SEC. 240.3. WATERFRONT SPECIAL USE DISTRICT NO. 3.

(See Interpretations related to this Section.)

The following provisions shall apply within Waterfront Special Use District No. 3:

(a) Industrial, commercial and other operations directly related to the conduct of waterborne commerce or navigation shall be permitted as Principal Uses.

(b) A wholesale establishment conducted entirely within an enclosed building shall be permitted as a Principal Use.

(c) Any development on property not under the jurisdiction of the Port Commission which includes an area (excluding the area of public streets and alleys) of at least three acres shall be permitted only upon approval by the Planning Commission according to the procedures for conditional use approval in Section 303 of this Code. In considering any application for such a development under Section 303, the Planning Commission shall consider the following criteria in addition to those stated in Section 303(c):

(1) Conformance to the Northeastern Waterfront Plan, a part of the General Plan, including streets and roadways as indicated therein;

(2) Assurance of a general profile for development having higher portions near Telegraph Hill or other inland areas and lower portions near The Embarcadero;

(3) Assurance of view corridors along public streets between Telegraph Hill or other inland areas and the waterfront and Bay;

(4) Provision of open spaces available to the public; and

(5) Adherence to the character of surrounding areas of the City.

(d) Any new development (excluding alterations to existing development) on property under the jurisdiction of the Port Commission that requires a Port lease of more than 10 years, and includes an area of at least ½ acre (excluding the area of public streets and alleys) shall be subject to review of the urban design of the proposed use by the waterfront design review process, as provided under Section 240(c) of this Code.

(e) In considering any application for development on property under the jurisdiction of the Port Commission on which a specific use or uses require a conditional use, the specific use or uses requiring a conditional use within a project, and not the project in its entirety, shall be subject to the provisions set forth in Section 303 and Article 3.5 of this Code. The Planning Commission shall consider the following criteria in lieu of those stated in Section 303(c):

(1) That such use or feature as proposed is consistent with the Waterfront Plan and the design of the use is consistent with Waterfront Plan urban design, historic preservation, and public access goals, policies, and objectives, adopted by the Port Commission, including any amendments thereto which the Planning Commission has found to be consistent with the General Plan;

(2) Assurance of a general profile for development having higher portions near Telegraph Hill or other inland areas and lower portions near The Embarcadero;

(3) Assurance of view corridors along public streets between Telegraph Hill or other inland areas and the waterfront and Bay, in accordance with the view policies of the Northeastern Waterfront Plan, a part of the General Plan;

(4) Provision of open spaces available to the public consistent with the Waterfront Plan urban design and open space Design and Access goals, policies, and objectives; and

(5) Adherence to the character of surrounding areas of the City.

(f) A Hotel or Motel, if otherwise listed in this Code as a Permitted Use, shall be permitted only upon approval by the Planning Commission as a Conditional Use under Section 303 of this Code.

(g) An Automotive Service Station, if otherwise listed in this Code as a Permitted Use, shall be permitted only upon approval by the Planning Commission as a Conditional Use under Section 303 of this Code.

(h) Any building or use which provides a greater number of off-street parking spaces than required under Section 151.1 of this Code shall be permitted only upon approval by the Planning Commission as a conditional use under Section 303 of this Code; provided, however, that this subsection (h) shall not apply (1) in any case where fewer than 10 such spaces are provided, or (2) for property under the jurisdiction of the Port of San Francisco, to the extent such off-street parking spaces existed as of February 16, 1998. Any building or use which provides 10 or more off-street parking spaces shall be permitted only upon approval by the Planning Commission as a Conditional Use under Section 303 of this Code.

(i) The basic Floor Area Ratio limit shall be 5.0 to 1 to the extent provided in Section 124(e) of this Code. (Amended by Ord. 443-78, App. 10/6/78; Ord. 15-98, App. 1/16/98; Ord. 311-18, File No. 181028, App. 12/21/2018, Eff. 1/21/2019; Ord. 157-23, File No. 230503, App. 7/28/2023, Eff. 8/28/2023; Ord. 245-25, File No. 250701, App. 12/12/2025, Eff. 1/12/2026, Oper. 1/12/2026)

AMENDMENT HISTORY

Divisions (a), (b), and (f)-(j) amended; division (k) deleted; Ord. 311-18, Eff. 1/21/2019. Divisions (a), (d), (e)(1), and (h) amended; divisions (e)(3) and (i) deleted; divisions (e)(4)-(6) and (j) redesignated as (e)(3)-(5) and (i); division (e)(5) amended; Ord. 157-23, Eff. 8/28/2023. Division (h) amended; Ord. 245-25, Eff. 1/12/2026.