Precise zoning plans are hereby adopted and established for the city of Sunnyvale and the Sunnyvale planning area to promote and protect the public health, safety, convenience and general welfare of the inhabitants of the city by providing a definite plan for future growth and development through the orderly and planned use of land resources which are presently a part of the city, or which may become a part thereof in the future. The application of precise zoning plans to land in the Sunnyvale planning area which is not a part of the city of Sunnyvale at the time such precise zoning plans are adopted shall be limited to establishing the zoning district into which such land shall be classified upon annexation to the city.
(Prior zoning code § 19.16.010; Ord. 2623-99 § 1)
In order to carry out the purposes and provisions of this title, the city of Sunnyvale and the Sunnyvale planning area are divided into zoning districts designated as follows:
Symbol
Zoning District
R-0
Low Density Residential Zoning District
R-1
Low Density Residential Zoning District
R-1.5
Low Medium Density Residential Zoning District
R-1.7/PD
Low Medium Density Residential Zoning District
R-2
Low Medium Density Residential Zoning District
R-3
Medium Density Residential Zoning District
R-4
High Density Residential Zoning District
R-5
High Density Residential and Office Zoning District
R-MH
Residential-Mobile Home Zoning District
O
Administrative-Professional Office Zoning District
P-F
Public Facilities Zoning District
DSP
Downtown Specific Plan District
C-1
Neighborhood Business Zoning District
C-2
Highway Business Zoning District
C-3
Regional Business Zoning District
C-4
Service Commercial Zoning District
M-S
Industrial and Service Zoning District
M-3
General Industrial Zoning District
MP-AC
Activity Center
MP-R
Residential
MP-MU
Mixed Use
MP-O1
Office 1
MP-O2
Office 2
MP-E1
Mixed Employment 1
MP-E2
Mixed Employment 2
MP-E3
Mixed Employment 3
MP-H
Hospitality
MP-PF
Public Facilities
ECD
Ecological Combining District
LSP
Lakeside Specific Plan District
PPSP
Peery Park Specific Plan District
LSAP
Lawrence Station Area Specific Plan District
MDX-I
Flexible Mixed Use I Zoning District
MDX-II
Flexible Mixed Use II Zoning District
MDX-III
Flexible Mixed Use III Zoning District
M-S/LSAP
Lawrence Station Area Plan Industrial and Service Zoning District
MS/LSAP 60%
Lawrence Station Area Plan Industrial and Service Zoning District Sixty Percent
MS/LSAP 120%
Lawrence Station Area Plan Industrial and Service Zoning District One Hundred Twenty Percent
ECR-C
El Camino Real – Commercial
ECR-MU
El Camino Real – Residential Mixed Use
ECR-O
El Camino Real – Office
ECR-PF
El Camino Real – Public Facilities
ECR-R3
El Camino Real – Medium Density Residential
ECR-R4
El Camino Real – High Density Residential
VCC
Village Center Commercial
VCMU
Village Center Mixed Use
VCO
Village Center Office
(Prior zoning code § 19.16.020; Ord. 2623-99 § 1; Ord. 2683-01 § 1; Ord. 2788-05 § 1; Ord. 3003-13 § 1; Ord. 3095-16 § 1; Ord. 3103-16 § 1; Ord. 3181-21 § 1; Ord. 3194-22 § 6; Ord. 3218-23 § 1; Ord. 3241-25, 7/1/2025; Ord. 3242-25, 7/29/2025)
A parcel or subdivided lot may be split-zoned with two or more zoning designations. When a parcel or subdivided lot contains two or more zoning designations, all applicable zoning regulations for each designation shall be applied separately for each portion of a parcel or subdivided lot which is split-zoned.
(Ord. 3123-17 § 1)
The boundaries of zoning districts are shown upon the zoning districts maps which are made a part hereof and incorporated herein by reference under the titles of:
(1) 
Precise zoning plan, zoning districts map, city of Sunnyvale; and
(2) 
Precise zoning plan, zoning districts map, Sunnyvale planning area. Where uncertainty exists as to the boundary or boundaries of any zoning district shown on the zoning districts maps, the location of such boundary or boundaries shall be fixed as follows:
(a) 
Where such boundaries are indicated by scale as approximately following street, alley or lot lines in existence at the time the zoning districts map was adopted, such lines shall be construed to be such boundaries.
(b) 
In unsubdivided land or where a zoning district boundary divides a parcel, the location of such boundary, unless the same is indicated by dimensions, shall be determined by use of the scale appearing on the map.
(c) 
Where any public street or alley or any private right-of-way or easement of any railroad, railway, canal, transportation or public utility company is vacated or abandoned, the regulations applicable to abutting land shall apply to such vacated or abandoned property.
(d) 
All land in the Sunnyvale planning area, which was not within the corporate limits of the city of Sunnyvale at the time the precise zoning plan, zoning districts map, city of Sunnyvale was adopted shall be classified in the zoning district within which such land is shown on the precise zoning plan, zoning districts map, Sunnyvale planning area which is in effect at the time such land is annexed to the city.
(Prior zoning code § 19.16.030; Ord. 2623-99 § 1)
No land, building or structure shall be used, nor shall any building or structure be constructed, erected, altered, added to, enlarged or moved for any purpose or in any manner except in compliance with the regulations applicable to the zoning district within which the land, building or structure is located. Provided, however, nothing contained herein shall be construed to limit the installation of: (a) underground domestic water, sanitary sewer, storm drainage, gas, communication or electric energy transmission and distribution facilities, so long as the provisions of Section 19.38.090 are complied with; or (b) overhead electric energy transmission or communication distribution facilities, so long as the provisions of Chapter 19.54 are complied with. That the routes of proposed electric transmission lines shall be submitted to the planning commission for recommendation prior to the acquisition of rights-of-way therefor, and electric distribution substations shall be exempted from the requirement of being within a completely enclosed building.
(Prior zoning code § 19.16.040; Ord. 2623-99 § 1)
The designations, locations, and boundaries of the several zoning districts within the city of Sunnyvale and Sunnyvale planning area established herein are shown upon a certain map entitled:
PRECISE ZONING PLAN
ZONING DISTRICTS MAP
CITY OF SUNNYVALE
on file in the office of the city clerk, which together with all amendments thereto, notations, references, and other information thereon, are hereby incorporated into and made a part of this title.
(Prior zoning code § 19.16.060; Ord. 2623-99 § 1; Ord. 2788-05 § 3; Ord. 3181-21 § 6)
Upon annexation to the city of Sunnyvale, land within the Sunnyvale planning is classified and zoned to the respective classifications and zoning districts as delineated upon that certain map entitled:
PRECISE ZONING PLAN
ZONING DISTRICTS MAP
CITY OF SUNNYVALE
being a precise plan based on the 1997 land use and transportation element of the 1972 general plan for Sunnyvale, as amended, and which map is incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this section.
(Prior zoning code § 19.16.080; Ord. 2623-99 § 1)