The Redwood City Council unanimously approved an ordinance on Monday that sets objective design standards to streamline housing development and build a more environmentally conscious city.
The nearly 60-page ordinance established requirements for new residential and mixed-use projects to simplify approvals and support flood- and bird-sensitive design, as well as help the city meet state housing laws and implement its Housing Element.
“An objective design standard is really a sort of black-and-white standard,” said Jeff Schwab, the city’s community development director. “The average person should be able to understand it.”
Among the provisions are design standards for building placement, architectural features, open space, landscaping, parking structures and the relationship between buildings and public streets.
The ordinance introduces measures to improve the appearance of parking structures, particularly in flood-prone areas where ground-floor parking is often necessary because of federal floodplain restrictions. New requirements include landscaping and screening for parking garages, along with sight-distance standards intended to improve pedestrian safety around garage exits.
Representatives from the San Mateo County Bird Alliance, Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter and Green Foothills noted that Redwood City is an important migratory route for birds, as the city lies along the Pacific Flyway. The speakers highlighted the dangers reflective glass and artificial nighttime lighting pose to birds.
To reduce bird collisions, Schwab said that the city is looking at adding visible patterns to glass, using architectural features such as louvers to reduce reflections and avoiding transparent glass corners in its design standards. The ordinance’s lighting standards also encourage warmer-colored lighting and shielded fixtures in the interest of limiting light pollution.
Council member Marcella Padilla focused on tree coverage, as the ordinance would increase the minimum size of newly planted trees from 15-gallon containers to 24-inch box trees, so plantings can have a better chance to grow.
Padilla cited Sustainable San Mateo County’s 2026 Indicators Report, released Oct. 23, which showed that nearly 320,000 county residents live in census tracts with “low tree canopy” and at least 70% of residents are people of color.
“What it tells me is we need more trees in our entire city, but we definitely need them in certain areas,” Padilla said.
Council member Isabella Chu raised concerns that some of the standards could make it more difficult for homeowners and smaller developers to build “missing-middle housing,” such as duplexes, fourplexes and small apartment buildings.
Chu said the standards appeared to emphasize architectural consistency with existing neighboring homes, potentially limiting opportunities for neighborhoods to evolve and accommodate multigenerational households. Chu encouraged the city to consider greater flexibility in building proportions, setbacks and architectural styles.
Schwab said applicants can seek discretionary review when they want to propose designs that depart from the objective standards.
The design standards-setting process involved input from city staff, architects, engineers, property owners, the Architectural Advisory Committee and Planning Commission. Through joint study sessions, public outreach and the testing of proposed requirements against pending development projects, the city made design adjustments to window proportions, building materials, architectural features, community amenities and landscaping, according to Schwab.
The ordinance could go into effect in late December and would apply to new projects submitted after that date, Schwab said.
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