Frequently Asked Questions

The Planning Division maintains a map that shows zoning for every parcel in the City. The zoning map can be viewed in the Planning Division lobby, or anyone can call (510) 215-3030 to speak with a planner regarding specific zoning, setback, and related questions. Typical minimum setbacks in single family neighborhoods are 20 feet for front setbacks, 15 feet for rear setbacks, and side setbacks may vary from 3-6 feet.

Zoning is the establishment of various districts that include all the territory within the boundaries of the city, within which the use of land and buildings, the space for buildings, and the height and bulk of buildings are regulated. See zoning map to view districts.

All accessory structures must comply with all applicable development standards. Minimum side and rear setbacks of 3 feet are required, and it is required to separate the accessory building from the primary building by at least 6 feet. If the accessory building is less than 120 square feet, no building permit is required. A building permit and Design Review is required for an accessory building of 120 square feet or larger. The height limit of an accessory building is 12 feet.  Call (510) 215-3030 to speak to a planner before constructing an accessory structure on your property.

A parcel is the legal term for an individual property. The legal deginifion is: a parcel is a section of land that has frontage on an improved public or private street. Refer to the “Universal Terms” section under Title 17.68 of the Municipal Code for a more detailed definition for this and other terms.

A six-foot tall fence is allowed on property lines at the rear and sides of most residential properties. A fence up to three (3) feet is allowed within the front yard area.  A six-foot fence may be constructed in the side and rear yard area.  Refer to Section 17.45.040 of the Municipal Code for more information.

The Hayward Fault Zone is shown on an available map in the Planning Division. Many real estate offices also have maps of the fault zones. Check with the Planning Division at 215-3030 for specific determination of fault zone limits.

While these situations are often difficult to resolve, it is to the property owner's advantage to make past construction legal. It is important to determine what permits were previously issued, if any, and what construction has been inspected and properly completed. Some of the questions that will need answers include: Was a permit issued by the City? Were the permits finalized? Was any of the construction inspected but not finalized? If such information can be clarified by the Building Department or Tax Assessors’ records, the Planning Division staff will be able to provide a property owner with options for obtaining the proper permits and inspections. In these cases, it is not unusual for properties to have to demolish or reconfigure illegal work, or to obtain both Planning Division and Building Department approvals and permits for work that was done illegally. This question also applies to Residential Health and Safety inspections that discover illegal construction during a sale transaction

City Hall is located at 1000 Gateway, San Pablo. General employment questions can be referred to (510) 215-3000. TO APPLY FOR ANY CITY JOB: Go to www.governmentjobs.com and follow the online application system. Paper applications will not be accepted. Applications must be received via GovernmentJobs by 5:00 PM on the date listed on the job announcement. Applications not received by the posted date and time will not be considered.

Public records, City Council resolutions and ordinances, and other information can be requested by submitting the Records and Information Request Form to the City Clerk's Office. Historical information that is not available from the City Clerk's Office can be obtain from the Civic City Historical Society.

Click on the link and insert the address: San Pablo City Limit Line

PAPER APPLICATIONS WILL NO LONGER BE ACCEPTED. Please go to www.governmentjobs.com and follow the online application system. Applications must be received via GovernmentJobs by 5 00 P.M. on the date listed on the job announcement. Applications not received by the posted date and time will not be considered. Detailed city job announcements are available on the Employment Opportunities webpage.

To be eligible for the San Pablo Pilot, you must:

1. Be a resident of the incorporated City of San Pablo.  Click here      to verify your address!
2. Be a high school graduate OR have received GED/high school equivalency within the last three academic years. 
3. Be under the age of 25 at the time of application for first time applicants.
4. Have submitted FAFSA or Dream Act request for funding, if planning to attend a 2-year or 4-year college.

   
   

The application will close on March 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT. 

The scholarship award amount is $ 1,000. 

There is a checklist attached to the application where all the required documents are listed. Please cross check with the list before you submit the application. 

• Provide Proof of Enrollment in a College, University, or Career/Technical Program for the 2025-26 school year.
•  Provide Proof of Residence: Please provide proof of residence by submitting a picture or file that includes your name and address or your guardian's name with address (if they reside with you)
• Provide Proof of FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application, if enrolling in college or university.
• Proof of Enrollment Examples:
  • Provide an Enrollment Verification in a nonprofit Career/Technical Program. (Career or Technical Education Students)
  • Proof of Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) includes a receipt for your deposit, a screenshot showing your name and university name and term of enrollment; (College Students)
  • Alternatively, current undergraduate students may provide an invoice or bill for enrollment fees for the 2025 fall semester OR a schedule of their classes for the fall of 2025. (College Students)
• Proof of Residence Examples:
  • Identification Card or Driver’s License
  • PG&E Bill in your name or your guardian's name who resides with you and Parent or Guardian’s photo identification
• Provide Proof of FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application, if planning to attend a 2-year or 4-year college/university
  • FASFA Submission Summary 
    
  • CA Dream Act Email Confirmation 

• The application review team prefers that the documents are in PDF format, but screenshots will also be accepted.
• Adobe Acrobat is free and there is a compatible version for all operating systems, including mobile phones. Adobe Acrobat will help you make PDFs free of charge.

The scholarship is only for one year. The scholarship will prioritize applicants who are attending college or trade school for the first time. However, applicants, who are not in their first year of school or returning applicants will still be considered at a lower priority.  

The San Pablo Scholarship will be disbursed in June.

The scholarship will only be paid to recipients who are enrolled and attending school in the Fall of 2026. If you would still like to apply, you can include that information in the additional information portion of the application.

To maximize the number of students who can benefit from this program, the San Pablo Scholarship Pilot will prioritize new applicants who are attending college or trade school for the first time, but may consider applicants who have yet to apply but who are NOT in their first year of school or returning scholars per availability of funds.   

Returning applicants are encouraged to apply for a scholarship renewal. If you are continuing your educational career path and would like to apply for a renewal scholarship, please complete the renewal application. Please note we offer one-time renewals and are on a first-come-first serve basis. 

Click here for the 2026 San Pablo Scholarship Renewal Application

Selected Scholars will be contacted by the end of April 2026.

Selected San Pablo Scholars will work with City Staff to complete requirements including:  

• Complete required documentation including but not limited to: Scholar Agreement & other financial paperwork including a W9

No, there is no GPA requirement.  

Over the pilot phase, the San Pablo Scholarship is funded through the City of San Pablo's General Fund.

The program was initially funded by federal funding available to the City through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a one-time federal grant intended to support communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. However, Federal ARPA funds will run out on December 31, 2026.

For all other questions, please contact SPScholarship@sanpabloca.gov

The scholarship is $1,000. You may use this money to pay for any expenses related to attending a trade/vocational program or higher education institution. This can include, but is not limited to, tuition, trade dues, school/program fees, books, apprenticeship tools, required equipment and supplies. 

The primary eligibility requirements of the scholarship is being a resident in the jurisdictional boundaries of the City of San Pablo, be under 24 years old, and meet all other eligibility requirements. 

https://www.sanpabloca.gov/2790/San-Pablo-Incorporated-City-Limits-Bound]

If you have not committed to a school yet, you will have to use the additional information section to explain what factors are motivating your decision. If you are selected as a scholarship recipient, you are required to provide proof of enrollment before you receive your award. 

No, you cannot make changes to your application after submitting. 

If your application is stuck, please immediately contact us at 510-215-3080. You may need to submit your application via email if you cannot submit documents on the application.

You still qualify for the scholarship. As long as you are committed to attending a higher education program you are eligible to apply. If you are not attending a 4-year university, please include this information in the additional information section of the application

No. The Scholarship program is designed for recent high school graduates attending a higher education institution. Unfortunately, graduate students are currently not eligible for the scholarship.

Please contact Paola Cubias-Shirazi at paolac@sanpabloca.gov to discuss the circumstances before submitting your application. You may also include this information in the “Additional Information” Section of the application to provide important context to your application.

Go to the SanPabloCa.gov City Limits Bound page. Click here https://www.sanpabloca.gov/2790/San-Pablo-Incorporated-City-Limits-Bound

The San Pablo Scholarship Pilot Program was launched in 2023 as a last-dollar scholarship for students who completed high school during the social distancing period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program was initially funded by federal funding available to the City through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a one-time federal grant intended to support communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.  However, Federal ARPA funds will run out on December 31, 2026.

In July 2026, the San Pablo City Council will consider placing a new sales tax measure on the November 2026 ballot. This funding measure, if passed by local voters, will  secure ongoing permanent funding for the City’s scholarship program well into the future.

No, the City Attorney cannot provide legal advice to private citizens.  The following organizations may be helpful to citizens seeking legal assistance:

•    Bay Area Legal Aid Legal Advice Hotline:  800-551-5554

•    Contra Costa County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service: (925) 686-6900

The Contra Costa County Superior Court Small Claims Division handles small claims actions.  Fur further information, please contact the Court Clerk’s Office at: (925) 608-1000.

In most cases, crimes must be reported to the police department or other law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction over the city or county where the crime occurred.  If the crime occurred in San Pablo, it should be reported to the San Pablo Police Department: https://www.sanpabloca.gov/1501/Citizens-Online-Reporting

The PRA request form can be downloaded here: https://www.sanpabloca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/15234/PUBLIC-RECORDS-REQUEST-Form-RV2022-FILLABLE

Follow the instructions on page 2 of the form regarding how to submit your Public Records Act (PRA) request.  For questions, please call (510) 215-3000.

Click here to view all San Pablo Facilities. 

All facility rentals are available on a first-come-first serve basis and must be made 60 days prior to the event. Deposit and application fee are due at the time the reservation is made. Reservations can be made at the San Pablo Community Center located at 2450 Road 20, San Pablo, CA.

Please note: As of July 1, 2021, facility reservations are still closed.  If you would like to be put on an interest list to be notified when we will begin taking facility reservations please email joannap@sanpabloca.gov. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

No. Deposits and rental fees are separate.

The City does not currently track residential rents, and there is no source for obtaining necessary rental market information specific to San Pablo. A rental registry program would help the City collect data regarding rent and other relevant information about rental units and it will further inform the City Council about housing stock, trends, and the rental market generally.

Rental unit is defined in the ordinance as any building, house, or other structure, including any portion thereof, used as a dwelling or place of residence by a Tenant. 

Rental units that need to be registered include all or any portion of a single-family residence, multi-family residence, duplex, triplex, condominium, apartment building, or accessory dwelling unit (ADU). The rental units excluded are: a room or any other portion of a dwelling that is occupied by the Landlord or a member of the Landlord's immediate family, an on-site manager's unit, and housing accommodations in hotels, motels, supportive housing and transitional housing.

A landlord has to register their rental units using the forms provided by the City. Registration is complete only when all required information has been provided to the City and all outstanding fees and penalties, if applicable, have been paid. Upon completion of the initial registration of a rental unit(s), the City shall issue a registration certificate, which shall include the expiration date for the registration of the applicable rental units.

The registration certificate expires annually. The landlord must complete the renewal registration within 30 days after expiration. 

The fees to register your rental unit is $20 per account and $7 per unit. For example, for a 4 unit apartment building, it would be a total of $48 ($20 per account, $7 x 4 units=$28).

If landlord fails to registration and pay fees within the 30 days after expiration, penalties will apply. Penalties will apply in the amount of ten percent (10%) beginning on day thirty one (31) post expiration and an additional ten percent (10%) for each thirty (30) day period thereafter that the registration remains incomplete or is not paid-in-full. In no event will the penalties exceed fifty percent (50%) of the annual registration fee.

If a landlord fails to register or pay all or any portion of the rent registry fees, the City may charge a penalty of $100 in addition to outstanding registration fees and any costs incurred in collecting the outstanding fee(s).  

Payments can be made online at https://sanpablo.hdlgov.com/ or can be mailed to: City of San Pablo - Landlord Registration, 8839 N. Cedar Ave #212, Fresno, CA 93720