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David Babakaiff
Written by David Babakaiff · Co-Founder, VanPlex | 25+ Years BC Construction Last reviewed: October 2026

Pasadena, California | Zoning Districts

Pasadena, California Zoning Districts: RS, RM-12 and the City of Gardens Zones

Pasadena, California, in Los Angeles County, sorts its residential land into house districts (RS), a two-unit district (RM-12) and three apartment districts the code calls the City of Gardens districts (RM-16, RM-32 and RM-48). The rules sit in Title 17 of the Pasadena Municipal Code, the Zoning Code, which the City publishes on Municode. This page sets out what each district allows, how many homes fit on a lot, and which overlays and specific plans change the base rules. The Pasadena overview gives the short version. For the Texas city of the same name, see the separate Pasadena, Texas guide linked from the overview.

Pasadena zoning in six facts

  • Pasadena, California zones its land under Title 17 of its Municipal Code, the Zoning Code, and Table 2-1 lists five residential district groups: RS-1 to RS-6, RM-12, RM-16, RM-32 and RM-48. Source: PMC Sec. 17.20.020
  • Table 2-3 allows 1 dwelling unit per lot in the RS districts and 2 units per lot in RM-12. Source: PMC Table 2-3
  • Table 2-4 requires 2,750 square feet of lot for each home in RM-16, 3,000 in RM-16-1, 1,360 in RM-32 and 910 in RM-48, on lots of 10,000 square feet or more. Source: PMC Table 2-4
  • On RM-32 and RM-48 lots under 10,000 square feet the code sets a fixed count, from 2 homes on 3,999 square feet or less to 6 homes on 8,500 to 9,999 square feet. Source: PMC Sec. 17.22.070.A.2
  • Table 2-2 permits an ADU and a junior ADU in every residential district, and up to two primary homes in the RS districts as a Two-Unit Development. Source: PMC Table 2-2
  • A new house in an RS district may be 35 percent larger than the median house within 500 feet, or larger with a Single-Family Compatibility Permit. Source: PMC Table 2-3; Sec. 17.22.090

The Residential Districts

Section 17.20.020 adopts the City of Pasadena Zoning Map and divides the City into the districts in Table 2-1. A zoning district is an area where one set of land use rules applies. Each residential district carries out one land use class of the General Plan, the City's long-range plan. The RS districts carry out Low-Density Residential, RM-12 carries out Low-Medium Density, and RM-16, RM-32 and RM-48 carry out Medium, Medium-High and High Density Residential.

District Name in Table 2-1 General Plan class Homes allowed
RS-1, RS-2, RS-4, RS-6 Single-Family Residential Low-Density Residential 1 dwelling unit per lot, plus ADUs; up to 2 primary homes as a Two-Unit Development
RM-12 Multi-Family Residential, Two Units Per Lot Low-Medium Density Residential 2 units per lot, plus ADUs
RM-16 Multi-Family Residential, City of Gardens Medium Density Residential 1 home per 2,750 sq ft of lot (RM-16-1: 3,000)
RM-32 Multi-Family Residential, City of Gardens Medium-High Density Residential 1 home per 1,360 sq ft of lot
RM-48 Multi-Family Residential, City of Gardens High Density Residential 1 home per 910 sq ft of lot

Sources: Pasadena Municipal Code Table 2-1, Table 2-3, Table 2-4 and Table 2-2, Supplement 79.

Section 17.22.020.B.1 explains the RS suffix. A property in an RS district shows a number after RS on the Zoning Map, for example RS-2, which notes "the maximum number of dwelling units allowed per acre of site area." Table 2-3 sets the lot standards for four RS districts: RS-1, RS-2, RS-4 and RS-6. Each allows one dwelling unit per lot. The purpose of RM-12, in the words of the same section, is to give light, air, privacy and open space "for the construction of two units on a lot."

The City of Gardens districts aim for a different result. Section 17.22.020 says they should "Promote multiple-family residential developments having maximum economic life and stability" and relate new buildings to the existing setting "in scale, material, and character." The name comes from the garden rule: in Section 17.22.080, each multi-family project must have a landscaped open space "as its central focus."

What Each District Permits

Table 2-2 lists the uses allowed in each residential district and the permit each one needs. P means a permitted use that needs a Code Compliance Certificate, which is staff sign-off that a plan meets the code. MC and C mean a Minor Conditional Use Permit or a Conditional Use Permit, which are discretionary approvals with conditions. A dash means the use is not allowed.

  • ADUs and junior ADUs. P in RS, RM-12, RM-16, RM-32 and RM-48, under Section 17.50.275. An ADU (accessory dwelling unit) is a second, smaller home on a lot. A junior ADU is a unit of up to 500 square feet built inside the house.
  • Multi-family housing. P in every residential district. In RS, note 5 limits it to "Up to two primary residences (Two-Unit Developments)," the City's form of an SB 9 project. In RM-16, RM-32 and RM-48, note 7 says two units on a lot "shall meet the development standards of the RM-12 district."
  • Single-family housing. P in every residential district. In the RM districts, note 6 applies the RS-6 standards to a single house. In RS, note 8 says a lot with a single-family residence "may rent a maximum of two bedrooms."
  • Boarding houses, dormitories, fraternities and sororities. P in RM-32 and RM-48 only.
  • Supportive and transitional housing. P in every residential district.

Note 5 also limits lots made by an SB 9 split. New ADUs and junior ADUs are "prohibited on lots created by an Urban Lot split" that use the Two-Unit Development rules, and "only two units of any type" may sit on such a lot. The ADUs and SB 9 page covers those rules.

How Many Homes Fit in RM-16, RM-32 and RM-48

Table 2-4 measures density as the "Minimum lot area in square feet required for each dwelling unit." On lots of 10,000 square feet or more, RM-16 needs 2,750 square feet per home, RM-16-1 needs 3,000, RM-32 needs 1,360 and RM-48 needs 910. Section 17.22.070.A.1 sets the rounding. In RM-16 and RM-16-1, "Fractions exceeding 0.75 shall be rounded up." In RM-32 and RM-48, fractions round to the nearest whole number, and a fraction of .50 may be rounded up.

By VanPlex arithmetic, a 10,000 square foot lot gives 3 homes in RM-16 (10,000 / 2,750 = 3.64, which stays at 3 because 0.64 is below 0.75), 7 homes in RM-32 (10,000 / 1,360 = 7.35) and 11 homes in RM-48 (10,000 / 910 = 10.99). A 12,000 square foot RM-16-1 lot, the smallest new RM-16-1 parcel, gives 4 homes (12,000 / 3,000 = 4). These counts come before any density bonus.

Smaller lots in RM-32 and RM-48 follow a fixed schedule in Section 17.22.070.A.2:

Lot area (RM-32 and RM-48) Maximum homes
3,999 sq ft or less 2
4,000 to 5,499 sq ft 3
5,500 to 6,999 sq ft 4
7,000 to 8,499 sq ft 5
8,500 to 9,999 sq ft 6

Source: Pasadena Municipal Code, Sec. 17.22.070.A.2, Supplement 79.

The code leaves one gap here. Table 2-4's row for lots under 10,000 square feet points to Section 17.22.070.A.2, but that section covers only RM-32 and RM-48, and the printed row fills only two of the four district columns. The code does not say how to count homes on an RM-16 lot under 10,000 square feet. Ask the Planning Division how it applies the table before you rely on a number. The new parcel minimums in Table 2-4 are 7,200 square feet in RM-16, 12,000 in RM-16-1 and 10,000 in RM-32 and RM-48.

House Size in the RS Districts

Table 2-3 limits floor area in a way most cities do not. The allowable floor area of a house "shall not exceed 35% above the median house size of all properties within 500 foot radius of the subject property." That 500 foot circle is the project's "neighborhood." Section 17.22.050.E lets staff leave out houses outside the City, houses in a different RS district, and houses across a freeway or canyon. An addition of up to 500 square feet that cannot be seen from a public street is exempt from this test.

A larger house needs a Single-Family Compatibility Permit under Section 17.22.090, which follows the Conditional Use Permit process. The applicant must provide drawings showing how the house will look from nearby streets, and for a new two-story house or upper-story addition, story poles: posts at the corners and ridge ends of the planned building, joined by orange safety fencing, left up until the appeal period ends. With the permit, Table 2-3 sets these caps for RS lots:

  • Lot under 12,000 square feet: 30 percent of lot size plus 500 square feet. The RM-12 column of the same row prints 35 percent of lot size plus 500 square feet per unit.
  • Lot of 12,000 to 24,000 square feet: 20 percent of lot size plus 1,700 square feet.
  • Lot of 24,000 square feet or more: 25 percent of lot size plus 1,000 square feet.

Some space does not count as floor area: habitable attic space up to 60 percent of the building footprint (with limits on dormers and decks), basements, and uncovered patios, decks, balconies and porches. The parking, setbacks and height page covers the RS height limits and lot coverage.

Overlay Districts

An overlay district adds rules on top of the base district. Section 17.28.020 says an overlay appears on the Zoning Map as a suffix to the base district symbol, "for example, RS-4-HD." Uses and permits come from the base district, and where the overlay and another part of the code conflict, "the most restrictive shall control."

Overlay Name Effect on a housing project
LD Landmark Historic district; work needs a Certificate of Appropriateness under Chapter 17.62
HD, HD-SR, HD-1 Hillside Development Hillside Development Permit, 35 percent lot coverage, fewer lots on steep land
ND Neighborhood (Lower Hastings Ranch) 26 foot height, 4:12 roof pitch, Neighborhood Development Permit for second stories
HL, HL-1 Height Limit A special height limit; HL-1 caps multi-family buildings at two stories at the garden
PK Parking Lets a parking lot for a nearby commercial site sit on residential land
OC Office Conversion Lets a historic building in a multi-family area become offices
IS Interim Study Conditional Use Permit for any new use while zoning is under study

Source: Pasadena Municipal Code, Sec. 17.28.040 to 17.28.110 and Chapter 17.29, Supplement 79.

The LD landmark overlay matters most for adding homes. Each LD district gets "the suffix 'LD' to the base district designation, followed by the number of the LD district based on order of adoption." The Council added two in 2026: Ordinance No. 7475 reclassified land on Arboleda Drive from RS-6 and RM-16 to RS-6-LD-29 and RM-16-LD-29, and Ordinance No. 7476 created the Mesita Road district, LD-30. Both were adopted August 24, 2026. Ordinance No. 7475 says new construction, alterations and demolitions there "will require a Certificate of Appropriateness" before any building permit. The historic districts page explains that review.

The ND overlay covers Lower Hastings Ranch, which Section 17.28.090 describes as "predominantly defined by one-story, single-family dwellings" in California Ranch and Modern Ranch style. Projects there follow RS-6 standards with a 26 foot height limit, a maximum roof pitch of 4:12, and a Neighborhood Development Permit for a new home, a second story, or an addition seen from the street. The hillside overlays (HD, HD-SR for the San Rafael area, and HD-1 for Upper Hastings Ranch) are covered on the lot size and subdivisions page.

Specific Plan Areas

Much of Pasadena's denser land sits in specific plans, which are area plans that replace the base zoning rules. Section 17.20.020 says land uses, permits and development standards in those areas "are determined by the applicable specific plan." Article 3 holds ten specific plan chapters: the Central District (17.30), East Colorado 2022 (17.31), East Pasadena (17.32), Fair Oaks-Orange Grove (17.33), North Lake (17.34), South Fair Oaks (17.35), West Gateway (17.36), Lincoln Avenue (17.37), Lamanda Park (17.38) and East Colorado 2003 (17.39).

Two of these changed after Supplement 79. Ordinance No. 7477, adopted August 24, 2026, put the 2025 North Lake Specific Plan into Chapter 17.34 and redrew its boundaries, so the North Lake text on Municode is older than the law in force. Ordinance No. 7471, adopted June 22, 2026, allowed medical uses throughout the South Fair Oaks Specific Plan. The City's Specific Plans page says the Lincoln Avenue plan update was adopted in November 2021 and the updated South Fair Oaks plan on July 11, 2022.

Where the Code Disagrees With Itself

  • Table 2-1 lists a WAH (Workforce/Affordable Housing) overlay for multi-family land, but Chapter 17.28 has no section for it. The glossary in Section 17.80.020 defines workforce units and points to the City's Workforce Housing Guidelines.
  • Section 17.40.060 refers to the HL overlay as "Section 17.16.040"; the HL overlay is Section 17.28.040.
  • The glossary definition of encroachment plane points to Section 17.40.150, which is the screening section; the encroachment plane rules are in Section 17.40.160.
  • Table 2-4 sends small RM lots to Section 17.22.070.A.2, which covers only RM-32 and RM-48, as described above.

In each case this guide follows the section that holds the rule itself. Confirm with the Planning Division if a project depends on one of these points.

Best For

  • ✓ RM-32 and RM-48 lots of 10,000 square feet or more, which allow 7 and 11 homes before any bonus.
  • ✓ RM-12 lots, where two units per lot are permitted by right.
  • ✓ RS lots outside landmark districts, where two SB 9 homes plus ADUs are possible.

Usually Fails When

  • ✕ The lot carries an LD suffix and the plan assumes no historic review.
  • ✕ An RS house design exceeds 35 percent above the 500 foot median with no compatibility permit.
  • ✕ The site is in a specific plan and the plan relies on base district numbers.

What To Verify Before Spending Money

  • → The lot's full map symbol, including every suffix and overlay.
  • → Whether a specific plan applies, and its current text.
  • → How the City counts homes on an RM-16 lot under 10,000 square feet.

Where to Go Next

Three or More Homes
Gardens, inclusionary units, density bonus and SB 79.
Lot Size and Subdivisions
Minimum lots, maps, hillside limits and lot splits.
Historic Districts
Landmark districts and Certificates of Appropriateness.

Related on VanPlex: the Pasadena overview, the duplex to fourplex guide and the lot eligibility checklist.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many homes can I build on an RM-32 lot in Pasadena, California? +
On an RM-32 lot of 10,000 square feet or more, Pasadena allows one home for each 1,360 square feet of lot, with fractions rounded to the nearest whole number. A 10,000 square foot lot gives 7 homes by VanPlex arithmetic. Lots under 10,000 square feet follow a fixed schedule in Section 17.22.070.A.2, from 2 homes up to 6 homes on 8,500 to 9,999 square feet.
What does the number after RS mean in Pasadena zoning? +
In Pasadena, California, the number after RS on the Zoning Map shows the maximum number of dwelling units allowed per acre of site area, under Section 17.22.020.B.1. RS-6 is the smallest-lot house district, with a 7,200 square foot minimum lot and 55 feet of width for new parcels in Table 2-3. Each RS lot holds one dwelling unit plus ADUs, or two primary homes under SB 9.
Can I build a duplex on an RM-12 lot in Pasadena? +
Yes. Pasadena Table 2-3 allows 2 units per lot in the RM-12 district, which the code names Multi-Family Residential, Two Units Per Lot. The two homes need a 10 foot rear setback and 10 feet between buildings on the same site. Table 2-3 prints an RM-12 floor area figure of 35 percent of lot size plus 500 square feet per unit on sites under 12,000 square feet.
Can I build a single-family house on RM-zoned land in Pasadena? +
Yes. Pasadena Table 2-2 permits single-family housing in RM-12, RM-16, RM-32 and RM-48, and note 6 says it is allowed subject to the development standards of the RS-6 district in Section 17.22.040. Two units on one lot in RM-16, RM-32 or RM-48 must meet the RM-12 standards instead, under note 7 of the same table.
What is the City of Gardens standard in Pasadena? +
City of Gardens is the name Pasadena, California gives its RM-16, RM-32 and RM-48 districts in Table 2-1. Section 17.22.080 says each multi-family project must have a landscaped open space as its central focus, and the main garden must be a rectangle at least 20 feet in each direction covering 17 to 20 percent of the site, by lot width.
How big can a new house be in a Pasadena RS district? +
A new house in a Pasadena RS district may not exceed 35 percent above the median house size of all properties within a 500 foot radius, under Table 2-3. A Single-Family Compatibility Permit can allow more, up to 30 percent of the lot plus 500 square feet on lots under 12,000 square feet, and 25 percent of the lot plus 1,000 square feet on lots of 24,000 or more.
What is a landmark district overlay in Pasadena? +
A landmark district in Pasadena, California is an LD overlay added to the base zone, shown on the Zoning Map with the suffix LD and a number in order of adoption. Section 17.28.080 keeps the base district land uses and standards, and says the LD provisions control in a conflict. Ordinance No. 7475 of August 24, 2026 created LD-29 on Arboleda Drive.
Where do I find the zone of a Pasadena property? +
The zone of a Pasadena, California property is on the City of Pasadena Zoning Map, which Section 17.20.020 adopts by reference and keeps on file with the Planning and Community Development Department. When a boundary on the map is uncertain, the same section says the Zoning Administrator determines its precise location, and a boundary shown inside a street right-of-way follows the centerline of the street.
Does Pasadena have specific plans that replace the base zoning? +
Yes. Article 3 of the Pasadena Zoning Code holds ten specific plan chapters, numbered 17.30 to 17.39, including the Central District, South Fair Oaks, Lincoln Avenue and Lamanda Park plans. Section 17.20.020 says land use rules and development standards in those areas come from the applicable specific plan. Ordinance No. 7477 of August 24, 2026 put the 2025 North Lake Specific Plan in Chapter 17.34.
How do I rezone a lot in Pasadena, California? +
A Zoning Map Amendment in Pasadena, California may be filed by the property owner, an authorized agent, the Planning Commission or the City Council, according to the City Zoning Code and Map Amendments page. The page says a meeting with the affected neighborhood is required before a formal application, and that staff complete review of the application within 30 days of filing.

Official sources (checked October 2026)

Pasadena Municipal Code, Section 17.20.020, Zoning Map and Table 2-1
https://library.municode.com/ca/pasadena/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT17ZOCO_ART2ZODIALLAUSZOECST_CH17.20ZOMA_17.20.020ZOMAZODI
Pasadena Municipal Code, Section 17.22.020, purposes of the residential districts
https://library.municode.com/ca/pasadena/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT17ZOCO_ART2ZODIALLAUSZOECST_CH17.22REZODI_17.22.020PUAPREZODI
Pasadena Municipal Code, Section 17.22.030, Table 2-2 allowed uses
https://library.municode.com/ca/pasadena/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT17ZOCO_ART2ZODIALLAUSZOECST_CH17.22REZODI_17.22.030REDILAUSPERE
Pasadena Municipal Code, Section 17.22.040, Table 2-3 RS and RM-12 standards
https://library.municode.com/ca/pasadena/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT17ZOCO_ART2ZODIALLAUSZOECST_CH17.22REZODI_17.22.040RSRMREDIGEDEST
Pasadena Municipal Code, Section 17.22.060, Table 2-4 RM standards
https://library.municode.com/ca/pasadena/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT17ZOCO_ART2ZODIALLAUSZOECST_CH17.22REZODI_17.22.060RMDIGEDEST
Pasadena Municipal Code, Section 17.22.070, RM additional standards
https://library.municode.com/ca/pasadena/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT17ZOCO_ART2ZODIALLAUSZOECST_CH17.22REZODI_17.22.070RMDIADDEST
Pasadena Municipal Code, Section 17.22.080, RM garden requirements
https://library.municode.com/ca/pasadena/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT17ZOCO_ART2ZODIALLAUSZOECST_CH17.22REZODI_17.22.080RMDIGARE
Pasadena Municipal Code, Section 17.22.090, Single-Family Compatibility Permit
https://library.municode.com/ca/pasadena/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT17ZOCO_ART2ZODIALLAUSZOECST_CH17.22REZODI_17.22.090SIMICOPE
Pasadena Municipal Code, Section 17.28.080, LD Landmark Overlay District
https://library.municode.com/ca/pasadena/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT17ZOCO_ART2ZODIALLAUSZOECST_CH17.28OVZODI_17.28.080LDLAOVDI
Pasadena Municipal Code, Section 17.28.090, ND Neighborhood Overlay District
https://library.municode.com/ca/pasadena/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT17ZOCO_ART2ZODIALLAUSZOECST_CH17.28OVZODI_17.28.090NDNEOVDI
Pasadena Municipal Code, Chapter 17.29, Hillside Overlay Districts
https://library.municode.com/ca/pasadena/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT17ZOCO_ART2ZODIALLAUSZOECST_CH17.29HIOVDI
Pasadena Municipal Code, Article 3, Specific Plan Standards
https://library.municode.com/ca/pasadena/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT17ZOCO_ART3SPPLST
Ordinance No. 7475, Arboleda Drive (LD-29) Landmark Overlay District (PDF)
https://mcclibraryfunctions.azurewebsites.us/api/ordinanceDownload/16551/1442159/pdf
City of Pasadena, Specific Plans page
https://www.cityofpasadena.net/planning/planning-division/community-planning/specific-plans/
City of Pasadena, Zoning Code and Map Amendments page
https://www.cityofpasadena.net/planning/planning-division/community-planning/zoning-code-and-map-amendments/
General information, not legal advice. California housing law changes every year, and each city adds its own rules on top of state law. Confirm current requirements with the city or county planning department, and with a California-licensed attorney or architect, before you buy land or file plans.

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