New construction · Sunnyvale
Can I tear down and rebuild my house in Sunnyvale?
Tear-down and rebuild is allowed in Sunnyvale on most legally conforming parcels, but the path depends on the parcel's zoning, lot conformance, and any historic / hillside / coastal overlays. Daylight-plane, second-story FAR cap, and rear-yard rules dominate R-1 envelope; protected-tree ordinance further shapes siting.
What changes the answer in Sunnyvale.
Sunnyvale uses R-0, R-1, R-1.5, R-2, R-3 and R-4 districts plus the Downtown Specific Plan; R-1 single-family rules govern FAR, daylight plane, and second-story area. Most R-1 SFRs are ministerial; Heritage District and other historic-resource overlays trigger design review and demolition findings.
- Daylight-plane, second-story FAR cap, and rear-yard rules dominate R-1 envelope; protected-tree ordinance further shapes siting.
- Most R-1 SFRs are ministerial; Heritage District and other historic-resource overlays trigger design review and demolition findings.
Source-backed note
Demolition + new construction are reviewed by City of Sunnyvale Community Development Department — Building Safety Division alongside any required planning / coastal / hillside review.
Local authority: City of Sunnyvale Community Development Department — Building Safety Division
Get a Sunnyvale-specific answer for your parcel.
Send us the address and we'll respond with a feasibility note that cites City of Sunnyvale Community Development Department — Building Safety Division and the parcel's actual constraints — not a generic checklist.
Alpha Dream Construction — licensed California general contractor.
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