Minimum Lot Width and Area. | |
Development of Large Lots in Neighborhood Commercial Districts Located in the Priority Equity Geographies Special Use District. | |
Non-Residential Use Size Limits in Neighborhood Commercial and Neighborhood Commercial Transit Districts. | |
Development of Large Lots, Chinatown Mixed Use Districts. | |
Non-Residential Use Size Limits in Mixed Use Districts. | |
Large-Scale Retail Uses. | |
Restriction of Lot Mergers in Certain Districts and on Pedestrian-Oriented Streets. | |
Subdivision of Large Lots, PDR Districts. | |
Height and Bulk Limitations. | |
Maximum Floor Area Ratio. | |
Basic Floor Area Ratio. | |
Floor Area Ratio Exceptions: Chinatown. | |
Floor Area Premiums, Districts Other than NC, C-3 and Mixed Use. | |
Transfer of Permitted Basic Gross Floor Area. | |
Transfer of Development Rights in C-3 Districts. | |
Transfer of Development Rights in the Central SoMa Special Use District. | |
Yard and Setback Requirements, General. | |
Legislated Setback Lines. | |
Front Setback Areas in RTO, RH, and RM Districts and for Required Setbacks for Planned Unit Developments. | |
Setbacks and Streetwall Articulation: C-3 Districts. | |
Sun Access for Sidewalks Setbacks – Chinatown. | |
Setbacks, Streetwall Articulation, and Tower Separation in the Central SoMa Special Use District. | |
Side Yards, RH-1(D) Districts. | |
Rear Yards in R, RC, NC, M, CMUO, MUG, MUO, MUR, RED, RED-MX, SPD, UMU, and WMUG Districts; and Lot Coverage Requirements in C Districts. | |
Site Coverage in Chinatown Mixed Use Districts. | |
Usable Open Space for Dwelling Units and Group Housing, R, NC, Mixed Use, C, and M Districts. | |
Open Space Requirements for Uses Other than Residential in Chinatown. | |
Usable Open Space for Live/Work Units in Newly Constructed Buildings or Expansions of Existing Buildings. | |
Usable Open Space for Non-Residential Uses in the Eastern Neighborhoods Mixed Use and DTR Districts. | |
Obstructions Over Streets and Alleys and in Required Setbacks, Yards, and Usable Open Space. | |
Awnings, Canopies and Marquees. | |
Modification of Certain Plazas, Arcades, and Sidewalks. | |
Privately-Owned Public Open Space (POPOS) Requirements. | |
Streetscape and Pedestrian Improvements. | |
Standards for Bird-Safe Buildings. | |
All Dwelling Units in All Use Districts to Face on an Open Area. | |
Common Area Requirement for Efficiency Dwelling Units with Reduced Square Footage. | |
Screening of Rooftop Features in R, NC, C, M, WMUG, WMUO, RED, RED-MX, SALI and Mixed Use Districts. | |
Screening and Greening of Parking and Vehicular Use Areas. | |
Street Frontages in RH, RTO, RTO-M, and RM Districts. | |
Moderation of Building Fronts in RM-1 and RM-2 Districts. | |
Street Frontages in Neighborhood Commercial, Residential-Commercial, Commercial, and Mixed Use Districts. | |
Outdoor Activity Areas in NC Districts. | |
Maximum Street Frontages – Chinatown. | |
Required Ground Floor Commercial Uses. | |
Ground Floor Standards in Industrial and PDR Districts. | |
Sunlight Access to Public Sidewalks in C-3 Districts. | |
Reduction of Shadows on Certain Public or Publicly Accessible Open Spaces in C-3, South of Market Mixed Use, and Eastern Neighborhoods Mixed Use Districts. | |
Better Roofs; Living Roof Alternative. | |
(The diagrams in this Article are illustrative only, and not a part of the adopted ordinance.)
(See Interpretations related to this Section.)
The following requirements for minimum lot width and area shall apply to all properties in the City, regardless of the use of the property, regardless of the zoning district in which the property is located, and regardless of whether the ownership or use is public or private. The provisions of Article 1.7 of this Code, and especially Sections 173, 180 and 189 thereof, shall also be applicable with respect to lot width and area.
(a) Frontage. Every newly created lot shall have and maintain frontage on a public street or alley as defined by this Code, or on some other permanent right-of-way from which there shall be vehicular access to such lot, and in each case such frontage shall have a minimum width of 16 feet. Where an existing lot of record does not have such frontage, but has other access from a street or alley, such other access shall be maintained for such lot.
(b) Subdivisions and Lot Splits. Subdivisions and lot splits shall be governed by the Subdivision Code of the City and County of San Francisco and by the Subdivision Map Act of California. In all such cases the procedures and requirements of said Code and said Act shall be followed, including the requirement for consistency with the General Plan of the City and County of San Francisco.
(c) Measurement. The lot width shall be measured as a horizontal distance between the side lot lines. The lot area shall be measured as a horizontal plane enclosed by the lot lines. Where a lot is not in the form of an ordinary rectangle, the specified minimum lot width shall be maintained for a sufficient depth on the lot to enable the minimum lot area requirement to be satisfied within the portion of the lot having such minimum lot width.
![](https://export.amlegal.com/media/e1d4a339b38f765e095059d95c8d03145b399a62/IMAGES/0-0-0-5508.jpg)
(e) Minimum Lot Area. The minimum lot area shall be 1,200 sq. ft.
AMENDMENT HISTORY
CODIFICATION NOTE
(See Interpretations related to this Section.)
(a) Purpose. In order to promote, protect, and maintain a scale of development that is appropriate to each district and compatible with adjacent buildings, new construction or significant enlargement of existing buildings on lots of the same size or larger than the square footage stated in the Neighborhood Commercial Districts located in the Priority Equity Geographies Special Use District established under Section 249.97 shown in the table below shall be permitted only as Conditional Uses.
District
|
Lot Size Limits
|
District
|
Lot Size Limits
|
North Beach (*) | 2,500 sq. ft. |
Polk Street (*) | |
NC-1, NCT-1 (*) | 5,000 sq. ft. |
24th Street-Mission | |
NC-2, NCT-2 (*) | 10,000 sq. ft. |
NC-3, NCT-3 (*) | |
Bayview | |
Divisadero Street (*) | |
Excelsior Outer Mission Street | |
Fillmore Street (*) | |
Folsom Street | |
Hayes-Gough | |
Lower Polk Street | |
Mission Street | |
San Bruno Avenue | |
SoMa | |
Upper Market Street | |
Valencia Street (*) | |
(*) These districts are located at least partially in the Priority Equity Geographies Special Use District established under Section 249.97. The controls in this Section 121.1 shall apply to those areas of these districts that are within the Priority Equity Geographies SUD. The controls in this Section 121.1 shall not apply to portions of any Neighborhood Commercial District that are outside the Priority Equity Geographies SUD. | |
(b) Design Review Criteria. In addition to the criteria of Section 303(c) of this Code, the Planning Commission shall consider the extent to which the following criteria are met:
(1) The mass, facade, and other physical characteristics of the proposed structure are compatible with objective design standards established with community input for the districts listed above, which may be specific to particular districts.
(2) Where 5,000 or more gross square feet of Non-Residential space is proposed, the project provides commercial spaces in a range of sizes, including one or more spaces of 1,000 gross square feet or smaller, to accommodate a diversity of neighborhood business types and business sizes.
(Added by Ord. 248-23, File No. 230446, App. 12/14/2023, Eff. 1/14/2024)
(Former Sec. 121.1 added by Ord. 69-87, App. 3/13/87; amended by Ord. 262-00, File No. 001426, App. 11/17/2000; Ord. 72-08, File No. 071157, App. 4/3/2008; Ord. 298-08, File No. 081153, App. 12/19/2008; Ord. 61-09, File No. 090181, App. 4/17/2009; Ord. 35-12
, File No. 111305, App. 2/21/2012, Eff. 3/22/2012; Ord. 42-13
, File No. 130002, App. 3/28/2013, Eff. 4/27/2013; Ord. 129-17, File No. 170203, App. 6/30/2017, Eff. 7/30/2017; Ord. 196-17, File No. 170419, App. 10/5/2017, Eff. 11/4/2017; Ord. 205-17, File No. 170418, App. 11/3/2017, Eff. 12/3/2017; Ord. 71-20, File No. 191285, App. 5/1/2020, Eff. 6/1/2020; Ord. 136-21, File No. 210674, App. 8/4/2021, Eff. 9/4/2021; repealed by Ord. 248-23, File No. 230446, App. 12/14/2023, Eff. 1/14/2024; amended by Ord. 53-24, File No. 231258, App. 3/22/2024, Eff. 4/22/2024)
AMENDMENT HISTORY
Table amended; Ord. 35-12
, Eff. 3/22/2012. Table amended; Ord. 42-13
, Eff. 4/27/2013. Divisions (a) and (b) designated; division (a) and table amended; Ord. 129-17, Eff. 7/30/2017. Division (a) and table amended; Ord. 196-17, Eff. 11/4/2017. Table amended; Ord. 205-17, Eff. 12/3/2017. Division (b)(3) added; Ord. 71-20, Eff. 6/1/2020. Table amended; Ord. 136-21, Eff. 9/4/2021. Former Section 121.1 repealed; new Section 121.1 added; Ord. 248-23, Eff. 1/14/2024. Division (b)(1) amended; Ord. 53-24, Eff. 4/22/2024.
(See Interpretations related to this Section.)
(a) In order to protect and maintain a scale of development appropriate to each district, Non-Residential Uses of the same size or larger than the square footage stated in the table below may be permitted only as Conditional Uses. The use area shall be measured as the Gross Floor Area for each individual Non-Residential Use.
District
|
Use Size Limits
|
District
|
Use Size Limits
|
Castro Street | 2,000 sq. ft. |
North Beach | |
Pacific Avenue | |
Polk Street* | |
24th Street-Mission | 2,500 sq. ft. |
24th Street-Noe Valley | |
Haight Street | |
Inner Clement Street | |
Inner Sunset | |
Japantown | |
Outer Clement Street | |
Sacramento Street | |
Union Street | |
Upper Fillmore Street | |
West Portal Avenue | |
NC-1, NCT-1 | 3,000 sq. ft. |
Broadway | |
Hayes-Gough | |
Upper Market Street | |
Valencia Street | |
NC-2, NCT-2 | 4,000 sq. ft. |
Divisadero Street | |
Folsom Street | |
Glen Park | |
Irving Street | |
Judah Street | |
Noriega Street | |
Ocean Avenue | |
SoMa | |
Taraval Street | |
NC-3, NCT-3 | 6,000 sq. ft. |
Excelsior Outer Mission Street | |
Fillmore Street | |
Mission Street | |
NC-S | |
Regional Commercial District | 10,000 sq. ft. |
* Conditional Use not required for any Limited Restaurant use that relocates within the Polk Street NCD, and is designated as a Legacy Business as of the effective date of the ordinance in Board File No. 240411.
In addition to the criteria of Section 303(c) of this Code, the Commission shall consider the extent to which the following criteria are met:
(1) The intensity of activity in the district is not such that allowing the larger use will be likely to foreclose the location of other needed neighborhood-serving uses in the area.
(2) The proposed use will serve the neighborhood, in whole or in significant part, and the nature of the use requires a larger size in order to function.
(3) The building in which the use is to be located is designed in discrete elements which respect the scale of development in the district.
(b) In order to protect and maintain a scale of development appropriate to each district, Non-Residential uses that exceed the square footage stated in the table below shall not be permitted, except in the following circumstances:
(1) In the Castro Street Neighborhood Commercial District, a Child Care Facility, School, Post-Secondary Educational Institution, Religious Institution, Social Service or Philanthropic Facility, Community Facility, or a Residential Care Facility as defined in Section 102 of this Code that is operated by a non-profit and is neighborhood-serving may exceed this Subsection 121.2(b) with Conditional Use authorization.
The use area shall be measured as the Gross Floor Area for each individual Non-Residential use.
District
|
Use Size Limits
|
West Portal Avenue | 4,000 square feet |
North Beach | |
Castro Street | |
Polk Street | |
Pacific Avenue | |
Regional Commercial District | 25,000 square feet |
(c) In order to protect the pedestrian scale of the Mission Street NCT and provide space for small businesses, the following control shall apply in the Mission Street NCT:
(2) Control. Any such project that does not include at least one non-residential space of no more than 2,500 square feet, located on the ground floor and fronting directly onto Mission Street, shall require a conditional use authorization. In considering whether to grant such conditional use authorization, the Commission shall consider the criteria in Sections 121.2(a) and 303(c).
(Added by Ord. 69-87, App. 3/13/87; amended by Ord. 445-87, App. 11/12/87; Ord. 312-99, File No. 991586, App. 12/3/99; Ord. 198-00, File No. 992321, App. 8/18/2000; Ord. 262-00, File No. 001426, App. 11/17/2000; Ord. 251-07, File No. 070851, App. 11/7/2007; Ord. 72-08, File No. 071157, App. 4/3/2008; Ord. 245-08, File No. 080696; Ord. 298-08, File No. 081153, App. 12/19/2008; Ord. 61-09, File No. 090181, App. 4/17/2009; Ord. 140-11, File No. 110482, App. 7/5/2011, Eff. 8/4/2011; Ord. 35-12
, File No. 111305, App. 2/21/2012, Eff. 3/22/2012; Ord. 42-13
, File No. 130002, App. 3/28/2013, Eff. 4/27/2013; Ord. 56-13
, File No. 130062, App. 3/28/2013, Eff. 4/27/2013; Ord. 154-13
, File No. 130263, App. 7/25/2013, Eff. 8/24/2013; Ord. 188-15
, File No. 150871, App. 11/4/2015, Eff. 12/4/2015; Ord. 129-17, File No. 170203, App. 6/30/2017, Eff. 7/30/2017; Ord. 205-17, File No. 170418, App. 11/3/2017, Eff. 12/3/2017; Ord. 17-18, File No. 171173, App. 2/9/2018, Eff. 3/12/2018; Ord. 202-18, File No. 180557, App. 8/10/2018, Eff. 9/10/2018; Ord. 11-23, File No. 221023, App. 2/9/2023, Eff. 3/12/2023; Ord. 169-24, File No. 240411, App. 7/12/2024, Eff. 8/12/2024)
AMENDMENT HISTORY
Division (a) table amended; Ord. 140-11, Eff. 8/4/2011. Division (a) table amended; Ord. 35-12
, Eff. 3/22/2012. Division (a) table amended; Ord. 42-13
, Eff. 4/27/2013. Division (a) table amended; division (b) table amended; Ord. 56-13
, Eff. 4/27/2013. Division (a) table amended [identical amendments previously had been made by Ord. 56-13
]; division (b) amended; Ord. 154-13
, Eff. 8/24/2013. Division (a) amended; Ord. 188-15
, Eff. 12/4/2015. Section header, divisions (a) and (b), and both tables amended; division (b) divided into divisions (b), (b)(1), (b)(2), and undesignated paragraph; Ord. 129-17, Eff. 7/30/2017. Division (b)(3) added; division (b) table amended; Ord. 205-17, Eff. 12/3/2017. Divisions (c)-(c)(2) added; Ord. 17-18, Eff. 3/12/2018. Division (a) table amended; Ord. 202-18, Eff. 9/10/2018. Divisions (b) and (b)(3) and division (b) table amended; Ord. 11-23, Eff. 3/12/2023. Division (a) table note added; Ord. 169-24, Eff. 8/12/2024.
(a) In order to promote, protect, and maintain a scale of development which is appropriate to each Mixed Use District and complementary to adjacent buildings, new construction or enlargement of existing buildings on lots larger than the square footage stated in the table below shall be permitted as conditional uses subject to the provisions set forth in Section 303.
District
|
Lot Size Limits
|
Chinatown Community Business | 5,000 sq. ft. |
Chinatown Residential/Neighborhood Commercial | |
Chinatown Visitor Retail |
(b) In addition to the criteria of Section 303(c), the Planning Commission shall consider whether the mass, façade, and other physical characteristics of the proposed structure are compatible with objective design standards established with community input for the districts listed above, which may be specific to particular districts.
AMENDMENT HISTORY
In order to protect and maintain small scale use within an historically significant area and to conserve neighborhood-serving uses in Chinatown, Commercial Uses which exceed the use size limits up to the maximum limits stated in the table below shall be permitted only as Conditional Uses subject to the provisions set forth in Section 303 of this Code. The use area shall be measured as the Gross Floor Area for each individual commercial use. Individual Commercial Uses above the use size maximum below shall not be permitted, except that a Social Service or Philanthropic Facility may be permitted as a Conditional Use pursuant to Section 303, subsection (bb) of this Code. Further, any nonconforming use size that exceeds the maximum below shall be deemed abandoned by any change of use or if no business has operated within the space for more than eighteen months, except a nonconforming use size shall not be deemed abandoned if (1) the change of use is to a Restaurant that is a Legacy Business or to an Institutional Community Use, or (2) upon Conditional Use Authorization the change of use is to a Social Service or Philanthropic Facility that primarily serves the Chinatown neighborhood pursuant to Section 303, subsection (bb) of this Code. However, any such abandoned use size may be re-established if the first use to occupy the space after its abandonment is an Institutional Community Use or a Restaurant use that will be occupied by a Legacy Business.
District | Use Size Maximum | Use Size Limit |
Chinatown Visitor Retail | 5,000 sq. ft. | 2,500 sq. ft. |
Chinatown Residential Neighborhood Commercial | 4,000 sq. ft. | 2,500 sq. ft. |
Chinatown Community Business | 5,000 sq. ft. | 2,500 sq. ft. |
In the Chinatown Visitor Retail, Chinatown Residential Neighborhood Commercial, and Chinatown Community Business Districts, the use size limit shall not apply to a Restaurant that is a Legacy Business or to an Institutional Community Use.
AMENDMENT HISTORY
(Added by Ord. 72-08, File No. 071157, App. 4/3/2008; amended by Ord. 298-08, File No. 081153, App. 12/19/2008; repealed by Ord. 22-15, File No. 141253, App. 2/20/2015, Eff. 3/22/2015)
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