§131.0713 Building Frontage Activation, Articulation and Transparency — San Diego Zoning Code

The purpose and intent of these regulations is to create visual interest that enhances the pedestrian experience, assists in diminishing the overall mass of buildings, and creates variation from a pedestrian’s perspective.

(a) All buildings shall be oriented so that primary pedestrian entrances for each ground floor use are accessible from an abutting public sidewalk or pedestrian connection to a sidewalk. Where there is an internal pedestrian pathway or a plaza, the primary pedestrian entrance may be internal.
(b) All buildings located on a public right-of-way and building facade s that front a private drive, plaza, or other open space area in the development shall provide a minimum of two frontage activation elements from Table 131-07C.

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Chapter 13: Zones

(3-2026)

Table 131-07C Building Frontage Activation Elements

Activation Element	Amount- Minimums	Min Width	Min Depth
Commercial Storefront	None	None	None
Porches, Patios, Yards and/or Stoops	50% of the_building facade_ at ground level or one for every 30 feet of frontage At least 30 square feet in total area	None	None
Vertical and/or Horizontal Off- Setting Planes	None	2 ft	2 ft
Balconies	30% of the_building facade_ or one for every 30 feet of frontage	4 ft	6 ft
Arcades, Colonnades or Galleries	30% of the_building facade_	20 ft	10 ft
Awning, Canopy, Marquee, Sunshade or Trellis	50% of the_building facade_ at ground level 15% for upper floor building facades	2 ft	2 ft
Roll up or Large Opening Doors	None, but still subject to transparency requirements	Greater than 5 ft	N/A
Plazas	See Section 131.0718(d)(7)	20 ft	N/A
*Paseos*	None	8 ft	N/A

(c) The maximum length for the portion of a building located within 20 feet of a street property line is 100 feet, unless there is a recess or separation to break up the building mass.

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San Diego Municipal Code

Chapter 13: Zones

(3-2026)

(d) A total of 50 percent of the building facade shall be offset by at least two feet in depth from the rest of the building facade .
(e) For buildings exceeding eight dwelling units , at least 30 percent of the roof area shall have designs that vary and provide either vertical or horizontal relief from the remainder of the roof area.
(f) Buildings at intersections with traffic signals shall include one of the following gateway or architectural features at the corner. These features may not exceed the height limit within the Coastal Overlay Zone or other height overlay zones.
- (1) Rounded corner with vertical or horizontal projecting or exaggerated roof element;
- (2) Corner plaza;
- (3) Recessed entries;
- (4) Variations in materials or color; or
- (5) Roll up or large opening doors greater than five feet in width.
(g) For non-residential uses, a minimum of 60 percent of the street wall area on the ground floor shall be transparent.
(h) For residential uses, a minimum of 40 percent of street wall area on the ground floor shall be transparent.

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San Diego Municipal Code

Chapter 13: Zones

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Diagram 131-07A Transparency Requirement for Non-Residential Uses

==> picture [390 x 345] intentionally omitted <==

(“Building Frontage Activation, Articulation and Transparency” added 9-12-2019 by O-21118 N.S.; effective 10-12-2019.)

Ch. Art. Div. 13 1 7 22

San Diego Municipal Code

Chapter 13: Zones

(3-2026)