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 San Francisco
 Planning Code
 Article 7. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS

  § 762. VALENCIA STREET NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL TRANSIT DISTRICT.  

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  • The Valencia Street Commercial Transit District is located near the center of San Francisco in the Mission District. It lies along Valencia Street between 14th and Cesar Chavez (Army) Street, and includes a portion of 16th Street extending west toward Dolores Street. The commercial area provides a limited selection of convenience goods for the residents of sections of the Mission and Dolores Heights. Valencia Street also serves a wider trade area with its retail and wholesale home furnishings and appliance outlets. The commercial district also has several automobile-related businesses. Eating and drinking establishments contribute to the street’s mixed-use character and activity in the evening hours. A number of upper-story professional and business offices are located in the district, some in converted residential units.
    The Valencia Street District has a pattern of large lots and businesses, as well as a sizable number of upper-story residential units. Controls are designed to permit moderate-scale buildings and uses, protecting rear yards above the ground story and at residential levels. New neighborhood-serving commercial development is encouraged mainly at the ground story. While offices and general retail sales uses may locate at the second story of new buildings under certain circumstances, most commercial uses are prohibited above the second story. In order to protect the balance and variety of retail uses and the livability of adjacent uses and areas, most eating and drinking and entertainment uses at the ground story are limited. Continuous retail frontage is promoted by prohibiting drive-up facilities, some automobile uses, and new nonretail commercial uses. Parking is not required, and any new parking is required to be set back or below ground. Active, pedestrian-oriented ground floor uses are required.
    Housing development in new buildings is encouraged above the ground story. Housing density is not controlled by the size of the lot but by requirements to supply a high percentage of larger units and by physical envelope controls. Existing residential units are protected by prohibitions on upper-story conversions and limitations on demolitions, mergers, and subdivisions. Given the area’s central location and accessibility to the City’s transit network, accessory parking for Residential Uses is not required. Accessory Dwelling Units are permitted within the district pursuant to subsection 207(c)(4) of this Code.
    Table 762. VALENCIA STREET NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL TRANSIT DISTRICT
    ZONING CONTROL TABLE
    Valencia Street NCT
    Zoning Category
    § References
    Controls
    BUILDING STANDARDS
    Massing and Setbacks
    Height and Bulk Limits.
    §§ 102, 105, 106, 250–252, 260, 261.1, 270, 271. See also Height and Bulk District Maps
    40-X, 50-X. See Height and Bulk Map Sheet HT07 for more information. Height sculpting required on Alleys per § 261.1.
    5 Foot Height Bonus for Active Ground Floor Uses
    P
    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
    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 portions of Valencia Street, 16th Street, and 22nd Street
    Vehicular Access Restrictions
    § 155(r)
    Prohibited on Valencia Street between 15th and 23rd Streets and on 16th Street between Guerrero and Capp Streets.
    Miscellaneous
    Lot Size (Per Development)
    §§ 102, 121.1
    P up to 9,999 square feet; C 10,000 square feet and above
    Planned Unit Development
    § 304
    C
    Awning, Canopy or Marquee
    P
    Signs
    §§ 262, 602- 604, 607, 607.1, 608, 609
    As permitted by § 607.1
    General Advertising Signs
    §§ 262, 602, 604, 608, 609, 610, 611
    NP
    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
    80 square feet per unit if private, or 100 square feet per unit if common
    Off-Street Parking Requirements
    §§ 145.1, 150, 151.1, 153 - 156, 166, 204.5
    Car parking not required. P up to 0.5 spaces per Dwelling Unit; C up to 0.75 spaces per Dwelling Unit. 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
    40% of Dwelling Units shall contain at least two Bedrooms, or 30% of Dwelling Units shall contain at least three Bedrooms.
    Use Characteristics
    Intermediate Length Occupancy
    §§ 102; 202.10
    P(7)
    Single Room Occupancy
    §102
    P
    Student Housing
    §102
    P
    Residential Uses
    Controls By Story
    1st
    2nd
    3rd+
    Residential Uses
    § 102
    P(1)
    P
    P
    Accessory Dwelling Units
    §§102, 207(c)(4), 207(c)(6)
    P per Planning Code Sections 207(c)(4) and 207(c)(6).
    Dwelling Units, Senior Housing, and Group Housing
    §§ 102, 202.2(f), 207, 208
    No residential density limit by lot area. Density restricted by physical envelope controls of height, bulk, setbacks, open space, exposure and other applicable controls of this and other Codes, as well as by applicable design guidelines, applicable elements and area plans of the General Plan, and design review by the Planning Department.
    Homeless Shelters
    §§ 102, 208
    Density limits regulated by the Administrative Code
    Loss and Division of Dwelling Units
    Controls by Story
    1st
    2nd
    3rd+
    Residential Conversion
    § 317
    C
    NP
    NP
    Residential Demolition or Merger
    § 317
    C
    C
    C
    Division of Dwelling Units
    Division of existing Dwelling Units P per §207.8
    Zoning Category
    § References
    Controls
    NON-RESIDENTIAL STANDARDS AND USES
    Development Standards
    Floor Area Ratio
    §§ 102, 123, 124
    2.5 to 1
    Use Size
    §§102, 121.2
    P up to 2,999 square feet; C 3,000 square feet and above
    Off-Street Parking Requirements
    §§ 145.1, 150, 151.1, 153 - 156, 166, 204.5
    Car parking not required. Limits set forth in Section 151.1. 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
    NP
    Formula Retail
    §§102, 303.1
    C
    Hours of Operation
    §102
    P 6 a.m. - 2 a.m.; C 2 a.m.- 6 a.m.
    Maritime Use
    §102
    NP
    Open Air Sales
    §§102, 703(b)
    See Section 703(b)
    Outdoor Activity Area
    §§102, 145.2
    P if located in front; C if located elsewhere
    Walk-up Facility
    §102
    P
    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, 187.1, 202.2(b), 202.5
    NP
    NP
    NP
    Automotive Repair
    §102
    C
    NP
    NP
    Parking Garage, Private
    §102
    C
    C
    C
    Parking Garage, Public
    §102
    C
    C
    C
    Parking Lot, Private
    §§ 102, 142, 156
    C
    C
    C
    Parking Lot, Public
    §§ 102, 142, 156
    C
    C
    C
    Entertainment, Arts and Recreation Use Category
    Entertainment, Arts and Recreation Uses*
    §102
    NP
    NP
    NP
    Entertainment, General
    §102
    C
    NP
    NP
    Entertainment, Nighttime
    §102
    C
    NP
    NP
    Movie Theater
    §102
    P
    NP
    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
    C
    C
    Child Care Facility
    §102
    P
    P
    P
    Hospital
    §102
    NP
    NP
    NP
    Medical Cannabis Dispensary
    §§102, 202.2(e)
    DR
    DR
    NP
    Public Facilities
    §102
    C
    C
    C
    Residential Care Facility
    §102
    P
    P
    P
    Sales and Service Use Category
    Retail Sales and Service Uses*
    §§102, 202.2(a)
    P
    C
    NP
    Adult Business
    §102
    NP
    NP
    NP
    Animal Hospital
    §102
    C
    NP
    NP
    Bar
    §§102, 202.2(a)
    C
    NP
    NP
    Cannabis Retail
    §§ 102, 202.2(a)
    C
    C
    NP
    Flexible Retail
    § 102
    NP
    NP
    NP
    Gym
    §102
    P
    C
    C
    Hotel
    §102
    C
    C
    NP
    Kennel
    §102
    C
    NP
    NP
    Liquor Store
    §102
    NP
    NP
    NP
    Massage Establishment
    §102
    C
    C
    NP
    Mortuary
    §102
    C
    C
    NP
    Motel
    §§102, 202.2(a)
    NP
    NP
    NP
    Restaurant
    §§102, 202.2(a)
    P(4)
    NP
    NP
    Restaurant, Limited
    §§102, 202.2(a)
    P
    NP
    NP
    Services, Financial
    §102
    P
    NP
    NP
    Services, Fringe Financial
    §102
    NP(5)
    NP(5)
    NP(5)
    Services, Instructional
    §102
    P
    C
    C
    Services, Limited Financial
    §102
    P
    NP
    NP
    Services, Personal
    §102
    P
    C
    C
    Storage, Self
    §102
    NP
    NP
    NP
    Tobacco Paraphernalia Establishment
    §102
    C
    NP
    NP
    Non-Retail Sales and Service*
    §102
    NP
    NP
    NP
    Design Professional
    §102
    P
    C
    NP
    Trade Office
    §102
    P
    C
    NP
    Utility and Infrastructure Use Category
    Utility and Infrastructure*
    §102
    C(6)
    C(6)
    C(6)
    Power Plant
    §102
    NP
    NP
    NP
    Public Utilities Yard
    §102
    NP
    NP
    NP
    * Not listed below
    (1) C required for ground floor residential use when street frontage is listed in 145.4(b)
    (2) [Note deleted.]
    (3) [Note deleted.]
    (4) GROUND FLOOR CONVERSION OF RETAIL TO RESTAURANTS RESTRICTED
    Boundaries: Valencia Street from 15th Street to 24th Street.
    Controls: Conversion of existing ground floor retail uses or of ground floor spaces occupied as retail uses at any point within a period of three years prior to submission of a building permit application to Restaurant requires conditional use authorization.
    (5) FRINGE FINANCIAL SERVICE RESTRICTED USE DISTRICT (FFSRUD)
    Boundaries: The FFSRUD and its ¼ mile buffer includes, but is not limited to, the Valencia Street Neighborhood Commercial Transit District.
    Controls: Fringe Financial Services are NP within any FFSRUD and its ¼ mile buffer pursuant to Section 249.35. Outside any FFSRUD and its 1 mile buffer, Fringe Financial Services are P subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 249.35(c)(3).
    (6) C if a Macro WTS Facility; P if a Micro WTS Facility.
    (7) C for buildings with 10 or more Dwelling Units.
    (Added by Ord. , File No. 170203, App. 6/30/2017, Eff. 7/30/2017; amended by Ord. , File No. 170820, App. 7/27/2017, Eff. 8/26/2017; 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. 181156, App. 6/28/2019, Eff. 7/29/2019; Ord. , File No. 190248, App. 8/9/2019, Eff. 9/9/2019; 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
    Table 762 added; Ord. , Eff. 8/26/2017. Zoning Control Table amended; Note * designated; 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; Ord. , Eff. 1/7/2019. Zoning Control Table amended; Note (3) deleted; 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 and Note (5) amended; Ord. , Eff. 5/25/2020. Zoning Control Table amended; Note (7) added; Ord. , Eff. 6/22/2020.
    CODIFICATION NOTE
    1. So in Ord. .