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Except as otherwise prescribed by district regulations or other provisions of this title, use and development of required yards shall be limited to the following:
(a) Fences, screening, and enclosures permitted by Chapter 16.24;
(b) Landscaping;
(c) Outdoor recreation, including open structures and ground level facilities related thereto, such as tennis courts, swimming pools, other game or court facilities, sitting areas, decks, patios, terraces, and like features constructed at ground level or within one foot above natural grade; provided, that no below-grade improvements such as swimming pools shall be permitted within three feet from the property line;
(d) Pedestrian walkways and driveways;
(e) Required parking, in accord with the location provisions specified within each district.
(f) Electrification Equipment for residential uses only: When installed in a required yard, Electrification Equipment and any associated housing, screening, insulation, or bollards necessary to enable compliance with the applicable regulations, including Chapter 9.10 of this Code, shall provide a minimum three foot interior side and rear yard setback and a minimum ten foot street sideyard setback. Except as otherwise provided in this Title for EVSE and energy storage systems, Electrification Equipment shall not be located in the required front yard setback and shall at all times provide sufficient clearance for fire safety purposes. EVSE, energy storage systems, and safety bollards may encroach two feet into a 20-foot standard front setback.
(Ord. 5601 § 5, 2023: Ord. 4934 § 3 (part), 2007)
(a) Architectural Features
Cornices, eaves, fireplaces and similar architectural features, excluding flat or continuous walls or enclosures of usable interior space, may extend into a required side yard a distance not exceeding two feet, or may extend into a required front or rear yard a distance not exceeding four feet. Window surfaces, such as bay windows or greenhouse windows, may extend into a required front, side or rear yard a distance not exceeding two feet or into a required front yard a distance not exceeding three feet. In residential districts or nonresidential districts adjacent to residential districts, the window surface may not extend into any yard above a first story.
(b) Canopies and Patio Covers
A canopy or patio cover may be located in any residential district in the required rear yard or that portion of the interior side yard which is more than seventy-five feet from the street lot line measured along the common lot line. Such canopies shall be subject to the following conditions: The permit may be granted by the director without a requirement for public hearing and notice.
(1) A canopy or patio cover shall not be more than twelve feet in height.
(2) The canopy or patio cover shall be included in the computation of building coverage.
(3) The canopy or patio cover and other structures shall not occupy more than fifty percent of the required rear yard.
(4) The canopy or patio cover shall not be enclosed on more than two sides.
(c) Storage Structures
Structures not over six feet in height or twenty-five square feet in floor area, used exclusively for storage purposes, may extend into a required side yard a distance not exceeding two feet, or may extend into a required front or rear yard a distance not exceeding four feet.
(d) Porches, Stairways, Landings and Fire Escapes
Uncovered porches, stairways, landings, balconies or fire escapes may extend not more than six feet into a required front or rear yard, and may extend not more than three feet into a required side yard; provided that, in residential districts or in nonresidential districts adjacent to residential districts, these projections may not extend into any yard above a first story.
(e) Pools, Spas and Hot Tubs
Pools, spas and hot tubs may extend into a required rear yard a distance not to exceed fourteen feet, provided that a minimum setback of six feet from the property line shall be maintained.
(f) Building Extensions and Corner Lots
In residential districts, a portion of a main building which is less than half the maximum width of such building may extend into the required rear yard no more than six feet and with a height of no more than one story, except that a corner lot having a common rear property line with an adjoining corner lot may extend into the required rear yard not more than ten feet and with a height of no more than one story.
(g) Encroachment into a Special Setback
Subsections (a) through (d) of this section notwithstanding, a projection shall not be permitted to encroach into a special setback, as established by the setback map pursuant to Chapter 20.08 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code.
(h) Excavated Features: Terraces and Terraced Landscaping
In residential districts the terraced and landscaped portions of excavated features, such as below grade patios and sunken gardens, that comply with the provisions of Sections 18.10.090(c) or 18.12.090(c), as applicable, may extend into a required side yard a distance not to exceed two feet, or may extend into a required rear yard a distance not to exceed four feet.
(Ord. 5373 § 20 (part), 2016; Ord. 4934 § 3 (part), 2007)
(a) Specified Provisions and Dates of Recorded Title
Any lot having a site area, width, or depth less than required by this title, which meets one of the provisions specified in this subsection, may be used as a lot or site under the provisions of this title, subject to the applicable district regulations and other provisions of this title:
(1) A lot shown upon an official subdivision map duly approved and recorded;
(2) A lot for which a deed or a valid contract of sale is on record in the office of the county recorder of Santa Clara County prior to February 19, 1951, and was of legal area at the time it was recorded;
(3) A lot for which individual water, sewer, and/or gas service or services were installed by the city prior to October 8, 1947;
(4) A lot upon which a dwelling was constructed on or after October 8, 1947, and prior to July 20, 1978 which at the time of construction complied with all lot width and area requirements;
(5) A lot otherwise meeting applicable requirements at the time such lot was created, but which does not meet the minimum requirements of this title as currently applicable to such lot, by reason of annexation, a change in zoning district, or a change in applicable regulations within a district.
(b) Substandard Lots Cannot Be Further Reduced
A substandard lot meeting one of the provisions designated in subsection (a) shall be considered a legal lot; provided the particular measurement (area, width, or depth) not in accord with this title shall not be further reduced.
(c) Lots merged by Amendments to Subdivision Map Act
All lots that were merged by the 1977 amendments to the Subdivision Map Act prior to the adoption of Chapter 234, Statutes 1977, are hereby deemed unmerged.
(Ord. 4934 § 3 (part), 2007)
Except in OS, RE, R-1, and R-2 districts, flues, chimneys, exhaust fans or air conditioning equipment, elevator equipment, cooling towers, antennas, and similar architectural, utility, or mechanical features may exceed the height limit established in any district by not more than fifteen feet; provided, however, that no such feature or structure in excess of the height limit shall be used for habitable space, or for any commercial or advertising purposes. In OS, RE, R-1, and R-2 districts, flues, chimneys and antennas may exceed the established height limit by not more than fifteen feet.
(Ord. 4934 § 3 (part), 2007)
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