Redwood City, CA Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)

Article 2 of the Zoning Code defines "Animal-Related Uses" as any commercial business providing services and care to animals, including pet day care, pet hotel, kennel, veterinary clinic, animal hospital, and pet grooming, but not a retail pet store with no grooming or animal care on site. 2, the use table for the CN Neighborhood Commercial District, lists Animal-Related Uses with a "C": permitted only with a Conditional Use Permit, the same marking carried into the use tables for the Light Industrial Incubator, Mixed-Use Transitional and Mixed-Use Waterfront districts.

A makes clear that any use not addressed in a district's table is prohibited outright unless the Zoning Administrator determines it is a similar and compatible use. Under Article 42, a Use Permit for a pet grooming business is decided by the Zoning Administrator at a public hearing, and can only be approved if the Administrator finds the use consistent with the General Plan, compatible with surrounding uses, not detrimental to public health, safety or welfare, not disruptive to adjacent uses, and adequately served by utilities, parking and traffic circulation.

A pet groomer that instead operates as an accessory service inside a business that itself is not classified as an Animal-Related Use, such as a boutique pet store's own bathing station, is reviewed under the rules for that underlying use.