Redwood City, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Max lot coverage
- 40% of lot area (R-1, RH)
- Rear-yard sub-cap
- 50% by accessory buildings/ADU
- Counted in coverage
- covered patios, decks, entries, parking
- ADU exemption
- excluded, but attached garage/porch counts
- Accessory buildings
- count toward the 40% cap
- Appeal window
- 15 days to Planning Commission (sec. 41.7)
Summary
Redwood City caps total lot coverage at 40 percent of lot area in its R-1 and RH single-family districts, and separately limits how much of the required rear yard can be eaten up by sheds, garages and other accessory buildings to no more than half.
5.5 - Lot Coverage. Total lot coverage is limited to forty percent (40%) of the lot area. Not more than fifty percent (50%) of the required rear yard shall be covered by any combination of accessory buildings or an accessory dwelling unit subject to Section 36.5 (Accessory Buildings) and Article 37 (Accessory Dwelling [Units]). Lot Coverage. The footprint of all structures including the primary building(s), accessory buildings, covered patios and decks, covered front entries, and any covered parking areas expressed as a percentage of the total lot area. Certain structures may be exempt from lot coverage calculations otherwise as described in the Zoning Code.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Zoning Code: Supplement 29 | City Code: Supplement 61 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
5 (Accessory Buildings) and Article 37 (Accessory Dwelling Units). Article 2 defines "Lot Coverage" as the footprint of every structure on the lot, including the primary building, accessory buildings, covered patios and decks, covered front entries, and any covered parking area, expressed as a percentage of total lot area, while noting that certain structures can be exempted elsewhere in the Zoning Code. That exemption shows up directly in Article 37: accessory dwelling units are excluded from the lot coverage calculation entirely, though an attached garage, carport or covered porch built as part of the ADU still counts.
E goes the other direction, confirming that ordinary accessory buildings such as sheds and detached garages do count toward the 40 percent cap. 7, and from there to the City Council.
Violations & Fines
Building or maintaining coverage beyond the 40 percent lot coverage limit or the 50 percent rear-yard sub-cap is a zoning violation and public nuisance under Section 50.2, prosecuted as an infraction under Section 50.5 with fines up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a repeat within a year, and $500 after that, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense that the City Attorney can also sue to abate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts toward Redwood City's lot coverage limit?
Does an accessory dwelling unit count against my lot coverage?
Can I cover half my back yard with a shed and a patio?
What happens if my project exceeds the 40 percent lot coverage cap?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Redwood City
California rules heatmap·Compare Redwood City to another location·View the California building setbacks & zoning overview
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