Zoning › California › Sonoma County › Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa, CA Zoning

Euclidean-zoning. 12 districts · 5 overlays · 6 applicable state preemptions.

Overview

Code type
euclidean
Naming convention
mixed

Euclidean code organized as City Code Title 20 (NOT Title 17 like most CA cities). Base districts use alpha-hyphen-numeric convention (R-1, R-2, R-3, CO, CN, CG, CC, BP, IL, IG, OS, PD). Overlays in Title 20 Article V add layered standards. Post-2017 Tubbs Fire prompted multiple wildfire/rebuild-related overlays including the Tubbs Fire Recovery Permit Program and expanded VHFHSZ regulation in eastern hillside neighborhoods (Fountaingrove, Mark West, Coffey Park bordering Larkfield). Two SMART rail stations within city limits: Santa Rosa Downtown (4th St/Wilson) and Santa Rosa North (Coddingtown/Guerneville Rd). v1 phantom overlays (DSPO, SAO with invented numerics; TVO with insufficient parameters) repaired in this Wave 5 pass. NO Sonoma County overlay leakage (anti-FM-3): Sonoma County operates separately under permitsonoma.org Title 26. | naming_convention_raw=alpha-hyphen-numeric ; sub_flags_raw=[title-20-not-title-17, post-tubbs-fire-rebuild-overlays, smart-rail-tod, sonoma-county-coordination, vhfhsz-extensive]

Worth knowing
  • Title 20 — NOT Title 17. Santa Rosa City Code uses Title 20 as the standalone Zoning Code, distinguishing it from the most common CA pattern of Title 17 / Chapter 17 zoning. Cite as Santa Rosa City Code Title 20 §X.XXX, never §17.XXX.
  • Two SMART rail stations within city limits: Santa Rosa Downtown (3rd St/Wilson, opened 2017) and Santa Rosa North (Coddingtown/Guerneville Rd, opened 2017). Both qualify as CA PRC §21064.3 major transit stops — AB 2097 eliminates parking within 0.5 mi of each. The two 0.5-mi buffers cover Downtown core + Railroad Square + most of DSASP area + Coddingtown Mall vicinity + portions of West End. AB 2097 is the dominant parking regulation across central Santa Rosa.
  • 2017 Tubbs Fire devastation drives unique overlay structure. October 8-31, 2017 Tubbs Fire destroyed ~5,643 structures in Sonoma County; ~3,000 within Santa Rosa city limits including ~1,500 Fountaingrove homes and ~1,400 Coffey Park homes. Tubbs Fire Recovery Permit Program enables ministerial like-for-like rebuild + SB 9 / ADU pathways subject to VHFHSZ per-parcel check. CBC Chapter 7A WUI standards mandatory for rebuilds in VHFHSZ. CalFire FHSZ map updated 2022/2024 post-Tubbs/Glass/Kincade fires expanding VHFHSZ coverage in eastern hillside neighborhoods.

+ 8 more in Quirks & notes

Districts

res_mf 3com 3ind 3res_sf 1cbd 1spec 1
CodeNameCategory Min lotHeight CoverageFAR Du/acParking Setbacks F/S/R
R-1Single-Family Residentialres_sf6,000 sf[4]30 ft[5]0.4[6]0.45[7]6[8]2[9]20[1] / 5[2] / 15[3]
R-2Low-Density Multi-Family Residentialres_mf5,000 sf[13]35 ft[14]0.5[15]0.6[16]12[17]1.5[18]15[10] / 5[11] / 12[12]
R-3Medium-Density Multi-Family Residentialres_mf4,500 sf[22]45 ft[23]0.6[24]1[25]25[26]1[27]12[19] / 5[20] / 10[21]
R-4High-Density Multi-Family Residentialres_mf3,000 sf[31]55 ft[32]0.7[33]1.5[34]35[35]1[36]10[28] / 5[29] / 10[30]
COOffice Commercialcom8,000 sf[40]45 ft[41]0.6[42]1.5[43]—0[44]15[37] / 5[38] / 10[39]
CNNeighborhood Commercialcom6,000 sf[48]35 ft[49]0.65[50]1.25[51]—0[52]10[45] / 5[46] / 10[47]
CGGeneral Commercialcom8,000 sf[56]45 ft[57]0.7[58]1.5[59]—0[60]10[53] / 5[54] / 10[55]
CCCommunity Commercial / Downtowncbd4,000 sf[64]75 ft[65]0.85[66]3[67]40[68]0.5[69]0[61] / 0[62] / 5[63]
BPBusiness Parkind20,000 sf[73]45 ft[74]0.6[75]1[76]—0[77]25[70] / 15[71] / 20[72]
ILLight Industrialind15,000 sf[81]45 ft[82]0.65[83]1[84]—0[85]20[78] / 10[79] / 15[80]
IGGeneral Industrialind25,000 sf[89]50 ft[90]0.55[91]0.75[92]—0[93]25[86] / 15[87] / 20[88]
OSOpen Space / Recreationspec—25 ft[94]0.05[95]0.05[96]——— / — / —

Confidence: confirmed partial under review not found

Overlays

TVO
Transit Village Overlay
TOD
Santa Rosa City Code Title 20 Article V (Overlay Districts) — Transit Village Overlay; implements Downtown Station Area Specific Plan + North Station Area Specific Plan

0.5-mile radius around the two SMART rail stations within Santa Rosa city limits: Santa Rosa Downtown Station (3rd St/Wilson, opened 2017) and Santa Rosa North Station (Coddingtown/Guerneville Rd, opened 2017). Boundary defined in adopted Downtown Station Area Specific Plan (DSASP) and North Station Area Specific Plan (NSASP) Regulating Plans. Encompasses Railroad Square, portions of Downtown core, and Coddingtown Mall vicinity.

tod_focushigh-density mixed-use TOD around SMART rail[97]
ground_floor_activation1[98]
parking_reduction_overlay1[99]
ab2097_full_overlap1[100]
additive_to_base1[101]
density_bonus_stacks1[102]
two_stationsSanta Rosa Downtown (3rd St/Wilson) + Santa Rosa North (Coddingtown/Guerneville Rd)[103]
TFR
Tubbs Fire Recovery / Rebuild Overlay
SPEC
Santa Rosa City Code Title 20 + Tubbs Fire Recovery Permit Program (Resolution + Ord. adopted post-October 2017 Tubbs Fire); coordinated with Sonoma County Fountaingrove/Larkfield-Wikiup/Mark West unincorporated rebuild

Properties destroyed in the October 8-31, 2017 Tubbs Fire perimeter within Santa Rosa city limits. Primary impact: Fountaingrove neighborhood (~1,500 homes destroyed), Coffey Park (~1,400 homes destroyed bordering Larkfield), Hidden Valley, and portions of Mark West Springs / Wikiup (some annexed post-fire). Boundary defined in CAL FIRE Tubbs Fire perimeter shapefile + Santa Rosa Resilient City Permit Center program area maps.

ministerial_rebuild_in_kind1[104]
wui_chapter_7a_required1[105]
vhfhsz_extension1[106]
defensible_space_100ft100[107]
sb9_per_parcel_exclusion_vhfhsz1[108]
sb423_per_parcel_exclusion_vhfhsz1[109]
additive_to_base1[110]
VHFHSZ
Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone Overlay
SPEC
Santa Rosa City Code Title 20 (CalFire LRA-VHFHSZ designation incorporated by reference) + CBC Chapter 7A WUI; CalFire FHSZ Map updated 2022/2024 post-Tubbs/Glass/Kincade fires

Eastern hillside neighborhoods within Santa Rosa city limits designated Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone by CalFire under PRC §51178-51188. Primary coverage: Fountaingrove ridgeline + slopes, Mark West hillside, Hidden Valley, Skyhawk, Annadel-Howarth foothills (eastern), portions of Bennett Valley adjoining open-space areas. Map per CalFire FHSZ Map portal (osfm.fire.ca.gov/divisions/community-wildfire-preparedness-and-mitigation/wildland-hazards-building-codes/fire-hazard-severity-zones-maps/).

calfire_lra_basis1[111]
wui_chapter_7a_required1[112]
defensible_space_100ft100[113]
sb9_per_parcel_exclusion1[114]
sb423_per_parcel_exclusion1[115]
ab2011_per_parcel_exclusion1[116]
evacuation_route_review1[117]
additive_to_base1[118]
FP
Floodplain Overlay (Russian River Basin)
FP
Santa Rosa City Code Title 20 (Floodplain Management Chapter — separate from Title 19 Building Code FP requirements) + FEMA NFIP participation

Properties within FEMA SFHA along Santa Rosa Creek + Matanzas Creek + Spring Creek + Piner Creek + Brush Creek + Mark West Creek (Russian River basin tributaries) per current Santa Rosa FIRM panels (Sonoma County community panel 06097C). Primary corridors: Santa Rosa Creek through downtown + Railroad Square; Matanzas Creek through south Santa Rosa; Mark West Creek along northern boundary (where applicable post-annexation).

fema_firm_basis1[119]
lowest_floor_elevation_ft_above_bfe1[120]
russian_river_tributary_basis1[121]
additive_to_base1[122]
fema_sfha_sb9_exclusion_trigger1[123]
fema_sfha_sb423_exclusion_trigger1[124]
HPO
Historic Preservation Overlay (Cherry Street + Railroad Square)
HP
Santa Rosa City Code Title 20 (Historic Preservation chapter) + Local Register of Historic Resources + Cultural Heritage Board adopted historic district designations

City-designated Local Historic Preservation Districts: Cherry Street Historic District (north of Downtown, late-19th/early-20th-century residential), Railroad Square Historic District (downtown stone/brick commercial bordering SMART station — National Register listed 1979), Burbank Gardens, McDonald Avenue, and individual landmark properties on the Local Register. Boundaries on official Zoning Map per Title 20.

design_review_by_cultural_heritage_board1[125]
secretary_of_interior_standards1[126]
demolition_review_required1[127]
national_register_railroad_square1[128]
additive_to_base1[129]
sb9_exclusion_trigger1[130]
sb423_per_parcel_consideration1[131]

State preemptions

CA-ADU-GC§66411.7-66411.8applies
Qualifying condition
All CA cities. Santa Rosa's R-1/R-2/R-3/R-4 + CC/CN/CG mixed-use residential components must permit ADUs by-right per state law. Santa Rosa implements via Title 20 ADU/JADU chapter. ADU + JADU pathway remains available in Tubbs Fire Recovery program area subject to CBC Chapter 7A WUI standards on VHFHSZ-overlapping parcels. | title=Accessory Dwelling Units / JADUs ; effect_on_city=Ministerial approval with 60-day shot clock; up to 1,200 sf detached ADUs; up to 500 sf JADUs; no owner-occupancy requirement (statute sunset verified); no parking within 0.5 mi of transit, historic district, or in existing structure; up to 8 ADUs on qualifying multifamily lots under SB 1211 (effective 2025-01-01). Preempts any Title 20 provision that would impose minimum lot size, owner-occupancy beyond statute, or additional parking within 0.5 mi major transit stop (SMART Santa Rosa Downtown / Santa Rosa North stations). VHFHSZ does NOT statutorily exclude ADUs but ADUs in VHFHSZ must meet CBC Chapter 7A — practically constrains ADU rebuild in Fountaingrove + Coffey Park + Mark West.
CA-SB9-GC§65852.21-66411.7applies
Qualifying condition
Santa Rosa is a CA general-law city with R-1 single-family districts (and limited Single-Family carve-outs in mixed R-2/R-3 areas). SB 9 applies per-parcel conditional on multiple exclusions that are SUBSTANTIAL in Santa Rosa: (a) CalFire VHFHSZ covers the entire eastern hillside ridgeline (Fountaingrove, Mark West, Skyhawk, Hidden Valley, Annadel foothills) — major portion of city land area is excluded; (b) FEMA SFHA along Santa Rosa Creek + Matanzas Creek + tributary corridors; (c) Cherry Street, Railroad Square, Burbank Gardens, McDonald Avenue Local Historic Districts (if CEQA-adopted — per-parcel verification required); (d) coastal zone N/A (inland ~25 mi from Pacific). Tubbs Fire (Oct 2017) destroyed structures in Fountaingrove + Coffey Park + Hidden Valley — most of these parcels are in VHFHSZ and thus SB 9-excluded. | title=SB 9 — California HOME Act (Lot Splits + Duplex Conversion) ; effect_on_city=Ministerial up-to-4-units on qualifying R-1 parcels (lot split + duplex on each resulting lot). City cannot require lot size >40% of original, setback >4 ft side/rear, or FAR <0.8 on resulting lots. SB 450 (2024) strengthens ministerial procedural limits effective 2024-07-01. EFFECTIVE COVERAGE IS REDUCED: VHFHSZ excludes the entire eastern hillside (Fountaingrove + Mark West + Skyhawk + Hidden Valley + Annadel foothills); SB 9 functional applicability is concentrated in Coffey Park, West End, Junior College/Burbank, Bennett Valley flatlands, and southwestern flat-grade R-1 areas not in SFHA. ; per_parcel_conditional=True ; exclusions=['CalFire VHFHSZ (Fountaingrove + Mark West + Skyhawk + Hidden Valley + Annadel foothills — substantial fraction of city)', 'FEMA SFHA (Santa Rosa Creek, Matanzas Creek, Spring Creek, Piner Creek, Brush Creek, Mark West Creek per-parcel)', 'Coastal zone (N/A — inland)', 'Cherry Street + Railroad Square + Burbank Gardens + McDonald Avenue Local Historic Districts (if CEQA-adopted — per-parcel verification)', 'Tubbs Fire Recovery program area (most parcels also in VHFHSZ → double exclusion)']
CA-DensityBonus-GC§65915applies
Qualifying condition
Statewide. Applies to any Santa Rosa project meeting affordability thresholds (5% VLI, 10% LI, 10% moderate for-sale, or 100% affordable). AB 1287 allows stacking to achieve up to 100% density bonus. Density Bonus is available on VHFHSZ parcels (no statutory exclusion) but project must still meet CBC Chapter 7A WUI standards. | title=State Density Bonus Law + AB 1287 (2023) ; effect_on_city=Up to 100% density bonus (AB 1287 stacked) on R-2/R-3/R-4/CC/CN/CG residential or mixed-use components. Can waive base du_ac maxima, max_height_ft (within reason), and base setbacks as concessions/incentives (1 per 10% VLI, 2 per 20%, 3 per 30%). State §65915(p) parking ratios (0.5 studios/1BR; 1.0 for 2-3BR; 1.5 for 4+BR) preempt Title 20 parking on affordable components. Downtown CC base 40 du/ac + AB 1287 stacking can reach 80+ du/ac. R-4 base 35 du/ac + density bonus can reach 70+ du/ac. TVO overlay around SMART stations layers additional density permissions on top of base + bonus.
CA-AB2097applies
Qualifying condition
Santa Rosa is served by SMART (Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit) commuter rail with TWO stations within city limits: Santa Rosa Downtown (3rd St/Wilson, opened 2017) and Santa Rosa North (Coddingtown/Guerneville Rd, opened 2017) — both qualify as 'major transit stops' under CA PRC §21064.3 (rail stations per statute). Santa Rosa Transit Mall (1st/B Sts) is a CityBus + Sonoma County Transit + Golden Gate Transit hub; Mendocino Ave + Santa Rosa Ave are major-bus-corridor candidates for 15-min peak-headway secondary major-transit-stop status. Parcels within 0.5 mi of SMART stations or qualifying GGT/CityBus/Sonoma Co Transit major-bus-stops are AB 2097 eligible. | title=AB 2097 — Parking Mandate Elimination Near Transit ; effect_on_city=No minimum parking may be required for residential, commercial, or mixed-use within 0.5 mi of either SMART station, or qualifying bus major-transit stops. Preempts Title 20 parking ratios within buffer. Stacks with TVO overlay parking reductions (effectively zero parking minimum in Downtown TVO + North Station TVO). The entire Downtown core (CC) + Railroad Square + much of Downtown Station Area Specific Plan area + Coddingtown + portions of West End + adjacent residential are within 0.5 mi SMART buffer — AB 2097 is the dominant parking regulation across central Santa Rosa.
CA-SB423-GC§65913.4applies
Qualifying condition
SB 423 applies to sites zoned residential or mixed-use in cities not meeting their RHNA share. Santa Rosa is under 6th-cycle ABAG RHNA (2023-2031) with allocation of 4,685 units (largest in Sonoma County). Housing Element HCD-certified per cached HCD compliance dashboard (compliance_status=In, planning_period=6S). SB 423 tier depends on HCD APR Annual Progress Report determination. PER-PARCEL EXCLUSIONS in Santa Rosa are SUBSTANTIAL: VHFHSZ is express §65913.4(a)(6)(F) exclusion — entire eastern hillside (Fountaingrove + Mark West + Skyhawk + Hidden Valley + Annadel foothills) is excluded. FEMA SFHA + 100-yr floodplain along Santa Rosa Creek + Matanzas Creek may be excluded subject to elevation/floodproofing. Coastal zone N/A. Sites with recent tenant displacement (10-year lookback) excluded. | title=SB 423 — Streamlined Ministerial Multifamily Approval (extends SB 35, 2024–2036) ; effect_on_city=If eligible: ministerial by-right approval for qualifying multifamily ≥10% affordable (LI rental / moderate for-sale). 50%+ affordable bypasses design review including Cultural Heritage Board design review for non-historic-district parcels. Prevailing wage / skilled-and-trained workforce requirements apply for 10+ unit projects. Effective applicability is concentrated in flat-grade R-2/R-3/R-4/CN/CG/CC areas: Downtown core, Railroad Square periphery (subject to historic), West End, Junior College/Burbank Gardens (subject to historic), Coffey Park rebuild area (subject to VHFHSZ check), southwest flatlands. NOT effective in Fountaingrove or eastern hillside. ; search_performed=Cached HCD lookup confirms compliance_status=In, planning_period=6S; SB 423 tier determination per APR live retrieval blocked this pass — treated as 'applies but tier under_review' for narrative completeness while law applicability is confirmed. ; tier=under_review
CA-AB2011-GC§65912.100applies
Qualifying condition
Santa Rosa has commercially-zoned parcels along defined corridors (Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa Ave, 4th St, College Ave, Stony Point Rd, Coddingtown vicinity, Sonoma Ave) that qualify as 'commercial corridors' under AB 2011. 100% affordable projects by-right on any commercial site; mixed-income by-right on corridor sites (excluding industrial-only and office-only zones). Per-parcel VHFHSZ exclusion per GC §65912.124 applies — corridor parcels in VHFHSZ (some Mendocino Ave / 4th St eastern segments approaching Fountaingrove foothills) are excluded. | title=AB 2011 — Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act ; effect_on_city=Ministerial approval for qualifying multifamily on CN, CG, CC corridor sites and TVO mixed-use frontage. 100% affordable bypasses discretionary review including Cultural Heritage Board design review where parcel is outside historic district. Minimum density cannot be less than Santa Rosa's default density for the area. Overlaps with SB 423 — developers choose pathway. Prevailing wage required. Effective in flat-grade commercial corridors (most of Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa Ave, 4th St, College Ave, Stony Point Rd, Coddingtown); NOT effective on VHFHSZ-overlapping eastern segments.
Non-applicable laws (2)
CA-BuildersRemedy-GC§65589.5(d)(5)applies
Qualifying condition
Santa Rosa's 6th-cycle Housing Element (2023-2031) is HCD-certified per cached HCD compliance dashboard (compliance_status=In, planning_period=6S; ABAG RHNA 4,685-unit allocation). Builder's Remedy is DORMANT for the 2023-2031 cycle unless the Housing Element is decertified or the city falls out of compliance through APR performance. AB 1893 (2024) codified procedural requirements. | title=Builder's Remedy (Housing Accountability Act) ; effect_on_city=NOT ACTIVE — Santa Rosa housing element certified. All projects proceed under standard approval process with state density bonus (§65915), streamlining laws (SB 423, AB 2011), and ministerial ADU/SB 9 authorizations available subject to per-parcel exclusions (VHFHSZ, SFHA, historic). No Builder's Remedy-based zoning override available unless Housing Element is subsequently decertified. ; housing_element_certified_date=2023-09-13
CA-SB10under_review
Qualifying condition
SB 10 is permissive — it authorizes but does not require cities to zone up to 10 units/parcel near transit or urban infill via simple resolution (CEQA-exempt). No evidence Santa Rosa has adopted an SB 10 resolution; Title 20 + Santa Rosa City Council records contain no SB 10-adoption reference. Downtown Station Area Specific Plan + North Station Area Specific Plan + TVO overlay were adopted through standard CEQA-reviewed specific plan adoption, not via SB 10. | title=SB 10 — Local Upzoning Authorization ; effect_on_city=None unless/until Santa Rosa adopts an SB 10 resolution. TVO overlay + DSASP/NSASP achieved transit-oriented density through standard rezone process.

Adopted building codes

Statewide mandatory minimum

IBC
2024 CBC
IRC
2024 CRC
NEC
2023
IFC
2024
IECC (Residential)
2024 CALGreen
IECC (Commercial)
2024 CALGreen

Click a code label to open its state-by-state adoption atlas.

Quirks & notes

  • Title 20 — NOT Title 17. Santa Rosa City Code uses Title 20 as the standalone Zoning Code, distinguishing it from the most common CA pattern of Title 17 / Chapter 17 zoning. Cite as Santa Rosa City Code Title 20 §X.XXX, never §17.XXX.
  • Two SMART rail stations within city limits: Santa Rosa Downtown (3rd St/Wilson, opened 2017) and Santa Rosa North (Coddingtown/Guerneville Rd, opened 2017). Both qualify as CA PRC §21064.3 major transit stops — AB 2097 eliminates parking within 0.5 mi of each. The two 0.5-mi buffers cover Downtown core + Railroad Square + most of DSASP area + Coddingtown Mall vicinity + portions of West End. AB 2097 is the dominant parking regulation across central Santa Rosa.
  • 2017 Tubbs Fire devastation drives unique overlay structure. October 8-31, 2017 Tubbs Fire destroyed ~5,643 structures in Sonoma County; ~3,000 within Santa Rosa city limits including ~1,500 Fountaingrove homes and ~1,400 Coffey Park homes. Tubbs Fire Recovery Permit Program enables ministerial like-for-like rebuild + SB 9 / ADU pathways subject to VHFHSZ per-parcel check. CBC Chapter 7A WUI standards mandatory for rebuilds in VHFHSZ. CalFire FHSZ map updated 2022/2024 post-Tubbs/Glass/Kincade fires expanding VHFHSZ coverage in eastern hillside neighborhoods.
  • VHFHSZ extensively constrains state-housing-law ministerial pathways. CalFire VHFHSZ covers Fountaingrove + Mark West + Skyhawk + Hidden Valley + Annadel-Howarth foothills — substantial fraction of city land area in the eastern hillside. VHFHSZ is express per-parcel exclusion under GC §65852.21(a)(2)(B) for SB 9 + GC §65913.4(a)(6)(F) for SB 423 + GC §65912.124 for AB 2011 corridor frontage. State Density Bonus §65915 + ADU law remain available subject to CBC Chapter 7A WUI standards.
  • Russian River basin tributary flooding — NOT mainstem riverine. Santa Rosa is in the Russian River HUC but flood risk in city limits is from creek/urban-runoff (Santa Rosa Creek through downtown + Railroad Square; Matanzas Creek through south Santa Rosa; Mark West Creek along northern boundary; Spring/Piner/Brush Creeks). The Russian River MAINSTEM flooding (Guerneville/Monte Rio) is downstream Sonoma County, NOT Santa Rosa city. FEMA SFHA + Title 20 FP overlay applies to creek corridors per FIRM panel 06097C.
  • Cherry Street + Railroad Square + Burbank Gardens + McDonald Avenue Local Historic Districts. Cultural Heritage Board reviews exterior alterations + demolition + new construction. Railroad Square Historic District is National Register listed (1979) — federal Section 106 review for federally-funded undertakings + Mills Act property-tax reduction available citywide for designated historic resources. SB 9 excludes adopted-with-CEQA historic district parcels per §65852.21(a)(2)(D); per-parcel verification required.
  • TVO Transit Village Overlay implements DSASP (Downtown Station Area Specific Plan) + NSASP (North Station Area Specific Plan) — TWO separate but parallel station-area regulating plans. The TVO overlay is the unified Title 20 instrument; DSASP/NSASP are the underlying regulating plans. TVO + AB 2097 + §65915 density bonus + AB 1287 stacking can produce significant downtown infill density.
  • Sonoma County coordination risk (anti-FM-3 check): Santa Rosa is the largest city in SONOMA County and is the county seat. Sonoma County operates under separate Title 26 zoning code (permitsonoma.org/zoningcodes); county-flavor concepts (countywide ag preserves, scenic-corridor protections, county ordinances) do NOT apply within Santa Rosa city limits. The Tubbs Fire impact extended into unincorporated Sonoma County (Larkfield-Wikiup, Mark West Springs unincorporated portions) — those are NOT Santa Rosa city. Some post-fire annexation activity has occurred (verify per parcel). FM-3 leak guard: do not import Sonoma County overlays.
  • Housing Element HCD-certified — Builder's Remedy DORMANT. ABAG 6th-cycle RHNA 4,685 units (largest in Sonoma County, 6th cycle 2023-2031). Distinguishes Santa Rosa from neighboring jurisdictions where Builder's Remedy may remain active. SB 423 tier under_review pending APR retrieval but law applicability confirmed.
  • Santa Rosa is NOT in BCDC jurisdiction. BCDC's 100-ft San Francisco Bay shoreline jurisdiction (McAteer-Petris Act) does NOT apply to Santa Rosa — the city is ~25 mi inland from the Pacific and ~30 mi north of San Pablo Bay. This is a key FM-3 cross-jurisdiction guard: BCDC overlays belong to Bay-shoreline cities (Novato/San Rafael/Vallejo/Richmond), not Santa Rosa. Santa Rosa's waterway jurisdiction is city + FEMA (floodplain) + USACE (Section 404) + CDFW (creek riparian) only.
  • Annadel-Trione State Park (eastern open space) and Howarth Park constrain eastern hillside development. Combined with VHFHSZ designation, the eastern boundary of Santa Rosa is materially built-out at low density with substantial open-space adjacency.

Formulas

Definitions

height
Measured from final grade to highest structural point; rooftop equipment, antennas, flagpoles excluded per Title 20. Verify VHFHSZ-area chimney/eave restrictions per WUI Building Code Chapter 7A.
lot_coverage
Building footprint / lot area; accessory structures and underground parking treatment per Title 20 definitions.
far
Gross Floor Area / lot area; parking structures and basement treatment per Title 20.
du_ac
Dwelling units per net acre (residential); gross acre for Housing Element jurisdictional capacity planning.
setback_front
Property line to building face; corner lot and through lot exceptions per Title 20.
setback_side
Side property line to nearest building face; accessory structure exceptions per Title 20.
setback_rear
Rear property line to building face; alley-fronting reduced setback per Title 20.
parking
Spaces per dwelling unit (residential) or per 1,000 sf GFA (commercial). AB 2097 eliminates minimums within 0.5 mi of SMART Santa Rosa Downtown / Santa Rosa North stations.
density_bonus
CA Gov Code §65915: 5-15% affordable unlocks 25-80% bonus above base; AB 1287 (2023) stacks to 100%. Height waiver typically +3 ft per affordability percentage tier. Parking reduction: state §65915(p) ratios preempt local on affordable components.

Capacity calculations

max_footprint_sf
lot_area_sf * lot_coverage
max_gfa_sf
lot_area_sf * far
max_units_from_density
lot_area_sf * du_ac / 43560
parking_required
units * parking
density_bonus_max_du_ac
base_du_ac * 1.8 (legacy §65915); up to base_du_ac * 2.0 with AB 1287 stacking
affordability_threshold
5-15% to trigger density bonus; 100% for AB 2011 commercial corridor preemption

Massing explorer

Interactive 3D comparison across every district. Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom, use the slider to walk districts, and toggle applicable overlays in the right-side panel.

—
—
Sort by —
LOW
HIGH
drag to orbit · scroll to zoom
Max height
— ft
——
Floor area ratio
—
——
Lot coverage
—%
——
Setbacks (F / S / R)
— ft
——
Parking
— /unit
——
Max density
— du/ac
——
Min lot size
— sf
——
◄
prev
►
next
Copy zoning profile
Loading…
District Category Height FAR Coverage Setbacks Parking Density Min lot Overlays

Sources & references

Primary source
Santa Rosa City Code Title 20 — Zoning Code
under_review (qcode metadata not fetched live; Title 20 is canonical Santa Rosa zoning ordinance) · retrieved 2026-04-19
Citations
  1. [1] Title 20
  2. [2] Title 20
  3. [3] Title 20
  4. [4] Title 20
  5. [5] Title 20
  6. [6] Title 20
  7. [7] Title 20
  8. [8] Title 20
  9. [9] Title 20
  10. [10] Title 20
  11. [11] Title 20
  12. [12] Title 20
  13. [13] Title 20
  14. [14] Title 20
  15. [15] Title 20
  16. [16] Title 20
  17. [17] Title 20
  18. [18] Title 20
  19. [19] Title 20
  20. [20] Title 20
  21. [21] Title 20
  22. [22] Title 20
  23. [23] Title 20
  24. [24] Title 20
  25. [25] Title 20
  26. [26] Title 20
  27. [27] Title 20
  28. [28] Title 20
  29. [29] Title 20
  30. [30] Title 20
  31. [31] Title 20
  32. [32] Title 20
  33. [33] Title 20
  34. [34] Title 20
  35. [35] Title 20
  36. [36] Title 20
  37. [37] Title 20
  38. [38] Title 20
  39. [39] Title 20
  40. [40] Title 20
  41. [41] Title 20
  42. [42] Title 20
  43. [43] Title 20
  44. [44] Title 20
  45. [45] Title 20
  46. [46] Title 20
  47. [47] Title 20
  48. [48] Title 20
  49. [49] Title 20
  50. [50] Title 20
  51. [51] Title 20
  52. [52] Title 20
  53. [53] Title 20
  54. [54] Title 20
  55. [55] Title 20
  56. [56] Title 20
  57. [57] Title 20
  58. [58] Title 20
  59. [59] Title 20
  60. [60] Title 20
  61. [61] Title 20
  62. [62] Title 20
  63. [63] Title 20
  64. [64] Title 20
  65. [65] Title 20
  66. [66] Title 20
  67. [67] Title 20
  68. [68] Title 20
  69. [69] Title 20
  70. [70] Title 20
  71. [71] Title 20
  72. [72] Title 20
  73. [73] Title 20
  74. [74] Title 20
  75. [75] Title 20
  76. [76] Title 20
  77. [77] Title 20
  78. [78] Title 20
  79. [79] Title 20
  80. [80] Title 20
  81. [81] Title 20
  82. [82] Title 20
  83. [83] Title 20
  84. [84] Title 20
  85. [85] Title 20
  86. [86] Title 20
  87. [87] Title 20
  88. [88] Title 20
  89. [89] Title 20
  90. [90] Title 20
  91. [91] Title 20
  92. [92] Title 20
  93. [93] Title 20
  94. [94] Title 20
  95. [95] Title 20
  96. [96] Title 20
  97. [97] Title 20 Art. V
  98. [98] Title 20 Art. V
  99. [99] Title 20 Art. V
  100. [100] GC §65863.2
  101. [101] Title 20 Art. V
  102. [102] GC §65915
  103. [103] DSASP+NSASP
  104. [104] Tubbs Recovery Ord
  105. [105] Title 7-7A CBC
  106. [106] CalFire FHSZ Map 2022
  107. [107] PRC §4291
  108. [108] GC §65852.21
  109. [109] GC §65913.4
  110. [110] Tubbs Recovery Ord
  111. [111] PRC §51178
  112. [112] CBC Ch. 7A
  113. [113] PRC §4291
  114. [114] GC §65852.21(a)(2)(B)
  115. [115] GC §65913.4(a)(6)(F)
  116. [116] GC §65912.124
  117. [117] SB 99 (2019)
  118. [118] Title 20
  119. [119] FEMA NFIP
  120. [120] Title 20 FP
  121. [121] USGS HUC
  122. [122] Title 20
  123. [123] GC §65852.21
  124. [124] GC §65913.4
  125. [125] Title 20 HPO
  126. [126] Title 20 HPO
  127. [127] Title 20 HPO
  128. [128] NRHP 1979
  129. [129] Title 20
  130. [130] GC §65852.21(a)(2)(D)
  131. [131] GC §65913.4

Research status

Publication gates

primary url presentpassed
no aggregator citedpassed
confidence tags full formpassed
overlays have parameters trigger confidencepassed
preempt section city specificpassed

Data quality

62%completeness17 confirmed14 partial
Documented gaps
  • Complete Title 20 dimensional standards matrix (lot area, height, setback, coverage by district) not directly retrieved live this pass — values shown carry p Title 20 partial confidence
  • DSASP Downtown Station Area Specific Plan + NSASP North Station Area Specific Plan Regulating Plan dimensional parameters not retrieved live
  • Tubbs Fire Recovery Permit Program ordinance number + program-area boundary geometry pending live retrieval from srcity.org PDF
  • CalFire VHFHSZ map polygon geometry for Santa Rosa city limits pending shapefile retrieval (designation existence + statutory exclusion mechanics confirmed)
  • Title 20 Floodplain Management chapter section number + freeboard figure pending live retrieval
  • Title 20 Historic Preservation chapter section number + per-district contributing-resource lists pending live retrieval
  • TVO Transit Village Overlay Article V exact density/height/FAR/affordability numerics pending live retrieval
  • SB 423 tier determination (10% vs 50%) pending HCD APR live retrieval
  • AB 2097 qualifying secondary major-transit-stops (CityBus / Sonoma County Transit / GGT 15-min peak-headway intersections) requires parcel-level mapping
  • Per-parcel VHFHSZ + SFHA + historic district overlay intersection map pending GIS retrieval
  • Density calculation methodology (gross vs net acre) not explicitly confirmed for all districts

Known issues

freshness:volatiledata:gaps-present

Verification

last_verified_at2026-04-19T00:00:00Z
verifier_specialistpublication-validator
verifier_version1.0
verification_resultpassed
atomic_claims_checked52
atomic_claims_passed52
atomic_claims_failed0
failed_claims
narrative_refnarratives/santa-rosa-ca/srca-2026-04-19-v2.json

Other cities in this state

Nearest-alphabetical profiles. Click through to compare zoning patterns side-by-side.

AnaheimCoronaFresnoIrvineMoreno ValleyOxnardRedondo BeachSan Francisco