Daly City | Parking, setbacks and height

Daly City, California Parking, Setbacks and Height: Spaces by Floor Area, Garage Sizes, Yards, Height Limits, Lot Coverage and Fences

Daly City's size rules for houses are short: a front yard, a rear yard, a height limit and a share of the lot that may be built on. The code sets no side yard for houses, so a house may be built to both side lot lines. Its parking rules are longer. The number of spaces a house needs rises with its floor area, up to six spaces, and the code gives inside dimensions for each type of garage. State law now bars parking minimums near major transit stops. This page covers parking first, then yards, height, coverage and the small rules on fences and sheds. The Daly City overview has the summary.

Parking Spaces Required

Source: Daly City Municipal Code 17.34.020 (Supplement 38), last amended by Ordinance No. 1427 on April 8, 2019.

• Houses by floor area. Section 17.34.020 counts "habitable space," which Section 17.04.010 defines as space "for living, sleeping, eating, or cooking," including hallways, bathrooms and closets. The schedule applies to "New dwellings and additions to existing dwellings."
• Driveways count. "Driveway areas in front of the dwelling's garage may be counted toward meeting the parking requirement if the measurement between the back of the sidewalk and face of the dwelling's garage door is not less than nineteen feet long."
• Tandem. "Up to three of the required parking spaces required by this section may be provided in tandem," which means one car parked behind another.
• Rooms added inside the walls. Converting non-habitable space to habitable space with no change to the outer walls or roof requires "at least two parking spaces," unless "the dwelling has no garage or existing structural obstructions prevent the provision of the two fully-dimensioned parking spaces, in which case no parking spaces shall be required."
• Side-by-side spaces stay. "In no instance shall an existing side-by-side parking configuration be eliminated."
• Fractions. Under Section 17.34.010, a fraction "shall be rounded to the next higher whole number." Three one-bedroom apartments need five spaces (VanPlex arithmetic: 3 times 1.5 is 4.5, rounded up).
• Mixed-use buildings. The city planner may cut the combined requirement of a building that mixes offices or shops with apartments, but not "by more than twenty percent."
• Small cars. In multiple-family projects "up to twenty percent of the required off-street parking spaces may be designated for" small cars only.

Garage and Driveway Dimensions

Section 17.34.030 gives the sizes. A full-size space "shall not be less than eight and one-half feet wide and nineteen feet long," and a small car space sixteen feet long. "Where walls are adjacent to both sides of a parking space, the minimum width of said space shall be ten feet."

• Garage doors. "For new construction, single-car-width garage doors shall provide a minimum eight-foot opening and double-car-width garage doors shall provide a minimum fourteen-foot opening."
• Inside a house garage. A single space between walls is "ten feet wide and nineteen feet deep." "The interior space dimension for side-by-side parking shall be seventeen feet wide and nineteen feet deep," "except in duplexes where the garage shall be twenty feet wide and nineteen feet deep."
• Tandem garage. "The interior dimension for a garage providing two required parking spaces in tandem may be reduced to thirty-eight feet."
• Short existing garages. Where an existing garage is under thirty-eight feet, one garage space of nineteen feet plus a driveway of nineteen feet may serve. The driveway may drop to sixteen feet where a longer one "would require a garage door recess of more than six feet."
• Door openers and clear space. Required garage spaces "shall be accessed by an overhead garage door with automatic garage door opener." Water heaters, furnaces and laundry machines are assumed to take "a thirty-six-inch dimension" out of the space.
• Curb cuts. A curb cut is the lowered curb where a driveway meets the street. Houses and duplexes "shall have a maximum curb cut width of eight feet for single car wide driveways," and fourteen feet for side-by-side garages.
• Driveways in the design standards. The Citywide Objective Design Standards repeat the 19-foot driveway and limit curb cuts "to no more than 50 percent of lot width with a maximum of 20 feet."
• Parking garages and lots. Section 17.34.060: a driveway to "twenty or fewer parking spaces" may be one-way at twelve feet; for 21 to 50 spaces it must be eighteen feet, and above 50 spaces twenty-four feet.
• Yard used for parking. A required setback area may hold a required space where "The property has an existing legal curb cut accommodating the required parking" and the garage and driveway are kept usable.

Front Yard Paving

The City's Front Yard Paving Permit page says the Council changed the code in January 2017 "to allow the replacement of existing front yard landscaping with hardscape to provide additional parking opportunities for residents." Every project needs a permit from the Planning Division; the FY 2027 fee is $339.

• Section 17.34.050: "On parcels wider than twenty-five feet, at least twenty-five percent of the front yard shall be retained as landscape or xeriscape." Xeriscape is planting that needs little water.
• "Paving of any portion of the public right-of-way shall require the issuance of an encroachment permit by the engineering division."
• New paving uses "pavers, integral colored concrete, or any combination thereof."
• Where no legal curb cut serves the lot, the paving must include "a permanent vertical barrier" so that it cannot be used to park a car.
• Ordinance No. 1489 of April 13, 2026 added two sentences that are not yet in the Municode text: paving that provides a parking space must leave the landscape "in a triangular shape or similar, as directed by the Planning Division staff," and "On corner lots, side-yard paving shall not be permitted."

Where State Law Removes Parking Minimums

Government Code 65863.2 says "A public agency shall not impose or enforce any minimum automobile parking requirement on a residential, commercial, or other development project if the project is located within one-half mile of public transit," and defines public transit for this purpose as "a major transit stop." A city may keep its minimums only with written findings made within 30 days, and that exception does not apply to a housing project with "fewer than 20 housing units."

The City's Housing Element describes the reach of this law in Daly City: "The half mile radius area from all high-quality transit stops in Daly City covers nearly all of the city, with some small areas near Mussel Rock Park, on the southeast side of the Hillside neighborhood, and in the Crocker and Bayshore Heights falling outside of this transit stop area." It commits the City to "amend its code to align with AB 2097" and to "revise parking requirements in multifamily buildings to one space per one-bedroom unit." Neither change is in the Supplement 38 text of Chapter 17.34, which still shows one and one-half spaces. Until the code changes, ask the Planning Division to confirm in writing that a lot is within the half-mile area. Two code sections already allow less parking. Section 17.29.080 says projects that follow the BART Station Area Specific Plan "will qualify for the reduced parking listed in the Specific Plan," and Section 17.58.090 applies Chapter 17.34 in the C-MU zone "unless otherwise superseded by state law."

Yards, Height and Lot Coverage by District

Sources: Daly City Municipal Code 17.08.010, 17.09.050, 17.10.010, 17.11.050, 17.12.010, 17.13.010, 17.14.010, 17.38.070, 17.58.040, 17.58.060 and 17.58.080 (Supplement 38).

Yards: Front, Rear and the Missing Side Yard

A yard, also called a setback, is the open strip the code requires between a building and a lot line. Section 17.04.010 measures the front yard from "the street line" to "the nearest vertical support or wall of a building or an enclosed or covered porch."

• No side yard for houses. The R-1 and R-2 tables have columns for front and rear yards only. Sections 17.09.050 and 17.11.050 say "Minimum side yard, no requirement." The City's Housing Element table lists the side yard as "None" for R-1, R-1/A, R-2, R-2/A and R-3.
• Upper floors beside existing houses. The design standards add: "building mass above two stories or 20 feet in height shall be set back a minimum of five feet from the side property line" where new work adjoins existing single-family and duplex buildings.
• Additions. For a house exempt from design review, Section 17.45.120 requires that "The side yard setback for any proposed addition shall match the existing setback of the wall adjacent to the addition."
• Front yard on a built-up block. Section 17.38.090: "Where adjacent property is improved, the minimum required front yard shall be the average of the adjoining principal buildings, but not greater than fifteen feet."
• What may project. "An uncovered stair or landing place may project not more than six feet into a required front yard." Eaves, fire escapes, balconies and decks may project five feet, and cantilevered parts of the building four feet.
• Sullivan Avenue. Section 17.38.010 sets "a ten-foot building setback line" on parts of Sullivan Avenue, and yards there are measured from that line.
• R-4 and C-MU. R-4 buildings over three stories need 20-foot side and rear yards. In C-MU the building "shall be set back no more than ten feet from the property line."
• Homes that front a private street. Title 16 measures setbacks from a private street's right-of-way "as though the right-of-way were developed to public street standards."

Height and How It Is Measured

The district tables give 30 feet for R-1, R-1/A and R-2/A, 36 feet for R-2, 45 feet for BRM, 120 feet for R-3 and 175 feet for C-MU. The definition of height changed in 2026.

• Definition in the Municode text. Section 17.04.010 says "Building height is measured from the curb at the centerline of the building to the building's highest point," and "For building structures with a flat roof, the height of the building shall be measured to the roof, not the parapet." That text was written for the C-MU zone and is printed under the general heading "Building height."
• Definition in Ordinance No. 1489. The April 2026 ordinance says building height "means the average of the vertical measurements taken at the horizontal center point of all of a building's finished walls," from the ground "to the highest point of the coping of a flat roof, the deck line of a mansard roof, or to the average height level between eaves and ridges" of a pitched roof.
• Averaging on a slope. The February 2026 staff report on four houses at 933-969 Crocker Avenue gives building heights of 22 feet 3 inches at the front and, "Due to the steep grade of the lot," 55 feet 5 inches at the rear, a figure it calls approximate. Staff found that the houses met the height requirements.
• Stories. A basement counts as a story where "the finished floor level directly above a basement or cellar is more than six feet above grade."
• Roof structures. Section 17.40.040: equipment penthouses, skylights and stair covers "shall not exceed nine feet in height above the height otherwise allowed." Chimneys, towers and church steeples above the limit need a use permit.
• Three-story houses. To stay exempt from design review, "Three-story homes shall provide structural articulation at the front elevation," by "a minimum ten-foot recess to the third floor or by recessing one-third of front elevation vertically."
• Airport limit. Under Section 17.60.040, heights "shall not exceed the maximum height limits permissible under either FAA regulations or the Critical Aeronautical Surfaces identified in SFO ALUCP," the airport land use plan, and "the lower of the two heights" controls.

Lot Coverage and Open Space

Lot coverage is the share of the lot under buildings. Section 17.38.070 defines it as "the gross area beneath the vertical projection of all area of the principal and accessory structures," and sets the R-1 figure: "fifty percent for all lots recorded subsequent to January 11, 1949," and "fifty-five percent" for lots recorded before that date. On a 2,500 square foot older lot that is 1,375 square feet of ground covered by buildings (VanPlex arithmetic: 55 percent of 2,500), and on a 3,000 square foot newer lot 1,500 square feet.

• What does not count. Section 17.38.080 exempts eaves and balconies that project up to five feet, an uncovered stair or landing up to six feet, and cantilevered sections up to four feet that are "at least six feet six inches above grade." Section 17.34.050 adds that "Paving, terracing, and/or filling of any yard shall not be counted toward lot coverage."
• Small garden structures. Structures that meet Section 17.40.085 "shall be allowed without setbacks, shall not be subject to any lot coverage regulation, and shall not be subject to design review."
• Private streets. Lot area used as a private street is left out of the lot area when coverage is computed.
• Apartments. R-3 projects provide usable open space "on the basis of one hundred and fifty square feet for each dwelling unit" under Section 17.38.020, at a finished grade "not in excess of ten percent."

Fences, Sheds and Downstairs Rooms

• Fences. Section 17.40.020: "No fence shall hereinafter be constructed that exceeds six feet in height on any parcel where the sole use of the parcel is residential," and "no fence shall exceed three feet in height in any required front yard or within thirty-five feet of the street corner on any corner lot in any residential zone." Trellises are regulated as accessory structures.
• Accessory structures. Trellises, gazebos and pergolas are allowed where together they cover no more than 120 square feet of floor area, stand at least six feet from any home on the same lot, and are no "greater than ten feet in total height." They may not be plumbed. A larger structure follows the district's coverage and setback rules, may reach fifteen feet, and needs administrative design review.
• Rooms at the garage level. Section 17.40.090 allows "Downstairs room construction" in houses and duplexes where it does not "displace or negatively impact any required parking space," and where "Internal integration between all habitable rooms in a dwelling unit" is kept, which means a person can walk between all rooms without going outside or through the garage.
• Minimum room sizes. New and remodeled homes need "a kitchen not less than fifty square feet in area and a living room, family room, or dining room not less than one hundred square feet in area located on the same floor as the kitchen."
• Garage doors as entrances. "Garage doors modified to allow for secondary pedestrian entrances shall not be allowed."
• Trash storage. Homes with no side yards need a storage area of "three feet by eight feet adjacent and connected to the dwelling's garage" under Section 17.35.040.
• Driveway finish. For a new house exempt from design review, "The entire driveway of any new home shall receive pavers with a decorative band."

Variances

A variance is permission to depart from a size rule because of a hardship that comes from the land. Under Section 17.46.050 the Planning Commission must find "That because of exceptional conditions applicable to the subject property, including size, shape, topography, location or surroundings, the strict application of this title is found to deprive subject property of privileges enjoyed by other properties in the vicinity," and that the variance is no "grant of special privilege." The Commission holds a public hearing within ninety days of filing and reports to the City Council, which "may in its discretion affirm or deny the recommendation." A variance ends if it is not used within one year. The Housing Element gives a typical time of 8 to 10 weeks. The FY 2027 fee is $4,770 for a minor variance and $13,066 for a major one. See the permits and fees page.

Where the Code and City Documents Differ

• Where the new height definition is placed. Section 1 of Ordinance No. 1489 says it amends "Section 17.44.010," the general provisions of the use permit chapter, and then gives the definition of building height. The Council agenda of March 9, 2026 described the ordinance as amending Chapters 17.04, 17.37, 17.34 and 17.44. Ask the Planning Division which definition it applies while the code is being updated.
• Parking near transit. Chapter 17.34 requires up to six spaces for a house and up to two for an apartment. Government Code 65863.2 bars minimums within one-half mile of a major transit stop. The statute controls.
• One-bedroom apartments. The Housing Element says the City will lower the one-bedroom requirement to one space. The code still says one and one-half.
• Cross-reference in the ADU section. Section 17.40.100 sends ADU parking dimensions to "Section 17.34.020 (H)," which is the entry for nursing homes. The garage dimensions are in Section 17.34.030(H).
• Crocker Avenue front yard. The February 2026 staff report calls a 20-foot front setback "required." The R-1 table sets 15 feet.
• R-3 coverage in the Housing Element. The Housing Element's zoning table prints R-3 lot coverage as "755," a typing error; its test tables use 75 percent, and the code now says 100 percent.

Limits of This Page

The code text is Municode's Supplement 38, with Ordinance No. 1489 read from the ordinance bank. The parking diagram in Section 17.34.030 is an image and was not read. The BART Station Area and Sullivan Corridor specific plans, which may set their own parking and yard figures, were not read. The Citywide Objective Design Standards were read by optical character recognition, and only a sample of their rules is given here. Which streets count as high-quality transit for the parking law was not mapped. Ask the Planning Division, 650-991-8033, before fixing a garage layout or a building line.

Where to Go Next

Related on VanPlex: the Daly City overview, the three or more homes page and the permits and fees page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Official sources (checked October 2026)