San Francisco County Municipal Code § 722 North Beach

The North Beach Neighborhood Commercial District is a nonlinear district centered on Columbus Avenue, located in the valley between Telegraph Hill and Russian Hill north of Broadway. North Beach functions as a neighborhood-serving marketplace, Citywide specialty shopping, and dining district, and a tourist attraction, as well as an apartment and residential hotel zone. Traditionally, the District has provided most convenience goods and services for residents of North Beach and portions of Telegraph and Russian Hills. North Beach’s eating, drinking, and entertainment establishments remain open into the evening to serve a much wider trade area and attract many tourists. The balance between neighborhood-serving convenience stores and Citywide specialty businesses has shifted, as convenience stores have been replaced by restaurants and bars. The proliferation of financial services, limited financial services, and professional services has also upset the District’s balance of uses. The relocation of business and professional offices from downtown to North Beach threatens the loss of upper-story residential units. The North Beach District controls are designed to ensure the livability and attractiveness of North Beach. The protection and enhancement of the unique architectural, cultural, and historic character of North Beach shall be prioritized. Building standards limit new development to a small to moderate scale. Rear yards are protected above the ground story and at residential levels. Active commercial uses shall be required at the ground floor. Special controls limit Health Services to small neighborhood-serving medical and dental services, while large-scale medical facilities are prohibited. Small-scale, neighborhood-serving businesses are strongly encouraged and formula retail uses are prohibited. To preserve and maintain the district’s small-scale, fine grain storefronts, the consolidation or merger of existing retail or commercial spaces or storefronts is restricted, and Use Sizes are controlled to encourage traditional small-scale commercial spaces. Special controls are necessary because an over-concentration of food and beverage service establishments limits neighborhood-serving retail sales and personal services in an area that needs them to thrive as a neighborhood. To honor the importance of Legacy Businesses in the success of the neighborhood, special controls are in place to prevent the replacement of an active Legacy Business with a non-Legacy Business. In order to maintain neighborhood-serving retail sales and personal services and to protect residential livability, additional Restaurants and Bars are prohibited in spaces that have been occupied by neighborhood-serving retail sales and personal services. Financial services, limited financial services, and ground-story business and professional office uses are prohibited from locating in the portion of the district south of Greenwich Street, while new financial services locating in the portion of the district north of Greenwich Street are limited. Restrictions on automobile and drive-up uses are intended to promote continuous retail frontage and maintain residential livability. In keeping with the District’s existing mixed-use character, housing development in new buildings is encouraged above the ground floor. Existing residential units are protected by limitations of upper-story conversions, mergers, removals, and demolitions. Accessory Dwelling Units are permitted within the existing building envelope, but may not eliminate or reduce ground-story retail or commercial space.

Table 722. NORTH BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL DISTRICT ZONING CONTROL TABLE North Beach NCD Zoning Category § References Controls BUILDING STANDARDS (17) Massing and Setbacks Height and Bulk Limits. 102, 105, 106, 250–252, 260 , 263.19, 261.1, 270, 270.3 , 271. See also Height and Bulk District Maps Varies. See Height and Bulk Map Sheet HT01 for more information. Height sculpting required on Alleys per §261.1. 5 Foot Height Bonus for Active Ground Floor Uses § 263.20 NP Rear Yard §§ 130, 134, 134(a)- (e), 136 Required at the Second Story and at each succeeding level or Story of the building, and at the First Story if it contains a Dwelling Unit: 25% of lot depth, but in no case less than 15 feet Front Setback and Side Yard §§ 130, 131, 132, 133 Generally not required; however, if the existing sidewalk does not meet the recommended width required by the Better Streets Plan, a front setback shall be provided so that, when combined with the existing sidewalk, the total distance from the curb to the building frontage meets or exceeds the required recommended width under the Better Streets Plan. This setback is required only up to 15 feet above street grade. See § 132(e). Street Frontage and Public Realm Restrictions on Lot Mergers § 121.7 Restrictions on lot mergers resulting in a lot with a single public street or private frontage greater than 25 feet. For lots that do not have a street frontage, the merger would not result in a lot width greater than 25 feet. Streetscape and Pedestrian Improvements § 138.1 Required Street Frontage Requirements § 145.1 Required; controls apply to above-grade parking setbacks, parking and loading entrances, active uses, ground floor ceiling height, street-facing ground-level spaces, transparency and fenestration, and gates, railings, and grillwork. Exceptions permitted for historic buildings. Ground Floor Commercial §§ 145.4 Required within the entire District. Vehicular Access Restrictions § 155(r) and(t) Prohibited on Columbus Avenue between Washington and North Point Streets, Grant Avenue between Columbus Avenue and Filbert Street, and Green Street between Grant Avenue and Columbus/Stockton streets, and Alleys in the NBNCD and Telegraph Hill-NB Residential SUD. Mandatory discretionary review required to install garages in buildings with two or more units. Miscellaneous Lot Size (Per Development) §§ 102, 121.1 P(16) Planned Unit Development § 304 NP Awning, Canopy or Marquee § 136.1 P Signs §§ 262, 602- 604, 607, 607.1, 608, 609 As permitted by § 607.1. Vintage Signs permitted per Section 608.14. General Advertising Signs §§ 262, 602, 604, 608, 609, 610, 611 NP Design Guidelines and Standards General Plan Commerce and Industry Element Subject to the Urban Design Guidelines, Citywide Design Standards, historic resource consideration, and any other applicable design guidelines that have been approved by the Planning Commission. Properties in this District have been identified as potentially eligible for National Register or California Register. Housing Choice-SF § 206.10 Form-based density, additional height, and other zoning modifications for eligible projects in the R-4 Height and Bulk District.

Zoning Category § References Controls RESIDENTIAL STANDARDS AND USES Zoning Category § References Controls RESIDENTIAL STANDARDS AND USES Development Standards

Usable Open Space [Per Dwelling Unit] §§ 135, 136 60 square feet if private, or 80 square feet if common, or the amount of open space required in the nearest Residential District, whichever is less. Off Street Parking Requirements §§ 145.1, 150, 151.1, 153 - 156, 166, 204.5 No car parking required. P up to 0.5 parking spaces for each Dwelling Unit; C up to 0.75 parking spaces for each Dwelling Unit. (1) Per 155(t), special controls when installing garages in Residential Buildings. Bike parking required per § 155.2 Dwelling Unit Mix § 207.7 Generally required for creation of 10 or more Dwelling Units. No less than 25% of the total number of proposed Dwelling Units shall contain at least two Bedrooms, and no less than 10% of the total number of proposed Dwelling Units shall contain at least three Bedrooms. Use Characteristics Intermediate Length Occupancy §§ 102; 202.10 P(13) Single Room Occupancy § 102 P Student Housing § 102 P Residential Uses Controls By Story 1st 2nd 3rd+ Residential Uses § 102 NP(3)(11) P P Accessory Dwelling Units §§102, 207.1, 207.2 P per Planning Code §§ 207.1 and 207.2. Dwelling Unit Density, General §§ 102, 207 1 unit per 400 square foot lot area or the density permitted in the nearest R District, whichever is greater. Form-Based Density applies within the R-4 Height and Bulk District (§§ 263.19, 270(i)). Minimum Dwelling Unit Densities, if Applicable § 207.9 Varies depending on project location, but generally ranges between 50 and 100 dwelling units per acre. Maximum Dwelling Unit Size §§ 207.10, 317 P up to 4,000 square feet of Gross Floor Area or an equivalent Floor Area Ratio for any individual Dwelling Unit of 1.2:1. C for Dwelling Units that exceed the greater of those thresholds. Group Housing Density § 208 1 bedroom per 140 square foot lot area, or the density permitted in the nearest R District, whichever is greater. Form-Based Density applies within the R-4 Height and Bulk District (§§ 263.19, 270(i)). Homeless Shelters §§ 102, 208 Density limits regulated by the Administrative Code Senior Housing Density §§ 102, 202.2(f), 207 P up to twice the number of Dwelling Units otherwise permitted as a Principal Use in the district and meeting all the requirements of § 202.2(f)(1). C up to twice the number of Dwelling Units otherwise permitted as a Principal Use in the district and meeting all requirements of § 202.2(f)(1), except for § 202.2(f)(1)(D)(iv), related to location. Form-Based Density applies within the R-4 Height and Bulk District (§§ 263.19, 270(i)). Loss of Dwelling Units Controls by Story 1st 2nd 3rd+ Residential Conversion 317 C NP NP Residential Demolition and Merger § 317 C NP NP

Zoning Category § References Controls NON-RESIDENTIAL STANDARDS AND USES (18) Zoning Category § References Controls NON-RESIDENTIAL STANDARDS AND USES (18) Development Standards Floor Area Ratio §§ 102, 123, 124 , 207.9 1.8 to 1 4 For Office Uses minimum intensities may apply pursuant to § 207.9. Use Size §§ 102, 121.2, 121.5 P up to 3,000 square feet; C 3,001 square feet and above. (10)(5) Division of large use sizes per § 121.5 Off Street Parking Requirements §§ 150, 151.1, 155(r) and (t), 161 Car parking not required. Limits set forth in