PLANNING CODE - INTERPRETATIONS

Office of the Zoning Administrator
The San Francisco Planning Department
49 South Van Ness Ave, Suite 1400
San Francisco, California 94103

These Planning Code Interpretations include changes through September 30, 2024

PREFACE TO THE PLANNING CODE INTERPRETATIONS

ORGANIZATION: The Interpretations are organized in two ways: according to the Planning Code Section to which they relate and alphabetically. The Interpretations by Code Section are organized with the associated Planning Code Section at the left margin followed by the subject, the effective date, and text of the interpretation. Therefore, this document is most easily understood if it is used in combination with a current copy of the Planning Code.

TEXT STYLE: Within an Interpretation, key words or phrases may be bolded as an aid in locating the correct interpretation. The bolding has no legal or other special significance. It is not necessarily the core of, or the most important part of the interpretation. It is only an aid in distinguishing an individual interpretation and locating it. In the Interpretations, emphasis of meaning is expressed by ALL CAPITAL LETTERS except where Planning Code text is quoted with emphasis added, which text is underlined.

INTERPRETATIONS BY CODE SECTION

Code Section: 101.1

Subject: Change in use defined

Effective Date: /95 (Revised 3/21)

Interpretation:

   This Section states that Priority General Plan Policy findings need to be made whenever there is a change of use. What constitutes a “change of use” pursuant to this Section is a change from one category of use to another category of use listed in the use table for the zoning use district of the subject lot. Therefore, what constitutes a change of use could vary with the use district. For example:

   •   Changing from a Limited Restaurant to a Restaurant would be a change of use in the Neighborhood Commercial Districts because these districts make a distinction between the two types of restaurants. But the same physical changes to a restaurant in the C-2 District would not be a change of use because the C-2 District does not make this distinction.

   •   Adding a general advertising sign to a building currently containing only business signs would be a change of use because general advertising signs are not allowed in some districts.

   •   Developing anything on a vacant lot constitutes a change of use.

Code Section: 101.1 (e)

Subject: Priority policies, change of use

Effective Date: 9/93

Interpretation: This paragraph states that a finding of consistency with the priority policies must be made when there is a change of use. This necessitates a determination of what constitutes a change of use. Regarding a change in residential density, when a number of dwelling units is added that would only be allowed by a higher density zoning district than the most restrictive district allowing the previous number of units (i.e., going from an RM-1 density to an RM-2 density) such change constitutes a change of use.

NOTE:The Planning Code assigns a separate section number for each word it defines in the "102" Section series. When a word is added, it is placed in alphabetical order and all subsequent section numbers in the "102" series are renumbered. To avoid having also to renumber this document whenever a definition is added to the Planning Code, the definitions below are listed within the "102" series but without the specific "decimal" section. Look for the word you want in alphabetical order.

Code Section: 102 and 270

Subject: Measurement of Bulk and Plan Dimensions

Effective Date: 03/23

Interpretation:

   Section 270(a) states that the bulk limits of Section 270 are measured by Plan Dimensions, which are defined in Section 102. Section 270(a) also states that bulk limits apply to buildings and structures. Per Sec. 102, the Plan Dimensions used to measure bulk are defined to be “dimensions of a building or structure, at a given level, between the outside surfaces of its exterior walls.” Section 102 also defines a Building to be any structure having a roof supported by columns or walls. The Planning Code provides no guidance or methods to allow multiple parts of the same building or structure to rely on separate calculations for Plan Dimensions for bulk limits.

   Therefore, unless specified elsewhere in the Planning Code, the maximum Plan Dimensions per specific bulk limits apply within the exterior walls of each individual building or structure, such that a single building may not have multiple vertical elements (i.e., towers, etc.) that collectively exceed the maximum permitted Plan Dimensions. However, separate buildings on the same lot will have separate Plan Dimensions for the purpose of measuring bulk limits.