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Ordinance#230371Passed
In plain English

The ordinance allows for the conversion of non-residential spaces to residential use in Downtown San Francisco, streamlining various requirements and permitting new commercial uses to help revitalize the area. It also simplifies sign permitting and historic preservation reviews, while increasing flexibility for large projects and adaptive reuse of buildings.

Ordinance amending the Planning Code to 1) facilitate residential uses Downtown by authorizing the conversion of non-residential uses to residential use in C (Commercial) zoning districts, and exempting such projects from requirements for rear yard, open space, streetscape improvements, dwelling unit exposure, bike parking, transportation demand management, dwelling unit mix, and Intermediate Length Occupancy controls, permitting live work units in such projects, streamlining administrative approvals for projects in the C-3 zoning district, and modifying the dimensional limits on exemptions to height restrictions for mechanical equipment, elevator, stair, and mechanical penthouses; 2) economically revitalize Downtown by adding Flexible Workspace as a defined use, authorizing large scale retail uses in the C-3 zoning district, allowing window displays in the C-3 zoning district, allowing Flexible Workspace as an active ground floor commercial use along certain street frontages in C-3 zoning districts, allowing accessory storage in any C zoning district, allowing the temporary installation for 60 days of certain signs in the C-3-R district, allowing temporary non-residential uses in vacant spaces for up to one year, including formula retail, reducing density limits for Residential Dwelling Units and Senior Housing in the C-2 zoning districts east of or fronting Franklin Street/13th Street and north of Townsend Street, principally permitting Laboratory, Life Science, Agricultural and Beverage Processing, and Animal Hospitals in C-2 zoning districts, principally permitting Senior Housing, Residential Care Facilities, Outdoor Entertainment, Open Recreation Areas, Animal Hospitals, and Trade Schools in the C-3 zoning district, allowing formula retail as a ground floor use on Market Street, principally permitting office and design professional uses on the second floor and higher in the C-3-R zoning district, and requiring consideration of office vacancy in consideration of granting exceptions in the Transit Center Commercial Special Use District; 3) streamline sign permitting citywide and in the C-3 districts by allowing for the repair and rehabilitation of certain neon signs, and exempting existing business signs in the C-3 zoning district from certain zoning controls; 4) streamline Historic Preservation review of administrative certificates of appropriateness, and minor permits to alter for awnings, and Qualifying Scopes of Work, as may be delegated by the Historic Preservation Commission; 5) increase threshold for large projects subject to commercial to residential ratios in the C-3-O district, and provide alternatives to on-site open space in certain C-3 districts by allowing for payment of an in lieu fee as an alternative to providing open space; 6) facilitate residential adaptive reuse by amending the Building Code to add standards for adaptive reuse of non-residential buildings; and 7) principally permit formula retail and waive size limitations for such uses on a portion of Showplace Square Area (555-9th Street, Assessor’s Parcel Block No. 3781, Lot No. 003); affirming the Planning Department’s determination under the California Environmental Quality Act; making findings of consistency with the General Plan, and the eight priority policies of Planning Code, Section 101.1; and making findings of public necessity, convenience, and welfare pursuant to Planning Code, Section 302.

Introduced: Apr 12, 2023
Final action: Jul 5, 2023
Official record ↗

How it got here

Document trail
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Leg Dig Ver1
Official legislation text
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Referral CEQA PC 041023
Environmental review (CEQA)
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Leg Dig Ver2
Official legislation text
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Referral CEQA PC 041423
Environmental review (CEQA)
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CEQA Determination 050923
Environmental review (CEQA)
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PC Transmittal 051123
Departmental transmittal
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BIC Transmittal 051823
Departmental transmittal
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Leg Dig Ver3
Official legislation text
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Leg Dig Ver4
Official legislation text
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How they voted

PASSED ON FIRST READING
Board of Supervisors · Jun 13, 2023Pass
5-0
AMENDED, AN AMENDMENT OF THE WHOLE BEARING SAME TITLE
Land Use and Transportation Committee · Jun 12, 2023Pass
1-0
RECOMMENDED AS AMENDED AS A COMMITTEE REPORT
Land Use and Transportation Committee · Jun 12, 2023Pass
1-0
AMENDED, AN AMENDMENT OF THE WHOLE BEARING NEW TITLE
Land Use and Transportation Committee · Jun 5, 2023Pass
1-0
CONTINUED AS AMENDED
Land Use and Transportation Committee · Jun 5, 2023Pass
1-0

Legislative journey

PresidentApr 4, 2023
ASSIGNED UNDER 30 DAY RULE
Clerk of the BoardApr 10, 2023
REFERRED TO DEPARTMENT
PresidentApr 12, 2023
SUBSTITUTED AND ASSIGNED UNDER 30 DAY RULE
Clerk of the BoardApr 14, 2023
REFERRED TO DEPARTMENT
Planning DepartmentMay 9, 2023
·RESPONSE RECEIVED
Planning CommissionMay 11, 2023
·RESPONSE RECEIVED
Building Inspection CommissionMay 18, 2023
·RESPONSE RECEIVED
Land Use and Transportation CommitteeJun 5, 2023 – Jun 12, 2023
CONTINUED AS AMENDEDPass
AMENDED, AN AMENDMENT OF THE WHOLE BEARING NEW TITLEPass
DUPLICATED AS AMENDED
RECOMMENDED AS AMENDED AS A COMMITTEE REPORTPass
AMENDED, AN AMENDMENT OF THE WHOLE BEARING SAME TITLEPass
DUPLICATED AS AMENDED
Board of SupervisorsJun 13, 2023 – Jun 27, 2023
PASSED ON FIRST READINGPass
FINALLY PASSEDPass
MayorJul 5, 2023
APPROVED