Allowed uses and permit requirements.
San José Municipal Code § 20.30.100
in effectA. "Permitted" land uses are indicated by a "P" on Table 20-50. B. "Conditional" uses are indicated by a "C" on Table 20-50. These uses may be allowed in such designated districts, as an independent use, but only upon issuance of and in compliance with a Conditional Use Permit as set forth in Chapter 20.100 . C. "Special" uses are indicated by an "S" on Table 20-50. These uses may be allowed in such designated districts, as an independent use, but only upon issuance of and in compliance with a Special Use Permit as set forth in Chapter 20.100 . D. "Restricted" land uses are indicated by an "R" on Table 20-50. These uses may occur in such designated districts, as an independent use, but only upon issuance of and in full compliance with a valid and effective zoning code verification certificate as set forth in Chapter 20.100 . E. Land uses not permitted are indicated by a "-" on Table 20-50. Land uses not listed on Table 20-50 are not permitted. F. When the right column of Table 20-50 includes a reference to a section number or a footnote, the regulations cited in the section number or footnote apply to the use. In addition, all uses are subject to any other applicable provision of this Title 20 and any other title of the San José Municipal Code. Table 20-50 Residential Zoning Districts Use Regulations Use Zoning District Applicable Sections & Notes R-1 R-2 R-M R-MH Residential Uses One-family dwelling P P P C Note 1 and Note 10; Section 20.30.110 Accessory dwelling unit (ADU) P P P - Note 2, Note 3, and Note 10; Part 2.75, Chapter 20.80 Two-family dwelling - P P - Note 2 and Note 10; Section 20.30.110 Multiple dwelling - - P - Note 10 Guesthouse - - C - Note 10; Section 20.30.120 Mobilehome parks - - - C Note 10 Permanent supportive housing P P P P Note 10; Chapter 20.195 Low Barrier Navigation Center P P P P Residential care facility, six or fewer persons P P P Residential care facility, seven or more persons C C C C Residential service facility P P P P Single room occupancy living unit facility - - C - Note 10; Part 15, Chapter 20.80 Sororities, fraternities, and dormitories occupied exclusively (except for administrators thereof) by students attending college or other educational institutions - - C - Travel trailer parks - - - C Residential Accessory Uses and Improvements Accessory buildings and structures P P P P Note 3; Section 20.80.200 Home occupations P P P P Part 9, Chapter 20.80 Mixed use, residential/commercial - - S - Note 9 and Note 10 Agriculture Certified farmers' market S S S S Note 6 Certified farmers' market, small P P P P Part 3.5, Chapter 20.80 ; Note 6 Neighborhood agriculture P P P P Part 9, Chapter 20.80 Education and Training Child Day Care Center located on an existing school site or as an incident to an on-site church/religious assembly use involving no building additions or changes to the site P P P P Child Day Care Center S S S S Child Day Care Center co-located with Multifamily housing development - - P P Note 11 School, elementary and secondary (public) P P P - School, elementary and secondary (private) C C C - Entertainment and Recreation Equestrian and riding club C - - - Golf course C - - - Note 4 Private club or lodge - - C - Swim or tennis club C C C C General Services Bed and breakfast inn C C C - Section 20.80.110 Outdoor vending, fresh fruits and vegetables P P P P Note 6 and Note 7; Part 10, Chapter 20.80 Health and Veterinary Services Emergency ambulance service C C C C Historic Reuse Historic landmark structure reuse C C C C Part 8.5, Chapter 20.80 Public, Quasi-Public and Assembly Uses Cemetery C C C C Church/religious assembly C C C C Museums, libraries, parks, playgrounds, or community centers (privately operated) C C C C Museums, libraries, parks, playgrounds, or community centers (publicly operated) P P P P Transportation and Utilities Community television antenna systems C C C C Off-site, alternating use and alternative use parking arrangements S S S S Section 20.90.200 Parking establishment, off-street C C C C Section 20.90.150 Utility facilities, excluding corporation yards, storage or repair yards and warehouses C C C C Wireless communication antenna C C C C Note 8; Sections 20.30.130 , 20.30.140 , 20.80.1900 , 20.100.1300 and 20.80.1915 Wireless communication antenna, slimline monopole S S S S Note 8; Sections 20.30.130 , 20.30.140 , 20.80.1900 , 20.100.1300 and 20.80.1915 Wireless communication antenna, building mounted P P P P Note 8; Sections 20.30.130 , 20.30.140 , 20.80.1910 , 20.100.1300 and 20.80.1915 Utilities, Electrical Power Generation Solar photovoltaic system P P P P Sections 20.100.610 C.7 and 20.100.1030 A.6 Stand-by/backup facilities that do not exceed noise or air standards S S S S Note 5 Stand-by/backup facilities that do exceed noise or air standards - - - - Notes: 1. Only one one-family dwelling unit per lot in the R-1, R-2, R-M and R-MH districts, unless allowed pursuant to the provisions of Part 8, Part 9, or Part 9.5 of Chapter 20.30 , where applicable. 2. A maximum of two primary living units per lot, with Accessory Dwelling Units, are permitted in the R-2 district. Accessory Dwelling Units on a lot in the R-2 district may be permitted without a Development Permit in accordance with the provisions of Part 2.75. 3. No lot may be used solely for an accessory structure or an accessory building. 4. No driving ranges or miniature golf facilities. 5. Stand-by or backup generators that would not otherwise require some permit from the City (including but not limited to building, electrical, or mechanical), and do meet the applicable noise and air standards are not subject to the Special Use Permit requirement. 6. Allowed on school sites, library sites, community center sites, church/religious assembly sites, and other publicly accessible sites that contain government operations including but not limited to United States Post Offices or State of California Department of Motor Vehicles offices. 7. The activity must conform with the location and operational requirements in Section 20.80.820 of Part 10, Chapter 20.80 . Allowed for up to eight hours per day for each vending facility, but not to exceed eight hours per day per lot. 8. Certain modifications of existing wireless facilities may be permitted with an Administrative Permit in accordance with Section 20.80.1915 of Chapter 20.80 . 9. Permitted or special uses allowed in the CP commercial pedestrian zoning district may be allowed with a Special Use Permit for a residential-commercial mixed use project, except that twenty-four-hour non-residential uses or conditional uses allowed in the CP commercial pedestrian zoning district require a Conditional Use Permit. 10. May be used as Transitional Housing. Supportive housing and transitional housing shall be subject only to those restrictions that apply to other residential dwellings of the same type within the same zone. 11. Child Day Care Centers are considered a permitted use when co-located as part of a multi-family housing development that is equal or less in square footage when compared to the multi-family development. (Ords. 26248, 26388, 26455, 26456, 27468, 27797, 28284, 28320, 28791, 29011, 29122, 29254, 29546, 29678, 29821, 30190, 30290, 30353, 30422, 30480, 30516, 30696, 30786, 30984, 31298 , 31329 .)
Source: San José Municipal Code (Municode library)URL: https://library.municode.com/ca/san_jose/codes/code_of_ordinancesFetched: 7/25/2026