Dougherty Valley is an unique community with zoning standards and design guidelines specific to this development. While the majority of the development standards for Dougherty Valley are similar to other parts of the City, please contact the Planning Services Division at 973-2560 for specific information.

1. What is my zoning?
2. What are my setback requirements for an addition to my home?
3. Can I build a storage arbor/shed/garage in my back yard
4. Where can I build a six-foot fence?
5. What are the requirements to establish a business in my home?
6. How do I establish a Large Family Day Care in my home
7. Where can I report a Zoning or Building Code Violation?
8. How do I find out what Projects are being processed by the City?
9. Can I add on to my house?
10. What is the Process if I need to remove a tree from my property?
11. Can I convert my garage into living space?
12. Where can I locate a business in the City?
13. Why does the City have all these land use rules? Why can't I just do what want with my property?
14. Why is a land use permit required?

A planner can tell you in which zoning district your property is located. You will need to provide either your street address or Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) or both. You can send an email through our Customer Response Management System and select Planning/Zoning. You can call the planner-on-duty at (925) 973-2560 between 7:30 – 5:00 Monday, Wednesday or Friday and 8:30 – 5:00 Tuesday and Thursday, or you can visit the office in person during the same walk-in counter hours listed above. You may need to leave a voice mail for the planner. The Planning Services Division has a policy of making every effort to return telephone calls within 24 hours.  A digitized zoning map is available on the Planning Division web page at the following link: http://www.ci.san-ramon.ca.us/zoning/zo2006.html

We hope to have a digitized version of the Zoning Map available on this web site in the near future.

Residential accessory structures are permitted within residential zones. Minimum setbacks and maximum height requirements and floor area ratios are dependent on your property’s zoning. Call Planning Services to obtain the specific standards for your property. It is advisable to separate the accessory building from the primary building by at least 6-feet. If the accessory building is a 120 square feet or less, no building permit is required, provided that no electrical and/or plumbing work is proposed. A building permit is required for an accessory building more than 120 square feet. For accessory structure requirements in Dougherty Valley, please contact Planning Services at 973-2560.

1. Maximum total floor area. The total floor area of all accessory structures on the site that are more than four feet in height, or more than fifty percent enclosed, shall not exceed 1,000 square feet, or three percent of the lot area, whichever is less.
    
2. Height limit. The height of an accessory structure shall not exceed 12 feet in RE-B, RS, RM and RH zones. The height of an accessory structure shall not exceed 16 feet in RR and RE-A zones. An accessory structure located within a required front setback shall not exceed a height of three feet, not including decorative features or lighting, which may extend upward an additional 18 inches.
    
3. Setback requirements. Accessory structures shall comply with the following setback requirements.
    
   1. Front setback. An accessory structure shall be set back from a front property line by a minimum distance:
       
      1. Of five feet when the structure does not exceed a height of three feet (fences and walls of three feet or less in height are exempt from this requirement); and
          
      2. As required by Subsections C.3.c.for animal structures.
          
      3. All accessory structures in a required front yard setback shall comply with the driveway visibility requirements of Section D-30.10 (Setback Requirements and Exceptions), and the site obstruction requirements of Section D-35.13 (Driveways and Site Access).

2. Side and rear setbacks. An accessory structure shall be set back from the side and rear property line as follows.

1. If the structure is of 18 inches or less in height, no setback is required;
    
2. If the structure is greater than 18 inches but 6 feet or less in height, a three-foot setback is required; and
    
3. If the structure is greater than 6 feet in height, the setback shall be equal to the height less three feet.

 A seven-foot tall fence, provided the top one foot is constructed of open lattice, is allowed on property lines at the rear and sides of most properties. A fence up to three feet is allowed within the front yard setback area (typically 20-feet) as measured from the front property line. A seven-foot fence may be constructed outside the front yard setback area. Please note that the sidewalk edge may not be the property line.

If you wish to conduct a business from your home within the City of San Ramon, you must file for a Home Occupation Permit and City Business License. In order to be eligible for a Home Occupation Permit, you must be able to comply with the following:

1. No clients may come to the home.
    
2. The use is incidental to the residential use of the dwelling.
    
3. The use shall be conducted entirely within a portion of the main building, not within any required parking facility and does not exceed twenty percent (20%) of the building's floor area, excluding garage square footage.  No outside storage shall be permitted.
    
4. No article shall be sold or offered for sale on the premises.
    
5. No person other than the resident of the dwelling shall be employed on-site or report to work at the site in the conduct of the home occupation.  This prohibition also applies to independent contractors.
    
6. The use will not generate vehicular or pedestrian traffic in excess of that which is normally associated with the residential use in the same district.
    
7. No parking space will be obstructed and no additional parking space will be required for the home occupation.
    
8. There is no exterior indication of the home occupation, including signs.
    
9. The use will not create noise, odor, dust, fumes, vibration, smoke, electrical interference, or any other interference with residential use of adjacent property.
    
10. No motor vehicle repair or personal service shall be permitted  on-site.
     
11. The address of the home occupation will not be advertised in any publication. Business cards and letterhead are not included in this requirement.

For additional information and an application follow the link to http://www.ci.san-ramon.ca.us/plan/hopdefin.html

Please contact the Community Care Licensing Division for additional State requirements

A violation of the zoning or building code can be reported anonymously in the following ways. For potential zoning violations you may contact the Planning Services Division at (925) 973-2560 and for potential building code violations or contractors working with a building permit, you may contact the Building and Safety Services Division at (925) 973-2580. Additionally on the City’s Website http://www.ci.san-ramon.ca.us

Click "Contact Us" from "Choose a destination!" menu and it will take you directly to our Customer Response Management System where you can select the Department and identify a specific topic.

The Planning Services Division posts a monthly Current Development Status Sheet that identifies status of the projects Planning Services is currently processing. Click on the following link to take you directly to this list. http://www.ci.san-ramon.ca.us/plan/cdss.html

If your property is a single family residence that cannot be further subdivided then you do not need a tree removal permit to remove a tree on your property except if you wish to remove a native oak tree 6 inches in diameter measured 54 inches above the ground. 

 If a non-oak tree, not including a willow, fruit tree, eucalyptus, alder, cottonwood, or pine tree, is greater than 8 inches in diameter measured 54 inches above the ground and is on a commercial property or on a property owned by a Home Owner’s Association then a tree removal permit is required. 

 For a copy of the tree removal permit application, please contact the Planning Services Division at (925) 973-2560 to fax or mail a copy to you or you can follow the following link to a copy of the application:

 http://www.ci.san-ramon.ca.us/plan/images/TREEAPPrev62005.pdf.

 Submit the application and the required submittal items to the Planning Services Division at 2226 Camino Ramon, San Ramon, CA 94553.

All tree removal work shall be conducted by licensed tree care professionals.

A garage can be converted to living space (e.g., bedroom, family room, etc…) if the required number of parking spaces are provided and the appropriate interior garage dimensions of 20-feet by 22-feet for a 2-car garage and 10-feet by 22-feet for a single car garage are provided.

To locate a business in San Ramon, a business license must be issued by the City and the business located in the appropriate zoning district. For example, a retail business would be located within a retail zoning district and an administrative office in an office district. The Planning Division maintains a map that shows zoning for every parcel in the City. To ask questions regarding a specific business you are proposing to establish and to determine what the requirements might be, you may call 973-2560 to speak with a planner or send an email request at our website http://www.ci.san-ramon.ca.us and click "Contact Us".

13.  Why does the City have all these land use rules? Why can't I just do what I want with my property?

Federal and State land use laws and regulations aside, the City of San Ramon has established land use regulations to protect the health and general welfare of all citizens and to manage growth and development responsibly.  Citizens themselves through their opportunity to vote for their elected officials and to participate in public meetings, affect what kind of regulations the City adopts.  The San Ramon Zoning Ordinance has been amended several times since its adoption in 1986, and each amendment process involves a significant public involvement and input.  Any member of the public, as well as the City Council, Planning Services Division staff or the Planning Commission may initiate an amendment at any time.  The document sets forth the general principles and strategies to be used by the City to guide land use decisions and the growth and development, as shaped by the public, City Council and Planning Commissioners.

14. Why is land use permit required?