Chapter 20.110 — CIVIC DISTRICTS

The purpose of the civic districts is to:

• A. Provide locations for a variety of recreational activities to meet the community’s diverse needs;

• B. Design and develop active and passive recreation areas to complement and minimize traffic, noise, and other impacts on surrounding development; and

• C. Maintain and improve access to the San Francisco Bay shoreline. (Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022)

Table 20.110.002: Use Regulations – Civic Districts, lists the uses permitted in the civic zoning districts and the level of review required. In cases where a specific land use or activity is not defined, the Chief Planner shall assign the land use or activity to a classification that is substantially similar in character. Use classifications and subclassifications that are not included in this table or not found to be substantially similar to the uses below are otherwise prohibited. The table also notes all regulations that apply to various uses.

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Table 20.110.002: Use Regulations – Civic Districts
Use Classification PQP S PR OS Additional Regulations
“P” = Permitted; “M” = Minor Use Permit; “C” = Conditional Use Permit; “―” = Use Not Allowed
Residential Uses
AB 2011 Development P1 — — — Subject to CA Government
Code Section 65912.100 et
seq. Standards
SB 6 Development P2 — — — Subject to CA Government
Code Section 65852.24
Standards
Residential Care Facility
General C ― ― ― Subject to State licensing
requirements
Limited C ― ― ― Subject to State licensing
requirements
Senior C ― ― ― Subject to State licensing
requirements
Public and Semi-Public Uses
College and Trade School, Public or C C ― ―
Private
Community Assembly
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City of South San Francisco, CA

ZONING

§ 20.110.002

§ 20.110.002

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Table 20.110.002: Use Regulations – Civic Districts
Use Classification PQP S PR OS Additional Regulations
“P” = Permitted; “M” = Minor Use Permit; “C” = Conditional Use Permit; “―” = Use Not Allowed
Small M M M C See Chapter 20.350,
Community Assembly, Small
Large C C M ―
and Large
Community Garden P P P P
Cultural Institution C M P C
Day Care Center P M P M See Chapter 20.300, Airport
Land Use Compatibility Plan
Consistency and Chapter
20.350, Day Care Centers
Emergency Shelter P ― ― ―
Government Offices P M ― ―
Hospitals and Clinics
Hospitals C ― ― ― See Chapter 20.300, Airport
Land Use Compatibility Plan
Consistency
Park and Recreation Facilities, Public P C P C
Public Safety Facilities P C P ―
Schools, Public or Private C C ― ― See Chapter 20.300, Airport
Land Use Compatibility Plan
Consistency
Social Service Facilities M C ― ― See Chapter 20.350, Social
Service Facilities
Commercial Uses
Commercial Entertainment and Recreation
Indoor Entertainment ― ― P ―
Indoor Sports and Recreation ― ― P ―
Outdoor Entertainment C ― P C See Chapter 20.300, Airport
Land Use Compatibility Plan
Outdoor Sports and Recreation C ― P C
Consistency
Crop Production, Limited ― ― M C
Parking Services
Public Parking P ― ― ―
Transportation, Communication, and Utilities Uses
Fleet-Based Services C ― ― ― See Chapter 20.350, Fleet-
Based Services
Transportation Passenger Terminals C ― C ―
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City of South San Francisco, CA § 20.110.002

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO CODE

§ 20.110.003

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Table 20.110.002: Use Regulations – Civic Districts
Use Classification PQP S PR OS Additional Regulations
“P” = Permitted; “M” = Minor Use Permit; “C” = Conditional Use Permit; “―” = Use Not Allowed
Utilities, Major C C P C See Chapter 20.300, Airport
Land Use Compatibility Plan
Consistency
Utilities, Minor M M P M
Accessory Uses - See Chapter 20.350, Accessory Uses, for Additional Regulations
Mobile Vendor Services P P P P See Chapter 20.350, Mobile
Vendor Services
Temporary Uses
Temporary Use See Chapter 20.340, Temporary Uses
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Notes:

1. Eligibility can only be confirmed on a parcel-by-parcel basis based on further analysis of permitted and actual uses on the subject and adjacent parcels and a variety of other criteria and characteristics established in AB 2011.

2. Eligibility can only be confirmed on a parcel-by-parcel basis based on further analysis of permitted and actual uses on the subject and adjacent parcels and a variety of other criteria and characteristics established in SB 6.

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

Table 20.110.003: Development Standards – Civic Districts, establishes the development standards for the civic districts. The numbers in the figure below are keyed to corresponding regulations in the table that follows. Letters in parentheses after the standards in the table refer to lettered provisions following the table.

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City of South San Francisco, CA

ZONING

§ 20.110.003

§ 20.110.003

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Table 20.110.003: Development Standards – Civic Districts
Standard PQP S PR OS Key
Lot Size
Min. Lot Area None (A) None (A) 43,560 sf 43,560 sf
Max. Lot Coverage ― ― 25% 25% ①
Building Height
Max. Main Building (ft/ 30 ft; 80 ft 30 ft 30 ft 30 ft
1 between El
stories)
Camino Real
and Mission
Setbacks
Min. Front 10 ft (A) 10 ft (A) 20 ft (A) 20 ft (A) ②
Min. Interior Side 5 ft; 10 ft 5 ft; 10 ft 10 ft 10 ft ③
when when
abutting a abutting a
residential residential
district district
Min. Street Side 10 ft 10 ft 10 ft 10 ft ④
Min. Rear 5 ft; 10 ft 5 ft; 10 ft 0 ft; 10 ft 0 ft; 10 ft ⑤
when when when when
abutting a abutting abutting a abutting a
residential residential residential residential
district (A) district (A) district (A) district (A)
Min. from Shoreline 40 ft from ― ― ―
high water
mark (B)
Landscaping and Open Space
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City of South San Francisco, CA

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO CODE

§ 20.110.003

§ 20.110.004

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Table 20.110.003: Development Standards – Civic Districts
Standard PQP S PR OS Key
Min. Landscaping 10% 10% ― ― ⑥
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Note:

1. For buildings 30 feet or less: an additional 5 feet, or 20% of the height of the building, whichever is greater, is permitted for equipment screening, subject to Design Review approval.

• A. Hillside Lots. On lots with an average slope of 15 percent or greater, the minimum lot size and front and rear setbacks may be modified by the standards of Section 20.310.002 (“General Site and Building Design”).

• B. Impervious Area. No net new impervious area is permitted within 250 feet of the San Francisco Bay shoreline.

• (Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022; Ord. 1656, 6/12/2024; Ord. 1678-2025, 10/22/2025)

• A. Open Space Areas Abutting the San Bruno Mountain State and County Park.

  1. Terrabay Buffer Zone. Allowed uses in the 2.69 acre parcel located adjacent to and south of the preservation parcel are limited to the following:

     • a. Landscaping, limited to native San Bruno Mountain plant species.

     • b. Pedestrian seating areas.

     • c. Surface parking, roads, emergency access roads, turn-arounds and maintenance.

     • d. A single small structure which provides interpretive information about the site (i.e., a kiosk).

     • e. Retaining walls.

  2. Terrabay Preservation Parcel. Open space uses in conformance with the General Plan and the Mutual Release and Settlement Agreement executed in March 2000 between Terrabay Partners. L.L.C., Myers/Sunchase I, L.L.C., The Center for Biological Diversity, San Bruno Mountain Watch and the City of South San Francisco, including wetlands preservation and mitigation, habitat preservation and preservation of archaeological resource site CA-SMa-40.

  3. Terrabay Recreation Parcel.

     • a. Open space as defined in subsection A.2 above.

     • b. Community oriented recreation facility.

     • c. Child care facility.

• B. Truck Docks, Loading, and Service Areas. Truck docks, loading areas, and service areas must be located at the rear or interior sides of buildings and screened so as not to be visible from public streets or residential properties.

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City of South San Francisco, CA

ZONING

§ 20.110.004

§ 20.110.004

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

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City of South San Francisco, CA