(See Interpretations related to this Section.)
(a) The limits upon the bulk of buildings and structures shall be as stated in this Section 270 and in Sections 271 and 272. The terms Diagonal Dimension, Height, Length, and Plan Dimensions shall be as defined in this Code. In each height and bulk district, the maximum plan dimensions shall be as specified in the following table, at all horizontal cross-sections above the height indicated.
District Symbol on Zoning Map | Height Above Which Maximum Dimensions Apply (in feet) | Maximum Plan Dimensions (in feet) | |
Length | Diagonal Dimension | ||
District Symbol on Zoning Map | Height Above Which Maximum Dimensions Apply (in feet) | Maximum Plan Dimensions (in feet) | |
Length | Diagonal Dimension | ||
A | 40 | 110 | 125 |
B | 50 | 110 | 125 |
C | 80 | 110 | 125 |
D | 40 | 110 | 140 |
E | 65 | 110 | 140 |
F | 80 | 110 | 140 |
G | 80 | 170 | 200 |
H | 100 | 170 | 200 |
I | 150 | 170 | 200 |
J | 40 | 250 | 300 |
K | 60 | 250 | 300 |
L | 80 | 250 | 300 |
M | 100 | 250 | 300 |
N | 40 | 50 | 100 |
R | This table not applicable. But see Section 270(e). | ||
R-2 | This table not applicable. But see Section 270(f). | ||
V | 110 | 140 | |
V | * At setback height established pursuant to Section 253.2. | ||
OS | See Section 290. | ||
S | This table not applicable. But see Section 270(d). | ||
S-2 | This table not applicable. But see Section 270(d). | ||
T | At setback height established pursuant to Section 132.2, but no higher than 80 feet. | 110 | 125 |
X | This table not applicable. But see Section 260(a)(3). | ||
TB | This table not applicable. But see Section 263.18. | ||
CP | This table not applicable. But see Section 263.24. | ||
HP | This table not applicable. But see Section 263.25. | ||
PM | This table not applicable. But see Section 249.64 Parkmerced Special Use District. | ||
TI | This table not applicable. But see Section 263.26. | ||
EP | This table not applicable. But see Section 263.27. | ||
CS | This table not applicable. But see Section 270(h). | ||
IB | This table not applicable. But see Section 249.84 India Basin Special Use District. | ||
PY | This table not applicable. But see Section 249.98 Potrero Yard Special Use District. | ||
(b) These limits shall not apply to the buildings, structures and equipment listed in Section 260(b)(2) (K), (L), (M) and (N) of this Code, subject to the limitations expressed therein.
(c) Maximum plan lengths and diagonal dimensions do not apply to cornices or other decorative projections.
(d) The bulk limits contained in this subsection shall apply in S and S-2 Bulk Districts as designated on Sectional Map Nos. 1H, 2H and 7H of the Zoning Map.
(1) Base. The base is the lowest portion of the building extending vertically to a streetwall height up to 1.25 times the width of the widest abutting street or 50 feet, whichever is more. There are no length or diagonal dimension limitations applicable to the base. The building base shall be delineated from the lower and upper tower and related to abutting buildings by a setback, cornice line or equivalent projection or other appropriate means. In the C-3-O(SD) District additional requirements for building base and streetwall articulation and setbacks are described in Section 132.1.
(2) Lower Tower.
(A) Dimensions. Bulk controls for the lower tower apply to that portion of the building height above the base as shown on Chart B. For buildings of less than 160 feet in height, the lower tower controls are the only bulk controls above the base of the building. The bulk controls for the lower tower are a maximum length of 160 feet, a maximum floor size of 20,000 square feet, and a maximum diagonal dimension of 190 feet.
(B) Additional Bulk for Elevators. Solely in order to accommodate additional elevators required by tall buildings the lower portion (up to the height shown on Chart B) of the lower tower of a building 500 feet tall or taller may be enlarged up to a maximum length of 190 feet, a maximum diagonal dimension of 230 feet and a maximum floor size of up to 25,000 square feet without a corresponding reduction in upper floor size.
(3) Upper Tower.
(A) Dimensions. Upper tower bulk controls apply to buildings taller than 160 feet. They apply to the upper tower portion of a building up to the height shown on Chart B, which height excludes the vertical attachment and other features exempted by Section 260 and excludes the extended upper tower height exceptions provided for in Section 263.7 of this Code. The bulk controls for the upper tower are: a maximum length of 130 feet; a maximum average floor size of 12,000 square feet; a maximum floor size for any floor of 17,000 square feet; and a maximum average diagonal measure of 160 feet. In determining the average floor size of the upper tower, areas with a cross-sectional area of less than 4,000 square feet may not be counted and sculptured architectural forms that contain large volumes of space but no usable floors shall be included in average floor size calculation by computing the cross section at 12.5-foot intervals.
(B) Volume Reduction. When the average floor size of the lower tower exceeds 5,000 square feet, the volume of the upper tower shall be reduced to a percentage of the volume that would occur if the average floor size of the lower tower were extended to the proposed building height. The percentage varies with the bulk of the lower tower and with whether or not a height extension is employed pursuant to Section 263.7 and is shown on Chart C. In achieving the required volume reduction, a setback or change in profile at a specific elevation is not required.
(C) Extensions. Extension of the upper tower above the otherwise allowable height limits may be permitted as provided in Section 263.9.
(D) Termination of the Tower. The top of the tower shall be massed in a manner that will create a visually distinctive roof or other termination of the building facade. Modifications to a proposed project may be required, in the manner provided in Section 309, to achieve this purpose.
(4) Buildings Taller than 650 Feet in the S-2 Bulk District. For buildings taller than 650 feet in height in the S-2 Bulk District, the following controls shall apply in lieu of the controls of subsections (1)-(3):
(A) Lower Tower. There are no bulk controls for the lower tower except as required by Section 132.1. The lower tower for such buildings shall be defined as the bottom two-thirds of the building from sidewalk grade to roof of the uppermost occupied floor.
(B) Upper Tower. The average floor size of the upper tower shall not exceed 75 percent of the average floor size of the lower tower, and the average diagonal dimension shall not exceed 87 percent of the average diagonal dimension of the lower tower.
(i) In determining the average floor size and average diagonal of the upper tower, unoccupied architectural elements permitted according to Section 260(b)(1)(M), except for levels consisting of singular spires with a diagonal in cross-section of less than 18 feet, may be included in the calculations if the Planning Commission determines, according to the procedures of Section 309, that such unoccupied architectural elements produce a distinct visual tapering of the building as intended by the controls of subsection (B) and create an elegant profile for the upper tower from key public vantage points throughout the City and beyond. In calculating the floor size and diagonal of such architectural elements, a cross section floor proscribed by the most distant outside points of all elements shall be assumed at 12.5-foot intervals.
(e) Rincon Hill and South Beach. In Bulk District R (Rincon Hill and South Beach DTR Districts), bulk limitations are as follows:
(2) Tower Bulk and Spacing. All portions of structures above the podium height as described in Section 263.19 shall meet the following bulk limitations, as illustrated in Chart C.
(A) Buildings between the podium height limit and 240 feet in height may not exceed a plan length of 90 feet and a diagonal dimension of 120 square feet.
(B) Buildings between 241 and 300 feet in height may not exceed a plan length of 100 feet and a diagonal dimension of 125 feet, and may not exceed a maximum average floor area of 8,500 gross square feet.
(C) Buildings between 301 and 350 feet in height may not exceed a plan length of 115 feet and a diagonal dimension of 145 feet. They may not exceed a maximum average floor area of 9,000 gross square feet.
(D) Buildings between 351 and 550 feet in height may not exceed a plan length of 115 feet and a diagonal dimension of 145 feet. They may not exceed a maximum average floor area of 10,000 gross square feet.
(E) To allow variety in the articulation of towers, the floor plates of individual floors may exceed the maximums described above by as much as 5 percent, provided the maximum average floor plate is met.
(F) To encourage tower sculpting, the gross floor area of the top one-third of the tower shall be reduced by 10 percent from the maximum floor plates described in (A) - (D) above, unless the overall tower floor plate is reduced by an equal or greater volume.
(G) In order to provide adequate sunlight and air to streets and open spaces, a minimum distance of 115 feet must be preserved between all structures above 110 feet in height at all levels above 110 feet in height. Spacing shall be measured horizontally from the outside surface of the exterior wall of the subject building to the nearest point on the closest structure above 110 feet in height. Any project that is permitted pursuant to the exception described in Section 270(e)(3) shall not be considered for the purposes of measuring tower spacing pursuant to this Section.
(3) Exceptions to tower spacing and upper tower sculpting requirements in Rincon Hill DTR. An exception to the 115 feet tower spacing requirement and the upper tower sculpting requirement described in (e)(2)(F) and (G) above may be granted to a project only on Block 3747 on a lot formed by the merger of part or all of Lots 001E, 002 and 006, pursuant to the procedures described in 309.1 of this Code provided that projects meet the following criteria:
(A) Applications for environmental review and conditional use related to a building above 85 feet in height on the subject lot have been filed with the Department prior to March 1, 2003 and February 1, 2005, respectively;
(B) Given the 115 tower spacing requirement described in (G) above, the existence of an adjacent building greater than 85 feet in height precludes the development of a tower on the subject lot;
(C) The subject lot has a total area of no less than 35,000 square feet;
(D) The proposed project is primarily residential and has an area of no more than 528,000 gross square feet;
(E) The proposed project conforms to all other controls described or referenced in Section 827 and any other controls in this Code related to the Rincon Hill DTR District.
(F) For the purposes of subsection (D) above, the term "gross square feet" shall be the sum of the gross areas of all floors of a building or buildings above street grade measured from the exterior faces of exterior walls or from the center lines of walls separating two buildings, excluding area below street grade. Where columns are outside and separated from an exterior wall (curtain wall) which encloses the building space or are otherwise so arranged that the curtain wall is clearly separated from the structural members, the exterior face of the curtain wall shall be the line of measurement, and the area of the columns themselves at each floor shall also be counted.
(4) Allowance for limited reduction in spacing from existing towers in Rincon Hill DTR. To allow limited variation in tower placement from towers for which a certificate of occupancy has been issued prior to February 1, 2005, a reduction in tower spacing described in (e)(2)(G) above may be granted pursuant to the procedures described in 309.1 of this Code if all the following criteria are met:
(A) For every percent reduction from the maximum average floor area as described in (2) above, an equal percent reduction in tower separation may be granted subject to the following limits:
(i) Up to a height of one-and-one-half times the maximum permitted podium height, tower spacing described in (e)(2)(G) above may be reduced by not more than 15 percent;
(ii) up to a height of 180 feet, tower spacing described in (e)(2)(G) above may be reduced by not more than 10 percent; and
(iii) all floors above 180 feet achieve the full 115-foot minimum tower spacing requirement described in (e)(2)(G) above. A project may average the tower separation of all floors below 180 feet so long as the requirements of (ii) and (iii) herein are satisfied.
(5) Exceptions to Tower Bulk, Upper Tower Sculpting and Tower Spacing Requirements on Block 3764. Exceptions to the tower bulk, upper tower sculpting and tower spacing requirements described in Subsections (e)(2)(A), (F) and (G) above may be granted to a project only on Block 3764, Lot 063, pursuant to the procedures described in Section 309.1 of this Code, provided that the project meets all of the following criteria:
(A) Within 115 feet of Block 3764, Lot 063, there is a tower greater than 85 feet in height as part of a building that has received a First Construction Document;
(B) The project involves the construction of, or alteration to, a tower of no more than 250 feet in height;
(C) The subject lot has a total area of no more than 15,000 square feet;
(D) A minimum distance of 82 feet is preserved between any structures on the parcel and any other structure on or off the parcel above 110 feet in height at all levels above 110 feet in height. Spacing shall be measured horizontally from the outside surface of the exterior wall of structures, which shall include those features described in Planning Code Section 136(c)(2) and (3); and
(E) The project is primarily residential, contains no more than 250,000 gross square feet and provides on-site inclusionary affordable units equivalent to 15% of all units constructed on the site, which shall be subject to the requirements of the Inclusionary Affordable Housing Program under Planning Code Section 415 et seq., and the City's Inclusionary Affordable Housing Program Monitoring and Procedures Manual, as amended from time to time.
(f) Van Ness & Market Residential Special Use District. In Bulk District R-2 (Van Ness & Market Residential Special Use District), bulk limitations are as follows:
(1) Tower Bulk and Spacing. In the R-2 bulk district there are no bulk limitations below the podium height, and structures above the podium height shall meet the bulk limitations described in subsection (e)(2)(A)-(E). To ensure tower sculpting, the gross floor area of the top one-third of the height of the tower shall be reduced by not less than 10 percent from the maximum floor plates described in subsections (e)(2)(A) – (E) above, and the average diagonal of the top one-third of the height of the tower shall be reduced by not less than 13% from the average diagonal of the tower, unless the overall tower volume is reduced by an equal or greater volume.
(2) Exceptions. In the R-2 bulk district, the Planning Commission may grant bulk exceptions through the procedures and findings of Section 309(a)(17) to increase the allowed bulk of buildings up to the limits described in subsections (A) – (D) below. The procedures for granting exceptions to bulk limits described in Section 272 shall not apply.
(A) Towers up to 350 feet in height may not exceed an average floor area of 10,000 gross square feet.
(B) Towers taller than 350 feet may not exceed an average floor area of 12,000 gross square feet, maximum plan length of 150 feet, and maximum diagonal dimension of 190 feet.
(C) Towers taller than 550 feet in height districts of 590 feet and greater may not exceed an average floor area of 18,500 gross square feet between a podium height of 140 feet and 170 feet. Building mass above 150 feet shall be set back at least 10 feet from the property line for a minimum of 90% of all street frontages.
(D) Exceptions to the tower sculpting requirements described in subsection (f)(1) above may be considered up to the limits as follows:
(i) For towers less than 400 feet in height, the provision may be fully waived.
(ii) For towers taller than 400 feet in height, at least one-quarter of the tower’s floors shall be reduced by not less than 10% from the maximum floor areas described in (2)(B) above.
(iii) For towers between 500 and 550 feet in height, the average diagonal of the upper one-third of the height of the tower shall be reduced by not less than 5% of maximum diagonal dimension described in subsection 270(e), above.
(3) In order to provide adequate sunlight and air to streets and open spaces, a minimum distance of 115 feet must be preserved between all structures above the applicable podium height for the subject development lot. Spacing shall be measured horizontally from the outside surface of the exterior wall of the subject building to the nearest point on the closest structure above 120 feet in height.
(4) Exceptions shall be permitted as described in section (2)(a)-(c) above. The procedures for granting special exceptions to bulk limits described in Section 272 shall not apply.
(g) 1500 Mission Street Special Use District (Planning Code Section 249.12). In Bulk District R-3, bulk limitations are as follows:
(1) In height districts 130/240-R-3 and 130/400-R-3, there are no bulk limitations below 130 feet in height, and structures above 130 feet in height shall meet the following bulk limitations.
(A) Buildings between the podium height limit and 240 feet in height may not exceed a plan length of 170 feet and a diagonal dimension of 225 feet.
(B) Buildings between 241 and 400 feet in height may not exceed a plan length of 156 feet and a diagonal dimension of 165 feet, and may not exceed a maximum average floor area of 13,100 gross square feet. To encourage tower sculpting, the gross floor area of the top one-third of the tower shall be reduced by 7% from the maximum floor plate of the tower above the podium height limit unless the overall tower floor plate is reduced by an equal or greater volume.
(C) To provide adequate sunlight and air to streets and open spaces, a minimum distance of 115 feet must be preserved between all structures above 130 feet in height at all levels above 130 feet in height. Spacing shall be measured horizontally from the outside surface of the exterior wall of the subject building to the nearest point on the closest structure above 130 feet in height.
(2) The procedures for granting special exceptions to bulk limits described in Section 272 shall not apply.
(h) Bulk Limits within the Central SoMa Special Use District. In the CS Bulk District and height and bulk districts that allow heights of 65 feet and above and that are within the Central South of Market Special Use District, the bulk limits contained in this subsection 270(h) shall apply.
(1) Definitions. For purposes of this subsection, the definitions of Section 102 and the following definitions apply unless otherwise specified in this Section:
Apparent Mass Reduction. The percentage of the Skyplane that does not include the Projected Building Mass from the subject lot. For purposes of calculating Apparent Mass Reduction, any portion of the Projected Building Mass that projects above the Height limit shall be added to the projection within the Skyplane.
Base Height. The lowest Height from which the Skyplane is measured.
Lower Tower. The lower two-thirds of the Tower Portion of a Tower, rounded to the nearest floor.
Major Street. 2nd Street, 3rd Street, 4th Street, 5th Street, 6th Street, Mission Street, Howard Street, Folsom Street, Harrison Street, Bryant Street, Brannan Street, and Townsend Street.
Narrow Street. A right-of-way with a width of 40 feet or less and more than 60 feet from an intersection with a street wider than 40 feet.
Projected Building Mass. The portion of the subject building that projects into the Skyplane as viewed from the most directly opposite property line. This volume includes all parts and features of a building, including but not limited to any feature listed in Section 260(b).
Skyplane.
(i) A plane along each street-facing property line of the subject lot extending:
(aa) Vertically from the Base Height up to the Height limit for the subject lot; and
(bb) Horizontally for the length of the street-facing property line.
(ii) The figure below illustrates how a skyplane is to be measured:
Tower. Any building taller than 160 feet in Height.
Tower Portion. The portion of a Tower above 85 feet in Height.
Upper Tower. The upper one-third of the Tower Portion of a Tower, rounded to the nearest floor.
(2) Apparent Mass Reduction. Projects in the CS Bulk District are subject to the Apparent Mass Reduction controls of Table 270(h), as well as the setback requirements of Section 132.4.
Building Frontage | Side of the Street | Height District | Base Height* | Apparent Mass Reduction |
Building Frontage | Side of the Street | Height District | Base Height* | Apparent Mass Reduction |
Major Street | Southeast and southwest | 130 feet | 85 feet | 67% |
Major Street | Southeast and southwest | 160 feet | 85 feet | 80% |
Major Street | Northeast and northwest | 130 feet | 85 feet | 50% |
Major Street | Northeast and northwest | 160 feet | 85 feet | 70% |
Major Street | All | Above 160 feet | 85 feet | None for the Tower Portion, as defined in Section 132.4. 80% for the remainder of the building, using a Height limit of 160 feet for purposes of this calculation. |
Narrow Street | Northeast and northwest | 130
feet and 160 feet | 35 feet | 85% |
Narrow Street | Northeast and northwest | 65 feet | 35 feet | 50% |
Narrow Street | Northeast and northwest | 85 feet | 35 feet | 70% |
Narrow Street | All | Above 160 feet | 35 feet | None for the Tower Portion, as defined in Section 132.4. 85% for the remainder of the building, using a Height limit of 160 feet for purposes of this calculation. |
Mid-Block Passage | All | All | None | The controls of Section 261.1(d)(3) shall apply. ** |
Perry Street | Northwest | All | None | The controls of Section 261.1(d)(1) shall apply. ** |
Stillman Street | Southeast | All | 35 feet | Between 2nd and 3rd Streets: the controls of Section 261.1 shall apply. Between 3rd and 4th Streets: the controls of Section 261.1 shall not apply, and for the first 60 feet from an intersection, 0% apparent mass reduction is required; elsewhere, 85% apparent mass reduction is required. |
Other Street | All | All | Width of the abutting street | Same as the Apparent Mass Reduction for projects along Major Streets in the same height district and on the same side of the street. |
*** Any building that exceeds the height allowed by the applicable Height District shall comply with the apparent mass reduction requirement in this Table based on its actual height.
(3) Bulk Controls for Buildings Towers.
(A) Maximum Floor Area for the Tower Portion.
(i) For residential and hotel uses, the maximum Gross Floor Area of any floor is 12,000 gross square feet.
(ii) For all other uses, the maximum Gross Floor Area of any floor is 17,000 gross square feet and the average Gross Floor Area for all floors in the Tower Portion shall not exceed 15,000 gross square feet.
(B) Maximum Plan Dimensions for the Tower Portion.
(i) The maximum length shall be 150 feet.
(ii) The maximum diagonal shall be 190 feet.
(iii) For buildings with a Height of 250 feet or more, the average Gross Floor Area of the Upper Tower shall not exceed 85 percent of the average Gross Floor Area of the Lower Tower, and the average diagonal of the Upper Tower shall not exceed 92.5 percent of the average diagonal of the Lower Tower.
(Amended by Ord. 414-85, App. 9/17/85; Ord. 532-85, App. 12/4/85; Ord. 131-87, App. 4/24/87; Ord. 537-88, App. 12/16/88; Ord. 217-05, File No. 050865, App. 8/19/2005; Ord. 94-06, File No. 050182, App. 5/19/2006; Ord. 72-08, File No. 071157, App. 4/3/2008; Ord. 298-08, File No. 081153, App. 12/19/2008; Ord. 208-10, File No. 208-10, App. 8/3/2010; Ord. 90-11, File No. 110301, App. 6/9/2011, Eff. 7/9/2011; Ord. 98-11, File No. 110229, App. 6/15/2011, Eff. 7/15/2011; Ord. 144-11
, File No. 110625, App. 7/18/2011, Eff. 8/17/2011; Ord. 182-12
, File No. 120665, App. 8/8/2012, Eff. 9/7/2012; Ord. 56-13
, File No. 130062, App. 3/28/2013, Eff. 4/27/2013; Ord. 217-15
, File No. 151063, App. 12/16/2015, Eff. 1/15/2016; Ord. 101-17, File No. 170348, App. 5/24/2017, Eff. 6/23/2017; Ord. 296-18, File No. 180184, App. 12/12/2018, Eff. 1/12/2019; Ord. 206-19, File No. 190048, App. 9/13/2019, Eff. 10/14/2019; Ord. 126-20
, File No. 200559, App. 7/31/2020, Eff. 8/31/2020; Ord. 47-21, File No. 201175, App. 4/16/2021, Eff. 5/17/2021; Ord. 33-24, File No. 231144, App. 2/21/2024, Eff. 3/23/2024; Ord. 58-24, File No. 231256, App. 3/22/2024, Eff. 4/22/2024)
AMENDMENT HISTORY
Table 270 row PM added; Ord. 90-11, Eff. 7/9/2011. Table 270 row TI added; Ord. 98-11
, Eff. 7/15/2011. Table 270 row EP added; Ord. 144-11
, Eff. 8/17/2011. Table 270 row S-2 added; divisions (d) and (d)(1) amended; new division (d)(4) added; Ord. 182-12
, Eff. 9/7/2012. Table 270 row PM amended; former divisions (e)(3)(i) through (vi) redesignated as (e)(3)(A) through (F); former divisions (e)(4)(i) through (iv) redesignated as (e)(4)(A) through (e)(4)(A)(iii); Chart C replaced; Ord. 56-13
, Eff. 4/27/2013. Divisions (e)(2)(I), (e)(3)(B), and (e)(3)(F) amended; Division (e)(5) added; Ord. 217-15
, Eff. 1/15/2016. Division (g) added; Ord. 101-17, Eff. 6/23/2017. Table 270 row CS added; divisions (h)-(h)(4) and Table 270(h) added; Ord. 296-18, Eff. 1/12/2019. Division (a) amended; Ord. 206-19, Eff. 10/14/2019. Divisions (f) and (f)(1) amended; former divisions (f)(2)-(3) redesignated as (f)(3)-(4) and amended; new divisions (f)(2)-(f)(2)(D)(iii) added; Ord. 126-20
, Eff. 8/31/2020. Division (h) amended; Table 270(h) amended; Ord. 47-21, Eff. 5/17/2021. Table 270 row IB added; Ord. 33-24, Eff. 3/23/2024. Division (a) amended; Table 270 row PY added; Ord. 58-24, Eff. 4/22/2024.