8/31/05 Land Use Workshop

House Size Restrictions

House Size Restriction Profile for Cities in Santa Clara County
(Included from Model Ordinances Survey of Viewshed Report: San Rafael, Napa Co., & Woodside)
Definitions:

Although definitions for the following terms vary slightly with each city, generally the following apply:

Height-. The Vertical distance from the grade to the highest point of the building.
Floor Area-. The entire area of all floors, measured from the outer face of exterior walls. Basements are generally
excluded from floor area

Floor Area Ratio (FAR): The ratio of gross floor area to the net lot area.

Lot Coverage: The horizontal area covered by all buildings on any lot as computed from the outside dimensions

of each building, expressed as a percentage of the lot area.

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45 generally. Up to 50 with approval of a Site &

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4

Campbell

35

2.5

Cupertino

28

Not

Gilroy

35

2

None

Los Altos

27

2

35

Specified

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Architectural Review Permit

45, second story is limited to 45% of first story

45

None

(1 story <=

35 (net site area <= 11,000 sq. ft.)
< 35. ‘ (net site area > 11,000 sq. ft.)

20’)
30

(2 stories or
1 story >
20’).
Los Altos
Hills
Los Gatos

27

Not

generally^

Specified

30

Not

Complex computation based on lot area and average
slope.^

None

35 to 15“ (excluding garages) for lots ranging from

40

5000 to 30000 sq. feet,

Specified

10 to 3^ for garages for lots ranging from 5000 to
30000 sq. feet

< 35''’ for all structures (excluding garages up to 400 sq
feet) on lots < 5000 square feet

Milpitas

Monte
Sereno

30

Not

None

None^

Specified
25-30

(overall

maximum*')

2

20 to 40

9.10

(as lot size

decreases)

Maximum Area (gross)

I I

3,300 to 6,600 sq. ft. for single story
3,000 sq. ft. to 6,000 sq. ft for two story
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8/31/05 Land Use Workshop

House Size Restrictions

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Morgan

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30"

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None

15 to 50

2.5

(as lot size

Hill

decreases)
Mountain
View

24

45 to 40 (Base FAR)

None

2

Base FAR +(10% of Base FAR) for additions - require

(1 story)

discretionary review

28

(2 stories)
Palo Alto

30

15

14

Not

= Maximum

45 for lots <= 5000

Specified

FAR

< 45 for lots > 5000

16

(1 story)
35

(2 or more
stories)
San Jose

35

2.5

None

Santa

25

2

40

26

2

Clara

Saratoga

35 to 60

> 45 requires discretionary review
None
18

(as lot size
decreases)

Sunnyvale

County
San Rafael

Napa Co.

30

35

21

45 ( 1 story)
40 (2 story)

2

2,3

22

Complex computation, which yields allowable floor

area"'' of 2,400 sq. ft to 8000 sq. ft..20for lots ranging
from 5,000 sq. ft. to 200,000 sq. ft

FAR > 45 or Gross Floor Area > 4,050 sq. ft. requires

Planning Commission Review

Only by combining district

None

Info not

Info not

Info Not

available

available

Available

Info not

Info not

Info Not

available

available

Available

Info not

Info not

Info Not

available

available

Available

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23

2,500 sq. ft., plus 10% of the lot area, up to 6,500 sq.

ft. in hillside overlay districts

4,000 sq. ft. plus up to 2,500 sq. ft. of accessory
structures through administrative review;
Discretionary review by Zoning Administrator or
Planning Commission required for projects exceeding
thresholds.

Woodside

6,000 sq. ft. in Rural Residential and Special
Conservation Districts;

8,000 sq. ft. exception for lots 150% or larger than
applicable minimum lot size, by Planning

Commission, with additional viewshed impact findings

required for approval.

I

Floor Area is calculated by the formula 3,850 + {.10 X (net lot area - 11,000)}.

■ 32’ for primary dwellings subject to special requirements

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House Size Restrictions

8/31/05 Land Use Workshop

Maximum Floor Area(MFA)= LUF X 6000 where average slope (S) <= 10%; MFA = LUF X {6,000 - 50(S-10)} where S
>10% and < 30%; MFA = LUF X 5,000 where S >= 30%. LUF in the preceding formulae stands for Lot Unit Factor. The LUF =

net area of the lot or parcel for lots where the average slope is less than ten (10%) percent; for lots or parcels with average slopes
between ten (10%) percent and fifty-five (55%) percent, then: LUF = An [1-.02143(S-IO)] where:(i) An = net area of the parcel

or lot (ii) S = average slope of the net area of the parcel or lot in percent.

The FAR values are calculated by using the formula: 0.35 - {(A-5)/25 X .20} where A is the net lot area in thousands of square

feet (for example, 7,500 square feet is written as 7.5.

’ The FAR values are calculated by using the formula: 0.10 - {(A-5)/25 X .07}, where A is the net lot area in thousands of square
feet (for example, 7,500 square feet is written as 7.5.

" The Far values are calculated using the formula: 0.40 - {(A-2)/3 X .05}, where A is the net lot area in thousands of square feet
(for example, 7,500 square feet is written as 7,5

^ The exception is one PUD, where lot coverage is 40
Different maximum height limits are specified for single and two story structures which in turn vary by different single family
residential zones; maximum height for single story structures at required first floor setback is 14’ which can be increased by 1 foot
for each additional 1 foot of distance that portion of the building is from the required setback line to a maximum of 21’. The

maximum height for two story structures at required second floor setback is 21’ which can be increased by 1 foot for each

additional 1 foot of distance that portion of the building is from the required setback line to a maximum of 25’in R-1-8 zone, to a
maximum of 27’ in R-1-20 zone, and can be increased by 1 foot for each additional 2 feet of distance that portion of the building is

from the required setback line to a maximum of 30’ in R-1-44 zone

Maximum lot coverage varies in different single family residential zones; R-1-8: 40%, R-1-20: 30%, R-1-44: 20%

10

Maximum cannot exceed 20,000 sq. ft. (for oversized lots)

Different Floor Areas (gross) are specified for single and two story main dwelling structures, which in turn vary by different

ft. for two story. The
single family residential zones. In R-1-8 zone: Maximum size = 3,300 sq. ft. for single story and 3,000lotsq.size
required by slope
size can be increased by .15 sq. ft. for each 1 sq. ft. the net lot size exceeds 10,000 sq ft. or minimum
story.
The size can be
density formula; In R-1-20 zone: Maximum size = 4,950 sq. ft. for single story and 4,500 sq. ft. for two
required
by
slope density
lot
size
exceeds
24,000
sq
ft.
or
minimum
lot
size
increased by ,050 sq. ft. for each 1 sq. ft. the net
formula; in R-1-44 zone: Maximum size = 6,600 sq. ft. for single story and 6,000 sq. ft. for two story. The size can be increased by
.075 sq. ft. for each 1 sq. ft. the net lot size exceeds 44,000 sq ft. or minimum lot size required by slope density formula
'■ In three single family zoning districts the maximum overall height of the dwelling is <= 17’

Maximum lot coverage varies in different single family zoning districts; R-1 7,000 & R-1 9,000: 50%, RE-1 12,000 & RE-1

20,000: 40%, RE-40,000: 30%, RE-100,000: 25%, and RE-10: 15%.

FAR = 45% for lots <= 5,000 sq. ft.; 44% for lots 6,000 sq. ft.; 43% for lots 7,000 sq. ft.; 42% for lots 8,000 sq. ft.; 41% for lots
9,000 sq. ft.; 40% for lots => 10,000 sq. ft.; For other lot sizes FAR = 0,50 - (O.OOOIX Lot Area)
16

33’ if the roof pitch is 12:12 or greater.

Floor Area is calculated by the formula: 2,250 -i- {0.30 X (lot area - 5000)} for lots > 5000

There are three levels of discretionary review: Level I- Administrative review by Planning Directors, if a set of seven criteria are
met. Level 11 - Public hearing with the planning Director if the criteria are not met. Level III - Planning Commission hearing if the
decision at Level II is appealed.
Maximum lot coverage varies in different single family zoning districts; R-1-10,000: 60%; R-1-12,500: 55%; R-1-15,000: 50%;
17

R-1 -20,000: 45%, R-1 -40,000: 35%.

2(1

The allowable floor are is based upon the net site area and slope of the lot and the height of the structure to be constructed,

8,000 sq ft is the maximum allowable square footage for lots > 200,000 sq. ft.; maximum allowable square footage for lots <

5,000 sq. ft. is determined by Planning Commission.

Height = 27’ in ‘nU neighborhood combining district
3 stories allowed in RHS district in hillside areas.

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FAR = 35% in ‘nl’ neighborhood combining district, and 50% in ‘n2’ neighborhood combining district.

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