What does RM-3-9 zoning mean in San Diego?

RM is the Residential Multiple Unit base zone; the numeric suffix (here 3-9) sets the specific density and development standards that apply, so two RM parcels can allow very different unit counts. Always check the full suffix, not just the base zone letters.

How do I find the zoning for an address in San Diego?

The Development Services Department's online zoning map viewer looks up base zone, overlay zones, and Community Plan designation by address or parcel number. It also flags whether the site sits in a Transit Priority Area eligible for Complete Communities density bonuses.

What is a Transit Priority Area in San Diego zoning?

It's an overlay, not a base zone, drawn around transit stops where the city's Complete Communities program grants added density and reduced parking for qualifying housing projects. It stacks on top of whatever base zone (RM, RX, CC, etc.) already applies.

San Diego, California · city zoning districts · 12 districts

San Diego, CA zoning map & districts

San Diego consolidated its zoning, subdivision, and development regulations into a single Land Development Code (Chapter 13 of the Municipal Code), administered by the Development Services Department. Base zones use a letter-prefix system (RS, RM, CC, IL, etc.) followed by numeric suffixes that set lot size or floor-area ratio, so the same base zone can carry very different density limits depending on its suffix.

The code San Diego Municipal Code, Land Development Code

San Diego zoning map

Confirm current district boundaries through City of San Diego Development Services - Zoning Grid Map .

The Development Services Department's online zoning/GIS map viewer returns base zone, suffix, Community Plan, and overlay data by address; code text is maintained in the Land Development Code.

A published summary is never the authority. The adopted ordinance and the city's official zoning map govern, and both change — verify the district and every standard on your parcel before you rely on it.

How zoning works in San Diego

Most of the city is also covered by a Community Plan, and many neighborhoods sit inside additional overlays — Coastal, Airport Land Use Compatibility, and Transit Priority Areas. San Diego's Complete Communities program grants significant density and height bonuses for housing built within Transit Priority Areas, making the overlay layer as important as the base zone for feasibility.

San Diego zoning districts by family

The 12 district codes below are the ones that decide most projects in San Diego, grouped by what they are for rather than by the order the ordinance prints them.

Key districts in the San Diego Municipal Code, Land Development Code — a curated reference, not the exhaustive list. Confirm against the current adopted code.
Code	District	What it is for
Residential 3 districts
RS	Residential Single Unit	Single-family detached, density set by lot-size suffix (e.g. RS-1-7).
RM	Residential Multiple Unit	Multifamily base zone, density set by suffix.
RT	Residential Townhouse	Attached townhouse-form residential.
Mixed-use 1 district
RX	Residential Mixed	Residential zone permitting limited neighborhood-serving commercial.
Commercial 4 districts
CC	Commercial Community	Community-serving commercial corridors.
CN	Commercial Neighborhood	Smaller-scale neighborhood retail centers.
CO	Commercial Office	Office-focused commercial zone.
CV	Commercial Visitor	Hotel and visitor-serving uses, common near the coast and airport.
Industrial 3 districts
IL	Industrial Light	Light manufacturing, warehousing, and business park uses.
IH	Industrial Heavy	Heavier manufacturing and processing uses.
IP	Industrial Park	Campus-style industrial and R&D park development.
Special purpose 1 district
OP	Open Space - Park	Corrected from 'OS', which is not a current SDMC code; open-space zones are OP (park) and OC (conservation).

San Diego zoning — common questions

What does RM-3-9 zoning mean in San Diego?: RM is the Residential Multiple Unit base zone; the numeric suffix (here 3-9) sets the specific density and development standards that apply, so two RM parcels can allow very different unit counts. Always check the full suffix, not just the base zone letters.
How do I find the zoning for an address in San Diego?: The Development Services Department's online zoning map viewer looks up base zone, overlay zones, and Community Plan designation by address or parcel number. It also flags whether the site sits in a Transit Priority Area eligible for Complete Communities density bonuses.
What is a Transit Priority Area in San Diego zoning?: It's an overlay, not a base zone, drawn around transit stops where the city's Complete Communities program grants added density and reduced parking for qualifying housing projects. It stacks on top of whatever base zone (RM, RX, CC, etc.) already applies.

Working in California? Get on the list.

The parcel layer lands in the order demand does. Illinois went first because that's where the deals were; the next state is decided by who tells us what they're trying to underwrite. Tell us where you're building and what you wanted to run — you'll hear from us when California opens, and sooner if we need a test parcel.

Keep reading

← California zoning — who holds the zoning power in California, under which enabling statute, and the reforms that override local rules.

Other California cities

The zoning reference → — every state, plus city-level district guides like this one.

San Diego zoning summaries on this page are provided for information, not legal advice. Confirm every project against the current adopted code for the jurisdiction.