§113.0270 Measuring Structure Height

• (a) Structure Height of Buildings and Structures (Excluding Fences , Retaining Walls , or Signs )

  • (1) The maximum permitted structure height is specified in the applicable zone and defines the upper limits of the building envelope for a premises . It is measured vertically from the existing grade or proposed grade , whichever is lower, to form an imaginary plane that is parallel to grade , below which all buildings and structures must be located, except as otherwise described in 113.0270(a)(4). This is illustrated in Diagram 113-02JJ.

Diagram 113-02JJ

Maximum Permitted Structure Height

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Imaginary plane above
and parallel to grade
Maximum permitted
structure height
Grade
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San Diego Municipal Code

Chapter 11: Land Development Procedures

(10-2024)

• (2) A two-part calculation is required to measure structure height including:

  • (A) Plumb line measurement. The structure height is measured from all points on top of a structure to existing grade or proposed grade , whichever is lower, directly below each point, except as described in Section 113.0270(a)(4). This measurement is taken vertically through the structure at each point where structure height is being measured, as shown in Diagram 113-2KK.

Diagram 113-02KK

Measurement of Structure Height

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Structure
Height
Grade
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Structure
Height Grade
Structure
Height
Existing
Grade
Proposed Grade,
outside building
footprint
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Structure
Height Grade
Structure
Height
Proposed
Grade
Existing Grade
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San Diego Municipal Code

Chapter 11: Land Development Procedures

(10-2024)

• (B) Overall Height Measurement. The overall structure height is measured from the lowest point of existing grade or proposed grade within 5 feet of the structure’s perimeter (building wall, balcony, bay window, or similar architectural projection ) or at the property line , whichever is closer, to the highest point of the structure , projected horizontally to directly above this lowest point of grade . The overall structure height shall not exceed the maximum permitted structure height of the applicable zone plus an amount equal to either the maximum grade differential within the structure’s footprint or 10 feet, whichever is less. The structure height shall not exceed the maximum allowed by the applicable zone at any one point. This is illustrated in Diagram 113-02LL.

Diagram 113-02LL

Overall Structure Height

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10’ Max. Grade
Differential
Grade
Overall Structure Height:
Max. Permitted Structure Height
Plus Grade Differential within
5’ Structure Footprint or 10’,
Whichever is Less
10’ Max. Grade
Differential
Low Point of Structure
Low Point of Grade
within 5’, or the Property
Line, Whichever is Closer
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San Diego Municipal Code

Chapter 11: Land Development Procedures

(10-2024)

• (3) Structure height is measured separately for each structure that is separated from another structure on the premises by 6 feet or more. Separation between structures shall be measured in plan view to account for the structural envelope of each structure .

• (4)

• Special Circumstances

• (A) Extreme Topographic Variation. Where there is an extreme natural topographic variation on a premises that covers 10 percent or less of the proposed structure’s footprint, as shown in Diagram 113-02MM, overall structure height is measured from an imaginary plane made by connecting the perimeter points of the topographic variation, so that the imaginary plane above and parallel to grade will not reflect the extreme natural topographic variation.

Diagram 113-02MM

Structure Height at Basement

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Imaginary plane disregards
topographic variation
Grade
Imaginary plane
connecting perimeter
of topographic Maximum permitted
variation Structure height
Topographic
variation
Max
10% of
structure footprint
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San Diego Municipal Code

Chapter 11: Land Development Procedures

(10-2024)

• (B) Measuring Structure Height for Subterranean Areas

• (i) Interior Subterranean Areas. Where a basement , underground parking structure , interior court , or other similar interior subterranean area is proposed, the plumb line measurement to the lower of existing grade or proposed grade shall be measured to an imaginary plane through the building that connects the adjacent grade elevations on both sides of the structure as shown in Diagram 113-02NN.

Diagram 113-02NN

Imaginary Plan and Plumb Line

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Plumb Lines
Imaginary Plane
Grade
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San Diego Municipal Code

Chapter 11: Land Development Procedures

(10-2024)

• (ii) Exterior Subterranean Areas. The overall structure height measurement shall not include subterranean vehicular access, exterior subterranean pedestrian access, light wells of less than 5 feet from the building wall, or ventilation to a basement . Overall structure height shall instead be measured from an imaginary plane connecting to the lowest adjacen t grade immediately above the exterior subterranean space, as shown in Diagram 113-02OO.

Diagram 113-02OO

Access and Ventilation to Basement

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Exterior
Finish-floor
Subterranean Area
Grad e
Basemen
Imaginary Plane
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San Diego Municipal Code

Chapter 11: Land Development Procedures

(10-2024)

• (C) When a pool is located within 5 feet of the structure , the overall structure height shall not include the pool. This is illustrated in Diagram 113-02PP.

Diagram 113-02PP

Overall Structure Height With Pool

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• (D) Structure Height of Buildings subject to Coastal Height Limit in accordance with Section 132.0505.

  • (i) The height of a building is measured to the uppermost point of the structure or any appurtenance placed upon the roof thereof, including signs , penthouses, mechanical equipment, chimneys, vent stacks, spires, or steeples, or other projections.

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San Diego Municipal Code

Chapter 11: Land Development Procedures

(10-2024)

     - (ii) The base of the measurement shall be taken from finished grade in accordance with the 1970 Uniform Building Code.  The height shall be measured from the highest adjoining sidewalk or ground surface within 5 feet of the _structure_ , provided that the height measured from the lowest adjoining surface shall not exceed such maximum height by more than 10 feet. 

     - (iii) _Structure height_ of buildings subject to the Coastal Height Limit shall also comply with the zoning height requirements measured in accordance with this Division. 

• (5) Structures excluded from the measurement of structure height

• Uninhabited roof structures up to 15 feet in height that conceal mechanical equipment, elevators, stair overruns, trellis and shade structures , and fences with a surface area at least 75 percent open to light are excluded from the calculation of structure height for development , if all of the following conditions exist:

  - (A) The _development_ is not located within the Coastal Height Limit Overlay Zone, within the Clairemont Mesa Height Limit Overlay Zone, or within a designated view corridor within the Coastal Overlay Zone; 
  
  - (B) The _structure height_ , exclusive of the exemptions permitted in Section 113.0270(a)(5), is 45 feet or greater; 
  
  - (C) The _development_ is a commercial and residential mixed-use project; and 
  
  - (D) The _structure_ does not project above a 45-degree plane inclined inward from the top of the parapet of the nearest wall, except that trellises and shade _structures_ outside of the 45degree plane may be 9 feet in height, and _fences_ outside of the 45-degree plane with a surface area at least 75 percent open to light may be 4 feet in height. 
  

• (b) Structure Height of Fences , Walls, and Retaining Walls

  • (1) Fence and Wall Height

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San Diego Municipal Code

Chapter 11: Land Development Procedures

(10-2024)

• (A) The height of any portion of a fence or wall is measured from the lowest grade abutting the fence or wall to the top of the fence or wall, except that the height of a fence or wall on top of a retaining wall is measured from grade on the higher side of the retaining wall , as shown in Diagram 113-02QQ.

Diagram 113-02QQ

Height of Fence or Wall on Retaining Wall

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Fence
Fence
height
Grade
Retaining Wall
Grade
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• (B) The height of a fence or wall may be averaged between two points along the property line to create a straight line along the top of the fence or wall, provided that the average height does not exceed the maximum permitted.

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San Diego Municipal Code

Chapter 11: Land Development Procedures

(10-2024)

(2) Retaining Wall Height

The height of a retaining wall is measured from grade on the lower side of the retaining wall to the top of the retaining wall , as shown in Diagram 113-02RR.

Diagram 113-02RR

Retaining Wall Height

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Grade
Grade
Retaining Retaining
wall height wall height
Area of fill
Grade Grade
Area of cut
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• (c) Structure Height of Signs

The height of a ground sign is measured from the lowest point of the existing grade or proposed grade , whichever is lower, immediately adjacent to the base of the sign to the highest point at the top of the sign structure .

(Added 12-9-1997 by O-18451 N.S.; effective 1-1-2000.) ( Amended 11-28-2005 by O-19444 N.S.; effective 2-9-2006.) (Amended 11-13-2008 by O-19801 N.S.; effective 12-13-2008.) (Amended 8-4-2011 by O-20081 N.S.; effective 10-6-2011.) (Amended 6-18-2013 by O-20261 N.S.; effective 7-19-2013.) (Amended 7-10-2015 by O-20512 N.S.; effective 8-9-2015.) (Amended 2-1-2021 by O-21288 N.S.; effective 3-3-2021.) (Amended 1-27-2022 by O-21416 N.S.; effective 2-26-2022.)

Ch. Art. Div. 11 3 2 47

San Diego Municipal Code (10-2024)

Chapter 11: Land Development Procedures