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As a practicing architect in San Diego, one of the most common questions that developers ask me is 'how many Dwelling Units can I build on my lot'? To understand the potential of an given lot in the City of San Diego there needs to be a fundamental understanding of the regulations. In an effort to help, I've created a quick 5-step process to qualify most lots for potential architectural development.
For information on lots within other cities San Diego County should start w/ this article.
This process will work for most standard lot zones, however lots in Planned Districts may vary from these standard regulations. One final note; like all things that require Building Department approval, there are many exceptions / variations to these regulations. The intent of this 5-step process is to be able to quickly qualify potential lots -but additional research is recommended prior to purchase.
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Find the zone of your lot here
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Reference the zone of your lot to determine the maximum density per Dwelling Unit (DU) in Chapter 13 of the San Diego Municipal Code here
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Basic (no overlay zones)
Transit Area overlay zone here
Parking Impact Area overlay zone here
Tandem Parking overlay zone here
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Determine the maximum parking spaces your lot can accommodate using Chapter 14 of the San Diego Municipal Code here
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Determine the maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of your zone using the tables in Chapter 13 of the San Diego Municipal Code here
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Use Table 142-05C here in the San Diego Municipal Code to determine what size Dwelling Units can be permitted for your project
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