Chapter 20.020 — ZONING DISTRICTS, ZONING MAP, AND BOUNDARIES

The City shall be classified into districts or zones, the designation and regulation of which are set forth in this Ordinance and as follows.

• A. Base Zoning Districts. Base zoning districts into which the City is divided are established as follows:

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Table 20.020.001(A): Base Zoning Districts
Base Zoning District Group Base Zoning District – Abbreviation Base Zoning District – Full Name
RL* Low Density Residential
Residential Zoning Districts RM Medium Density Residential
RH* High Density Residential
DRL Downtown Residential – Low
Downtown Residential Zoning Districts DRM Downtown Residential – Medium
DRH Downtown Residential – High
DRC Downtown Residential Core
LNC Linden Neighborhood Center
Downtown/Caltrain Station Area Zoning Districts GAC Grand Avenue Core
DTC Downtown Transit Core
ETC East of 101 Transit Core
CC Community Commercial
BPO Business and Professional Office
Non-Residential Zoning Districts BTP-M Business Technology Park – Medium
BTP-H Business Technology Park – High
MIM Mixed Industrial Medium
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City of South San Francisco, CA

§ 20.020.001

§ 20.020.001

ZONING

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Table 20.020.001(A): Base Zoning Districts
Base Zoning District Group Base Zoning District – Abbreviation Base Zoning District – Full Name
MIH Mixed Industrial High
PQP Public/Quasi-Public
S School
Civic Zoning Districts
PR Parks and Recreation
OS Open Space
Other Base Zoning Districts PD Planned Development
T3N T3 Neighborhood
T3C T3 Corridor
T3ML T3 Makers Lindenville
Form-Based Zoning Districts T4L T4 Lindenville
T5C T5 Corridor
T5L T5 Lindenville
T6UC T6 Urban Core
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Notes:

• Numerical designators denote the maximum density allowed in each sub-district (RL-2.2, RL-8, etc.)

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City of South San Francisco, CA § 20.020.001

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO CODE

§ 20.020.001

• B. Specific Plans and Master Plans. Specific Plan and Master Plan Areas are established as follows:

Table 20.020.001(B): Specific Plans and Master Plans Specific Plan or Master Plan Name

Lindenville Specific Plan District Oyster Point Specific Plan District Genentech Master Plan District Southline Campus Specific Plan District

• C. Overlay Zoning Districts. Overlay zoning districts, one or more of which may be combined with a base district, are established as follows:

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Table 20.020.001(C): Overlay Zoning Districts
Overlay Zoning District
Abbreviation Overlay Zoning District Full Name
AM Arts and Makers Overlay
AGFU Active Ground Floor Use Overlay
CCG Colma Creek Greenbelt Overlay
ES Special Environmental Studies Overlay
HI Height Incentive Overlay
SLR Floodplain/Sea Level Rise Overlay
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City of South San Francisco, CA

§ 20.020.001

§ 20.020.001

ZONING

(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022; Ord. 1649, 10/11/2023; Ord. 1656, 6/12/2024)

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City of South San Francisco, CA

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO CODE

§ 20.020.002

• A. Official Maps. The boundaries of the zoning districts and overlay districts established by this Ordinance are not included in this Ordinance but are shown on the Official Zoning Maps maintained by the City Clerk. The following maps, together with all legends, symbols, notations, references, district boundaries, map symbols, and other information on the maps, have been adopted by the Council and are hereby incorporated into this Ordinance by reference, together with any amendments previously or hereafter adopted, as though they were fully included here.

  1. City of South San Francisco Zoning Map

  2. Floodplain/Sea Level Rise Overlay Map

  3. Special Environmental Studies Overlay Map

• B. Application of Pre-Annexation Zoning. The City may apply pre-annexation zoning to unincorporated property located within the Planning Area Boundary consistent with the South San Francisco General Plan. The pre-annexation zoning process shall comply with the provisions of Chapter 20.560 (“Prezoning Procedure”). The zoning provisions and requirements so established shall become applicable at the same time that the annexation of such territory becomes effective.

• C. Alterations of Floodplain/Sea Level Rise Overlay Boundaries. The Floodplain/Sea Level Rise Overlay Map may be revised by the City Council based on updates to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), sea level rise science, monitoring results, and shoreline and creek conditions. All proposals for new construction shall be based on the Floodplain/Sea Level Rise Overlay Map currently in effect at the time a complete project application is submitted.

• D. Uncertainty of Boundaries. If an uncertainty exists as to the boundaries of any district shown on the Official Zoning Map, the following rules shall apply:

  1. Boundaries indicated as approximately following the centerlines of alleys, lanes, streets, highways, streams or railroads shall be construed to follow such centerlines.

  2. Boundaries indicated as approximately following lot lines, City limits, or extraterritorial boundary lines shall be construed as following such lines, limits or boundaries.

  3. In the case of unsubsidized property or where a district boundary divides a lot and no dimensions are indicated, the following shall apply.

     • a. Lots Greater than One Acre. The location of such boundary shall be determined by the use of the scale appearing on the Official Zoning Map.

     • b. Lots Less than One Acre. The lot shall be deemed to be included within the zone which is the more restrictive.

  4. In the case of any remaining uncertainty, the Chief Planner shall determine the location of boundaries.

  5. Where any public street or alley is officially vacated or abandoned, the regulations applicable to each lot of abutting property shall apply to that portion of such street or

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City of South San Francisco, CA

ZONING

§ 20.020.002

§ 20.020.002

alley added thereto by virtue of such vacation or abandonment.

6. Where any private right-of-way or easement of any railroad, railway, transportation or public utility company is vacated or abandoned and said property is unclassified, said property shall be automatically classified as being in the Public/Quasi-Public (PQP) district.

• (Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022; Ord. 1656, 6/12/2024)

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City of South San Francisco, CA