SEC. 261.1. ADDITIONAL HEIGHT LIMITS FOR NARROW STREETS AND ALLEYS IN, R, RTO, NC, NCT,…

(See Interpretations related to this Section.)

(a) Purpose. The intimate character of Narrow Streets, as defined in subsection (b), and Alleys is an important and unique component of the City and certain neighborhoods in particular. The scale of these streets should be preserved to ensure they do not become overshadowed or overcrowded. Heights along Alleys and Narrow Streets are hereby limited to provide ample sunlight and air, as follows:

(b) Definitions.

(1) "Narrow Street" shall be defined as a public right of way less than or equal to 40 feet in width, or any mid-block passage or alley that is less than 40 feet in width created under the requirements of Section 270.2.

(2) “Subject Frontage” shall mean:

(A) any building frontage in an RH-1(D), RH-1, or RH-1(S) District that abuts a Narrow Street and is more than 20 feet from an intersection with a street wider than 40 feet; or

(B) any building frontage in an RH-2, RH-3, RM, RTO, NC, NCT, Van Ness & Market Residential Special Use District, or Eastern Neighborhood Mixed Use District that abuts a Narrow Street and that is more than 60 feet from an intersection with a Street wider than 40 feet.

(3) "East-West Narrow Streets" shall mean all Narrow Streets, except those created pursuant to Section 270.2, that are oriented at 45 degrees or less from a true east-west orientation or are otherwise named herein: Elm, Redwood, Ash, Birch, Ivy, Linden, Hickory, Lily, Rose, Laussat, Germania, Clinton Park, Brosnan, Hidalgo, and Alert Streets.

(4) “North-South Narrow Streets” shall mean all Narrow Streets, except those created pursuant to Section 270.2, that are oriented at 45 degrees or less from a true north-south orientation.

(5) Streets in the South of Market area that are perpendicular to Market Street are considered North-South Streets, and streets that are parallel to Market Street are considered East-West Streets.

(c) Applicability. The controls in this Section shall apply in all RH, RM, RTO, NC, NCT, the Van Ness & Market Residential Special Use District, and Eastern Neighborhoods Mixed Use Districts, except in the Bernal Heights Special Use District. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the CS Bulk District these controls shall only apply on certain frontages as described in Section 270(h).

(d) Controls.

(1) General Requirement. Except as described below, all Subject Frontages shall have upper stories set back at least 10 feet at the property line above a height equivalent to 1.25 times the width of the abutting Narrow Street. Buildings of two stories above grade may be built without a second-story setback, regardless of the width of the street.

(2) Southern Side of East-West Narrow Streets. All Subject Frontages on the southerly side of an East-West

Narrow Street shall have upper stories which are set back at the property line such that they avoid penetration of a sun access plane defined by an angle of 45 degrees extending from the most directly opposite property line (as illustrated in Figure 261.1A.) No part or feature of a building, including but not limited to any feature listed in Section 260(b), may penetrate the required setback plane.

(3) Narrow Streets Controls Within the Central SoMa SUD.

(A) Notwithstanding subsection (d)(1) above, buildings of 65 feet or more in height shall not be subject to the 10foot setback requirement, but instead shall be subject to the Apparent Mass Reduction controls of Section 270(h).

(B) Frontages on the westerly side of a North-South Narrow Street shall meet the sun access plane requirements of subsection (d)(2) above.

(4) Mid-block Passages. Subject Frontages abutting a mid-block passage provided pursuant to the requirements of Section 270.2 shall have upper story setbacks as follows:

(A) for mid-block passages between 20 and 30 feet in width, a setback of not less than 10 feet above a height of 25 feet.

(B) for mid-block passages between 30 and 40 feet in width, a setback of not less than 5 feet above a height of 35 feet.

Figure 261.1A

(Added by Ord. 72-08, File No. 071157, App. 4/3/2008; Ord. 298-08, File No. 081153, App. 12/19/2008; Ord. 85-10, File No. 091271, App. 4/30/2010; amended by Ord. 296-18, File No. 180184, App. 12/12/2018, Eff. 1/12/2019; Ord. 206-19, File No. 190048, App. 9/13/2019, Eff. 10/14/2019; Ord. 126-20, File No. 200559, App. 7/31/2020, Eff. 8/31/2020; Ord. 47-21, File No. 201175, App. 4/16/2021, Eff. 5/17/2021)

AMENDMENT HISTORY

Section header amended; division (b)(4) added; divisions (c), (d)(1), and (d)(2) amended; former division (d)(3) redesignated as division (d)(4) and amended; new divisions (d)(3)-(d)(3)(B) added; Ord. 296-18, Eff. 1/12/2019. Divisions (a), (c), (d)(1), and (d)(2) amended; division (b)(2) redesignated as (b)(2)- (b)(2)(B) and amended; Ord. 206-19, Eff. 10/14/2019. Divisions (b)(2)(B) and (c) amended; Ord. 126-20, Eff. 8/31/2020. Division (b)(5) added; divisions (d)(2) and (d)(3)-(d)(3)(B) amended; Ord. 47-21, Eff. 5/17/2021.

SEC. 261.2. ADDITIONAL HEIGHT LIMITS FOR THE FOLSOM STREET NCT DISTRICT.

(a) Purpose. Folsom Street is intended to be the main street of the Western SoMa neighborhood, with neighborhoodserving uses and a high-quality pedestrian environment. As such, it is important to allow for appropriate development heights while also maximizing light and air to the sidewalks, parks, plazas, and frontages along the street.

(b) Controls. In the Folsom Street NCT District, any portion of a building above 55 feet in height shall be set back at least 15 feet from any property line fronting Folsom Street, except for those features listed in Section 260(b) of this Code. (Added by Ord. 42-13 , File No. 130002, App. 3/28/2013, Eff. 4/27/2013)