New construction · Burlingame
Can I tear down and rebuild my house in Burlingame?
Tear-down and rebuild is allowed in Burlingame on most legally conforming parcels, but the path depends on the parcel's zoning, lot conformance, and any historic / hillside / coastal overlays. DHE and side-setback rules define what fits — Burlingame's declining-height envelope is one of the more restrictive on the Peninsula and frequently governs design.
What changes the answer in Burlingame.
Burlingame uses R-1 sub-districts with detailed FAR, declining-height-envelope (DHE), and rear-yard rules; Burlingame Hills (county pocket / city edge) adds slope rules. R-1 SFRs over FAR or DHE limits require Design Review Commission action; otherwise ministerial.
- DHE and side-setback rules define what fits — Burlingame's declining-height envelope is one of the more restrictive on the Peninsula and frequently governs design.
- R-1 SFRs over FAR or DHE limits require Design Review Commission action; otherwise ministerial.
- Burlingame Hills parcels add slope-based design considerations and view-corridor sensitivity.
Source-backed note
Demolition + new construction are reviewed by City of Burlingame Community Development Department — Building Division alongside any required planning / coastal / hillside review.
Local authority: City of Burlingame Community Development Department — Building Division
Get a Burlingame-specific answer for your parcel.
Send us the address and we'll respond with a feasibility note that cites City of Burlingame Community Development Department — Building Division and the parcel's actual constraints — not a generic checklist.
Alpha Dream Construction — licensed California general contractor.
Then you're serious. Let's put it on a clipboard.
- 10-minute call with the foreman
- We tell you what your build actually costs, today
- No follow-up unless you ask
Free · Same-week scheduling