The Union Street Commercial District is located in northern San Francisco between the Marina and Pacific Heights neighborhoods. The district lies along Union Street between Van Ness Avenue and Steiner, including an arm extending north on Fillmore Street to Lombard. The shopping area provides limited convenience goods for the residents of sections of the Cow Hollow, Golden Gate Valley, and Pacific Heights neighborhoods immediately surrounding the street. Important aspects of Union Street's business activity are eating and drinking establishments and specialty shops whose clientele comes from a wide trade area. There are also a significant number of professional, realty, and business offices. Many restaurants and bars as well as the district's two movie theaters are open into the evening hours, and on weekends the street's clothing, antique stores and galleries do a vigorous business.
The Union Street District controls are designed to provide sufficient growth opportunities for commercial development that is in keeping with the existing scale and character, promote continuous retail frontage, and protect adjacent residential livability. Small-scale buildings and neighborhood-serving uses are promoted, and rear yards above the ground story and at all residential levels are protected. Most commercial development is permitted at the first two stories of new buildings, while retail service uses are monitored at the third story and above. Controls are necessary to preserve the remaining convenience businesses and to reduce the cumulative impacts which the growth of certain uses have on neighborhood residents. Such controls require Conditional Use authorization for additional drinking establishments and limit additional entertainment, and financial service uses. Most automobile and drive-up uses are prohibited in order to maintain continuous retail frontage and minimize further traffic congestion.
Housing development in new buildings is encouraged above the second story. Existing residential units are protected by limitations on demolitions and upper-story conversions. Accessory Dwelling Units are permitted within the district pursuant to Section 207.1 of this Code.
Union Street NCD | ||
Zoning Category | § References | Controls |
BUILDING STANDARDS |
Union Street NCD | ||
Zoning Category | § References | Controls |
BUILDING STANDARDS | ||
Massing and Setbacks | ||
Height and Bulk Limits. | 40-X. See Height and Bulk Map Sheet HT02 for more information. Height sculpting required on Alleys per § 261.1. | |
5 Foot Height Bonus for Active Ground Floor Uses | § 263.20 | NP |
Rear Yard | Required at the Second Story and at each succeeding level or Story of the building, and at the First Story if it contains a Dwelling Unit: 25% of lot depth, but in no case less than 15 feet | |
Front Setback and Side Yard | Not Required. | |
Street Frontage and Public Realm | ||
Streetscape and Pedestrian Improvements | § 138.1 | Required |
Street Frontage Requirements | § 145.1 | Required; controls apply to above-grade parking setbacks, parking and loading entrances, active uses, ground floor ceiling height, street-facing ground-level spaces, transparency and fenestration, and gates, railings, and grillwork. Exceptions permitted for historic buildings. |
Ground Floor Commercial | § 145.4 | Not Required |
Vehicular Access Restrictions | § 155(r) | See Section 155(r) |
Miscellaneous | ||
Planned Unit Development | § 304 | C |
Awning, Canopy or Marquee | § 136.1 | P |
Signs | As permitted by § 607.1 | |
General Advertising Signs | NP | |
Design Guidelines | General Plan Commerce and Industry Element | Subject to the Urban Design Guidelines |
Zoning Category | § References | Controls | ||
RESIDENTIAL STANDARDS AND USES |
Zoning Category | § References | Controls | ||
RESIDENTIAL STANDARDS AND USES | ||||
Development Standards | ||||
Usable Open Space [Per Dwelling Unit] | 80 square feet if private, or 100 square feet if common, or the amount of open space required in the nearest Residential District, whichever is less. | |||
Off-Street Parking Requirements | ||||
Dwelling Unit Mix | § 207.7 | Generally required for creation of 10 or more Dwelling Units. No less than 25% of the total number of proposed Dwelling Units shall contain at least two Bedrooms, and no less than 10% of the total number of proposed Dwelling Units shall contain at least three Bedrooms. | ||
Use Characteristics | ||||
Intermediate Length Occupancy | ||||
Single Room Occupancy | § 102 | P | ||
Student Housing | § 102 | P | ||
Residential Uses | Controls By Story | |||
1st | 2nd | 3rd+ | ||
Residential Uses | § 102 | P | P | P |
Accessory Dwelling Units | ||||
Dwelling Units | 1 unit per 600 square foot lot area or the density permitted in the nearest R District, whichever is greater. | |||
Group Housing | § 208 | 1 bedroom per 210 square foot lot area, or the density permitted in the nearest R District, whichever is greater. | ||
Homeless Shelters | Density limits regulated by the Administrative Code | |||
Senior Housing | P up to twice the number of Dwelling Units otherwise permitted as a Principal Use in the district and meeting all the requirements of § 202.2(f)(1). C up to twice the number of Dwelling Units otherwise permitted as a Principal Use in the district and meeting all requirements of § 202.2(f)(1), except for § 202.2(f)(1)(D)(iv), related to location. | |||
Loss of Dwelling Units | Controls by Story | |||
1st | 2nd | 3rd+ | ||
Residential Conversion | § 317 | C | C | C |
Residential Demolition and Merger | § 317 | C | C | C |
Zoning Category | § References | Controls | ||
NON-RESIDENTIAL STANDARDS AND USES |
Zoning Category | § References | Controls | ||
NON-RESIDENTIAL STANDARDS AND USES | ||||
Development Standards | ||||
Floor Area Ratio | 3.0 to 1 | |||
Use Size | P up to 2,499 square feet; C 2,500 square feet and above | |||
Off-Street Parking Requirements | ||||
Off-Street Freight Loading | ||||
Commercial Use Characteristics | ||||
Drive-up Facility | § 102 | NP | ||
Formula Retail | C | |||
Hours of Operation | § 102 | P 6 a.m. - 2 a.m.; C 2 a.m. - 6 a.m. | ||
Maritime Use | § 102 | NP | ||
Open Air Sales | See Section 703(b) | |||
Outdoor Activity Area | P if located in front or it complies with Section 202.2(a)(7); C if located elsewhere. | |||
Walk-up Facility | § 102 | P | ||
Controls by Story | ||||
1st | 2nd | 3rd+ | ||
Agricultural Use Category | ||||
Agriculture, Industrial | NP | NP | NP | |
Agriculture, Large Scale Urban | C | C | C | |
Agriculture, Neighborhood | P | P | P | |
Automotive Use Category | ||||
Automotive Uses* | NP | NP | NP | |
Electric Vehicle Charging Location | C(8) | C(8) | ||
Fleet Charging | § 102 | C | C | C |
Parking Garage, Private | § 102 | C | C | C |
Parking Garage, Public | § 102 | C | C | C |
Parking Lot, Private | C | C | C | |
Parking Lot, Public | C | C | C | |
Entertainment, Arts and Recreation Use Category | ||||
Entertainment, Arts and Recreation Uses* | § 102 | NP | NP | NP |
Arts Activities | § 102 | P | P | P |
Entertainment, General | § 102 | P | P | NP |
Entertainment, Nighttime | § 102 | C | NP | NP |
Movie Theater | P | P | P | |
Open Recreation Area | § 102 | C | C | C |
Passive Outdoor Recreation | § 102 | C | C | C |
Industrial Use Category | ||||
Industrial Uses | NP | NP | NP | |
Institutional Use Category | ||||
Institutional Uses* | § 102 | P | C | C |
Child Care Facility | § 102 | P | P | P |
Community Facility | § 102 | P | P | P |
Hospital | § 102 | NP | NP | NP |
Medical Cannabis Dispensary | DR | DR | NP | |
Public Facilities | § 102 | P | P | P |
Residential Care Facility | § 102 | P | P | P |
Social Service or Philanthropic Facility | § 102 | P | P | P |
Sales and Service Use Category | ||||
Retail Sales and Service Uses* | P | P | NP | |
Adult Business | § 102 | NP | NP | NP |
Adult Sex Venue | § 102 | NP | NP | NP |
Animal Hospital | § 102 | P | P | NP |
Bar | C | NP | NP | |
Cannabis Retail | C | C | NP | |
Flexible Retail | P | NP | NP | |
Gym | § 102 | P | P | C |
Hotel | § 102 | C | C | C |
Kennel | § 102 | C | NP | NP |
Liquor Store | § 102 | C | NP | NP |
Massage Establishment | P | NP(7) | ||
Massage, Foot/Chair | § 102 | NP | NP | NP |
Mortuary | § 102 | NP | NP | NP |
Motel | NP | NP | NP | |
Restaurant | P | P | NP | |
Restaurant, Limited | P | P | NP | |
Services, Financial | § 102 | P | C | NP |
Services, Fringe Financial | § 102 | NP(4) | NP(4) | NP(4) |
Services, Health | § 102 | P | P | C |
Services, Limited Financial | § 102 | P | NP | NP |
Services, Personal | § 102 | P | P | C |
Services, Retail Professional | § 102 | P | P | P |
Storage, Self | § 102 | NP | NP | NP |
Tobacco Paraphernalia Establishment | § 102 | C | NP | NP |
Trade Shop | § 102 | P | C | NP |
Non-Retail Sales and Service* | § 102 | NP | NP | NP |
Design Professional | § 102 | P | P | C |
Service, Non-Retail Professional | § 102 | C | P | NP |
Trade Office | § 102 | P | P | C |
Utility and Infrastructure Use Category | ||||
Utility and Infrastructure* | § 102 | C(5) | C(5) | C(5) |
Power Plant | § 102 | NP | NP | NP |
Public Utilities Yard | § 102 | NP | NP | NP |
* Not listed below |
(1) Any Massage Establishment that has continually operated without the benefit of a building permit within the Union Street NCD since prior to December 31, 2017 shall not require a Conditional Use authorization to legally establish the Massage Establishment. However, such establishments must file a building permit application by May 1, 2020 to legally establish the Massage Establishment use, and such building permit application will be subject to neighborhood notification pursuant to Planning Code Section 311. |
Boundaries: The FFSRUD and its 1/4 mile buffer includes, but is not limited to, the Union Street Neighborhood Commercial District. |
(6)2
NP for buildings with three or fewer Dwelling Units. C for buildings with 10 or more Dwelling Units. |
(Added by Ord. 69-87, App. 3/13/87; amended by Ord. 445-87, App. 11/12/87; Ord. 412-88, App. 9/10/88; Ord. 87-00, File No. 991963, App. 5/19/2000; Ord. 260-00, File No. 001424, App. 11/17/2000; Ord. 275-05, File No. 051250, App. 11/30/2005; Ord. 289-06, File No. 050176, App. 11/20/2006; Ord. 269-07, File No. 070671, App. 11/26/2007; Ord. 244-08, File No. 080567, App. 10/30/2008; Ord. 245-08, File No. 080696; Ord. 8-09, File No. 080872, App. 1/16/2009; Ord. 51-09, File No. 081620, App. 4/2/2009; Ord. 98-09, File No. 090274, App. 6/19/2009; Ord. 66-11, File No. 101537, App. 4/20/2011, Eff. 5/20/2011; Ord. 140-11, File No. 110482, App. 7/5/2011, Eff. 8/4/2011; Ord. 75-12
, File No. 120084, App. 4/23/2012, Eff. 5/23/2012; Ord. 214-12
, File No. 120773, App. 10/9/2012, Eff. 11/8/2012; Ord. 56-13
, File No. 130062, App. 3/28/2013, Eff. 4/27/2013; Ord. 287-13
, File No. 130041, App. 12/26/2013, Eff. 1/25/2014; Ord. 235-14
, File No. 140844, App. 11/26/2014, Eff. 12/26/2014; Ord. 14-15
, File No. 141210, App. 2/13/2015, Eff. 3/15/2015; Ord. 20-15
, File No. 110548, App. 2/20/2015, Eff. 3/22/2015; redesignated and amended by Ord. 30-15
, File No. 140954, App. 3/26/2015, Eff. 4/25/2015; amended by Ord. 33-16
, File No. 160115, App. 3/11/2016, Eff. 4/10/2016; Ord. 162-16
, File No. 160657, App. 8/4/2016, Eff. 9/3/2016; Ord. 166-16
, File No. 160477, App. 8/11/2016, Eff. 9/10/2016; Ord. 129-17, File No. 170203, App. 6/30/2017, Eff. 7/30/2017; Ord. 130-17, File No. 170204, App. 6/30/2017, Eff. 7/30/2017; Ord. 189-17, File No. 170693, App. 9/15/2017, Eff. 10/15/2017; Ord. 229-17, File No. 171041, App. 12/6/2017, Eff. 1/5/2018; Ord. 202-18, File No. 180557, App. 8/10/2018, Eff. 9/10/2018; Ord. 219-18, File No. 180053, App. 9/21/2018, Eff. 10/22/2018; Ord. 277-18, File No. 180914, App. 11/20/2018, Eff. 12/21/2018; Ord. 285-18, File No. 180806, App. 12/7/2018, Eff. 1/7/2019; Ord. 303-18, File No. 180915, App. 12/21/2018, Eff. 1/21/2019; Ord. 311-18, File No. 181028, App. 12/21/2018, Eff. 1/21/2019; Ord. 116-19, File No. 181156, App. 6/28/2019, Eff. 7/29/2019; Ord. 182-19, File No. 190248, App. 8/9/2019, Eff. 9/9/2019; Ord. 63-20, File No. 200077, App. 4/24/2020, Eff. 5/25/2020; Ord. 78-20, File No. 191075, App. 5/22/2020, Eff. 6/22/2020; Proposition H, 11/3/2020, Eff. 12/18/2020; Ord. 111-21, File No. 210285, App. 8/4/2021, Eff. 9/4/2021; Ord. 136-21, File No. 210674, App. 8/4/2021, Eff. 9/4/2021; Ord. 233-21, File No. 210381, App. 12/22/2021, Eff. 1/22/2022; Ord. 37-22, File No. 211263, App. 3/14/2022, Eff. 4/14/2022; Ord. 75-22, File No. 220264, App. 5/13/2022, Eff. 6/13/2022; Ord. 190-22, File No. 220036, App. 9/16/2022, Eff. 10/17/2022; Ord. 264-22, File No. 220811, App. 12/22/2022, Eff. 1/22/2023; Ord. 248-23, File No. 230446, App. 12/14/2023, Eff. 1/14/2024; Ord. 249-23, File No. 230701, App. 12/14/2023, Eff. 1/14/2024; Ord. 33-24, File No. 231144, App. 2/21/2024, Eff. 3/23/2024; Ord. 62-24, File No. 230310, App. 3/28/2024, Eff. 4/28/2024)
AMENDMENT HISTORY
Zoning Control Table: 725.69C and 725.69D added; Ord. 66-11
, Eff. 5/20/2011. Zoning Control Table: 725.10, 725.17, and 725.42 amended; Specific Provisions: 725.68 added; Ord. 140-11, Eff. 8/4/2011. Zoning Control Table: 725.43 and 725.44 amended, former categories 725.42, 725.67, and 725.69A deleted; Specific Provisions: 725.44 amended, 725.44, 725.69B deleted; Ord. 75-12
, Eff. 5/23/2012. Zoning Control Table: 725.43 and 725.69B amended; Specific Provisions: 725.44 amended; Ord. 214-12
, Eff. 11/8/2012. Zoning Control Table: 725.13 and 725.69B amended; Specific Provisions: 725.44 amended; Ord. 56-13
, Eff. 4/27/2013. Zoning Control Table: former categories 725.38 and 725.39 redesignated as 725.36 and 725.37 and amended; Ord. 287-13
, Eff. 1/25/2014. Zoning Control Table: 725.26 and 725.49 amended; Ord. 235-14
, Eff. 12/26/2014. Zoning Control Table: 725.92b added; Ord. 14-15
, Eff. 3/15/2015. Zoning Control Table: 725.14, 725.15, 725.16, and 725.17 amended; Ord. 20-15
, Eff. 3/22/2015. Section redesignated (formerly Sec. 725.1); Zoning Control Table: 725.54, 725.91, and 725.92 amended; Ord. 30-15
, Eff. 4/25/2015. Zoning Control Table: former categories 725.36 and 725.37 deleted, 725.96 added; Ord. 33-16
, Eff. 4/10/2016. Introductory material amended; Zoning Control Table: 725.91 amended; Specific Provisions: 725.91 added; Ord. 162-16
, Eff. 9/3/2016. Zoning Control Table: 725.33A added; Ord. 166-16
, Eff. 9/10/2016. New Zoning Control Table and notes added; Ord. 129-17, Eff. 7/30/2017. Previous Zoning Control Table and Specific Provisions deleted; Ord. 130-17, Eff. 7/30/2017. Zoning Control Table amended; Note (1) deleted; Ord. 189-17, Eff. 10/15/2017. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. 229-17, Eff. 1/5/2018. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. 202-18, Eff. 9/10/2018. Zoning Control Table amended; Note (1) added; Ord. 219-18, Eff. 10/22/2018. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. 277-18, Eff. 12/21/2018. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. 285-18, Eff. 1/7/2019. Zoning Control Table amended; Note (2) deleted; Ord. 303-18, Eff. 1/21/2019. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. 311-18, Eff. 1/21/2019. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. 116-19, Eff. 7/29/2019. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. 182-19, Eff. 9/9/2019. Zoning Control Table and Note (4) amended; Ord. 63-20, Eff. 5/25/2020. Zoning Control Table amended; Note (6)2 added; Ord. 78-20
, Eff. 6/22/2020. Introductory material and Zoning Control Table amended; Note (3) deleted; Proposition H
, 11/3/2020, Eff. 12/18/2020. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. 111-21
, Eff. 9/4/2021. Zoning Control Table and Notes (4) and (6) amended; Ord. 136-21
, Eff. 9/4/2021. Zoning Control Table amended; Note (7) added; Ord. 233-21
, Eff. 1/22/2022. Zoning Control Table and Note (7) amended; Ord. 37-22
, Eff. 4/14/2022. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. 75-22
, Eff. 6/13/2022. Zoning Control Table amended; Note (8)1
added; Ord. 190-22
, Eff. 10/17/2022. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. 264-22
, Eff. 1/22/2023. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. 248-23
, Eff. 1/14/2024. Second introductory paragraph and Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. 249-23
, Eff. 1/14/2024. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. 33-24
, Eff. 3/23/2024. Undesignated introductory material and Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. 62-24
, Eff. 4/28/2024.
CODIFICATION NOTES
1. Note “(8)” is referenced as “(7)” in Ord. 190-22. The note was redesignated by the codifier because a note designated as “(7)” previously had been added to this section by Ord. 233-21.