zoneoptics
Pasadena, California · District

RM-48

Multi-Family Residential (RM-48)
ResidentialMulti FamilyAll Pasadena districts0

Dimensional standards

RM-48 lot requirementsSTREETbuildable areaFront 20 ftSide 5 ftMAX HEIGHT38 ft / 3 stories
Plan view of the district’s stated lot requirements. Solid line: the property line. Dashed: the setback lines the ordinance imposes; a building must stay inside the tinted envelope. Drawn from the figures extracted below — illustrative, not a survey.

SetbacksSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.

FrontSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.
20 ft
SideSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.
5 ft

Height & bulk

Maximum heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.
38 ft
Maximum storiesStoreysHabitable floor levels. Whether a basement or attic counts is defined by the local code.
3

Housing

Single-familySingle-family dwellingOne dwelling unit on its own lot, usually detached from its neighbours.
prohibitedProhibitedNot allowed in the district at all, short of rezoning or a variance.
Two-family
by_right
Three-family
by_right
Four-plus family
by_right

Uses

Permitted by right10

Conditional / special use3

Extracted standards

11 individual requirements pulled out of this section’s prose, each with the sentence it came from.

Height

Other

  • Building frontageFrontageThe length of a lot line that touches a public street. requirement

    On sites with 60 feet or more of street frontage, at least 50 percent of the site width shall be occupied by building volume at the front setback. On sites with less than 60 feet, at least 40 percent.

  • Front setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.20 ft

    When 40 percent or more of the lots on a blockface ... the minimum front setback shall be the average of the front setbacks of the developed lots, but not less than 20 feet.

  • Light and air separation for major windows15 ft

    When new construction faces major windows or doors in existing structures ... the minimum building separation shall be 15 feet.

  • Light and air separation for minor windows10 ft

    When new construction faces minor windows ... the minimum separation shall be 10 feet.

  • Maximum facade length along street60 ft

    No facade along the street may be longer than 60 feet.

  • Shared entrances

    Projects in RM-48 districts ... are exempt from this requirement.

  • Side separation from adjacent buildings15 ft

    Proposed structures shall be set back from buildings on adjacent lots along the side property line by a minimum of 15 feet, from the sidewalk across the property frontage to a minimum of 40 feet behind the front setback line.

  • Side setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line. when adjoining RS districtZoning districtA mapped area with one set of rules, identified by a code like R-1 or B-2.5 ft

    Principal and accessory structures shall be setback a minimum of 5 feet along an interior side yard that is adjoining an RS district.

  • Street orientation

    Street facades of all residential buildings shall have major windows and entrances to individual units, clusters of units, or common lobbies.

From the ordinance

In the RM-48 district, the maximum height of structures is 38 feet to the highest ridgeline. No maximum top plate height is applicable. (17.22.070.F.1.i)
17.22.070