Frequently Asked Questions

A building permit is required to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building, structure, or any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system. If you are in doubt as to whether a permit is required for your project, please contact us prior to the commencement of the work.

Per the California Residential Code detached accessory structure not exceeding 120 square feet does not require a building permit if there is no plumbing, electrical, and or mechanical equipment. Please note, Sheds and/or Structures under 120 square feet do require a Planning Permit. The Planning Department can be contacted by calling 650-851-6796, ext. 2.

You will need to complete a Building Permit Application, pay any applicable fees and deposits, and provide the plans and supporting documents to the Town via emailing the Project Managers.

Monday through Friday
7:30 am to 5:30 pm

Saturday
8 am to 1 pm

Sunday
No work allowed

No work allowed on Town observed holidays. A complete list of observed holidays can be found in the WMC Sec. 151.55 (B).

You can view permit records, inspections, and plan check comments online.

The Town is now accepting digital building permit submittals. Please submit via emailing the Project Managers. Fees are paid by cash or check. Submittals are accepted when all fees are paid. Certain types of projects may still require hard copies to be submitted, the permit technician will inform you. Please check with Planning and Building Department staff at 650-851-6796 and we will assist you with any questions.

The fees/deposits associated with your permit(s) will depend on the complexity of your project (e.g., numbers of buildings, amount of site work, etc.). All fees and deposits, except road impact fees, are required to be paid when you submit your permit application(s). Road impact fees can be paid at the time the permit is issued. Fees are associated with processing your permit applications and are not refundable. Deposits are associated with staff's review of your permits (e.g., geology deposit for the Town Geologist's review time; site development permit deposits for the Engineering Department's review time, etc.).

Please visit the Town's Fee Schedule to view a complete schedule of Town fees and deposits.

The Town only accepts cash or check. No credit cards.

From October 15th to April 15th of each year, no grading work is allowed. All grading work must be winterized by providing weather protection for all exposed graded surfaces no later than November 1st of each year. Per Section 151.45(E) of the Town's Site Development Code, an applicant may apply for an exception to the Town Engineer to allow grading to commence after October 15th and before December 1st. The Town Engineer can only grant the exception request if he/she finds that no detriment is likely to occur to neighboring properties or public or private roads, that the grading can be completed within 30 days of the grant of the exception and that the site will be winterized with an erosion control plan to the satisfaction of the Town Engineer.

If you have any questions regarding the grading moratorium you can contact the Town Engineer at 650-851-6790.

Yes.

The Planning Department can be contacted by calling 650-851-6796.

For changes made to existing hardscape, such as driveways, pathways, patios, etc., drainage installation or changes, landscaping projects or other alterations to the site. Please contact the Towns Planning and Engineering Departments for their requirements.

Fences and walls: Fences, gates and walls that do not require a building permit will require a Fence / Gate / Wall permit from the Planning Department. Please contact the Planning Department for these requirements.

In 1969, the State of California mandated that all cities, towns, and counties must plan for the housing needs of residents regardless of income.  The state mandate is called the Housing Element and Regional Housing Needs Allocation, or RHNA.  As part of RHNA, the California Department of Housing and Community Development, or HCD, determines the total number of new homes the Bay Area needs to build, and how affordable those homes need to be, to meet the housing needs of people at all income levels.  The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) then distributes a share of the region’s housing need to each city, town and county in the region.

A Housing Element is a required element of Woodside’s General Plan that outlines the policies and programs that will support the construction and maintenance of housing in the Town.  The Housing Element is unique in that it is the only element of the General Plan that requires approval from a State agency, the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).

The Housing Element consists of several parts, including:

• A “Housing Needs Assessment.”  The Housing Needs Assessment examines demographic, employment, and housing trends and conditions that affect housing needs and informs the programs to be included in the Housing Element.
• An “Evaluation of Past Performance” which reviews the prior Housing Element to measure progress in implementing policies and programs during the prior housing element cycle.
• A “Housing Sites Inventory” which identifies locations of available sites for housing development to ensure that there is adequate capacity to address the RHNA.
• Community Outreach and Engagement which sought to achieve broad input from a variety of stakeholders, with a particular focus on outreach to traditionally underrepresented groups, to inform the Housing Element’s development.
• Constraints Analysis: Analyzes and recommends remedies for existing and potential governmental and nongovernmental barriers to housing development.  For example, programs to modify regulations to allow greater flexibility on the construction of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) removes a governmental constraint.  
• Policies and Programs to fulfill the identified housing needs.

The State of California determined the number of homes that are needed for the Bay Area for the period from 2023-2031.  The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) then distributed a share to each local government in the nine Bay Area counties, including Woodside.  Each jurisdiction was assigned a portion of the regional need at various income levels such as future population, access to jobs, and other factors.  The assignment is known as the Regional Housing Needs Allocation, or RHNA, and is intended to promote the following objectives:

• Increase the housing supply and the mix of housing types in an equitable manner
• Promote infill development that encourages alternatives to solo driving and reduces greenhouse gas emissions
• Balance jobs and housing
• Discourage housing development patterns that segment communities
• Affirmatively further fair housing

Each county, city and town must ensure that there is enough land with appropriate zoning to accommodate its RHNA allocation.

In the RHNA process, ABAG distributed a need of over 441,000 housing units throughout the nine-County Bay Area.  Woodside’s total RHNA Allocation was 328 housing units.  HCD recommended that the RHNA Plan include a buffer to ensure there is sufficient capacity to meet RHNA, which for Woodside meant planning for a total of 393 housing units.

The income levels distributed by the RHNA process are Very Low Income (50% of area median income), Low Income (80% of area median income), Moderate Income (120% of area median income), and Above Moderate Income (above 120% of area median income).  As of June 2023, the area median income for San Mateo County is $175,000 for a family of four.   Below is the distribution of the Town’s RHNA Allocation.

Building on previous Housing Elements, the Town’s adopted strategy for addressing its RHNA allocation includes being more lenient than State law in allowing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) on single-family properties.

In addition, the Town’s Housing Element has identified four sites for higher-density multi-family housing in its RHNA Plan.  The sites consist of:

• Two vacant Town-owned properties, one located on Raymundo Drive near Runnymede Road, and the other located on High Road and Todo El Mundo.  Development of the Town-owned sites will be at the direction of the Town Council
• One privately owned site at 773 Canada Road.
• The Canada College campus that has access from Farm Hill Boulevard and Canada Road.

Construction of single-family homes within the Town also counts towards meeting the Town’s RHNA Allocation.  The table below is the adopted RHNA Plan from the Housing Element.

The Town Council adopted the 2023-2031 Housing Element on July 23, 2024.  On July 30, 2024, the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) wrote in a letter to the Planning Director that “the adopted housing element meets the statutory requirements of State Housing Element Law…However, the housing element cannot be found in substantial compliance until the Town has completed the necessary rezones…”

Once the Town has been found in “substantial compliance” with Housing Element law, the Town would no longer be subject to enforcement, which could include a minimum fine of $10,000 per month, loss of local land use control for the entire Town and/or be subject to a court-appointed agent.   

On July 30, 2024, the Town Council introduced ordinances which, if adopted on second reading in September, will complete the necessary rezones.

Between June 2021 and July 2024, there were 27 public meetings before the Town Council, Planning Commission, or RHNA Subcommittee about the Housing Element.

A programmatic EIR was prepared for the Housing Element and certified by the Town Council on July 23, 2024.

A program EIR is typical for a policy-level document like the Housing Element.  It evaluated the programs included the Housing Element and examined broad, area-wide, and regional effects that may occur with the implementation of the programs.  In certifying the EIR, the Town Council also adopted a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for program-level impacts which would be significant if not mitigated.

The program EIR does not assess project-specific impacts that may result from developments pursuant to the Housing Element because there are no applications for such developments included with the Housing Element and therefore project details are unknown.

To the extent that any future development project made possible by the Housing Element and its implementing programs have individual, site-specific impacts not addressed in the program EIR, such projects would be subject to separate, project-level environmental review, as required by State law.

To comply with State Law, the Town has adopted Objective Design Standards for the four multi-family housing sites.  The Town cannot apply subjective design criteria in reviewing proposals for multi-family housing at these sites.   However, because the Town owns two of the sites, as the property owner the Town will be able to direct project design elements.

Regardless of type and size, all housing projects are subject to the California Building Code and California Fire Code, as well as Woodside’s Municipal Code.  Applications are reviewed for conformance with these codes by the Town and Woodside Fire Protection District.

The Town Center encompasses approximately 17 acres in the heart of Woodside, stretching from Haciendas Drive on the east to Cañada Road on the west, including properties on both side of Woodside Road and Mountain Home Road. The Town Center combines historic charm with the community's daily needs and services. It functions as a village hub, featuring a grocery store, a hardware store, several restaurants, shops, offices, and the Town Hall.

Click here to view the Town Center Area boundary

Originally adopted in 1970 and amended in 1988, the Town Center Area Plan is a policy document that provides a framework for managing the evolution and flourishing of Woodside’s commercial and community hub over time. It aims to guide the development of private properties in coordination with public spaces, streets, and facilities.

Existing Town Center Area Plan

Primarily, this planning effort is related to a program contained within the City of Woodside’s recently adopted Housing Element (Program H2.1-k), which calls for updating the Town Center Area Plan, and through that planning process, determining whether there are areas within the Town Center that could accommodate new housing opportunities and walkable spaces, improved parking and circulation (for vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles), and enhanced urban design and public amenities. Additionally, the updated plan will identify desired and appropriate circulation facilities that best serve the Woodside community.