Local zoning · San Francisco County

San Francisco County — Zoning

Q: What can I build on an RM‑2 lot in San Francisco County?

Permitted uses and size limits for RM‑2 are set in the Planning Code’s residential Zoning Control Tables (see § 209 , § 209.1–209.4 ). Typical RM districts allow multi‑family dwellings and limited neighborhood‑serving uses; conditions and size thresholds vary by specific table entry. For parcel‑specific answers, confirm the parcel’s ZN## map sheet and read the table entries referenced in § 209.

Q: What are the rules for the official Zoning Map and boundary interpretation?

The Zoning Map and how boundaries are read are governed by § 105 ; lines along streets follow centerlines, lines along lot lines follow those lot lines, and the Planning Commission may resolve disputes under § 105(d) . The map is formally incorporated by reference in § 106 .

Q: Are Special Use Districts likely to change the base district rules?

Yes. Special Use Districts listed in the § 249.x series frequently state that they supersede or modify otherwise applicable Planning Code provisions and may reference Design Standards & Guidelines or Development Agreements that control development in that SUD (examples: Parkmerced § 249.64 , Hunters Point § 249.51 ). Always read the SUD text for overrides.

Zoning under the San Francisco County local zoning and planning code, with the controlling citations.

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Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

This reference summarizes what the San Francisco Planning Code says about zoning, the Zoning Map, zoning districts, and special/district-specific controls that apply to properties shown on the City and County Zoning Map. All quoted control locations below are drawn from the Planning Code text incorporated in the retrieved materials; confirm parcel-specific rules with the jurisdiction before acting. Key map rules are in § 105 and § 106.

Note: the retrieved materials are the City and County of San Francisco Planning Code as published in the file set. Where the Code does not explicitly state how it applies to “unincorporated areas,” I note that as “Not found in retrieved materials.” Verify with the jurisdiction.

Links you will see below: the Planning Code controls interact with parking, development standards, design review, overlays, ADU rules and the state building standards — see the linked topics inline where first mentioned.

How the Zoning Map works (basic rules)

The official map is the Zoning Map of the City and County of San Francisco and is made up of numbered sectional maps. The map and rules determining boundaries are established in § 105 (mapping rules) and the map is formally incorporated by reference in § 106.
Boundary rules: where lines follow streets they are the centerline; where they follow lot lines they are the lot line; disputes can be resolved by the Planning Commission by resolution. See § 105(a)–(d).
If a property is not shown in any use district on the Zoning Map, the Code declares it to be in RH-1(D) by default (with exceptions for government-owned land declared P (Public Use)) — see § 105(e).
Height and Bulk districts are separately mapped (Height & Bulk Sectional Maps, e.g., HT01, HT02) and governed by Article 2.5: see § 252 and related sections.

First mention links (internal):

parking — San Francisco County Parking
development standards — San Francisco County Development Standards
design review — San Francisco County Design Review
overlay districts — San Francisco County Overlay Districts
ADUs — California ADU law
California Building Standards Code — California Building Standards Code
land use (context) — San Francisco County Land Use

District-by-district breakdown (selected, decision‑relevant districts)

Below are the actual Planning Code district names and mapping references that appear in the retrieved Code text. Each subsection gives the stated purpose, typical permitted uses (per the Code’s tables), key dimensional/administrative standards called out in the Code, and where the district is mapped (map references). This is not an exhaustive list of every district in the Code, but covers the major district types and a few named Special Use Districts present in the retrieved materials.

Note: when the Code delegates permitted-use detail to Zoning Control Tables, those tables (for example, the residential tables) are referenced rather than quoted at length — see the cited sections to read the exact use tables.

RH-1(D) — RH-1(D) Residential District (default mapped fallback)

Purpose: preserve low-scale residential character and implement the Residence element of the General Plan. § 209 describes Residential District purposes.
Typical permitted uses: residential units, accessory residential uses (including ADUs subject to ADU rules), limited neighborhood-serving uses where allowed by the Zoning Control Tables; see § 209.1–209.4 for the specific use tables.
Key dimensional/control notes: rear yard, lot coverage, and other dimensional requirements are set in Article 2 and in yard sections such as § 134 (yards). The Code permits certain reductions for ADUs under § 307(l) and § 207.1 (ADU provisions referenced).
Where mapped: if a parcel is not otherwise mapped, § 105(e) states it is “hereby declared to be in an RH-1(D) District” unless otherwise specified.

RM-1 / RM-2 (Multi-family Residential) — RM-1, RM-2

Purpose: support a range of residential densities and compatible neighborhood-serving uses; identified in § 209 and controlled by the Zoning Control Tables.
Typical permitted uses: multi-family dwellings, limited non‑residential uses compatible with residences; exact allowances and size limits are in the Zoning Control Tables referenced in § 209.1–209.4.
Key dimensional standards: rear yard minima, lot coverage caps (see Article 2: e.g., lot coverage rules for C districts and residential levels in § 137/136 references), and Height & Bulk controls (see Article 2.5, §§ 251–263).
Where mapped: the code references sectional maps (example: ZN-08 for Potrero HOPE SF uses RM-2 as the Zoning Map designation in § 249.76).

C-3 and Neighborhood Commercial Districts — C-3, Neighborhood Commercial (NCD) classes

Purpose: provide for broader commercial activity and protect neighborhood-serving retail; Article 7 (Neighborhood Commercial) outlines classes and purposes in §§ 701–702.
Typical permitted uses: retail, eating & drinking, offices and services; precise permitted/conditional lists are in the Code’s neighborhood/commercial tables.
Key dimensional standards: lot coverage, rear yard rules, and substitutions for loading in certain districts (e.g., C‑3 rules on loading substitution) are described in § 153 and other sections. Parking and loading calculations are governed by § 151.1 and § 153.
Where mapped: mapped on Zoning Map sectional maps (see § 105–106).

Mixed Use Districts — MUG, MUR, MUO, CMUO, UMU

Purpose: Article 8 creates Mixed Use district controls to accommodate combined residential and commercial activities consistent with General Plan; see § 801.
Typical permitted uses: combinations of residential and commercial uses; specific mixes and size limits are in the mixed‑use tables and district descriptions.
Key standards: combined parking/loading rules (see § 153(a) on mixed-use parking/loading calculations); height and bulk controls via the Height & Bulk maps (Article 2.5).
Where mapped: identified on Zoning Map sectional maps (see § 105–106).

Height & Bulk Districts (examples): 40‑X, 50/85‑X, 65‑A, 70‑J

Purpose: regulate maximum building height and plan dimensions to manage scale; establish separate Height & Bulk sectional maps. See §§ 251–263 for the purpose and class rules.
Key features: each Height & Bulk district is designated by a numeric height and a letter bulk designation; special exceptions and specific block-level rules appear in individual sections and special-district sections (e.g., § 263.34, § 263.16, § 263.25).
Where mapped: by Height and Bulk sectional maps (HT01, HT02, HT09, HT14, etc.) referenced in the specific sections for each special area.

Selected Special Use Districts (SUDs) and named districts

Parkmerced Special Use District (PM‑R, PM‑MU1, PM‑MU2, PM‑S, PM‑CF, PM‑OS) — purpose and permitted district names and development controls are in § 249.64; Parkmerced controls may supersede or replace some Planning Code provisions and reference a Design Standards and Guidelines document.
Treasure Island/Yerba Buena Island SUD — established in § 249.52; the Code says the SUD boundaries appear on Sectional Map ZN14 and many controls for the project are set by project documents rather than generic tables.
Hunters Point Shipyard Phase 2 SUD — created in § 249.51 and tied to a Redevelopment Plan and Design for Development document that controls height/bulk and many land use rules for that SUD.
Other SUDs — the Code contains numerous SUDs (e.g., New Asia Senior Housing § 249.19, California‑Presidio § 249.21, Stonestown § 249.9/263.36) that set special boundaries, purposes and exceptions to base district rules. Each SUD references its sectional map (SU##) and specific Code provisions.

Key decision‑relevant standards (summary table)

District / Topic	What it controls (decision‑relevant)	Example code references
Zoning Map rules	How boundaries are interpreted; default zoning (RH‑1(D)) for unmapped property; Planning Commission boundary determinations	§ 105, § 106
Residential Districts (RH/RM)	Permitted residential uses, accessory units, yards, lot coverage — use tables are in the Code	§ 209, § 209.1–209.4
Mixed Use Districts (MUG/MUR/etc.)	Mixed residential/commercial use rules; integrated parking/loading calculations	§ 801, § 153
Height & Bulk districts (e.g., 40‑X, 65‑A)	Numeric height caps and bulk letters controlling building envelope and apparent mass rules	§ 251–§ 263 (see specific HT maps)
Special Use Districts (Parkmerced, Treasure Island, Hunters Point, etc.)	Special mapping (SU##), project‑specific controls, sometimes superseding standard Code sections	§ 249.64, § 249.52, § 249.51, § 249.19
Parking & Loading	Calculation rules, mixed‑use aggregation, substitutions and fractional handling	§ 151.1, § 153
Design Review / Waterfront Review	Special design review processes for waterfront SUDs and some projects	§ 240(c) (Waterfront Design Review)
Conditional Uses / Commission Review	Conditional use process and criteria for discretionary approvals	§ 303 (conditional uses referenced throughout SUDs)

Information Gaps (what the retrieved materials do NOT confirm)

Whether these Planning Code rules are intended to be applied only to “unincorporated areas of San Francisco County” (the retrieved Planning Code is for the City and County; the phrase “unincorporated areas” and a county-only applicability statement is Not found in retrieved materials). Verify with the jurisdiction.
Parcel‑level zoning map image, exact parcel zoning label, and the sectional map sheet (e.g., ZN##, HT##, SU##) for a specific address — Not found in retrieved materials (you must consult the official Zoning Map or Planning Department parcel lookup). Verify with the jurisdiction.
Many dimensional values (specific setbacks, FAR, exact height numbers for every mapped block) exist on the Zoning Map (height/bulk maps HT##) and in district tables but are not fully reproduced in the retrieved text snippets; consult the specific sectional map and associated Code entries (for example, individual SUD sections reference HT maps). Verify with the jurisdiction.

Checklist — what an applicant must satisfy (at minimum)

Confirm the parcel’s mapped use district (ZN##) and height & bulk district (HT##) on the official Zoning Map (see § 105–106).
Read the applicable Zoning Control Table for that district (§ 209.1–209.4, or applicable Article tables) to confirm permitted and conditional uses.
Confirm whether the parcel is inside any Special Use District (SU##) or overlay that overrides base district rules (see § 249.x series for named SUDs).
Check applicable Height & Bulk limits in the HT maps and corresponding sections (Article 2.5, §§ 251–263).
Calculate required parking and loading using the Code formulas (see § 151.1 and § 153): mixed‑use aggregation rules apply.
Determine whether conditional use authorization, design review, or other discretionary review is required (e.g., conditional uses per § 303, waterfront design per § 240).
Confirm ADU rules if proposing accessory units (ADU provisions referenced in the residential sections — see § 207.1 and related text).

Risks & Ambiguities

Issue	Why it matters	What to verify
Applicability to “unincorporated” areas	The retrieved Code is the City & County Planning Code; it does not explicitly say it applies only to unincorporated county lands. Using the wrong jurisdictional assumption can void permitting paths.	Confirm jurisdictional applicability with the Planning Department; ask whether any unincorporated county parcels exist and which ordinance governs them. Verify with the jurisdiction.
Overlay / Special Use District overrides	SUDs and project-specific Design Standards can supersede base district rules (uses, height, bulk). Relying on base-district rules alone can miss constraints or bonus rules.	Check whether the parcel sits in an SU## or has project-specific documents referenced in § 249.x; read the SUD text and any Design Standards & Guidelines.
Mapping boundary uncertainty	Sectional maps may split lots or show ambiguous lines; boundary rules in § 105 allow the Planning Commission to resolve disputes.	If a map boundary cuts a lot or is unclear, request a boundary determination from the Planning Commission under § 105(d).

Plain‑English Summary

The Planning Code uses a single official Zoning Map and a set of district rules that tell you what you can build where: base use districts (residential, commercial, mixed‑use), separate Height & Bulk districts for numeric height/shape limits, and many Special Use Districts that change the rules in particular areas; check the exact Zoning Map sheet and the Code tables for the parcel to know the applicable uses, parking, height and review requirements. Key map rules are in § 105 and height/bulk mapping is handled by Article 2.5.

Source References

Planning Code — purpose, General Plan consistency: § 101, § 101.1.
Zoning Map rules and incorporation: § 105, § 106.
Residential & Zoning Control Tables: § 209, § 209.1–209.4.
Height & Bulk districts and purpose: § 251–§ 263 (Article 2.5; examples of special height exceptions appear in § 263 series).
Special Use District examples: § 249.64 (Parkmerced), § 249.51 (Hunters Point Shipyard Phase 2), § 249.52 (Treasure Island/YBI), § 249.19 (New Asia) and other § 249.x SUD entries.
Parking & loading calculation rules: § 151.1, § 153.
Mixed Use district purpose: § 801.
Waterfront Special Use District and waterfront design review: § 240 (and related subdivisions).

If you need the official sectional Zoning Map sheet for a parcel (ZN##, HT##, SU##) or the complete Zoning Control Tables quoted verbatim for a specific district, request the parcel address and I will list exactly which sectional maps and Code tables apply and point to the precise SUD text governing that parcel. Verify everything with the Planning Department before submitting permits.

Sources

Retrieved passages

San Francisco County Zoning Code (Section 249.78) High relevance
San Francisco County Zoning Code (Section 105) High relevance
San Francisco County Zoning Code (Section 303) Medium relevance
San Francisco County Zoning Code (Section 304) Medium relevance
San Francisco County Zoning Code (Section 151.1) Medium relevance
San Francisco County Zoning Code (Article 3) Medium relevance
San Francisco County Zoning Code (Section 65865) Medium relevance
San Francisco County Zoning Code Medium relevance

Cited sections

Official San Francisco County code library

Frequently asked questions

What can I build on an RM‑2 lot in San Francisco County?

Permitted uses and size limits for RM‑2 are set in the Planning Code’s residential Zoning Control Tables (see § 209, § 209.1–209.4). Typical RM districts allow multi‑family dwellings and limited neighborhood‑serving uses; conditions and size thresholds vary by specific table entry. For parcel‑specific answers, confirm the parcel’s ZN## map sheet and read the table entries referenced in § 209.

What are the rules for the official Zoning Map and boundary interpretation?

The Zoning Map and how boundaries are read are governed by § 105; lines along streets follow centerlines, lines along lot lines follow those lot lines, and the Planning Commission may resolve disputes under § 105(d). The map is formally incorporated by reference in § 106.

Do I need design review for a waterfront project?

Waterfront design review procedures for Waterfront Special Use Districts are described in § 240, which establishes waterfront design review for certain Port‑jurisdiction parcels and explains the applicable process and objectives. Check whether your parcel sits in a Waterfront SUD (SU map references) and whether the property is under Port jurisdiction.

Where are Height & Bulk limits found and how are they labeled?

Height & Bulk districts are separately mapped; the Code identifies Height & Bulk classes and mapping conventions in § 252 and generally in §§ 251–263 (Article 2.5). Each district is shown on HT sectional maps (e.g., HT01, HT02) and the Code explains that numeric designations show height in feet and letter designations refer to bulk limits.

How does parking get calculated for a mixed‑use building?

The Code requires aggregation of required parking/loading when a building contains mixed uses; calculation rules for mixed uses and fractional rounding are in § 153(a), and permitted off‑street parking rules are in § 151.1. For substitutions and special rules in specific districts see the district text (some districts allow freight/loading substitutions, e.g., C‑3 and MUG/MUR rules).

Are Special Use Districts likely to change the base district rules?

Yes. Special Use Districts listed in the § 249.x series frequently state that they supersede or modify otherwise applicable Planning Code provisions and may reference Design Standards & Guidelines or Development Agreements that control development in that SUD (examples: Parkmerced § 249.64, Hunters Point § 249.51). Always read the SUD text for overrides.

What does it mean if a parcel is “not shown” in any use district on the Zoning Map?

The Code provides a default: property not otherwise included in any use district shown on the Zoning Map is declared to be in RH‑1(D), except for certain government‑owned lands declared P (Public Use); see § 105(e).

Where are the conditional use rules and criteria located?

Conditional uses and the Planning Commission’s criteria are centrally addressed under § 303 and are referenced throughout many SUDs and district sections when the Code authorizes conditional use review. Check the SUD or district text for whether a use is expressly conditional there.

Can a Special Use District give a parcel a taller height than the base HT map?

Yes — some SUD sections and special height exception sections permit greater heights for specified projects (examples include certain senior affordable housing exceptions and SUDs that allow exceptions where criteria are met); see example exceptions in § 249.19 (New Asia), § 263.16, and other SUD-specific provisions. Always verify the SUD language.

Does the Code quote exact setback numbers in one place?

Setback, yard and rear yard requirements are distributed across the Code (for example, yard rules are discussed in § 134 and related sections; lot coverage and permitted obstructions are discussed in § 136 and elsewhere). For a parcel, consult the district’s specific yard/lot coverage rules and any SUD exceptions.

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