Local code · San Francisco

San Francisco — Urban Design & Streetscape

The San Francisco Urban Design & Streetscape, explained in plain English with the controlling citations.

Last reviewed: July 6, 2026

Overview

San Francisco’s urban design and streetscape rules synchronize the public realm with active, transparent, pedestrian‑oriented frontages and district‑specific requirements. Citywide, streetscape work is anchored in the Better Streets Policy of the Administrative Code and implemented through Planning Code standards for public right‑of‑way improvements and street frontages. Most projects that touch the sidewalk must meet the Better Streets Plan via § 138.1 and provide active, transparent ground floors per § 145.1, with additional requirements in selected districts under § 145.4 and curb‑cut/vehicular access limits in § 155(r) (see the San Francisco Planning Code).

In plain English: if your project fronts a public sidewalk, expect to build Better Streets elements in the right‑of‑way and deliver an active, transparent ground floor that engages the street, unless a listed district exception applies. See § 138.1 and § 145.1.

Citywide Baseline — Better Streets & Street Frontages

Better Streets Policy. The Board of Supervisors adopted a citywide streetscape master plan and comprehensive guidelines (“Better Streets Plan”) to guide the design of sidewalks, crossings, lighting, trees, furnishings, stormwater features, and more under Administrative Code § 98.1. Public and private sponsors must follow these principles when modifying any public right‑of‑way; new rights‑of‑way must meet or exceed recommended sidewalk widths, with limited reductions where consistent front setbacks exist. Approvals are by the City agencies with jurisdiction.
Streetscape and Pedestrian Improvements. For development projects, Planning Code § 138.1 requires conformance with the Better Streets Plan and lists standardized elements (e.g., curb ramps, bulb‑outs, street trees, lighting, special paving). The Department and other bodies scale required improvements to the project’s size.
Active Street Frontages. § 145/§ 145.1 require fine‑grained, pedestrian‑oriented frontages in Neighborhood Commercial, Commercial, Residential‑Commercial, Mixed Use, and Industrial districts. “Active uses” include most commercial uses and specific residential walk‑up frontage configurations. Transparency and fenestration standards, gates/railings openness, and direct street entries apply. Historic buildings can qualify for modifications.

Key Frontage Rules You’ll Actually Use

Active use definition. Residential counts as “active” at the ground floor only when over 50% of the linear frontage provides walk‑up entries consistent with the Ground Floor Residential Design Guidelines; lobbies count as active uses but are capped at the greater of 40 feet or 25% of frontage under § 145.1(b)(2).
Transparency. For frontages with active uses, at least 60% of the ground‑level façade area must be transparent; interior visibility must extend 4 feet into the space and be provided within a 4'×4' visibility zone at pedestrian eye level, with limits on dark/mirrored glass, all per § 145.1(c)(6).
Street‑facing spaces. Non‑residential active uses and lobbies must be as close as possible to sidewalk grade and open directly to the street; doors must be open during business hours per § 145.1(c)(5).
Historic exceptions. The Planning Director may modify or waive specific § 145.1 frontage requirements for designated landmarks or contributory buildings per § 145.1(d).
Streetscape plan content. Where a streetscape plan is required, it must show all existing/proposed elements directly adjacent to the frontage (trees, landscaping, lighting, furnishings, utilities, curb lines) coordinated with site work; see § 138.1 and example submittal language in a Special Use District at § 249.98(g)(2).

Where Ground-Floor Commercial Is Mandatory

Selected streets/districts require ground‑floor commercial under § 145.4. Examples include:
- All frontages in the Polk Street Neighborhood Commercial District (Polk NCD).
- Specific blocks in Japantown NCD (Buchanan St between Post and Sutter; portions of Post St).
- Targeted segments of Third Street in UMU (within 100 linear feet north/south of Mariposa St and 20th St).

Vehicular Access Restrictions (Curb Cuts)

§ 155(r) limits curb cuts and new garage/loading entries on identified pedestrian/transit/bicycle‑priority streets. Many NCD/NCTs layer on street‑specific prohibitions; for instance, selected Post and Buchanan Street frontages in Japantown prohibit vehicular access. Verify street status before designing driveways.

Height Bonus for Active Ground Floors

In many commercial and mixed‑use districts, providing active ground‑floor uses can unlock a 5‑foot height bonus under § 263.20 (availability varies by district table).

Downtown Streetscape Add‑Ons

In C‑3 districts, sidewalk paving per the Downtown Streetscape Plan is triggered by new construction or major enlargements, in addition to § 138.1.

District-by-District Urban Design & Streetscape Controls

Below are representative districts illustrating how citywide rules are tailored by place. For general mapping and district definitions, see San Francisco Use Districts and San Francisco Special Use Districts.

SoMa Neighborhood Commercial Transit (SoMa NCT)

Purpose/character. Moderate‑scale buildings with a pattern of active, neighborhood‑serving ground‑floor commercial and upper‑story residential; continuous retail frontage encouraged; curb cuts prohibited; above‑grade parking set back or below grade. Parking not required.
Typical permitted street‑level uses. Neighborhood‑serving commercial at ground story; most commercial above second story limited/prohibited to protect retail balance.
Key frontage/public realm. § 138.1 streetscape required; § 145.1 active frontage/transparency; curb‑cut limits via § 155(r).
Where it applies. South of Market corridors designated as SoMa NCT (Verify with the jurisdiction).

Glen Park Neighborhood Commercial Transit (Glen Park NCT)

Purpose/character. Active retail frontages; ground‑floor commercial required on portions of Diamond and Chenery; new parking set back to support a pedestrian‑friendly streetscape; parking not required.
Typical permitted street‑level uses. Commercial at ground story; housing encouraged above.
Key frontage/public realm. § 138.1, § 145.1 apply.
Where it applies. Glen Park village area (Verify with the jurisdiction).

24th Street – Mission Neighborhood Commercial Transit (24th St – Mission NCT)

Purpose/character. Protects small‑scale, neighborhood‑serving character; continuous retail frontage along 24th Street by banning curb cuts and most automobile/drive‑up uses; active ground floors required; parking not required; any new parking set back/below grade.
Typical permitted street‑level uses. Most commercial encouraged at ground story; service uses above with limitations.
Key frontage/public realm. § 138.1, § 145.1; curb‑cut bans per § 155(r).
Where it applies. 24th Street Mission corridor (Verify with the jurisdiction).

Japantown Neighborhood Commercial District (Japantown NCD)

Purpose/character. Neighborhood shopping and cultural destination with targeted active‑use and access controls.
Typical required frontages. Ground‑floor commercial required along Buchanan St (Post–Sutter) and portions of Post St; vehicular access prohibited on identified Post/Buchanan frontages.
Key frontage/public realm. § 138.1; § 145.1 transparency/active use; § 145.4 locations for mandatory retail; § 155(r) vehicular access restrictions.
Where it applies. Core Japantown streets centered on Post/Buchanan (Verify with the jurisdiction).

Inner Clement Street Neighborhood Commercial District (Inner Clement NCD)

Purpose/character. Maintains intensely active retail frontage; limits drive‑up/auto uses; supports small‑scale buildings.
Typical permitted street‑level uses. Most commercial permitted on first two stories with some second‑story limits; restaurants and entertainment limited.
Key frontage/public realm. § 138.1 streetscape; § 145.1 street frontage standards. Ground‑floor commercial not blanket‑required by § 145.4.
Where it applies. Clement St between Arguello Blvd and Funston Ave.

Noriega Street Neighborhood Commercial District (Noriega St NCD)

Purpose/character. Encourages active, pedestrian‑oriented ground floors; prohibits drive‑up uses; supports local fabrication/production.
Typical permitted street‑level uses. Most commercial at the first two stories; certain second‑story limits.
Key frontage/public realm. § 138.1 required; § 145.1 frontage/transparency.
Where it applies. Noriega Street commercial corridor (Verify with the jurisdiction).

Geary Boulevard Neighborhood Commercial District (Geary Blvd NCD)

Purpose/character. Supports neighborhood‑serving retail along Geary; table‑driven frontage and access controls.
Key frontage/public realm. § 138.1; § 145.1; portions may require ground‑floor commercial per § 145.4; vehicular access restrictions per § 155(r).
Where it applies. Geary Blvd corridor (Verify with the jurisdiction).

Urban Mixed Use (UMU)

Purpose/character. Mixed use with emphasis on urban form and active frontages; bike/car parking as limited by Article 1.5.
Typical required frontages. Active street‑facing ground‑floor uses required on specified Third Street segments near Mariposa and 20th Streets under § 145.4.
Key frontage/public realm. § 138.1; § 145.1; access limits via § 155(r).
Where it applies. Eastern Neighborhoods UMU districts (Verify with the jurisdiction).

Decision-Focused Standards (selected)

Topic	What it means on the street	Code Reference
Better Streets elements	Build the Better Streets Plan palette (crosswalks, bulb‑outs, trees, lighting, furnishings, paving) scaled to project frontage	§ 138.1; Admin. Code § 98.1
Sidewalk width on new streets	Meet/exceed Better Streets recommended widths; may reduce up to 2 ft with consistent 3+ ft setbacks	Admin. Code § 98.1(e)(2)(A)
Active ground floor definition	Ground‑floor residential counts as “active” only with 50%+ walk‑ups; lobbies count but max 40 ft or 25% frontage	§ 145.1(b)(2)
Transparency	60% transparent at ground level; interior visibility 4 ft deep within a 4'×4' zone at 4–8 ft above sidewalk	§ 145.1(c)(6)
Direct street entries	Non‑residential active uses and lobbies open directly to the street; doors open during business hours	§ 145.1(c)(5)
Ground‑floor commercial required	Mandatory on specified streets/districts (e.g., Polk NCD; parts of Japantown; UMU segments on Third St)	§ 145.4
Curb‑cut restrictions	New/expanded curb cuts restricted on priority streets and by district‑specific prohibitions	§ 155(r)
Height bonus	5‑ft height bonus where active ground‑floor uses are provided (district‑dependent)	§ 263.20

Notes: See San Francisco Height & Bulk and San Francisco Setbacks & Yards for envelope controls that interact with frontage rules. For design submittals, San Francisco’s objective San Francisco Design Standards include citywide criteria for Ground Floor Commercial/Residential, Fenestration, and Materials that complement the Planning Code.

Checklist

Confirm your site’s base district and any overlays/SUDs in the San Francisco zoning & planning overview and Use Districts.
Scope streetscape work at your frontage to meet § 138.1 and the Better Streets Plan elements; verify agency approvals in the right‑of‑way.
Design the ground floor to satisfy § 145.1: active uses, transparency, direct entries, and gates/grillwork openness; check for historic exceptions.
Check if § 145.4 mandates ground‑floor commercial on your block (e.g., Polk NCD, listed Japantown blocks, UMU Third Street segments).
Verify § 155(r) curb‑cut restrictions and any district prohibitions before proposing a new garage/loading entry.
Consider whether § 263.20 5‑ft height bonus applies for active ground floor.
If requested, prepare a streetscape plan showing all frontage elements; coordinate with permits in the right‑of‑way via San Francisco Permits & Inspections.
Align architectural details with objective San Francisco Design Standards and, for homes, San Francisco Residential Design Guidelines.

Risks & Ambiguities

Issue	Why it matters	What to verify
Curb‑cut eligibility on priority streets	New garage entries can be disallowed, affecting access and layout	Whether your block is restricted under § 155(r) or by a district table (e.g., Japantown)
Historic building exceptions	You might be able to alter transparency/gate standards	If your building qualifies for § 145.1(d) modifications; coordinate with Historic Preservation
Ground‑floor commercial mandates	Missing a mandatory retail frontage can trigger redesign or denial	Whether § 145.4 applies on your frontage (e.g., Polk NCD, listed segments in Japantown/UMU)
Transparency metrics on sloped sidewalks	Meeting the 4–8 ft visibility zone can be tricky on grades	Your façade design meets § 145.1(c)(6) clarity and visibility depth on the actual slope
Better Streets scope for small projects	Over‑ or under‑scoping frontage work can delay approvals	The Department’s scale‑based application of § 138.1(b)(3) to your project size
Downtown sidewalk paving	C‑3 triggers add cost/schedule	Whether the Downtown Streetscape Plan paving requirement applies to your C‑3 project scope

Plain-English Summary

If you’re building on a San Francisco street, plan for two things: upgrade the sidewalk area with Better Streets elements and design an engaging, transparent ground floor that opens to the sidewalk. Some corridors specifically require retail at the ground floor and block new curb cuts. When in doubt, check your district table and coordinate early—frontage missteps are among the most common reasons for redesigns.

Source References

Administrative Code: Better Streets Policy and Plan adoption; improvements on new/existing rights‑of‑way; approvals; reporting — § 98.1.
Planning Code: Streetscape & Pedestrian Improvements — § 138.1 (Table of elements; scaling by project size).
Planning Code: Frontages and Ground Floor Uses — § 145; § 145.1 (active use definitions; transparency; gates; direct entries; historic exceptions).
Planning Code: Ground Floor Commercial on designated streets/districts — § 145.4 (examples in district tables).
Planning Code: Protected/limited vehicular access (curb cuts) — § 155(r) (examples in district tables).
Planning Code: Height bonus for active ground floors — § 263.20 (as shown in district tables).
District exemplars with frontage/streetscape controls: SoMa NCT, Glen Park NCT, 24th St‑Mission NCT, Japantown NCD, Inner Clement NCD, Noriega NCD, Geary Blvd NCD, UMU.
Downtown add‑ons: C‑3 sidewalk paving per Downtown Streetscape Plan (in addition to § 138.1).
Objective San Francisco Design Standards (Ground Floor Commercial/Residential, Fenestration, etc.) — Planning Commission adopted citywide standards.
Related topics linked: San Francisco Setbacks & Yards, San Francisco Height & Bulk, San Francisco Conditional Use, San Francisco Permits & Inspections, San Francisco Residential Design Guidelines.

Sources

Retrieved passages

San Francisco Zoning Code (Article 4.2.) High relevance
San Francisco Zoning Code High relevance
San Francisco Zoning Code (Article 4.2.) High relevance
San Francisco Zoning Code High relevance
San Francisco Zoning Code (section is) High relevance
San Francisco Zoning Code (§ 263.20) High relevance
San Francisco Zoning Code (§ 138.1) High relevance
San Francisco Zoning Code (Section header) High relevance
San Francisco Zoning Code (Section 207.1) High relevance
San Francisco Zoning Code (§ 138.1) High relevance
San Francisco Zoning Code (Section 202.2) High relevance
San Francisco Zoning Code (§ References) High relevance
San Francisco Zoning Code (§ References) High relevance
San Francisco Zoning Code (Section 207.1) High relevance
San Francisco Zoning Code (§ References) High relevance
San Francisco Zoning Code (Section 139) High relevance

Cited sections

Administrative Code: Better Streets Policy and Plan adoption; improvements on new/existing rights‑of‑way; approvals; reporting — **§ 98.1**. (§ 98.1)
Planning Code: Streetscape & Pedestrian Improvements — **§ 138.1** (Table of elements; scaling by project size). (§ 138.1)
Planning Code: Frontages and Ground Floor Uses — **§ 145; § 145.1** (active use definitions; transparency; gates; direct entries; historic exceptions). (§ 145)
Planning Code: Ground Floor Commercial on designated streets/districts — **§ 145.4** (examples in district tables). (§ 145.4)
Planning Code: Protected/limited vehicular access (curb cuts) — **§ 155(r)** (examples in district tables). (§ 155)
Planning Code: Height bonus for active ground floors — **§ 263.20** (as shown in district tables). (§ 263.20)
District exemplars with frontage/streetscape controls: SoMa NCT, Glen Park NCT, 24th St‑Mission NCT, Japantown NCD, Inner Clement NCD, Noriega NCD, Geary Blvd NCD, UMU.
Downtown add‑ons: C‑3 sidewalk paving per Downtown Streetscape Plan (in addition to § 138.1). (§ 138.1)
Objective San Francisco Design Standards (Ground Floor Commercial/Residential, Fenestration, etc.) — Planning Commission adopted citywide standards.
Related topics linked: San Francisco Setbacks & Yards, San Francisco Height & Bulk, San Francisco Conditional Use, San Francisco Permits & Inspections, San Francisco Residential Design Guidelines.
SF Planning Code.md
SF Admin Code.md
San-Francisco-Design-Standards.md

Frequently asked questions

What is the Better Streets Plan and does it apply to private projects?

It’s the City’s adopted streetscape master plan and guidelines. When a development proposes or is required to modify the public right‑of‑way, its frontage work must follow the Better Streets Plan under Administrative Code § 98.1 and Planning Code § 138.1; approvals come from the agencies with jurisdiction.

What are San Francisco’s storefront transparency requirements?

Frontages with active uses must maintain at least 60% transparent area at the ground level, provide interior visibility 4 feet into the space within a 4'×4' zone at eye level, and avoid dark/mirrored glass, per § 145.1(c)(6).

Do I have to provide ground‑floor retail on my block?

Sometimes. § 145.4 requires ground‑floor commercial on specific streets/districts (for example, all frontages in the Polk NCD, certain blocks in Japantown, and targeted Third Street segments in UMU). Check your district table and § 145.4.

Can I add a new curb cut or garage entry on a priority street?

Maybe not. § 155(r) restricts new curb cuts on protected pedestrian/transit/bike frontages, and some districts prohibit them outright on certain blocks (e.g., parts of Post/Buchanan in Japantown). Verify street status early.

Do Downtown projects have extra sidewalk paving requirements?

Yes. In C‑3 districts, the Downtown Streetscape Plan’s sidewalk paving is required with new construction or significant enlargements, in addition to § 138.1 streetscape standards.

What counts as an “active” residential ground floor?

Ground‑floor residential is considered “active” only if 50%+ of the linear frontage is walk‑up units with direct entries consistent with the Ground Floor Residential Design Guidelines; lobbies count as active up to 40 ft or 25% of frontage (§ 145.1(b)(2)).

Is there a height bonus for providing active storefronts?

Often yes. Many districts offer a 5‑foot height bonus for active ground‑floor uses under § 263.20, as indicated in the applicable zoning control tables.

What do I need to submit for streetscape review?

Prepare plans showing all frontage elements (trees, furnishings, lighting, utilities, curb lines) coordinated with site work; some SUDs explicitly require a “streetscape plan,” and § 138.1 governs elements and approvals.

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