501 San Rafael Ave
Belvedere 94920 · Belvedere · Coordinates: 37.87376, -122.46510
Executive Verdict · Public-Records Synthesis
Zoned R-3 in Belvedere with likely ministerial ADU eligibility and zero mapped flood, fire, or fault hazard overlaps; benchmark value $3,593,000 ($3,054,000–$4,132,000).
Upsides & Opportunities
- ✓ Ministerial ADU / JADU pathway likely eligible
Zone R-3 allows residential use qualifying for ministerial ADU review under state law.
Source: Belvedere zoning · CA Gov. Code 66314
Watchouts & Due Diligence
- ! Mapped flood awareness zone (Zone X: minimal flood hazard)
all of the lot of the parcel intersects Zone X: minimal flood hazard. Outside mandatory federal SFHA insurance rules, but check local drainage and finished-floor requirements.
Source: FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (parcel polygon)
- ! Delayed or open permit activity on this parcel
18 new homes: Active in "Issued" for 2.6 yr (first record Apr 18, 2024) with no new permit activity recorded in 22 mo. High-impact scale (18 housing units, 4 deed-restricted affordable across 0 permits).
Source: County of Marin Community Development Agency, Building Permits (unincorporated Marin) (review-time benchmark)
- ! 5 slow or stalled nearby projects within ½ mile
Closest lead: New home (440 ft S, entitled). Inspect timeline history before assuming near-term completion.
Source: County of Marin Community Development Agency, Building Permits (unincorporated Marin) · HCD APR (½-mile radius)
- ! Bulk building permits not published for Belvedere
Permit counts and nearby activity on this page may omit municipal counter records. Request a parcel permit report directly from the local building department.
Source: Source coverage registry (Belvedere)
Parcel & Assessor
- Lot size:
- 11,979 sq ft (0.28 ac)
- Assessor use:
- Commercial - Improved
- Addresses on lot:
- 501 SAN RAFAEL AVE
Zoning & Land Use
R-3 (Belvedere)
State Housing Pathways Screen (ADU & SB 9)
- ADU or junior ADULikely eligible
Zoned R-3 (multifamily residential): state law allows ADUs where homes are allowed. We read R-3 from the zoning code's name; we haven't checked it against Belvedere's code text. On a multifamily lot the state allowance is different: ADUs in non-living space of the building, plus up to eight detached ADUs.
- SB 9: two homes on the lotUnlikely
Zoned R-3 (multifamily residential), not a single-family residential zone. We read R-3 from the zoning code's name; we haven't checked it against Belvedere's code text.
- SB 9: split into two lotsUnlikely
Zoned R-3 (multifamily residential), not a single-family residential zone. We read R-3 from the zoning code's name; we haven't checked it against Belvedere's code text.
Mapped Hazard Zones on This Lot
- CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zone
- Not in a State-mapped fire hazard severity zone
- FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer
- Zone X: minimal flood hazard (all of the lot) · FIRM panel 06041C0527E, effective March 16, 2016
- CGS Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone
- Not in an Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone
Surrounding Rent & Value Benchmarks (Public Records)
Range: $3,054,000 – $4,132,000 · Status: Off market
HUD Small Area FMR (ZIP 94920) · FY 2026
Studio $2,820 · 1BR $3,380 · 2BR $4,100 · 3BR $5,230 · 4BR $5,420
Nearby Activity (½ mile radius, since —)
14 active or recent development projects (31 housing units across completed, permitted, and pipeline stages) and 0 total building permits recorded within ½ mile.
Developments Deserving Closer Investigation & Active Area Builders
- 18 new homes (Issued)On this parcel
Active in "Issued" for 2.6 yr (first record Apr 18, 2024) with no new permit activity recorded in 22 mo. High-impact scale (18 housing units, 4 deed-restricted affordable across 0 permits).
- New home (Entitled)440 ft S
Active in "Entitled" for 18 mo (first record May 7, 2025) with no new permit activity recorded in 18 mo.
- New home (Entitled)0.1 mi W
Active in "Entitled" for 15 mo (first record Aug 18, 2025) with no new permit activity recorded in 15 mo.
- New home (Issued)0.15 mi SW
Active in "Issued" for 2.6 yr (first record Apr 22, 2024) with no new permit activity recorded in 2.6 yr.
Permit & Project History on This Parcel (0 permits, 1 grouped projects)
No building permits recorded on this parcel in our dataset.
State HCD Housing Element APR records on this parcel: 2 entries (report years 2024).