter generally.

• General development standards that apply across districts (height, setbacks, coverage) remain binding on historic properties unless a specific preservation procedure (not found) allows otherwise; relevant standards live in § 153.207 (setbacks), § 153.208 (height), and § 153.210 (building coverage). Where projects trigger design review those bodies explicitly consider compatibility with scenic corridors, materials, massing and context (design review criteria in § 153.911 et seq.).

• What the code does not show in the retrieved materials: the ordinance text provided does not include a procedural section that explains (a) how to nominate or designate a local LANDMARK, (b) what objective criteria the Town uses to list local historic properties, (c) whether there is a local historic district map or inventory, or (d) the local certificate‑of‑appropriateness style process commonly found in other jurisdictions. For those items the code is silent in the extracted sections. Not found in retrieved materials.

District‑by‑district implications (how historic preservation interacts with each major zoning district)

Below each district heading I state the relevant purpose or constraint and the practical preservation consequences under the code excerpts retrieved. For district purposes and names see § 153.101.

R-1 (Residential)

• Purpose / where it applies: R-1 is the Town’s primary single‑family residential district; development standards governing maximum residence size, setbacks and TFA apply (see Table G and related rules). § 153.206 and § 153.207.
• Typical permitted uses: single‑family residences and accessory uses (including ADUs per the ADU rules — see § 153.211 and the Town ADU provisions).
• Key dimensional standards to watch for historic parcels: standard setbacks and height limits from § 153.207 and § 153.208 still apply; exceptions and setback‑exceptions procedures are in § 153.207(D) (Planning Commission exceptions). Any design changes on a property visible from scenic corridors or ridgelines will likely require Architectural & Site Review.
• Practical note: if an R‑1 parcel is designated a LANDMARK (or is within a legally designated Town historic site) SB9 ministerial relief will not apply to that lot under § 153.980(B).

SR (Suburban Residential) and RR (Rural Residential)

• Purpose: SR and RR govern larger‑lot residential uses and variable maximum residence sizes; standards for maximum TFA and setbacks are in the general development sections and Table G. § 153.206.
• Historic implications: same as R‑1 — exterior changes that alter massing or visibility to scenic corridors are subject to design review; special exceptions require Planning Commission findings.

SCP (Special Conservation Planning)

• Purpose / where it applies: SCP is for environmentally constrained lands; it layers site constraints (slope, hazards) on top of zoning and requires compliance with sensitive‑area rules § 153.410–153.416.
• Historic implications: in SCP areas the Town already expects constrained siting and extensive review; for historic properties that overlay SCP you will face both the sensitive‑area rules and the design review triggers (no separate “historic” carve‑out is shown).

CC (Community Commercial) and Town Center

• Purpose / where it applies: CC addresses the Town Center and is subject to more prescriptive building‑height and coverage limits (see § 153.210 and CCD map height rules in § 153.208).
• Historic implications: properties in Town Center that are historic will still be governed by the one‑story/height restrictions in the CCD map areas; design review for compatibility with historic character (materials, scale) happens through the ASRB/Planning Commission procedures.

OS* (Open Space districts: OSH, OSRL, OSRM, OSN, OSM)

• Purpose: open space protection; these districts limit structures to replacements and strongly favor preservation of landscape and natural features. See § 153.201 and the OS district tables.
• Historic implications: historic buildings in open space districts may be subject to very tight replacement/repair rules (the code seeks to “limit structures to those presently existing or to replacements thereof”), so preservation‑oriented outcomes are more likely in OS zones.

(If you need a parcel‑specific summary of the exact numeric setbacks, heights and TFA limits for a given lot, verify the zoning district on the Town zoning map and cross‑check Table H/Table I and § references above — Verify with the jurisdiction.)

Quick decision‑relevant table

Checklist — what an applicant must satisfy (preservation‑sensitive projects)

• Confirm whether the parcel is on the State Historic Resources Inventory or is legally designated/listed as a Town historic property (if yes, SB9 ministerial relief is excluded). Verify with the Town; see § 153.980(B).
• Determine whether the project is visible from a designated scenic corridor or is located on a visible ridgeline — if so, expect Architectural & Site Review or Planning Commission review per § 153.912.
• Prepare a design‑review submittal (Conceptual + Formal as required) addressing materials, massing, color, and scenic compatibility in line with the ASRB criteria in § 153.911 and § 153.913.
• For any proposed tree removals, check the tree protection rules and whether trees are designated landmark trees; supply arborist reports when requested under § 153.435–153.437.
• Cross‑check all dimensional standards (setbacks § 153.207, height § 153.208, coverage § 153.210) and prepare story poles if a public‑hearing entitlement is required (§ 153.909).
• If you intend to seek an exception or variance (e.g., to preserve a historic facade while adjusting setbacks), prepare the specific findings and public‑hearing submittal per the Variances / Exceptions procedures; see § 153.920 et seq. (See Variances and Exceptions). Not all variance outcomes are predictable — verify with planning staff.

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English summary (one paragraph)

Woodside’s zoning code recognizes local landmarks and protects visible scenic/ridgeline sites through its design‑review process, and it explicitly prevents SB9 ministerial lot‑split projects on parcels that are listed as historic at the state or Town level; however, the retrieved ordinance excerpts do not include a local step‑by‑step landmark designation procedure or published Town inventory — so confirm landmark/district status and any missing local preservation rules with Planning. § 153.005, § 153.912, § 153.913, § 153.980(B).

Information Gaps

• No local procedural text for how to nominate, evaluate, or designate a Town landmark or a local historic district was included in the retrieved zoning excerpts. Not found in retrieved materials.
• No Town historic inventory list was included in the retrieved materials (the SB9 language references such a list, but it was not provided). Not found in retrieved materials.
• No “certificate of appropriateness” or preservation permit form/process is present in the retrieved sections. Not found in retrieved materials.

Source References

• Woodside Municipal Code — CHAPTER 153 (Zoning): § 153.005 (definitions) — LANDMARK.
• Woodside Municipal Code — § 153.912 (Required review; scenic corridors / Western Hills / visible ridgelines).
• Woodside Municipal Code — § 153.913–§ 153.915 (Design review procedures and actions).
• Woodside Municipal Code — § 153.207 (Setbacks), § 153.208 (Height), § 153.210 (Coverage / CC district).
• Woodside Municipal Code — § 153.436 and § 153.434–153.438 (Tree protection and permit rules; landmark tree implications).
• Woodside Municipal Code — § 153.980–§ 153.983 (SB9 rules and the historic‑resource exclusion). § 153.980(B) specifically excludes historic parcels from SB9 ministerial relief.
• State / technical references (for context, uploaded): 2025 California Historical Building Code (definitions and preservation treatments).
• ADU guidance in the uploaded ADU handbook (state ADU issues and historic resource considerations).

Retrieved passages

• Woodside Zoning Code (§ 9-2.1218) Medium relevance show source text
• Woodside Zoning Code (§ 9-2.901) Medium relevance show source text
• Woodside Zoning Code (§ 2) Medium relevance show source text
• Woodside Zoning Code (§ 65915) Medium relevance show source text
• Woodside Zoning Code (Section 153.963) Medium relevance show source text
• Woodside Zoning Code (chapter are) Medium relevance show source text
• CBC § 153.005 (Section 153.005) Medium relevance show source text
• Woodside Zoning Code (Section 153.438.) Medium relevance show source text
• Woodside Zoning Code (Section 153.205.) Medium relevance show source text
• Woodside Zoning Code (Chapter 150) Medium relevance show source text
• Woodside Zoning Code (SECTION 2) Medium relevance show source text
• Woodside Zoning Code (Section 153.963) Medium relevance show source text
• Woodside Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Woodside Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Woodside Zoning Code (Section 153.005) Medium relevance show source text
• Woodside Zoning Code (§ 2) Medium relevance show source text
• Woodside Zoning Code (§ 9-2.201) Medium relevance show source text
• Woodside Zoning Code (§ 9-2.1113) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Woodside Municipal Code — CHAPTER 153 (Zoning): **§ 153.005** (definitions) — LANDMARK. (CHAPTER 153)
• Woodside Municipal Code — **§ 153.912** (Required review; scenic corridors / Western Hills / visible ridgelines). (§ 153.912)
• Woodside Municipal Code — **§ 153.913**–**§ 153.915** (Design review procedures and actions). (§ 153.913)
• Woodside Municipal Code — **§ 153.207** (Setbacks), **§ 153.208** (Height), **§ 153.210** (Coverage / CC district). (§ 153.207)
• Woodside Municipal Code — **§ 153.436** and **§ 153.434–153.438** (Tree protection and permit rules; landmark tree implications). (§ 153.436)
• Woodside Municipal Code — **§ 153.980**–**§ 153.983** (SB9 rules and the historic‑resource exclusion). **§ 153.980(B)** specifically excludes historic parcels from SB9 ministerial relief. (§ 153.980)
• State / technical references (for context, uploaded): 2025 California Historical Building Code (definitions and preservation treatments).
• ADU guidance in the uploaded ADU handbook (state ADU issues and historic resource considerations).
• Woodside_ZoningCode.md
• 2025 California ADU handbook.md
• 2025 California Historical Building Code.md

• Official Woodside code library