San Francisco County Zoning, Planning & Building Codes

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

This page orients you to zoning and planning rules that apply in the unincorporated areas of San Francisco County (the City and County’s Planning Code is the controlling local ordinance for land use and development). The Planning Code organizes use districts and detailed Zoning Control Tables, plus a large set of Special Use Districts (SUDs) and overlays that modify base rules for particular neighborhoods and projects. For practical review paths you will rely on the Zoning Control Tables, discretionary procedures (conditional use, variances, design review), and the building-permit/Coastal review processes described in the Code. See the Planning Code definitions and table organization at § 102 and § 202.1 .

How San Francisco County's code is organized

• The local zoning ordinance is the Planning Code; core definitions are in § 102 (definitions) .
• Zoning district controls are summarized in Zoning Control Tables and cross‑referenced to the text; the organization and purpose of these Tables are explained at § 202.1 .
• Use districts and special district rules are organized across Articles (e.g., Article 2 zoning control tables, Article 7 Neighborhood Commercial Districts, Article 8 Mixed Use Districts, Article 9 Mission Bay districts), and many site‑specific Special Use Districts live in the § 249.x series .
• The procedural framework for discretionary entitlements (conditional use, variances, planned unit development) follows Article 3 (see § 303, § 305, § 304) and administrative rules (Zoning Administrator, appeals) are cross‑referenced there .

(Quick links: the Code’s zoning summary and how-to pages are reflected on the site’s San Francisco County Zoning and San Francisco County Land Use entries.)

Zoning district families

San Francisco’s Planning Code groups districts into families; common examples and where they appear in the Code:

• Residential: R districts (numeric height/density controls such as R-4 are used in some rules) — density, exposure, and rear‑yard rules are set by the R tables and cross‑references (see § 202.1 and the various R district Zoning Control Tables) .
• Commercial / Neighborhood Commercial: neighborhood and transit commercial districts such as NC-2, NC-3, and numerous neighborhood commercial transit tables (see Zoning Control Tables and Article 7) — referenced in the Tables and the district text (e.g., Table entries for NC-2) .
• Mixed‑Use / Office / Production: districts such as MUO (Mixed Use‑Office), CMUO, MUR, MUG, WMUO, and PDR (Production, Distribution & Repair) (see the MUO district rules at § 832 and the Mixed‑Use Article) — these districts permit combinations of housing, office, retail, and light industrial uses with special controls on massing and frontages .
• Special Use Districts / Area Plans / Redevelopment: many parcels are regulated by Special Use Districts (SUDs) such as Potrero Yard SUD (§ 249.98), Mission Bay Use Districts (Article 9: §§ 903, 906–916), Stonestown SUD (§ 249.9), 1550 Evans SUD (§ 249.85) and others — each SUD adds, replaces, or supersedes base zoning controls for that site .

Where a SUD conflicts with the general Planning Code, the SUD’s provisions generally control for that SUD (see examples in §§ 249.x where SUD text states it prevails) .

Citywide development standards

The Code sets citywide, district, and site‑specific standards. Key high‑level rules you will use when evaluating a site:

• How to read the Controls: each district’s Zoning Control Table points to the governing text for height, bulk, setbacks, open space, parking, and uses; use the Table plus the referenced sections to determine exact numeric limits (see § 202.1 and the Zoning Control Table entries) .
• Height and bulk: height and bulk are shown on Height and Bulk Map Sheets and implemented by sections such as §§ 261.1, 263.19, 270, 271 (height sculpting, alley rules, horizontal massing, tower separation); check the district table for which height/bulk map applies .
• Setbacks / yards: rear yards are frequently required at upper stories — common rule is a rear yard equal to 25% of lot depth but no less than 15 ft; front/side setbacks are often not required except where indicated (see §§ 130, 134, 136) — example controls appear in many Zoning Control Tables and district text .
• Lot coverage / FAR: the Code uses both numeric density and envelope‑based controls; some districts (and many SUDs) govern density by envelope (height/bulk/setbacks) rather than by strict per‑lot numeric density; Mission Bay and several mixed‑use districts explicitly use envelope controls and sometimes remove maximum FAR limits (see Article 9 and CMUO/MUR/MUG rules) .
• Parking and loading: off‑street parking and loading standards are in the Code (notably § 151.1 for parking tables and calculation rules and § 153 for loading/combination rules); many mixed‑use and transit districts waive or relax accessory parking limits (see § 151.1 and § 153) — consult the district’s Zoning Control Table for permitted parking maximums and required bicycle parking (§ 155.2) . (If you need only parking rules, start with San Francisco County Parking.)
• Street frontages & active ground floor: street‑facing, active ground‑floor use and transparency rules are enforced in multiple sections such as § 145.1 and related district rules; the Code can require active uses on designated streets and set standards for ground‑floor ceiling height and transparency .
• Green/roof standards & building code coordination: the Code includes provisions that reference California/Local Green Building and Title 24 rules (for example the Better Roof / Living Roof provisions reference CCR Title 24, Part 6 and the San Francisco Green Building Code) — see § 149 for roof/solar references and Title 24 cross‑references .

For a quick jump to the zoning technical rules, use San Francisco County Development Standards and the District Tables.

Specific plans & overlays

• Special Use Districts (SUDs) and neighborhood/area plans are the principal overlays that modify base zoning. Examples: Potrero Yard SUD (§ 249.98) (project‑specific rules for Potrero Yard), Mission Bay Use Districts (§§ 903, 906–916), Stonestown SUD (§ 249.9), 1550 Evans SUD (§ 249.85), and other SUDs listed across § 249.x — each SUD contains its own use list, housing controls, and special building standards and states how it relates to the rest of the Code (SUD often prevails where it conflicts) . (See the San Francisco County Overlay Districts entry for links to common overlays.)
• Area plans and the General Plan: several district controls are supported by Area Plan policies and design guidelines (for instance, Market & Octavia policies are referenced in neighborhood tables) — these design guidelines are enforced through district requirements and design review references in the Code (see district tables and cross‑references in the Zoning Control Tables) .
• Historic overlays: historic designation and the Historic Preservation Commission rules interact with SUDs and design review; the Planning Code’s historic resource rules and Article 10 provide the framework for Certificates of Appropriateness and objective standards (see Article 10 references and design/rehab requirements) . (If your property is historic, see San Francisco County Historic Preservation.)

Building permits & review

• Permit types and review paths: routine building permits are processed by DBI but many projects require Planning Department review such as building permits in the Coastal Zone (Coastal Zone Permit process) or when a project triggers conditional use, variance, or design review procedures; the Coastal review procedure and consistency checks are in § 330 and § 330.5.1 .
• Discretionary review: uses marked “C” in Zoning Control Tables require Conditional Use authorization under § 303; Mandatory Discretionary Review items (DR) go to the Planning Commission (see § 202.1 explanation of table symbols) .
• Planned Unit Development: multi‑building/large housing projects can use § 304 Planned Unit Development procedures to request bundled modifications, density/height bonuses, and other exceptions where the Commission finds the PUD criteria satisfied .
• Administrative adjustments & variances: the Zoning Administrator can approve limited adjustments (see § 307 authority like rear‑yard reductions for ADUs) and variances follow § 305 procedures with findings required for hardship relief .
• Design review: many projects must meet objective design standards and discretionary design review (Planning Commission or delegated Planning Department review) — design standards, required findings, and the Commission’s review authority are embedded in several sections and SUD design controls (see e.g., residential design guidance citations and design review references in § 317 and district SUD language) . (For a user‑friendly entry on review rules see San Francisco County Design Review.)
• Building code coordination: the Planning Code repeatedly cross‑references building code standards (permits cannot be issued without compliance with building code requirements and the Procedures Manual and DBI rules); some SUD provisions explicitly require execution of regulatory agreements prior to issuance of the First Construction Document (see SUD text and the PUD/Regulatory Agreement provisions) . If you need state-level construction rules, consult the California Building Standards Code (Title 24) for technical code compliance — the Planning Code references CCR Title 24 in multiple green/building sections (see § 149 and cross‑references) .

If your project is in the Coastal Zone, follow the Coastal Zone Permit steps (Coastal Zone Permit application required in addition to other permits) and expect Planning Department and possible Coastal Commission review per §§ 330–330.5.2 .

State housing law in San Francisco County

California housing statutes interact with the local Code in several places. The Planning Code implements state requirements and also establishes local ADU, density‑bonus, and transit‑oriented rules:

ADUs & JADUs

• The Planning Code’s ADU rules are in § 207.1 (ADUs) and § 207.2 (ministerial ADU standards) and include ministerial approval if the ADU meets the listed objective standards; the Code forbids use of ADUs/JADUs for short‑term rentals and sets specific setback and height rules (e.g., 18 ft detached ADU height, 25 ft for attached) under those sections . (See the practical ADU summary at California ADU law.)
• The Zoning Administrator may grant waivers for ADU‑related numeric limits under § 307(l) in certain retrofit or preservation circumstances; when such waivers are granted a Regulatory Agreement may be required tying the ADU to local rent‑stabilization rules (see § 207.1 and related subsections) .

SB 9 / density splitting and state-enabled workflows

• San Francisco has adopted local procedures and SUD exceptions for many site‑specific situations; specific SB 9 implementation provisions (ministerial lot splits and duplex allowances) and the City’s chosen objective standards should be verified against the Planning Code text and Planning Department guidance — the Planning Code references state law in several places but you should verify the current ministerial checklist with the Planning Department (see general references in the Code and Zoning Control Tables for density and unit counts) . (For a high‑level summary of state housing rules see California housing laws.)
• Density bonus and affordable housing exceptions are implemented locally through density bonus rules and SUD PUD allowances; specific SUDs and affordable housing SUDs (e.g., Third Street & Le Conte Affordable Housing SUD) explicitly authorize density bonuses and PUD modifications (see SUD text and § 304 PUD criteria) .

Rent & regulatory agreements

• Where the Code permits density or dimensional waivers tied to added units, the Planning Code often requires a recorded Regulatory Agreement subjecting units to the San Francisco Residential Rent Stabilization and Arbitration Ordinance (Administrative Code Chapter 37) as a condition of approval (examples in SUDs and ADU waiver sections) — see the ADU and PUD/SUD provisions for text and required conditions (e.g., regulatory agreement timing tied to the First Construction Document) .

Practical orientation / step‑by‑step for a typical application in unincorporated San Francisco County

1. Identify the base zoning district and any overlays/SUDs on the lot (consult the Zoning Map and the Zoning Control Table for that district; see § 202.1 for how to read the Tables) .
2. Read the Zoning Control Table for the district and follow the § references in the Table (height maps, rear yard §§ 130/134/136, parking § 151.1, bicycle parking § 155.2) .
3. Determine whether your proposed use is Principal (P), Conditional (C / § 303), DR (Mandatory Discretionary Review), or Not Permitted; if Conditional, prepare for a Planning Commission hearing under § 303 .
4. Confirm whether design review or Historic Preservation review is required (district table or SUD text will show DR or historic references; objective standards may apply — see § 317 and Article 10 for historic procedures) .
5. If ministerial (e.g., an ADU meeting the objective ADU standards under § 207.2), the Planning Department will accept a ministerial application without discretionary review; otherwise assemble environmental/CEQA, PUD, or variance materials as required by §§ 302–305 .
6. Coordinate concurrent Building Department (DBI) plan check and any Coastal Zone Permit if in the Coastal Zone (see § 330 series) — Coastal Zone Permit is applied at Planning concurrent with other project permits and will be checked for LCP consistency (§ 330.5.1) .

If you want a direct readout of district‑level development numbers (height map sheet, lot coverage, required yards, parking maxima), start with the property’s Zoning Control Table and the referenced sections; the site’s SUD (if any) will often change the controlling rules (see SUD precedence language in the § 249.x texts) .

Information gaps / what to verify with the Planning Department

• The Planning Code text and Zoning Map control numeric height map sheet assignments (HT01–HT13) and precise numeric height limits per lot; you must consult the official Zoning Map / Height & Bulk Map Sheets for lot‑specific numbers — those map sheets are referenced but not reproduced here (see Zoning Control Table references in § 202.1 and height sections such as §§ 261.1, 263.19, 270) .
• Local implementation of SB 9 ministerial checklists and any parcel‑specific exemptions (SB 79 transit plan exceptions, etc.) can change rapidly after state law updates; verify ministerial forms and the Planning Department’s current checklists before relying on a ministerial pathway (see local transit‑oriented development exceptions in § 207.11) .

Source References

• San Francisco Planning Code — Definitions and organization: § 102, § 202.1 .
• Zoning Control Tables and district tables (examples showing rear yards, height/bulk, street frontage): Zoning Control Table excerpts and district tables (see Table references and district text, e.g., NC‑2, NC‑3 entries) — see Zoning Control Table discussion at § 202.1 and district table excerpts (Tables in Article 2, 7, 8, 9) .
• Parking and loading: § 151.1, § 153, bicycle parking § 155.2 .
• Rear yard / setback and general building standards: §§ 130, 134, 136, 261.1, 263.19, 270 (see Zoning Control Table notes) .
• ADUs & ministerial ADU rules: § 207.1, § 207.2, ADU permit and waiver rules and regulatory agreement requirements .
• Special Use District examples: § 249.98 (Potrero Yard SUD), §§ 903, 906–916 (Mission Bay Use Districts), § 249.9 (Stonestown SUD), § 249.85 (1550 Evans SUD) — these show SUD structure and precedence language .
• Coastal Zone permit procedure and consistency review: § 330 series, particularly § 330.5.1 (permit application review for LCP consistency) .
• PUD / discretionary procedures: § 304 (Planned Unit Development), § 303 (Conditional Use procedures), § 305 (Variances) — see Article 3 references in the Tables and SUDs .
• Green building / roof & Title 24 references: § 149 (Better Roofs / Living Roof alternative; references to CCR Title 24) .