ARTICLE 3:
ZONING PROCEDURES

Sec. 301.	General Description of Zoning Procedures.
Sec. 302.	Planning Code Amendments.
Sec. 303.	Conditional Uses.
Sec. 303.1.	Formula Retail Uses.
Sec. 303.2.	Priority Processing for Certain Uses in Commercial Space: Expedited Conditional Use Review and Approval Process and Reduced Application Fee.
Sec. 304.	Planned Unit Developments.
Sec. 304.5.	Institutional Master Plans.
Sec. 304.6.	Review Procedures for Large Noncontiguous Post-Secondary Educational Institutions.
Sec. 304.7.	Additional Provisions Applicable to Large Noncontiguous Post-Secondary Educational Institutions.
Sec. 305.	Variances.
Sec. 305.1.	Requests for Reasonable Modification – Residential Uses.
Sec. 306.	Applications and Hearings.
Sec. 306.1.	Applications and Filing Fees.
Sec. 306.2.	Scheduling of Hearings.
Sec. 306.3.	Notice of Hearings.
Sec. 306.4.	Conduct of Hearings.
Sec. 306.5.	Reconsideration.
Sec. 306.6.	Initiation of Amendments.
Sec. 306.7.	Interim Zoning Controls.
Sec. 306.8.	Posting of Signs Required.
Sec. 306.9.	Notice of Applications for Building Permits for Sutro Tower.
Sec. 307.	Other Powers and Duties of the Zoning Administrator.
Sec. 308.	Appeals.
Sec. 308.1.	Appeals: Amendments to the Planning Code and Conditional Uses.
Sec. 308.2.	Appeals: Variances and Administrative Actions.
Sec. 309.	Permit Review in C-3 Districts.
Sec. 309.1.	Permit Review in Downtown Residential Districts.
Sec. 309.2.	Permit Review in the Executive Park Special Use District.
Sec. 310.	Zoning Procedures Not to Apply to Article 10.
Sec. 311.	Permit Review Procedures.
Sec. 313.	PDR-1-B (Light Industrial Buffer), Pre-Application Meeting.
Sec. 314.	Review of Residential, Hotel, and Motel Projects.
Sec. 315.	Streamlined Authorization of 100% Affordable Housing and Educator Housing Projects.
Sec. 315.1.	100 Percent Affordable Housing Bonus Project Authorization.
Sec. 317.	Loss of Residential and Unauthorized Units Through Demolition, Merger, and Conversion.
Sec. 318.	Efficiency Dwelling Units with Reduced Square Footage.
Sec. 320.	Office Development: Definitions.
Sec. 321.	Office Development: Annual Limit.
Sec. 321.1.	Annual Limit Adjustment.
Sec. 321.2.	Legislative Reduction of Annual Limit.
Sec. 321.3.	Voter Approval of Exemptions of Office Projects Authorized by Development Agreements.
Sec. 321.4.	Converted Square Footage; Annual Limit Increase.
Sec. 322.	Procedure for Administration of Office Development Limit.
Sec. 323.	Office Development: Preapplication Procedure.
Sec. 324.	Findings.
Sec. 324.1.	Development in Hunters Point Shipyard Phase 2 and Candlestick Point.
Sec. 325.	Sunset Clause.
Sec. 327.4.	Lien Proceedings.
Sec. 328.	HOME-SF Project Authorization.
Sec. 329.	Large Project Authorization in Eastern Neighborhoods Mixed Use Districts.
Sec. 330.	Purpose and Coastal Zone Permit Area.
Sec. 330.1.	Projects Requiring Coastal Zone Permit Review.
Sec. 330.2.	Definitions.
Sec. 330.3.	Projects Exempt From Coastal Zone Permit Review.
Sec. 330.4.	Projects Subject to Coastal Zone Permit Review.
Sec. 330.4.1.	Projects Requiring a Coastal Zone Permit From the California Coastal Commission.
Sec. 330.5.	Application For a Coastal Zone Permit.
Sec. 330.5.1.	Permit Application Review for Consistency With the Local Coastal Program.
Sec. 330.5.2.	Findings.
Sec. 330.5.3.	Determination of Permit Jurisdiction.
Sec. 330.5.4.	Planning Commission Review of Coastal Zone Permits.
Sec. 330.6.	Coastal Commission Notification.
Sec. 330.7.	Public Notice.
Sec. 330.8.	Emergency Coastal Zone Authorization.
Sec. 330.9.	Appeal Procedures.
Sec. 330.10.	Appealable Projects.
Sec. 330.11.	Who May Appeal a Coastal Zone Permit to the California Coastal Commission.
Sec. 330.12.	Permit Approval by Operation of Law.
Sec. 330.13.	Effective Date of Approved Projects.
Sec. 330.14.	Expiration Date and Extensions.
Sec. 330.15.	Coastal Zone Permit Fees.
Sec. 330.16.	Procedural Permit Review Changes.
Sec. 333.	Public Notification Procedures.
Sec. 340.	General Plan Amendments.
Sec. 341.	Better Neighborhoods Area Plan Monitoring Program.
Sec. 341.1.	Findings.
Sec. 341.2.	Annual Reporting.
Sec. 341.3.	Time Series Report.
Sec. 341.4.	Information to be Furnished.
Sec. 341.5.	Market and Octavia Community Advisory Committee.
Sec. 342.	Health Care Services Master Plan Findings.
Sec. 342.1.	Definitions.
Sec. 342.2.	Health Care Services Master Plan: Components.
Sec. 342.3.	Health Care Services Master Plan Process.
Sec. 342.4.	Consistency Determination Fee.
Sec. 342.5.	Consistency Determination.
Sec. 342.6.	Appeals.
Sec. 342.7.	Authority to Adopt Rules and Regulations.
Sec. 342.8	Preemption.
Sec. 342.9.	City Undertaking Limited to Promotion of General Welfare.
Sec. 342.10.	Severability.
Sec. 343.	Central SoMa Housing Sustainability District.

 

SEC. 301. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ZONING PROCEDURES.

   This Section is a summary of provisions more fully described in the remainder of this Article.

   The final legislative authority for enactment and amendment of the zoning provisions contained in this Code resides in the Board of Supervisors. However, all proposals for reclassifications of property or other amendments are considered first by the Planning Commission, and its disapprovals are final unless overruled by the Board of Supervisors.

   The provisions of this Code are administered by the Zoning Administrator and other staff members of the Planning Department, by means of public information, review of permit applications, keeping of records, interpretation of the meaning and intent of the Code, and enforcement actions against violations. The Zoning Administrator is also responsible for reviewing the effectiveness of the Code and recommending appropriate changes to the legislative authorities.

   Certain specified uses and features in various zoning districts require approval by the Planning Commission through conditional use procedures, in which the Commission determines whether the provisions of the Code are met.

   The decisions of the Commission in these cases may be appealed to the Board of Supervisors.

   In some cases, provisions of the Code may be relaxed by means of variances or administrative review granted by the Zoning Administrator; provided, for a variance, that certain specified findings can be made, and for administrative review, that the conditions of the section authorizing such review are satisfied. Decisions in these cases may be appealed to the Board of Appeals.

   The responsibilities of each of these persons and agencies are derived from the San Francisco Charter.

(Amended by Ord. 235-68, App. 8/7/68; Ord. 115-90, App. 4/6/90; Ord. 188-15 , File No. 150871, App. 11/4/2015, Eff. 12/4/2015)

AMENDMENT HISTORY

Nonsubstantive changes; Ord. 188-15 , Eff. 12/4/2015.

SEC. 302. PLANNING CODE AMENDMENTS.

(See Interpretations related to this Section.)

   (a)   General. Whenever the public necessity, convenience and general welfare require, the Board of Supervisors may, by ordinance, amend any part of this Code. Such amendments may include reclassifications of property (changes in the Zoning Map), changes in the text of the Code, or establishment, abolition or modification of a setback line. The procedures for amendments to the Planning Code shall be as specified in this Section and in Sections 306 through 306.6 , and in Section 333.

   (b)   Initiation. An amendment to the Planning Code may be initiated by introduction by a member of the Board of Supervisors of a proposed ordinance approved as to form by the City Attorney, or by a resolution of intention by the Planning Commission, or by application of one or more interested property owners, residents or commercial lessees or their authorized agents. Upon the introduction of an ordinance, the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors shall transmit the proposed ordinance to the Planning Commission. A resolution of intention adopted by the Planning Commission shall refer to, and incorporate by reference, a proposed ordinance approved as to form by the City Attorney. An "interested property owner" is hereby defined, for the purposes of this Section, as an owner of real property, a resident or a commercial lessee, that is either within the area included in the application or within a distance of 300 feet of the exterior boundaries of such area, or at a greater distance therefrom upon a showing that such property is influenced by development currently permitted by this Code within the area.

   (c)   Determination. The Planning Commission shall hold a hearing on the proposed amendment to the Planning Code. If, following its hearing, the Planning Commission finds from the facts presented that the public necessity, convenience and general welfare require the proposed amendment or any part thereof, it shall adopt either a recommendation for approval of such amendment or part, or a recommendation for disapproval of the same. If the Planning Commission adopts a recommendation for approval in whole or in part, the proposed amendment or part shall be presented to the Board of Supervisors, together with a copy of the resolution, and the Board of Supervisors may adopt such amendment or part by a majority vote. Adoption of a recommendation for disapproval of the proposed amendment or part by the Planning Commission shall have the following effect, depending upon the type of amendment involved:

      (1)   A proposed amendment to the Planning Code or part that had been introduced by a member of the Board of Supervisors to change the text of the Code or the Zoning Map shall be presented to said Board, together with a copy of the resolution recommending disapproval, and said amendment or part may be adopted by said Board by a majority vote.

      (2)   In all other cases, the recommendation for disapproval of the Planning Commission shall be final, except upon the filing of a valid appeal to the Board of Supervisors as provided in Section 308.1.

   (d)   Referral of Proposed Text Amendments to the Planning Code Back to Planning Commission. In acting upon any proposed amendment to the text of the Code, the Board of Supervisors may modify said amendment but shall not take final action upon any material modification that has not been considered by the Planning Commission. Should the Board adopt a motion proposing to materially modify the amendment while it is before said Board, the amendment and the motion proposing modification shall be referred back to the Planning Commission for its consideration. In all such cases of referral back, the amendment and the proposed modification shall be heard by the Planning Commission according to the requirements for a new proposal, except that online notice required under Section 333 need be given only 10 days prior to the date of the hearing. The motion proposing modification shall refer to, and incorporate by reference, a proposed amendment approved by the City Attorney as to form.

(Amended by Ord. 210-84, App. 5/4/84; Ord. 42-87, App. 2/20/87; Ord. 180-95, App. 6/2/95; Ord. 321-96, App. 8/8/96; Ord. 179-18, File No. 180423, App. 7/27/2018, Eff. 8/27/2018, Oper. 1/1/2019; Ord. 33-24, File No. 231144, App. 2/21/2024, Eff. 3/23/2024)

AMENDMENT HISTORY

Division (d) amended; Ord. 179-18, Oper. 1/1/2019. Divisions (a) and (c)-(d) amended; Ord. 33-24, Eff. 3/23/2024.