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There shall be a special sign district known as the "Market Street Special Sign District" in the vicinity of Market Street, from The Embarcadero to Octavia Boulevard as designated on Sectional Map SS02 of the Zoning Map of the City and County of San Francisco. The original copy of said Sectional Map with this Special Sign District indicated thereon is on file with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors under File No. 112-70. With respect to said Special Sign District, the following regulations shall apply:
(1) In November 1962, the electorate of San Francisco voted approval of an investment in a City and regional rapid transit system that will run beneath Market Street. In June 1968, the electorate approved a bonded indebtedness of $24,500,000, including payment for reconstruction and improvement of Market Street from The Embarcadero to the Central Skyway overpass. The street has been completely rebuilt at public expense, with special paving, furnishings, plazas and landscaping. Market Street is the transit spine of the Downtown area, with heavy concentrations of pedestrians, and is a central domain of the people of the City and of the region. It is a purpose of the Market Street Special Sign District to further this public endeavor.
(2) Development and design efforts along Market Street rely upon the promise of a street of high quality. Both existing and new enterprises will be strengthened by the high standards of their environment and by the joint efforts of owners, residents, and business people.
(3) The character of signs along the street and of other features projecting from buildings is especially significant to street appearance and to the general quality and economic stability of the area. Opportunities exist to relate these signs and projections more effectively to the street design and to the design of buildings, and it is a purpose of these regulations to set a framework that will contribute toward those ends.
(4) The standards established by these regulations are reasonable standards related to the unique nature of the Market Street area and to its present and future needs.
(5) The standards established by these regulations are deemed to be minimum requirements, forming a basic framework for development and remodeling. They are not intended in any way to preclude further design refinement or review by individuals or duly constituted organizations which might consider more restrictive requirements as to any aspects limited herein, or as to additional aspects such as materials, color, graphics, types of representation, relationship of signs to one another and to architectural features, or the general quality of design. It is anticipated that private efforts along such lines will and should be made for the further improvement of Market Street.
(b) Controls.
(1) Projection of Signs and Other Features. Within said Special Sign District:
(A) No Projection shall exceed a horizontal distance of six feet beyond any Street Property Line. This limitation shall apply to Signs and to all other features including but not limited to Marquees, Awnings and Canopies, with the sole exception of flagpoles for flags of any nation or political subdivision.
(B) Projecting Signs for each establishment shall be limited to one Sign on each street frontage occupied by the establishment, in addition to any Signs that are placed flat upon or otherwise integrated in the design of Marquees and Awnings.
(2) Height. Within said Special Sign District, all of the following limitations shall apply:
(A) A projecting Sign with lettering or other inscription arranged in a vertical manner shall have a maximum height of 60 feet; except that a greater height shall be permitted, up to a maximum height of 100 feet, provided the Height of the Sign shall remain at least 20 feet below the Roofline of the building as measured directly above the Sign.
(B) Except as provided in Paragraph (D) below, all other Signs shall be located no higher than the windowsill level of the lowest story (if any) that has a window or windows on the building facade on which the Signs are placed, exclusive of the ground story and mezzanine, provided that no such Sign shall in any case exceed a height of 60 feet.
(C) In addition, except as provided in Paragraph (D) below, uniformity of height shall be maintained in both the upper and lower edges of Signs placed flat upon or essentially parallel to each facade of a single building.
(D) As to the requirements of Paragraphs (B) and (C) above, deviation from the requirements may be permitted to the extent an alternative placement of Signs is made necessary by the location of arches, entrances and other architectural features, as determined by the Zoning Administrator, or for the purpose of installing special lighting effects and temporary holiday decorations, or for the purpose of modifying or replacing currently existing noncomplying business Wall Signs as provided by Section 607(h).
(3) Temporary Signs. With the exception of holiday decorations, no Sign composed of paper or other temporary material shall be placed on the outside of any building or structure or affixed to the glass on the outside or inside of any window, unless such Sign is placed in a frame or on a structure specifically designed for this purpose.
AMENDMENT HISTORY
Section header, introductory material, and divisions (a)(1), (a)(2), and (a)(4) amended; former division (c) deleted, former divisions (d)-(f) redesignated as (c)-(e), and internal references adjusted accordingly; current division (d)(1) amended; Ord. 20-15, Eff. 3/22/2015. Division (d)(4) amended; Ord. 188-15
, Eff. 12/4/2015. Division (d)(4) amended; Ord. 188-15, Eff. 12/4/2015. Former divisions (b)(1), (b)(2), (d)(1), (e), (e)(2), and (e)(3) deleted; division (b) amended; former divisions (c)–(c)(2), (d), (d)(2)–(d)(5), and (e)(1) amended and redesignated as (b)(1)–(b)(1)(B), (b)(2), (b)(2)(A)–(b)(2)(D), and (b)(3); Ord. 217-16, Eff. 12/10/2016.