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Title 17 — ZONING REGULATIONS CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO

Chapter 17.46 — PUBLIC FACILITY (PF) ZONE

San Luis Obispo Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · updated 2026-07-06 · San Luis Obispo

17.46.010 – Purpose and Application

The PF zone is intended to provide for a wide range of public, cultural, and quasi-public uses that meet the needs of City and County residents. Public uses are those conducted by governmental or nonprofit agencies. However, the PF zone also accommodates compatible private and commercial uses which, within the overall guidance of the General Plan, provide a public benefit. The zone is further intended to protect neighboring private uses from potentially incompatible public uses.

17.46.020 – Development Standards

The general property development standards for the PF zone shall be as set forth in Table 2-23: PF Zone Development Standards. See also Section 16.18.030 (Subdivisions; Lot Dimensions) for minimum lot dimensions.

Table 2-23: PF Zone Development Standards
Development Standard PF Zone Additional Regulations
Minimum Setback
Front No setback unless adjacent to zone with minimum setback requirement, in which case the
adjoining setback shall be as provided in zone of adjacent lot. Lots separated by streets or
other rights-of-way are not considered adjacent. If more than one zone is adjacent, the
largest setback shall be required.
Interior Side and Rear
Corner Lot - Street Side
Maximum Building Height 35 feet Maximum height may be increased up to 50 feet for City-
owned facilities, as set forth in Section 17.46.030 (Additional
Regulations). See also Section17.70.080 (Height
Measurement and Exceptions)s 17.16.020 and 17.16.040
..
Maximum Lot Coverage 60%
See also Section

17.70.120 (Lot Coverage
)17.16.030
Maximum Floor Area Ratio
For a parcel adjacent to a C-D zone: 2.0
For a parcel adjacent to any zone other than C-D: 1.0
See also Section 17.70.060 (FAR Measurement and Exceptions)
Minimum Lot Area
6,000 square feet

See also Section 16.18.030 (Subdivisions;
Lot Dimensions)
Edge Condition
Requirements
See Section 17.70.050 (Edge Conditions)XXX

17.46.030 – Additional Regulations

  • A. Maximum Building Height in PF Zone. These regulations are established to allow for City of San Luis Obispo buildings higher than 35 feet in the PF zone to encourage creative building design and meet critical community needs, provided that such taller buildings, through discretionary review processes, contribute defined community benefits and can be found to be compatible with adjacent buildings and the surrounding environment as a whole.

  • B. Findings and Requirements to Approve Building Height Increase. The approval of a building height above 35 feet shall require approval by the Planning Commission of Major Development Review ( Section s ee Chapter 17.106: Development Revie wXX.XX.XX) . In addition to the criteria associated with Major Development Review (Section 17.106.050: Application Review), the approval of a building height above 35 feet shall require that the review authority also find , including the following finding: The public benefits associated with the project significantly outweigh any detrimental impacts from the additional height. In weighing potential public benefits, the Director Planning Commission shall consider objectives related to common parking facilities, economic vitality, historic preservation, and open space preservation to be especially important.

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CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO ZONING REGULATIONS – TITLE 17

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Contents — San Luis Obispo Zoning Code
San Luis Obispo Zoning Code
  1. Title 17 — ZONING REGULATIONS CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
    Overview
    1. Article 1 — ENACTMENT, APPLICABILITY, AND ENFORCEMENT
    2. Chapter 17.02 — PURPOSE AND APPLICABILITY OF THE ZONING REGULA…
    3. Chapter 17.04 — INTERPRETATION OF THE ZONING REGULATIONS
    4. Chapter 17.06 — ZONES ESTABLISHED AND ZONING MAP
    5. Chapter 17.12 — AGRICULTURAL (AG) ZONE
    6. Chapter 17.14 — CONSERVATION/OPEN SPACE (C/OS) ZONE
    7. Chapter 17.16 — LOW-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL (R-1) ZONE
    8. Chapter 17.18 — MEDIUM-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL (R-2) ZONE
    9. Chapter 17.20 — MEDIUM-HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL (R-3) ZONE
    10. Chapter 17.22 — HIGH-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL (R-4) ZONE
    11. Chapter 17.24 — OFFICE (O) ZONE
    12. Chapter 17.26 — NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL (C-N) ZONE
    13. Chapter 17.28 — COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL (C-C) ZONE
    14. Chapter 17.30 — RETAIL COMMERCIAL (C-R) ZONE
    15. Chapter 17.32 — DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL (C-D) ZONE
    16. Chapter 17.34 — TOURIST COMMERCIAL (C-T) ZONE
    17. Chapter 17.36 — SERVICE COMMERCIAL (C-S) ZONE
    18. Chapter 17.38 — RESERVED
    19. Chapter 17.40 — MANUFACTURING (M) ZONE
    20. Chapter 17.42 — BUSINESS PARK (BP) ZONE
    21. Chapter 17.44 — RESERVED
    22. Chapter 17.46 — PUBLIC FACILITY (PF) ZONE
    23. Chapter 17.48 — PLANNED DEVELOPMENT (PD) OVERLAY ZONE
    24. Chapter 17.50 — SPECIFIC PLAN (SP) OVERLAY ZONE
    25. Chapter 17.52 — SPECIAL FOCUS AREA (S-F) OVERLAY ZONE
    26. Chapter 17.54 — DOWNTOWN (D) OVERLAY ZONE
    27. Chapter 17.56 — HISTORICAL PRESERVATION (H) OVERLAY ZONE
    28. Chapter 17.58 — MIXED USE (MU) OVERLAY ZONE
    29. Chapter 17.60 — SPECIAL CONSIDERATION (S) OVERLAY ZONE
    30. Chapter 17.62 — RESERVED
    31. Chapter 17.64 — AIRPORT (AOZ) OVERLAY ZONE
    32. Chapter 17.66 — RESERVED
    33. Chapter 17.70 — SITE DEVELOPMENT AND GENERAL DEVELOPMENT STAND…
    34. Chapter 17.72 — ~~PARKING AND LOADINGP~~ ARKING AND LOADING
    35. Chapter 17.74 — PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
    36. Chapter 17.76 — PROPERTY MAINTENANCE STANDARDS
    37. Chapter 17.78 — FLOOD DAMAGE PREVENTION
    38. Chapter 17.80 — STREET REGULATIONS
    39. Chapter 17.90 — RESERVED
    40. Chapter 17.92 — NONCONFORMING STRUCTURES
    41. Chapter 17.94 — NONCONFORMING USES
    42. Chapter 17.96 — NONCONFORMING LOTS
    43. Chapter 17.104 — PERMIT APPLICATION FILING AND PROCESSING
    44. Chapter 17.106 — DEVELOPMENT REVIEW
    45. Chapter 17.108 — DIRECTOR’S ACTION
    46. Chapter 17.109 — DIRECTOR’S HEARING
    47. Chapter 17.110 — MINOR USE PERMITS AND CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS
    48. Chapter 17.112 — REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION
    49. Chapter 17.113 — TEMPORARY USE PERMITS
    50. Chapter 17.114 — VARIANCES
    51. Chapter 17.120 — ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITY
    52. Chapter 17.122 — PUBLIC NOTICES AND HEARINGS
    53. Chapter 17.124 — AMENDMENTS - ZONING REGULATIONS AND ZONING MAP
    54. Chapter 17.126 — APPEALS
    55. Chapter 17.128 — DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS
    56. Chapter 17.130 — GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENTS
    57. Chapter 17.132 — ENFORCEMENT
    58. Chapter 17.138 — INCLUSIONARY HOUSING REQUIREMENTS
    59. Chapter 17.140 — AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCENTIVES
    60. Chapter 17.142 — DOWNTOWN HOUSING CONVERSION REGULATIONS
    61. Chapter 17.144 — RESIDENTIAL GROWTH MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS
    62. Chapter 17.146 — RESIDENTIAL OCCUPANCY STANDARDS
    63. Chapter 17.148 — HIGH-OCCUPANCY RESIDENTIAL USE REGULATIONS
    64. Chapter 17.154 — DEFINITIONS PURPOSE AND ORGANIZATION 17.154.0…
    65. Chapter 17.158 — GENERAL DEFINITIONS

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