Santa Clara County has no countywide mansionization ordinance, but Title C zoning sets floor area ratio caps, lot coverage limits, and tiered setbacks in residential and rural districts of unincorporated areas, including hillside, scenic, and AP-Agricultural Preserve overlays.
Title C (Zoning) of the Santa Clara County Code regulates residential bulk through district-specific FAR, lot coverage, and setback rules rather than a single anti-mansionization ordinance. R-1 single-family districts impose maximum FAR ranging from 0.40 to 0.45 depending on lot size, with second-story step-backs and daylight planes on smaller lots. HS Hillside and the Santa Clara County Scenic Roads overlays add ridgeline protection, height tied to slope, and visual-sensitivity review. The AP Agricultural Preserve and RR Rural Residential zones impose larger minimum lot sizes but lower coverage caps. The Department of Planning and Development reviews larger additions; the Architectural and Site Approval process applies in scenic corridors.
Stop-work orders and permit revocation for exceeding FAR or hillside limits. Title A administrative penalties run up to $1,000 per day. Illegal grading triggers separate Title C grading-permit civil penalties and restoration orders under the County Geologist's review.
San Jose, CA
San Jose establishes minimum setback requirements by zoning district under SJMC Title 20 (Zoning). For single-family residential (R-1-8) zones, the standard ...
San Jose, CA
San Jose regulates lot coverage (the percentage of a lot covered by structures) through SJMC Title 20. In R-1-8 single-family residential zones, the maximum ...
See how San Jose's anti-mansionization rules stack up against other locations.
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