New Home Construction in Belmont, CA
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New Homes Are Tier 3
Belmont Single Family Design Review has three tiers:
- Tier 1 (staff): ground-floor additions up to 399 sq ft with plate height of 12 feet or less and roof height of 18 feet or less, and additions that do not enlarge the footprint. No neighbor outreach.
- Tier 2 (Zoning Administrator): ground-floor additions of 400 to 899 sq ft, upper-floor additions up to 399 sq ft, or combined additions up to 899 sq ft. Outreach and notice within 150 feet; a hearing only if requested.
- Tier 3 (Planning Commission): new homes, upper-floor additions of 400 sq ft or more, combined additions of 900 sq ft or more, or grading over 500 cubic yards or 6,000 sq ft of disturbance. Outreach within 300 feet and a public hearing.
Tier 2 and 3 projects start with a pre-application meeting, and appeals are due within 10 days. A licensed architect is required on slopes of 18% or more.
Construction in Progress
Ask us about recent new-home and rebuild projects during your consultation.
New-Home Submittal
- Wet-stamped boundary and topographic survey.
- Grading and drainage plans by a civil engineer, landscape and tree plans.
- Arborist, geotechnical and engineering geology reports as triggered.
- Stormwater (C-3) checklist, title report, color and material boards, and a view study or photo montage.
- A fire hydrant may be required for a new home.
- New homes need one Level 2 and one Level 1 EV-ready parking space.
Hillside lots: the San Juan Hills and Western Hills Area Plans govern hillside lots, which can involve steep slopes, geologic hazards, access improvements and lot-legality questions. Grading over 50 cubic yards, more than 2 feet of cut or fill, or over 2,000 sq ft disturbed triggers grading and geologic review.
Protected trees: coast live oak, valley oak, redwood, madrone, bay laurel and buckeye at 10 inches in diameter, and any tree at 14 inches on a single trunk or 18 inches combined on multi-stem trees.
City Hall, One Twin Pines Lane, Suite 110, Belmont, CA 94002 · (650) 595-7422, pe**********@*****nt.gov
Walk-in hours Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., with Building, Planning and Engineering staff; appointments at other times. Permits and inspections run through eTRAKiT, with morning (9 to noon) and afternoon (1 to 4) inspection windows.
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Other Belmont services: ADUs · Bathrooms · Kitchens · Additions · Belmont overview
Same service nearby: San Carlos · San Mateo · Hillsborough
See our custom home builder page.
Belmont New Home Construction FAQ
Who approves a new home in Belmont?
The Planning Commission, as a Tier 3 project with a public hearing.
How far does neighbor outreach reach?
300 feet for Tier 3 projects.
Is a view study required?
Tier 3 submittals include a view study or photo montage.
Must new homes be all-electric?
Enforcement of the all-electric requirement is suspended.