§131.0554 Building Articulation — San Diego Zoning Code

Where building articulation is required by Tables 131-05C, 131-05D, or 131-05E, the following regulations apply.

(a) All building elevations fronting a public right-of-way shall be composed of offsetting planes that provide relief in the building facade by insetting or projecting surfaces (planes) of the building. The minimum number of offsetting planes and the minimum horizontal separation between planes is based on the length of the new building facade , as shown in Table 131-05F.

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San Diego Municipal Code

Chapter 13: Zones

(3-2026)

Table 131-05F

Offsetting Plane Requirements

*Length of NewBuilding Façade***	Number of Offsetting Planes Required
25 ft or less	2 with a minimum separation of 3 inches
More than 25 ft. but less than or equal to 50 ft	4 planes consisting of : 2 with a minimum separation of 3 inches, and 2 with a minimum separation of 8 inches
More than 50 ft. but less than or equal to 100 ft	6 planes consisting of: 2 with a minimum separation of 3 inches, and 2 with a minimum separation of 8 inches, and 2 with a minimum separation of 3 feet
More than 100 ft	6 planes consisting of: 2 with a minimum separation of 3 inches, and 2 with a minimum separation of 8 inches, and 2 with a minimum separation of 3 feet, and plus 1 additional plane for each 50 feet of_building_ _facade_length over 100 feet (maximum of 3 additional planes required with a minimum separation of 5 feet).

(1) For purposes of this section, the area of a plane may include separate surfaces that are non-contiguous but which all lie in the same plane. Each numbered surface of the building shown in Diagram 131-05F represents a different plane of the building facade. The sum of the area of each plane labeled with the same number in Diagram 131-05F is the total area of that plane.

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San Diego Municipal Code

Chapter 13: Zones

(3-2026)

Diagram 131-05F

Building Articulation

==> picture [221 x 164] intentionally omitted <==

----- Start of picture text -----
R oof line
6 min 3:12 slope
3
2 4
2
Cornice 1 4 1
5
22 3 4'
8' Structural cantilever
Pedestrian Entrance
----- End of picture text -----

(2) For purposes of this section, an offset is the distance between two different planes of a building facade measured perpendicularly to the plane surface (for example, the dimension between plane 1 and 2 in Diagram 131-05F).
(b) Where a 3-inch or 8-inch offset between planes is required, the total area of any single offsetting plane shall be more than 5 percent and less than 50 percent of the total building facade area on that frontage.
(c) Where a 3-foot or 5-foot offset between planes is required, the total area of any single offsetting plane shall be more than 10 percent and less than 50 percent of the total building facade area on that frontage.
(d) The following elements of a building facade may be used to satisfy any one required building plane:
(1) Roofs with a minimum pitch from eave to peak of 3:12 (3 vertical feet to 12 horizontal feet) and a minimum area of 10 percent of the building elevation fronting on a public right-of-way ;

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San Diego Municipal Code

Chapter 13: Zones

(3-2026)

(2) Pedestrian entrances with a minimum offset dimension of 4 feet from the primary plane of the building facade and a minimum width of 8 feet;
(3) A cornice equal to at least 70 percent of the length of the building facade that has a minimum offset of 1 foot, located along the street wall ; and
(4) Structural cantilevers with combined lengths totaling at least 30 percent of the length of the building facade , with an average offset of at least 2 feet, located along the street wall . Roof eaves do not count as offsetting planes.

(Added 12-9-1997 by O-18451 N.S.; effective 1-1-2000.)