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 San Francisco
 Planning Code
 Article 7. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS

  § 713. NC-S - NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL SHOPPING CENTER DISTRICT.  

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  • NC-S Districts are intended to serve as small shopping centers or supermarket sites which provide retail goods and services for primarily car-oriented shoppers. They commonly contain at least one anchor store or supermarket, and some districts also have small medical office buildings. The range of services offered at their retail outlets usually is intended to serve the immediate and nearby neighborhoods. These districts encompass some of the most recent (post-1945) retail development in San Francisco's neighborhoods and serve as an alternative to the linear shopping street.
    Shopping centers and supermarket sites contain mostly one-story buildings which are removed from the street edge and set in a parking lot. Outdoor pedestrian activity consists primarily of trips between the parking lot and the stores on-site. Ground and second stories are devoted to retail sales and some personal services and offices.
    The NC-S standards and use provisions allow for medium-size commercial uses in low-scale buildings. Rear yards are not required for new development. Most neighborhood-serving retail businesses are permitted at the first and second stories 2 Some auto uses are permitted at the first story. Limited storage and administrative service activities are permitted with some restrictions.
    Housing development in new buildings is permitted. Existing residential units are protected by limitations on demolitions and prohibitions of upper-story conversions. Accessory Dwelling Units are permitted within the District pursuant to subsection 207(c)(4) of this Code.
    Table 713. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL SHOPPING CENTER DISTRICT NC-S
    ZONING CONTROL TABLE
    NC-S
    Zoning Category
    § References
    Controls
    BUILDING STANDARDS
    Massing and Setbacks
    Height and Bulk Limits.
    §§ 102, 105, 106, 250–252, 253.3, 260, 261.1, 270, 271. See also Height and Bulk District Maps
    Varies, but generally 40-X. Lakeshore Plaza SUD requires C for buildings above 26 feet (1). See Height and Bulk Map Sheets HT02-05, HT07, and HT10-13 for more information. Height sculpting required on Alleys per § 261.1.
    5 Foot Height Bonus for Active Ground Floor Uses
    NP
    Rear Yard
    §§ 130, 134, 134(a)(e), 136
    Not Required.
    Front Setback and Side Yard
    §§ 131, 132, 133
    Not Required.
    Street Frontage and Public Realm
    Streetscape and Pedestrian Improvements
    Required
    Street Frontage Requirements
    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
    Required on certain streets, see § 145.4 for specific districts.
    Vehicular Access Restrictions
    § 155(r)
    Restricted on some streets, see § 155(r) for specific districts
    Miscellaneous
    Lot Size (Per Development)
    N/A
    Planned Unit Development
    § 304
    C
    Awning, Canopy, or Marquee
    §§ 102, 136
    P
    Signs
    §§ 262, 602-604, 607, 608, 609
    As permitted by § 607.1
    General Advertising Signs
    §§ 262, 602,604, 608, 609, 610, 611
    NP(1)
    Design Guidelines
    General Plan Commerce and Industry Element
    Subject to the Urban Design Guidelines
    Zoning Category
    § References
    Controls
    RESIDENTIAL STANDARDS AND USES
    Development Standards
    Usable Open Space [Per Dwelling Unit]
    §§ 135, 136
    Generally, either 100 square feet if private, or 133 square feet if common.(1)
    Off-Street Parking Requirements
    §§ 145.1, 150, 151, 153 - 156, 161, 166, 204.5
    No car parking required. Maximum permitted per § 151. Bike parking required per § 155.2. If car parking is provided, car share spaces are required when a project has 50 units or more per § 166.
    Dwelling Unit Mix
    §§ 207.6, 207.7
    Not required
    Use Characteristics
    Intermediate Length Occupancy
    §§ 102; 202.10
    P(8)
    Single Room Occupancy
    § 102
    P
    Student Housing
    § 102
    P
    Residential Uses
    Controls by Story
    1st
    2nd
    3rd+
    Residential Uses
    § 102
    P
    P
    P
    Accessory Dwelling Unit Density
    §§102, 207(c)(4), 207(c)(6)
    P per Planning Code Sections 207(c)(4) and 207(c)(6).
    Dwelling Unit Density
    §§ 102, 207
    1 unit per 800 square feet lot area, or the density permitted in the nearest R District, whichever is greater.(1)(4)
    Group Housing Density
    § 208
    1 bedroom per 275 square foot lot area, or the density permitted in the nearest R District, whichever is greater.(1)
    Homeless Shelter Density
    §§ 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.
    Loss of Dwelling Units
    Controls by Story
    1st
    2nd
    3rd+
    Residential Conversion
    § 317
    C
    NP
    NP
    Residential Demolition and Merger
    § 317
    C
    C
    C
    Zoning Category
    § References
    Controls
    NON-RESIDENTIAL STANDARDS
    Development Standards
    Floor Area Ratio
    §§ 102, 123, 124
    1.8 to 1
    Use Size
    P up to 5,999 square feet; C 6,000 square feet and above
    Off-Street Parking Requirements
    No car parking required 1 Maximum permitted per § 151. Bike parking required per Section 155.2. Car share spaces required when a project has 25 or more parking spaces per § 166.
    Off-Street Freight Loading
    §§ 150, 152, 153 - 155, 161, 204.5
    None required if gross floor area is less than 10,000 square feet. Exceptions permitted per §§ 155 and 161.
    Commercial Use Characteristics
    Drive-up Facility
    § 102
    C
    Formula Retail
    §§ 102, 303.1
    C
    Hours of Operation
    § 102
    P 6 a.m. - 2 a.m., C 2 a.m. - 6 a.m. (1)
    Maritime Use
    § 102
    NP
    Open Air Sales
    §§ 102, 703(b)
    See § 703(b)
    Outdoor Activity Area
    §§ 102, 145.2(a)
    P if located in front; C if located elsewhere
    Walk-up Facility
    §§ 102, 145.2(b)
    P
    NON-RESIDENTIAL USES
    Controls by Story
    1st
    2nd
    3rd+
    Agricultural Use Category
    Agriculture, Industrial
    §§ 102, 202.2(c)
    NP
    NP
    NP
    Agriculture, Large Scale Urban
    §§ 102, 202.2(c)
    C
    C
    C
    Agriculture, Neighborhood
    §§ 102, 202.2(c)
    P
    P
    P
    Automotive Use Category
    Automotive Uses*
    § 102
    NP
    NP
    NP
    Automotive Sale/Rental
    § 102
    C
    NP
    NP
    Automotive Service Station
    §§ 102, 202.2(b)
    P
    NP
    NP
    Automotive Wash
    §§ 102, 202.2(b)
    C
    NP
    NP
    Gas Station
    §§ 102, 187.1, 202.2(b)
    C
    NP
    NP
    Parking Garage, Private
    § 102
    C
    C(1)
    C(1)
    Parking Garage, Public
    § 102
    P
    P
    NP
    Parking Lot, Private
    §§ 102, 142, 156
    C
    C(1)
    C(1)
    Parking Lot, Public
    §§ 102, 142, 156
    P
    P
    NP
    Entertainment, Arts and Recreation Use Category
    Entertainment, Arts and Recreation Uses*
    § 102
    NP
    NP
    NP
    Arts Activities
    § 102
    NP(6)
    NP(7)
    NP(7)
    Entertainment, General
    § 102
    P(1)
    P(1)
    NP
    Entertainment, Nighttime
    § 102
    P(1)
    P(1)
    NP
    Movie Theater
    §§ 102, 202.4
    P(1)
    NP(1)
    NP
    Open Recreation Area
    § 102
    C
    C
    C
    Passive Outdoor Recreation
    § 102
    C
    C
    C
    Industrial Use Category
    Industrial Uses*
    §§ 102, 202.2(d)
    NP
    NP
    NP
    Institutional Use Category
    Institutional Uses*
    § 102
    P(1)
    P(1)
    NP(1)
    Child Care Facility
    § 102
    P(1)
    P(1)
    P(1)
    Hospital
    § 102
    NP
    NP
    NP
    Medical Cannabis Dispensary**
    §§ 102, 202.2(e)
    C
    C
    NP
    Public Facilities
    § 102
    C
    C
    C
    Residential Care Facility
    § 102
    P(1)
    P(1)
    P(1)
    Sales and Service Use Category
    Retail Sales and Service Uses*
    § 102
    P
    P
    NP
    Adult Business
    § 102
    NP
    NP
    NP
    Animal Hospital
    § 102
    C
    C
    NP
    Bar
    §§ 102, 202.2(a)
    P(1)
    P(1)
    NP
    Cannabis Retail
    §§ 102, 202.2(a)
    C
    C
    NP
    Flexible Retail
    § 102
    NP(6)
    NP
    NP
    Hotel
    § 102
    C(4)
    C(4)
    C(4)
    Kennel
    § 102
    C
    C
    NP
    Liquor Store
    § 102
    P
    NP
    NP
    Massage Establishment
    § 102, 303(o)
    C
    C
    NP
    Massage, Foot/Chair
    § 102
    P
    C
    NP
    Mortuary
    § 102
    C(1)
    C(1)
    NP
    Motel
    §§ 102, 202.2(a)
    NP(4)
    NP(4)
    NP(4)
    Restaurant, Limited
    §§ 102, 202.2(a)
    P(1)
    P(1)
    NP
    Services, Financial
    § 102
    P
    P
    NP(1)
    Services, Fringe Financial
    § 102
    P
    NP
    NP
    Services, Health
    § 102
    P
    P
    NP(1)
    Services, Instructional
    § 102
    P
    P
    NP(1)
    Services, Limited Financial
    § 102
    P
    P
    NP
    Services, Personal
    § 102
    P
    P
    NP(1)
    Storage, Self
    § 102
    C
    C
    NP
    Tobacco Paraphernalia Establishment
    § 102
    C
    NP
    NP
    Non-Retail Sales and Service*
    § 102
    NP
    NP
    NP
    Design Professional
    § 102
    P
    P
    NP
    Service, Non-Retail Professional
    § 102
    C
    C
    NP(1)
    Trade Office
    § 102
    P
    P
    NP
    Utility and Infrastructure Use Category
    Utility and Infrastructure*
    § 102
    C(5)
    C(5)
    C(5)
    Power Plant
    § 102
    NP
    NP
    NP
    Public Utilities Yard
    § 102
    NP
    NP
    NP
    * Not listed below
    (1) LAKESHORE PLAZA SPECIAL USE DISTRICT
    Boundaries: Applicable only for the Lakeshore Plaza NC-S District as mapped on Sectional Map SU13 and HT13.
    Controls: Special controls on various features and uses, and residential standards per Section 780.1, and special Height controls per Section 253.3.
    (2) [Note deleted.]
    (3) [Note deleted.]
    (4) BAYSHORE-HESTER SPECIAL USE DISTRICT
    Boundaries: Applicable only for the Bayshore-Hester Special Use District NC-S District as mapped on the Sectional Map 10SU.
    Controls: Hotels and Motels may be permitted as a Conditional Use.
    (5) C if a Macro WTS Facility; P if a Micro WTS Facility.
    (6) P in the geographic area described as Flexible Retail Zones in Section 202.9.
    (7) C in the geographic area described as Flexible Retail Zones in Section 202.9.
    (8) C for buildings with 10 or more Dwelling Units.
    (Added by Ord. 69-87, App. 3/13/87; amended by Ord. 445-87, App. 11/12/87; Ord. 412-88, App. 9/10/88; Ord. 42-89, App. 2/8/89; Ord. 331-97, App. 8/19/97; Ord. 87-00, File No. 991963, App. 5/19/2000; Ord. 260-00, File No. 001424, App. 11/17/2000; Ord. 275-05, File No. 051250, App. 11/30/2005; Ord. 289-06, File No. 050176, App. 11/20/2006; Ord. 269-07, File No. 070671, App. 11/26/2007; Ord. 244-08, File No. 080567, App. 10/30/2008; Ord. 245-08, File No. 080696; Ord. 51-09, File No. 081620, App. 4/2/2009; Ord. , File No. 101537, App. 4/20/2011, Eff. 5/20/2011; Ord. , File No. 111315, App. 3/16/2012, Eff. 4/15/2012; Ord. , File No. 120084, App. 4/23/2012, Eff. 5/23/2012; Ord. , File No. 130062, App. 3/28/2013, Eff. 4/27/2013; Ord. , File No. 130041, App. 12/26/2013, Eff. 1/25/2014; Ord. , File No. 140844, App. 11/26/2014, Eff. 12/26/2014; Ord. , File No. 141210, App. 2/13/2015, Eff. 3/15/2015; Ord. , File No. 110548, App. 2/20/2015, Eff. 3/22/2015; redesignated and amended by Ord. , File No. 140954, App. 3/26/2015, Eff. 4/25/2015; amended by Ord. , File No. 150804, App. 9/18/2015, Eff. 10/18/2015; Ord. , File No. 160115, App. 3/11/2016, Eff. 4/10/2016; Ord. , File No. 160657, App. 8/4/2016, Eff. 9/3/2016; Ord. , File No. 160477, App. 8/11/2016, Eff. 9/10/2016; Ord. , File No. 170203, App. 6/30/2017, Eff. 7/30/2017; Ord. , File No. 170204, App. 6/30/2017, Eff. 7/30/2017; Ord. , File No. 170693, App. 9/15/2017, Eff. 10/15/2017; Ord. , File No. 171041, App. 12/6/2017, Eff. 1/5/2018; Ord. , File No. 180557, App. 8/10/2018, Eff. 9/10/2018; Ord. , File No. 180914, App. 11/20/2018, Eff. 12/21/2018; Ord. , File No. 180806, App. 12/7/2018, Eff. 1/7/2019; Ord. , File No. 180915, App. 12/21/2018, Eff. 1/21/2019; Ord. , File No. 181028, App. 12/21/2018, Eff. 1/21/2019; Ord. , File No. 181156, App. 6/28/2019, Eff. 7/29/2019; Ord. , File No. 190248, App. 8/9/2019, Eff. 9/9/2019; Ord. , File No. 181211, App. 9/11/2019, Eff. 10/12/2019; Ord. , File No. 200077, App. 4/24/2020, Eff. 5/25/2020; Ord. , File No. 191075, App. 5/22/2020, Eff. 6/22/2020)
    AMENDMENT HISTORY
    Zoning Control Table: 713.69C and 713.69D added; Ord. , Eff. 5/20/2011. Zoning Control Table: 713.61 amended; Ord. , Eff. 4/15/2012. Zoning Control Table: 713.43 and 713.44 amended, former categories 713.42, 713.67, and 713.69A deleted; Ord. , Eff. 5/23/2012. Zoning Control Table: 713.13, 713.54, and 713.69B amended; Specific Provisions: 713.54 added; Ord. , Eff. 4/27/2013. Zoning Control Table: former categories 713.38 and 713.39 redesignated as 713.36 and 713.37 and amended; Ord. , Eff. 1/25/2014. Zoning Control Table: 713.26 amended; Specific Provisions: 713.54 amended; Ord. , Eff. 12/26/2014. Zoning Control Table: 713.92b added; Ord. , Eff. 3/15/2015. Zoning Control Table: 713.14, 713.15, 713.16, 713.17, and 713.30 amended; Ord. , Eff. 3/22/2015. Section redesignated (formerly Sec. 713.1); Zoning Control Table: 713.54, 713.91, and 713.92 amended; Ord. , Eff. 4/25/2015. Introductory material amended; Zoning Control Table: 713.91 amended; Specific Provisions: 713.91 ("Accessory Dwelling Units") added; Ord. , Eff. 10/18/2015. Zoning Control Table: former categories 713.36 and 713.37 deleted, 713.96 and 713.97 added; Ord. , Eff. 4/10/2016. Introductory material amended; Specific Provisions: 713.91 amended; Ord. , Eff. 9/3/2016. Zoning Control Table: 713.33A added; Ord. , Eff. 9/10/2016. New Zoning Control Table and notes added; Ord. , Eff. 7/30/2017. Previous Zoning Control Table and Specific Provisions deleted; Ord. , Eff. 7/30/2017. Zoning Control Table amended; Note (2) deleted; Ord. , Eff. 10/15/2017. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. , Eff. 1/5/2018. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. , Eff. 9/10/2018. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. , Eff. 12/21/2018. Zoning Control Table amended; Notes (6) and (7) added; Ord. , Eff. 1/7/2019. Zoning Control Table amended; Note (3) deleted; Ord. , Eff. 1/21/2019. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. , Eff. 1/21/2019. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. , Eff. 7/29/2019. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. , Eff. 9/9/2019. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. , Eff. 10/12/2019. Introductory material and Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. , Eff. 5/25/2020. Zoning Control Table amended; Note (8) added; Ord. , Eff. 6/22/2020.
    CODIFICATION NOTES
    1. So in Ord. .
    2. So in Ord. .
    **Editor’s Note:
    Ordinance 186-17, effective October 15, 2017, requires that “No more than three MCDs shall be permitted at any given time within the boundaries of Supervisorial District 11.”