Redwood City, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)

Article 5 of the Redwood City Zoning Code governs two single-family districts: RH, the hillside areas of sloped lots and curvilinear streets, and R-1, found mostly in the western part of the city. Section 5.5 applies one rule to both. Total lot coverage is limited to 40 percent of the lot area, whatever the lot size. Minimum lot area still differs under § 5.3: 10,000 square feet in RH and 6,000 square feet in R-1, and a suffix such as RH-20 raises the minimum to 20,000.

Article 2 defines lot coverage as the footprint of all structures, including the primary building or buildings, accessory buildings, covered patios and decks, covered front entries, and any covered parking areas, expressed as a percentage of the total lot area. The definition adds that certain structures may be exempt from the calculation as described elsewhere in the Zoning Code. Section 36.5E confirms that accessory buildings count toward the maximum lot coverage of the underlying district.

The second limit sits in the rear yard. Any combination of accessory buildings can cover no more than 50 percent of the required rear yard, and § 36.5G repeats that cap. The rear setback in § 5.7F is 25 feet in RH and 20 feet in R-1. An accessory building is a detached subordinate building such as a garage or storage building; a building connected to a main building at any point must meet the main building requirements instead. Section 36.5 sets the envelope too: 4 feet from interior side and rear lines, 6 feet from other buildings on the lot, total height of 16 feet, and wall height of 9 feet for flat or shed roofs next to the side and rear lines. Roof decks on accessory structures are prohibited.

Three neighboring rules work separately. Section 5.9 requires at least 40 percent of each lot and 60 percent of the required front yard to be pervious, and on lots under 50 feet wide it limits paving for driveway and parking to a width of 20 feet. Section 36.7 exempts patio slabs, decks, driveways, sidewalks and other paving one foot high or less from setbacks. SB 9 projects under § 5.10 follow the underlying district standards unless a standard would physically preclude two units of at least 800 square feet each, and then the City must waive or modify it by the minimum amount necessary.