Article 53, Sections 53.3-53.7
Extracted standards
38 individual requirements pulled out of this section’s prose, each with the sentence it came from.
Lighting
- Lighting direction
Lighting shall be low mounted, downward casting so as to reduce light trespass onto adjacent properties.
Other
- Architectural articulation options
Buildings shall incorporate at least one of four options: facade plane modulation, feature projections, variety in height/roof forms, or facade detail.
- Commercial bicycle parking percentage of motor vehicle parking5 pct
For buildings with over ten (10) tenant-occupants, secure bicycle parking shall be provided for five percent (5%) of motorized vehicle parking capacity, with a minimum of one (1) space.
- Landscaping required in setbacksSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.
All setback areas and other open areas of a site not occupied by buildings or sidewalk shall be landscaped.
- Loading hours restriction
Loading or unloading shall not take place after 10:00 p.m. or before 7:00 a.m. on any day of the week.
- Maximum continuous blank wall length20 ft
No street frontage wall may run in a continuous plane for more than twenty (20) feet without an opening.
- Maximum building facade length300 ft
No street-facing or pedestrian paseo-facing building facade length shall exceed three hundred (300) feet.
- Maximum first floor elevation above/below grade for nonresidential2 ft
The first habitable floor shall be located no more than two (2) feet above or below the existing grade at any point along a street property line.
- Maximum first floor elevation above grade for residential6 ft
The first habitable floor of a residential-only building shall be located no more than six (6) feet above existing grade.
- Maximum first floor elevation below grade for residential2 ft
The first habitable floor of a residential-only building shall be located no more than two (2) feet below existing grade along a street property line.
- Maximum front yardYardThe open space left between a building and its lot line — the space a setback creates. fence heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. above grade42 in
Where private open space occurs above grade in front yards, the overall height of fences and walls located in the front yard shall not exceed forty-two (42) inches.
- Maximum front yardYardThe open space left between a building and its lot line — the space a setback creates. fence heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. at grade3 ft
Overall height of fences and walls located in the front yard shall not exceed three (3) feet if located at grade.
- Maximum vehicular access points per 200 feet of frontageFrontageThe length of a lot line that touches a public street.1 per 200 ft
For parcels of less than two hundred (200) feet in length along the street front, only one (1) vehicular access point shall be permitted off the street front.
- Mechanical equipment screening
All mechanical and air conditioning equipment shall be shielded and screened from view from adjacent streets and properties.
- Minimum area of common open spaceOpen spaceLand a development must leave unbuilt, sometimes required to be usable or planted.500 sqftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.
Minimum square footage of any common open space area shall be five hundred (500) square feet.
- Minimum dimension of common open spaceOpen spaceLand a development must leave unbuilt, sometimes required to be usable or planted.15 ft
The minimum dimension of any common open space area shall be fifteen (15) feet.
- Minimum common open spaceOpen spaceLand a development must leave unbuilt, sometimes required to be usable or planted. open to sky80 pct
Not less than eighty percent (80%) of the total required usable common open space shall be unobstructed to the sky.
- Minimum distance of curb cutGrading (cut & fill)Reshaping land by removing earth (cut) or adding it (fill), often capped by volume. from intersection15 ft
Curb cuts shall be located at least fifteen (15) feet from an intersection curb return or pedestrian crosswalk.
- Minimum distance from freeway for residential500 ft
No new residential units shall be permitted within five hundred (500) feet of the outermost lane of a freeway.
- Minimum ground floor heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. for nonresidential12 ft
The minimum height of nonresidential ground floor spaces shall be twelve (12) feet.
- Minimum ground floor heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. for residential/live-work10 ft
The minimum height of residential and live/work ground floor spaces shall be ten (10) feet.
- Minimum depth of nonresidential uses18 ft
Nonresidential uses shall be located along street frontages and shall have a minimum depth of eighteen (18) feet.
- Minimum open spaceOpen spaceLand a development must leave unbuilt, sometimes required to be usable or planted. per unit125 sqftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.
The required minimum amount of open space shall be one hundred twenty-five (125) square feet per unit.
- Minimum personal storage per unit80 cuft
Each residential unit shall be provided a minimum of eighty (80) cubic feet of enclosed, lockable storage space.
- Minimum dimension of private open spaceOpen spaceLand a development must leave unbuilt, sometimes required to be usable or planted.6 ft
The minimum dimension of any private open space area shall be six (6) feet.
- Minimum sidewalk clear width for tree encroachment8 ft
Street trees may be located within the required sidewalk area, provided that at least eight (8) feet in width of sidewalk area is available, clear, and unimpeded.
- Minimum internal walkway width6 ft
Internal walkways shall be a minimum of six (6) feet wide where located adjacent to any common open space areas.
- Minimum window percentage for commercial ground floor50 pct
Windows and openings facing streets shall constitute a minimum of fifty percent (50%) of street-facing building faces.
- Minimum window percentage for commercial upper floor40 pct
Windows and openings facing streets shall constitute a minimum of forty percent (40%) of street-facing building faces.
- Minimum window percentage for residential ground floor30 pct
Windows and openings facing streets shall constitute a minimum of thirty percent (30%) of street-facing building faces.
- Minimum window percentage for residential upper floor20 pct
Windows and openings facing streets shall constitute a minimum of twenty percent (20%) of street-facing building faces.
- Parking structure integration
Parking structures shall be wrapped with residential or retail uses or incorporate display windows, landscaping, architectural detailing, or artwork.
- Residential bicycle parking ratio1 per 3 units
Minimum capacity shall be one (1) secured parking space per three (3) dwelling units.
- Stormwater management
New development shall be subject to the requirements of Redwood City Stormwater Management and Discharge Control Program.
- Maximum street tree spacing40 ft
Street trees shall be spaced not more than forty (40) feet apart.
- Minimum street tree spacing20 ft
Street trees shall be spaced not more than forty (40) feet apart, and may not be spaced less than twenty (20) feet apart.
- Trash enclosure screening
Trash enclosures shall be covered and completely screened from view of any public right-of-way.
- Vibration study required within100 ft
For all residential buildings and vibration-sensitive development located within one hundred (100) feet of the centerline of railroad tracks, a site-specific vibration study is required.
From the ordinance
Outdoor recreation and leisure space shall be provided for each residential-only or mixed-use project containing residential uses.