San Francisco Planning Code § 210.2 C-3 Districts: Downtown

Downtown San Francisco, a center for City, regional, national, and international commerce, is composed of five separate districts, as follows:

C-3-O District: Downtown Office. This District, playing a leading national role in finance, corporate headquarters and service industries, and serving as an employment center for the region, consists primarily of high-quality office development. The intensity of building development is the greatest in the City, resulting in a notable skyline symbolizing the area's strength and vitality. The District is served by City and regional transit reaching its central portions and by automobile parking at peripheral locations. Intensity and compactness permit face-to-face business contacts to be made conveniently by travel on foot. Office development is supported by some related retail and service uses within the area, with inappropriate uses excluded in order to conserve the supply of land in the core and its expansion areas for further development of major office buildings.

C-3-O(SD) District: Downtown Office Special Development. This area south of Market Street and east of 3rd Street comprises the southern side of the core central business district, and is similar to and generally indistinguishable from the C-3-O District in terms of uses and character. The area is centered on the Transbay Transit Center. This District permits densities that exceed those in the C-3-O District and contains the tallest height limits in the City, reflecting its unparalleled public transportation access and geographically central position in the downtown.

C-3-R District: Downtown Retail. This District is a regional center for comparison shopper retailing and direct consumer services. It covers a compact area with a distinctive urban character, consists of uses with cumulative customer attraction and compatibility, and is easily traversed by foot. Like the adjacent Downtown Office District, this District is well-served by City and regional transit, with automobile parking best located at its periphery. Within the District, continuity of retail and consumer service uses is emphasized, with encouragement of pedestrian interest and amenities and minimization of conflicts between shoppers and motor vehicles. A further merging of this District with adjacent, related Districts is anticipated, partially through development of buildings which combine retailing with other functions.

C-3-G District: Downtown General Commercial. This District covers the western portions of downtown and is composed of a variety of uses: Retail, offices, hotels, entertainment, clubs and institutions, and high-density residential. Many of these uses have a Citywide or regional function, although the intensity of development is lower here than in the downtown core area. As in the case of other downtown districts, no off-street parking is required for individual commercial buildings. In the vicinity of Market Street, the configuration of this District reflects easy accessibility by rapid transit.

C-3-S District: Downtown Support. This District encompasses Yerba Buena Gardens, which includes San Francisco's Convention Center, hotels, museums and cultural facilities, housing, retail, and offices arranged around public gardens and plazas. The District continues to accommodate important supporting functions such as wholesaling, printing, building services, and secondary office space. It also contains unique housing resources. The District is within walking distance of rapid transit on Market Street, and is served by transit lines on Third, Fourth, Mission and Folsom streets.

	ZONING	Tabl CONTROL TA	e 210.2 BLE FORC-3 DIST	RICTS
Zoning Category	§ References	C-3-O	C-3-O(SD)	C-3-R	C-3-G	C-3-S
	ZONING	Tabl CONTROL TA	e 210.2 BLE FORC-3 DIST	RICTS
Zoning Category	§ References	C-3-O	C-3-O(SD)	C-3-R	C-3-G	C-3-S
BUILDING STANDARDS
Massing and Setbacks
Height and Bulk Limits	§§ 102, 105, 106, 250-252, 260 , 263.19, 261, 270, 270.3, 271	Varies. See also	Height and Bulk Di	strict Maps.
Setbacks and Streetwall Articulation	§ 132.1	Various upper fl width. Building Market Street.	oor setback requirem setbacks may be req	ents based on b uired facing stre	uilding location, h ets of 80' or less i	eight and street n width and on
Basic Floor Area Ratio (2)	§§ 102, 123,	9.0 to 1	6.0 to 1	6.0 to 1	6.0 to 1	5.0 to 1
	124 , 207.9
Front, Rear, and Side Setbacks	§§ 130, 132, 133, 134	See Residential	Standards below.
Sun Access Planes	§ 146	Buildings locate	d on certain streets a	re required to pr	ovide sun access	planes per § 146.
Street Frontage and Public Realm
Privately Owned Public Open Space	§ 138	Required with th equal to 20% or districts except	e constructing of a more of an existing C-3-R which is 1:10	new building or building. Ratio o 0.	an addition of gro f POPOS is 1:50	ss floor area feet for all
Downtown Streetscape Plan	§ 138.1	Required. Sidew with any new co existing buildin	alk paving, as set fo nstruction; or the ad g.	r in the Downto dition of floor ar	wn Streetscape Pl ea equal to 20% o	an is required r more of an
Street Frontage Requirements	§ 145.1	Required as spe	cified in § 145.1.
Street Frontage, Required Ground Floor Commercial	§ 145.4	As specified in commercial use	§ 145.4, certain stree s."	ts and districts a	re required to hav	e "active

Street Frontage, Parking and Loading Access Restrictions	§ 155(r)	As specified in § 155(r) certain stre vehicular access in addition to gene restricted on Transit Preferential, N bicycle routes or bicycle lanes.	ets and districts h ral standards. In eighborhood Com	ave additional restrictions on C-3 Districts curb cuts are mercial Streets or official City
Artworks and Recognition of Artists and Architects	§ 429	Art works and recognition of artists for additions of floor area in excess 429.	and architects ar of 25,000 square	e required for new buildings and feet to an existing building, per §
Miscellaneous
Large Project Review	§ 309	As required by § 309.
Planned Unit Development	§ 304	NP NP	NP	NP NP
Awnings, Canopy or Marquee	§ 136	P P	P	P P
Signs	§ 607	As permitted by § 607.
Design Guidelines and Standards	General Plan Commerce and Industry Element	Subject to the Urban Design Guidel applicable design guidelines that ha	ines, Citywide D ve been approved	esign Standards, and any other by the Planning Commission.
Housing Choice-SF	§ 206.10	Form-based density, additional heig	ht, and other zon	ing modifications for eligible
		projects in the R-4 Height and Bulk	District.
RESIDENTIAL STANDARDS A	ND USES
Development Standards
Usable Open Space for Dwelling Units and Group Housing	§§ 135, 136	At least 36 square feet if private, an Group Housing requirement is per b Unit. See exceptions for Commerci 210.5.	d 48 square feet p edroom and 1/3 t al to Residential	er Dwelling Unit if common; he amount required for a Dwelling Adaptive Reuse projects in Section
Residential Parking Requirements	§§ 150, 151.1, 161	None required. P up to one car for e four Dwelling Units. NP above.	ach two Dwellin	g Units; C up to three cars for each
Rear Yard Setback	§§ 130, 134	Lot coverage is limited to 80% at al levels that include only lobbies and residential uses, including circulatio property line fronting a street or all portion of the lot shall be open to th yards pursuant to subsections (1) th properties have an existing rear yar designed to adjoin that rear yard. Se Adaptive Reuse projects in Section	l levels containin circulation areas n areas, are withi ey, up to 100% lo e sky except for t rough (23) of Sec d, the unbuilt area e exceptions for 210.5. Exception	g Residential Uses, except that on and on levels in which all n 40 horizontal feet from a t coverage may occur. The unbuilt hose obstructions permitted in tion 136(c). Where the adjacent of the new project shall be Commercial to Residential s are permitted by § 309.
Residential Conversion, Demolition, or Merger of Dwelling Units, including Residential Flats	§ 317	C
Dwelling Unit Mix	§ 207.7	Generally required for creation of 1 total number of proposed Dwelling less than 10% of the total number o three Bedrooms.	0 or more Dwelli Units shall conta f proposed Dwell	ng Units. No less than 25% of the in at least two Bedrooms, and no ing Units shall contain at least
Use Characteristics
Intermediate Length Occupancy	§§102, 202.10	P(8) P(8)	P(8)	P(8) P(8)
Single Room Occupancy	§ 102	P P	P	P P
Student Housing	§ 102	P P	P	P P

Residential Uses Dwelling Unit Density, General (7)	§ 207	Form-Based Den	sity
Minimum Dwelling Unit Densities, if Applicable	§ 207.9	Varies depending units per acre.	on project locatio	n, but generally r	anges between 50	and 100 dwelling
Maximum Dwelling Unit Size	§§ 207.10, 317	P up to 4,000 squ individual Dwell thresholds.	are feet of Gross ing Unit of 1.2:1.	Floor Area or an e C for Dwelling U	quivalent Floor A nits that exceed th	rea Ratio for any e greater of those
Senior Housing Density	§§ 102, 202.2(f) , 207	Form-Based Den	sity
Group Housing Density	§ 208	Form-Based Den	sity
Homeless Shelter	§§ 102, 208	P	P	P	P	P
NON-RESIDENTIAL STANDAR	DS AND USES
Development Standards
Off-Street Parking	§§ 150, 151.1, 161	None Required.	Maximums set in	Planning Code § 1	51.1
Use Size Limits	§§ 121.6; 121.5	C required for si excess of 120,00 Stockkeeping Un sale of non-taxab	ngle retail use ove 0 gross square feet its (SKUs); and d le merchandise ar	r 90,000 gross squ that sell grocerie evote more than 5 e NP. Division of	are feet. Single R s; contain more th % of its total sale large use sizes per	etail Uses in an 20,000 s floor area to the § 121.5.
Ground Floor Ceiling Height	§ 145.1(c)(4)	Required minim	um floor-to-floor h	eight of 14 feet, a	s measured from	grade.
Commercial Use Characteristics
Drive-up Facility	§ 102	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP
Formula Retail	§§ 102, 303.1	P	P	P	P	P
Maritime Use	§ 102	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP
Open Air Sales	§ 102	P	P	P	P	P
Outdoor Activity Area	§ 102	P	P	P	P	P
Walk-up Facility	§ 102	P	P	P	P	P
Non-Residential Uses
Uses in Historic Buildings
Historic Buildings	§§ 202.11	In Historic Build	ings, all Uses are	P, except Cannabi	s Retail, Hotel, an	d certain
		Industrial Uses	s secified in § 2	211
Agricultural Use Category		,	p	..
Agricultural Uses*	§§ 102, 202.2(c)	P	P	P	P	P
Greenhouse	§§ 102, 202.2(c)	NP	NP	NP	NP	P
Automotive Use Category
Automotive Repair	§ 102	NP	NP	NP	NP	P
Automotive Sale/Rental	§ 102	P (4)	P (4)	P (4)	P (3)	P (3)
Automotive Service Station	§§ 102, 202.2(b)	NP	NP	NP	P	P
Automotive Wash	§§ 102, 202.2(b)	NP	NP	NP	C	C
Electric Vehicle Charging	§§ 102,	C	C	C	C	C
Location	202.2(b), 202.13
Fleet Charging	§ 102	C	C	C	C	C

Gas Station	§§ 102, 187.1, 202.2(b)	NP	NP	NP	C	C
Parking Garage, Private	§ 102	C	C	C	C	C
Parking Garage, Public	§ 102	C	C	C	C	C
Parking Lot, Private	§ 102, 142, 156	NP (9)	NP (9)	NP (9)	NP (9)	NP (9)
Parking Lot, Public	§ 102, 142, 156	NP (9)	NP (9)	NP (9)	NP (9)	NP (9)
Service, Motor Vehicle Tow	§ 102	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP
Service, Parcel Delivery	§§ 102 , 303(cc)	C	C	C	C	C
Services, Ambulance	§ 102	NP	NP	NP	C	P
Vehicle Storage Garage	§ 102	NP	NP	NP	C	P
Vehicle Storage Lot	§ 102, 142	NP	NP	NP	NP	C
Entertainment, Arts and Recreatio	n Use Category
Entertainment, Arts and Recreation Uses*	§ 102	P	P	P	P	P
Entertainment, Outdoor	§ 102	P	P	P	P	P
Livery Stable	§ 102	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP
Open Recreation Area	§ 102	P	P	P	P	P
Sports Stadium	§ 102	NP	NP	NP	NP	C
Industrial Use Category
Industrial Uses*	§ 102	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP
Manufacturing, Light	§ 102	P	P	P	P	P
Institutional Use Category
Institutional Uses*	§§ 102, 202.2(e)	P	P	P	P	P
Hospital	§ 102	C	C	C	C	C
Residential Care Facility	§ 102	P	P	P	P	P
Trade School	§ 102	P	P	P	P	P
Sales and Service Category
Retail Sales and Service Uses*	§§ 102, 202.2(a)	P	P	P	P	P
Hotel	§ 102	C	C	C (12)	C	C
Kennel	§ 102	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP
Massage Establishment	§§ 102, 204	P (10)¹	P (10)	P (10)	P (10)	P (10)
Mortuary	§ 102	NP	NP	NP	C	C
Motel	§§ 102, 202.2(a)	NP	NP	NP	C	C
Storage, Self	§ 102	NP	NP	C	C	P
Tobacco Paraphernalia Establishment	§ 102	C	C	C	C (11)	C
Non-Retail Sales and Service*	§ 102	P (1)	P (1)	P (1)	P (1)	P (1)
Catering	§ 102	P	P	P	P	P
Design Professional	§ 102	P	P	P (1)	P	P
Laboratory	§ 102	P	P	P	P	P
Life Science	§ 102	P	P	P	P	P

Storage, Commercial	§ 102	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP
Storage, Wholesale	§ 102	NP	NP	NP	NP	P
Wholesale Sales	§ 102	P	P	P	P	P
Utility and Infrastructure Use Ca	tegory
Utility and Infrastructure*	§ 102	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP
Internet Service Exchange	§ 102	C	C	C	C	C
Public Transportation Facility	§ 102	C	C	C	C	C
Utility Installation	§ 102	C	C	C	P	P
Wireless Telecommunications Services Facility	§ 102	P (5)	P (5)	P (5)	P (5)	P (5)

Not listed below.
(1) C required on the ground floor after December 31, 2030.

(2) For Office Uses in all C-3 Districts minimum intensities may apply pursuant to § 207.9.

(3) C required if operated on an open lot.
(4) Required to be in an enclosed building, NP if operated on open lot.

(5) C required if taller than 25 feet above roof, grade, or height limit depending on site or if within 1000 feet of an R

District and includes a parabolic antenna with a diameter in excess of 3 meters or a composite diameter of antennae in excess of 6 meters. See definition in Section 102 for more information.

(6) [Reserved.]

(7) Construction of Accessory Dwelling Units may be permitted pursuant to Sections 207.1 and 207.2.

(8) NP for buildings with three or fewer Dwelling Units; C for buildings with 10 or more Dwelling Units. P for Commercial to Residential Adaptive Reuse projects pursuant to Section 210.5, regardless of building size.

(9) Pursuant to Section 156(f), temporary parking lots may be approved as Conditional Uses, except in the C-3-O(SD) District, pursuant to the provisions of Section 303 for a period not to exceed five years from the date of approval. No new parking lots may be approved in the C-3-O(SD) District, however Conditional Use approval for a two-year extension of existing parking lots in the C-3-O(SD) District may be approved pursuant to Section 156(f) provided that they meet the requirements of subsection 156(h).

(10)1 C on the 2nd floor and above, except that a Massage Establishment located on the 2nd floor or above accessory to a Hotel, Personal Service or Health Service is P.

(11) TOBACCO PARAPHERNALIA ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE NORTH OF MARKET RESIDENTIAL SPECIAL USE DISTRICT – A special definition of “Tobacco Paraphernalia Establishments” set forth in Section 102 applies to parcels in the North of Market Residential Special Use District (Sec. 249.5). Tobacco Paraphernalia Establishments are not permitted in the North of Market Residential Special Use District. Additionally, a legal non-conforming Tobacco

Paraphernalia Establishment in the North of Market Residential Special Use District is deemed abandoned after 180 days of non-use.

(12) A total of up to 51 Tourist Hotel rooms are Principally Permitted on Block 0287 Lot 020, subject to the provisions of Ordinance No. 44-25, in Board File No. 250069.

(Amended as Sec. 210.3 by Ord. 414-85, App. 9/17/85; Ord. 63-11, File No. 101053, App. 4/7/2011, Eff. 5/7/2011; Ord. 182-12 , File No. 120665, App. 8/8/2012, Eff. 9/7/2012; redesignated and amended by Ord. 22-15, File No. 141253, App. 2/20/2015, Eff. 3/22/2015; amended by Ord. 162-15 , File No. 150805, App. 9/18/2015, Eff. 10/18/2015; Ord. 188-15 , File No. 150871, App. 11/4/2015, Eff. 12/4/2015; Ord. 23-16 , File No. 150494, App. 3/4/2016, Eff. 4/3/2016; Ord. 33-16 , File No. 160115, App. 3/11/2016, Eff. 4/10/2016; Ord. 166-16 , File No. 160477, App. 8/11/2016, Eff. 9/10/2016; Ord. 129-17, File No. 170203, App. 6/30/2017, Eff. 7/30/2017; Ord. 189-17, File No. 170693, App. 9/15/2017, Eff.

10/15/2017; Ord. 277-18, File No. 180914, App. 11/20/2018, Eff. 12/21/2018; Ord. 23-19, File No. 180916, App.

2/15/2019, Eff. 3/18/2019; Ord. 116-19, File No. 181156, App. 6/28/2019, Eff. 7/29/2019; Ord. 78-20, File No. 191075, App. 5/22/2020, Eff. 6/22/2020; Ord. 136-21, File No. 210674, App. 8/4/2021, Eff. 9/4/2021; Ord. 233-21, File No. 210381, App. 12/22/2021, Eff. 1/22/2022; Ord. 37-22, File No. 211263, App. 3/14/2022, Eff. 4/14/2022; Ord. 190-22, File No. 220036, App. 9/16/2022, Eff. 10/17/2022; Ord. 264-22, File No. 220811, App. 12/22/2022, Eff. 1/22/2023; Ord. 122- 23, File No. 230371, App. 7/5/2023, Eff. 8/5/2023; Ord. 159-23, File No. 230732, App. 7/28/2023, Eff. 8/28/2023; Ord. 47-24, File No. 231223, App. 3/15/2024, Eff. 4/15/2024; Ord. 54-24, File No. 240169, App. 3/22/2024, Eff. 4/22/2024, Retro. 3/30/2024; Ord. 62-24, File No. 230310, App. 3/28/2024, Eff. 4/28/2024; Ord. 70-24, File No. 231225, App. 4/5/2024, Eff. 5/6/2024; Ord. 113-24, File No. 240193, App. 6/13/2024, Eff. 7/14/2024, Retro. 3/30/2024; Ord. 44-25, File No. 250069, App. 4/3/2025, Eff. 5/4/2025; Ord. 124-25, File No. 250542, App. 8/1/2025, Eff. 9/1/2025; Ord. 173-25, File No. 250634, App. 9/5/2025, Eff. 10/6/2025; Ord. 245-25, File No. 250701, App. 12/12/2025, Eff. 1/12/2026, Oper. 1/12/2026; Ord. 37-26, File No. 250886, App. 3/11/2026, Eff. 4/11/2026)

(Former Sec. 210.2 amended by Ord. 136-68, App. 5/29/68; redesignated as Sec. 210.1 and amended by Ord. 22-15, File No. 141253, App. 2/20/2015, Eff. 3/22/2015)

AMENDMENT HISTORY

C-3-G, C-3-S Districts amended; Ord. 63-11, Eff. 5/7/2011. C-3-O(SD) District added; Ord. 182-12 , Eff. 9/7/2012. Former Sec. 210.3 redesignated as Sec. 210.2; Table 210.2 added; Ord. 22-15, Eff. 3/22/2015. Note (7) added; Ord. 16215 , Eff. 10/18/2015. Introductory material and Table 210.2 amended; Ord. 188-15 , Eff. 12/4/2015. Table 210.2 amended; Ord. 23-16 , Eff. 4/3/2016. Table 210.2 amended; Ord. 33-16 , Eff. 4/10/2016. Table 210.2 amended; Ord. 166-16 , Eff. 9/10/2016. Table 210.2 amended; Ord. 129-17, Eff. 7/30/2017. Table 210.2 amended; Ord. 189-17, Eff. 10/15/2017. Table 210.2 amended; Ord. 277-18, Eff. 12/21/2018. Introductory material and Table Notes (1), (2), (3), (5), and (6) amended; Ord. 23-19, Eff. 3/18/2019. Note (7) amended; Ord. 116-19, Eff. 7/29/2019. Table 210.2 amended; Note (8) added; Ord. 78-20, Eff. 6/22/2020. Table 210.2 and Note (8) amended; Note (9) added; Ord. 136-21, Eff. 9/4/2021. Table 210.2 amended; Note (10)¹ added; Ord. 233-21 , Eff. 1/22/2022. Table 210.2 and Note (10)¹ amended; Ord. 37-22 , Eff. 4/14/2022. Table 210.2 amended; Ord. 190-22 , Eff. 10/17/2022. Table 210.2 amended; Ord. 264-22 , Eff. 1/22/2023. Table 210.2 and Note (8) amended; Notes (2) and (6) deleted; Ord. 122-23 , Eff. 8/5/2023, and Ord. 159-23 , Eff. 8/28/2023. Table 210.2 amended; Ord. 47-24 , Eff. 4/15/2024; and Ord. 54-24 , Retro. 3/30/2024. Note (7) amended; Ord. 62-24 , Eff. 4/28/2024. Table 210.2 amended; Note (10) designated; Note (11) added; Ord. 70-24 , Eff. 5/6/2024. Table 210.2 amended; Ord. 113-24 , Eff. 7/14/2024, Retro. 3/30/2024. Table 210.2 amended; Note (12) added; Ord. 44-25 , Eff. 5/4/2025. Note (1) amended; Ord. 124-25 , Eff. 9/1/2025. Table 210.2 amended; Ord. 173-25, Eff. 10/6/2025. Table 210.2 amended; Note (2) added; Ord. 245-25 , Eff. 1/12/2026. Table 210.2 amended; Ord. 37-26 , Eff. 4/11/2026. CODIFICATION NOTE

Note “(10)” is referenced as “(9)” in Ord. 233-21 and Ord. 37-22. The note was redesignated by the codifier because a note designated as “(9)” previously had been added to this section by Ord. 136-21. The note was officially designated as “(10)” by Ord. 70-24.