111A.1 Purpose and intent. The purpose of this Section 111A (consisting of Sections 111A.1, 111A.2, and 111A.3) is to amend, expand, establish, and clarify alternative building standards for the conversion of existing non-residential buildings to accommodate new residential uses and still provide reasonable safety to the building occupants, as a means to promote the safe, flexible use of the existing structures, as part of the City’s strategy for economic recovery.
Key to the furtherance of this purpose is the ability of the Building Official and Fire Code Official to effectively use their authority to grant code modifications or authorizations for alternative materials, design and methods of construction, and equipment to address practical difficulties involved in complying with the strict provisions of the code or consider alternative design or methods not specifically prescribed in the code.
For example, the Building Official and Fire Code Official are authorized to consider alternative building standards consistent with Sections 17951 and 19957 of the California Health and Safety Code.
111A.2 Scope. This Section 111A may apply to projects that meet the definition and applicable requirements for Commercial to Residential Adaptive Reuse projects pursuant to Planning Code Section 210.5.
Nothing in this Section 111A shall preclude the use of the California Historical Building Code for the conversion of a building that the Planning Department has determined to be a qualified historic building or that may otherwise be eligible to use the California Historical Building Code. If a project elects to use the standards established in the California Historical Building Code, that project shall not be permitted to use the alternative building standards of this Section 111A.
111A.3 Compliance requirements. Generally, the San Francisco Building Code, which adopts and amends the most recent edition of the California Building Standards Code, applies to new construction or a change of use or occupancy. For the conversion of existing non-residential buildings to accommodate new residential uses, however, alternative building standards described in an alternative building standards manual (described below) may apply.
The Building Official and Fire Code Official shall prepare, maintain, and update, as necessary and appropriate, an alternative building standards manual, which shall provide the building standards applicable to Commercial to Residential Adaptive Reuse projects as defined in Planning Code Section 210.5. This alternative building standards manual shall include technical information and implementation parameters, standards for determining technical infeasibility, and alternative standards if technical infeasibility is present, as well as other rules, requirements and procedures as the City deems necessary, for implementing the intent of this Section 111A.
The Building Official and Fire Code Official shall develop, as deemed necessary and appropriate, in cooperation with other City departments and stakeholders, information sheets, administrative bulletins, training manuals, and educational materials to assist in the implementation of this alternative building standards manual and this Section 111A.