In addition to the objectives described in HMC § 20.04.010, the Downtown Residential (DR) District is included in the Land Use Code to achieve the following purposes:
A. 
Provide for a mixture of residential densities and housing types in and adjacent to Healdsburg's historic downtown area.
B. 
Regulate the number and location of high-density, multi-family residential dwelling units in the downtown area.
C. 
Ensure that the overall small-scale character of residential streets in the downtown area is preserved.
D. 
Minimize traffic congestion and overcrowded parking conditions on downtown streets.
E. 
Provide a zoning district in which multi-family dwelling units have convenient access to downtown services and facilities.
F. 
Protect the visual character of the downtown residential area.
G. 
Protect residential properties from the hazards, noise, and congestion created by commercial and industrial traffic and land use activities.
(Ord. 950 § 2 (Exh. A § 500), 1998; Ord. 1010 § 4 (Exh. A § 5), 2003)
The following uses may be permitted and conditionally permitted in the DR District. Chapter 20.28 HMC, Article V describes the procedures for obtaining a conditional use permit.
Table 6 Permitted (P) and conditionally permitted (C) uses: DR District
Accessory dwelling unit and junior accessory dwelling unit, subject to HMC § 20.20.010
P
Accessory structures and uses located on the same site as a permitted or conditional use
P
Boarding houses
C
Churches, convents, monasteries, parish homes, rectories, parsonages and other religious institutions
C
Day care, general and large family
P
Day care, limited and small family
P
Duplex dwelling, one per lot of record
C
Employee housing as defined in Cal. Health & Safety Code § 17008 for six or fewer employees in accordance with Cal. Health & Safety Code § 17000, et seq.
P
Home occupations, subject to HMC § 20.20.005
P
Multifamily dwellings
P
Neighborhood convenience retail stores, subject to HMC § 20.20.070
C
Private schools and colleges, not including art, craft, music, dancing, business, professional, or trade schools and colleges
C
Public utility and public service pumping stations, power stations, equipment buildings, installations, service yards, drainage ways and structures, storage tanks, reservoirs, and transmission lines found by the planning commission to be necessary for the public health, safety and welfare
C
Residential care, general
C
Residential care, limited
P
Residential visitor lodging operations, subject to HMC § 20.20.060
C
Single-family dwellings, detached, up to two per lot
P
Supportive housing
P
Swimming pools used solely by persons resident on the site and their guests; provided, that no swimming pool or accessory mechanical equipment shall be in a required front yard or less than five feet from a property line
P
Transitional housing
P
Vacation homes
--
Vacation timeshares
--
Notes:
-- = not permitted
(Ord. 950 § 2 (Exh. A § 505), 1998; Ord. 1003 § 2 (Exh. A § 11), 2003; Ord. 1018 § 2 (Exh. A § 505), 2004; Ord. 1104 § 2 (Exh. A § 505), 2010; Ord. 1159 § 5, 2016; Ord. 1210 § 4, 2021; Ord. 1231 § 9, 2023)
The following standards apply to development within the DR District, except for small lot subdivisions as provided by HMC § 20.20.040, and for accessory dwelling units as provided by HMC § 20.20.010.
Table 7 Minimum development standards: DR District
Minimum lot area
6,000 square feet
Minimum site area per unit
4,500 square feet
Minimum lot width
50 feet, increased by 10 percent for corner lots
Minimum lot depth
90 feet. Minimum depth for lots backing onto a freeway or railroad right-of-way shall be 130 feet, unless alternative noise mitigation measures are provided.
Minimum front yard
20 feet
Minimum side yard - interior
1-story structure: 5 feet
2-story structure: 10 feet
3-story structure: 15 feet
Minimum side yard - street side
10 feet
Minimum rear yard
20 feet
Maximum site coverage
40 percent
Maximum building height
35 feet. Exceptions to this requirement are prescribed in HMC § 20.16.065. Accessory structure heights are regulated in HMC § 20.16.030.
Usable open space per dwelling
300 square feet, subject to the location and design criteria of HMC § 20.20.015.
(Ord. 950 § 2 (Exh. A §§ 510, 515, 520, 525, 530, 535), 1998; Ord. 1003 § 2 (Exh. A §§ 12, 13), 2003; Ord. 1018 § 2 (Exh. A §§ 510, 520, 525, 530, 535), 2004)
A. 
All development is subject to design review as prescribed in Chapter 20.28 HMC, Article IV.
B. 
Notwithstanding the above, single-family dwellings on existing lots of record are not subject to this requirement, provided that when an applicant applies for more than three building permits for single-family dwellings on a block or on a block face within one year, the dwellings shall be subject to design review.
(Ord. 950 § 2 (Exh. A § 545), 1998; Ord. 1018 § 2 (Exh. A § 545), 2004; Ord. 1256, 3/16/2026)
The following additional requirements apply to development in the DR District:
Accessory structures: Chapter 20.16 HMC, Article II.
Inclusionary housing: HMC § 20.20.030.
Off-street parking: Chapter 20.16 HMC, Article VIII.
Vehicles, boats, recreational vehicles, trailers and similar vehicles shall not be parked within required front yards or within the street side yards of corner lots.
Fences and walls: Chapter 20.16 HMC, Article III.
Design review: Chapter 20.28 HMC, Article IV.
Accessory dwelling units: HMC § 20.20.010.
(Ord. 950 § 2 (Exh. A § 540), 1998; Ord. 1018 § 2 (Exh. A § 540), 2004; Ord. 1159 § 6, 2016)