Sunnyvale, CA Building Safety: Anti-Mansionization (2026)

80. In the R-0, R-1 and R-2 zoning districts, a single-family or duplex lot is capped at 45 percent lot coverage for single-story homes, 40 percent for two-story homes, and 45 percent FAR or 3,600 square feet of gross floor area, whichever is less (Sec. 020). A new single-story home or a single-story addition that stays inside that FAR and floor-area ceiling is approved administratively by the director of community development without notice or hearing (Sec. 040(a)(1)-(2)). A two-story home or second-story addition inside the cap still needs public notice and a 14-day comment period, with on-site posting of a streetscape elevation showing the proposed home and the homes on both sides (Sec.

040(b)(1)-(2)). Once a proposed home or addition exceeds either the FAR or gross-floor-area threshold, Sec. ' Sec. 040(d)(1)-(2) confirms the same trigger for both new construction and additions that exceed the cap. A director's decision may be appealed only by the applicant, the property owner, or an owner within the required noticing radius, first to the planning commission and, on further appeal, to the city council, each acting by majority vote (Sec. 040(c), (e)). 78.