The following are commonly referenced land use policies, regulations, and guidance that inform development in unincorporated San Mateo County. For guidance on specific permit types and requirements, please visit the Apply for a Permit page.
Smaller units built on the same property as, or attached to, an existing primary residence.
Commercial secondary uses (education, visitors) to main agricultural operations.
Standards and regulations to ensure the health, safety, and amenity of occupants and the public in buildings.
Streamlined permitting for child care centers and homes.
Requirements and application materials for cannabis cultivation and distribution.
Collection of laws and regulations enacted by the County that cover various topics, including public safety, health, vehicles, and traffic, and more.
Making it easier to create housing for farm laborers and their families.
Requirements for grading and clearing to promote conservation of natural resources and protect health and safety.
Safeguards and integrates historic resources into public and private development practices.
Requirement to include affordable housing for certain projects.
Guidelines for the keeping of domestic poultry (chickens and ducks) in residential communities.
Requirements for construction in County rights-of-way.
Short-term rentals as an allowed use in specified locations of the Coastal Zone.
Requirements to reduce surface water runoff and flooding from impervious surfaces.
Regulations around dividing land to create more parcels.
Regulations regarding trimming and removing certain trees.
Requirements for efficient water use in new and retrofitted landscapes.
Dictates what uses are allowed on properties and other development requirements, such as size, placement, density, and height of structures.
Required by the Local Coastal Program, identifies transportation policies, projects, and programs for the unincorporated urban Midcoast.
Planning document that allows the County to implement the California Coastal Act in unincorporated communities within San Mateo County’s Coastal Zone.
Establishes the vision, goals for the development and physical composition of Midcoast communities, including El Granada, Miramar, Montara, Moss Beach, and Princeton, including new policies, programs, and regulations.