Morgan Hill · Land use · Single-family home
Where is a single-family home allowed in Morgan Hill?
In Morgan Hill, a single-family home is allowed in 11 base zones (RE, RDL, RDM, RDH, RAL and 6 more, 6 with a condition), needs a conditional use permit in 1 (MU-F) and not allowed in 1 (Morgan Hill use tables, read October 2026).
Key points
- Allowed: RE, RDL, RDM, RDH, RAL, RAM, RAH, MU-N and 3 more
- Needs a permit: MU-F
- Not allowed: PF
Find your lot's zone on the city zoning map, then read its row. Every status below was read from the Morgan Hill Municipal Code use tables (read October 2026). Base zones only. General information, not legal advice — check with the city before you apply.
Zones where a single-family home can go
Morgan Hill's code calls this use “Single-Family Detached Dwellings”. Each row links to the use table it comes from. A zone marked “see note” has a condition in the code, for example upper floors only or a larger lot.
| Zone | Status | Code |
|---|---|---|
| RE | Allowed | § 18.16.020 |
| RDL | Allowed | § 18.16.020 |
| RDM | Allowed | § 18.16.020 |
| RDH | Allowed | § 18.16.020 |
| RAL | Allowed — see note Note 2: Up to twenty-five percent of homes within a development project may be small-lot single family homes with a maximum lot area of three thousand five hundred square feet. Note 3: Permitted only on a lot of record existing prior to July 7, 2018. | § 18.18.020 |
| RAM Residential Attached Medium Density | Allowed — see note Note 3: Permitted only on a lot of record existing prior to July 7, 2018. | § 18.18.020 |
| RAH Residential Attached High Density | Allowed — see note Note 3: Permitted only on a lot of record existing prior to July 7, 2018. | § 18.18.020 |
| MU-N | Allowed — see note Note 1: Permitted only on a lot of record existing prior to July 7, 2018. | § 18.22.020 |
| OS Open Space | Allowed | § 18.28.020 |
| SRL-A Sports Recreation Leisure sub-zone A | Allowed — see note Note 1: Permitted only on a legal lot of record established in the unincorporated area prior to August 1, 2014. | § 18.28.020 |
| SRL-B Sports Recreation Leisure sub-zone B | Allowed — see note Note 1: Permitted only on a legal lot of record established in the unincorporated area prior to August 1, 2014. | § 18.28.020 |
| MU-F | Needs a conditional use permit | § 18.22.020 |
Zones where it is not allowed
PF.
What else applies
- Single-Family Attached Dwellings (RAL-RAH P; MU-N P; MU-F C) are a different row. Small-lot single-family homes up to 25% of a project in RAL (note 2).
- State law: State law lets most single-family lots add an ADU and a JADU (California ADU law) and a second home or a lot split under SB 9 (Gov. Code § 65852.21).
- Not covered here: MU-D (Downtown Mixed Use): uses are in Figure 8 of the Downtown Specific Plan, not in the packet; Definitions chapter (Residential Care Facilities Small vs general, Group Housing, Community Assembly, Nursing Homes and Long-Term Care) not in the packet; Hillside Combining District (overlay). Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.
Other uses in Morgan Hill
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a single-family home in the MU-F zone in Morgan Hill?
Only with a conditional use permit. Morgan Hill's use table lists it that way in MU-F (§ 18.22.020).
Can I have a single-family home in the PF zone in Morgan Hill?
No. Morgan Hill's use table does not allow it in PF (Public Facilities) (§ 18.28.020).
Can I have a single-family home in the RE zone in Morgan Hill?
Yes. Morgan Hill's use table lists it as allowed in RE (§ 18.16.020).
General information, not legal advice.
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