Novato, CA Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)

Division 19.25 of the Novato Zoning Ordinance has two parts. Section 19.25.040 lets a developer of a housing development be permitted a density bonus and incentives in accordance with California Government Code Sections 65915 through 65918, the State Density Bonus Law. Section 19.25.050 is Novato's own bonus for senior citizen housing. Section 19.25.030 applies the division to all zoning districts that permit housing at a prescribed density, and where zoning and General Plan Land Use Designation densities conflict, the Land Use Designation density prevails.

The local Senior Density Bonus is granted to 30 dwelling units per acre when the applicant builds senior citizen housing, as defined in California Civil Code Section 51.3, in the Affordable Housing Opportunity Overlay District under section 19.16.070. That overlay sets the base density at twenty (20) to twenty-three (23) units per acre for projects that include 20 percent of units affordable to very low and low income households, split as 10 percent low income and 10 percent very low income, with the affordable units held for not less than fifty-five years.

A developer can stack the two bonuses. The state bonus and incentives are calculated on the applicable base density in section 19.16.070(F)(1), not on the local senior bonus. Table 1 in section 19.25.050 works the example for a 1 acre site: 23 base units plus 7 local senior bonus units equals 30, and the state bonus for 35 percent produces 9 more, for 39 total units.

Section 19.25.060 requires the density bonus, incentive, waiver or revised parking request to be filed with the first application for the housing development and processed concurrently. The application needs a site plan and an explanation of how affordability is met. For incentives, it needs evidence of identifiable, financially sufficient and actual cost reductions. The approval body can deny a concession with a written finding based on substantial evidence, such as a specific adverse impact on public health or safety.

Section 19.25.070 requires a Density Bonus Housing Agreement, recorded before final or parcel map approval or, with no map, before the building permit.