Senate Bill 9 allows for a ministerial approval process for single-family residential zoned lots to: 1) approve two residential units on a single-family lot and/or 2) subdivide a single-family parcel into two separate lots, enabling the creation of either a single-family home or two residential units on each resulting parcel.
Before You Start
Please review the Permit Requirements below as these vary from project to project.
Ready to get started? First, make sure you are registered and activated at our Online Permit Center. For instructions, please visit our Planning & Building Video Tutorials webpage.
Download the Planning Application for SB-9 Ministerial Approval of Two-Unit Residential Development and/or Parcel Subdivision Resulting in Two Lots(PDF, 936KB) and follow the steps as outlined below.
What Can I Do?
If you own a single-family home within a Hillside Residential Zone (RH), but NOT located within the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ), your project might be eligible for:
- Lot Split: You may split one single-family lot of at least 2,400 square feet into two lots of approximately equal size
- Housing Units: You may build a up to two residential units on an existing single-family lot without splitting the lot or up to two units on each newly created lot if you also choose to split the lot
Is My Parcel Eligible?
- The application form includes a Zoning criteria checklist to establish eligibility of a single-family residential zoned parcel. Please review it carefully for details not listed here.
- Only parcels that are zoned single-family residential in the RH zone and not within the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ) may be considered. Please check this online Zoning Map to see if your parcel is within the single-family residential zones and outside of the VHFHSZ. However, location alone does not establish eligibility.
- Other factors including a parcel's location in environmentally sensitive or hazardous areas or location within a historic district may affect eligibility. Please review the application Zoning criteria checklist for full details by following the link below.
- Planning/Zoning requirements are based on objective standards and do not require the Regular Design Review process.
Who Can Be Issued a Permit?
- Owners of an eligible Single-Family parcel or their legal representative.
Need to Know
QUESTIONS? Call (510) 238-3911 or find quick answers through our Permit & Services Questions Portal. You may also schedule an appointment with Permit Counter staff during open hours.
Additional Resources