134

SEC. 134. REAR YARDS IN R, RC, RTO, NC, M, CMUO, MUG, MUO, MUR, RED, RED-MX, SPD, UMU, AND WMUG DISTRICTS; AND LOT COVERAGE REQUIREMENTS IN C DISTRICTS. (See Interpretations related to this Section.) (a) Purpose. The rear yard requirements of this Section 134 are intended to: (1) assure the protection and continuation of established mid-block landscaped open spaces; (2) maintain a scale of development appropriate to each district, complementary to the location of adjacent buildings; (3) provide natural light and natural ventilation to residences, work spaces, and adjacent rear yards; and (4) provide residents with usable open space and views into green rear-yard spaces. (b) Applicability. The rear yard requirements established by this Section 134 shall apply to every building in the districts listed below. To the extent that these provisions are inconsistent with any Special Use District or Residential Character District, the provisions of the Special Use District or Residential Character District shall apply. (c) Basic Requirements. The basic rear yard requirements shall be as follows for the districts indicated: (1) In RH, RM-1, RM-2, RTO-1, and RTO-M Zoning Districts, the basic rear yard shall be equal to 30% of the total depth of the lot on which the building is situated, but in no case less than 15 feet. (2) In all other Zoning Districts not listed in subsection (c)(1), the rear yard shall be equal to 25% of the total depth of the lot on which the building is situated, but in no case less than 15 feet. (d) Rear Yard Location Requirements. (1) RH, RM, RTO-1, RTO-M, NC-1, NCT-1, Inner Sunset, Outer Clement Street, Cole Valley, Haight Street, Lakeside Village, Sacramento Street, 24th Street-Noe Valley, Pacific Avenue, and West Portal Avenue NC Districts. Rear yards shall be provided at grade level and at each succeeding level or story of the building. (2) RTO-C, NC-S, NC-2, NCT-2, Ocean Avenue, Inner Balboa Street, Outer Balboa Street, Castro Street, Cortland Avenue, Divisadero Street NCT, Excelsior-Outer Mission Street, Inner Clement Street, Upper Fillmore Street, Lower Haight Street, Judah Street, Noriega Street, North Beach, San Bruno Avenue, Taraval Street, Inner Taraval Street, Irving Street, Union Street, Valencia Street, 24th Street-Mission, Glen Park, and Folsom Street NC Districts, and the Regional Commercial District. Rear yards shall be provided at the second story, and at each succeeding story of the building, and at the First Story if it contains a Dwelling Unit

(3) RC-3, RC-4, NC-3, NCT-3, Bayview, Broadway, Fillmore Street, Geary Boulevard, Hayes-Gough, Japantown, SoMa NCT, Mission Bernal, Mission Street, Polk Street, Lower Polk Street, M, SPD, MUR, MUG, MUO, and UMU Districts. Rear yards shall be provided at the lowest story containing a Dwelling Unit, and at each succeeding level or story of the building. In the Hayes-Gough NCT, lots fronting the east side of Octavia Boulevard between Linden and Market Streets (Central Freeway Parcels L, M, N, R, S, T, U, and V) are not required to provide rear yards at any level of the building, provided that the project fully meets the usable open space requirement for Dwelling Units pursuant to Section 135, meets the exposure requirements of Section 140, and gives adequate architectural consideration to the light and air needs of adjacent buildings given the constraints of the project site. (4) Upper Market Street NCT. Rear yards shall be provided at the grade level, and at each succeeding story of the building. For buildings in the Upper Market Street NCT that do not contain Residential Uses and that do not abut adjacent lots with an existing pattern of rear yards or mid-block open space, the Zoning Administrator may waive or reduce this rear yard requirement pursuant to the procedures of subsection (h). (5) RED, RED-MX and WMUG Districts. Rear yards shall be provided at the ground level for any building containing a Dwelling Unit, and at each succeeding level or story of the building. (6) Lot Coverage in C Districts. Lot coverage is limited to 80% at all levels containing residential uses, except that on levels that include only lobbies and circulation areas and on levels in which all residential uses, including circulation areas, are within 40 horizontal feet from a property line fronting a street or alley, up to 100% lot coverage may occur. The unbuilt portion of the lot shall be open to the sky except for those obstructions permitted in yards pursuant to subsections (1) through (23) of Section 136(c). Where the adjacent properties have an existing rear yard, the unbuilt area of the new project shall be designed to adjoin that rear yard. In accordance with Section 210.5, lot coverage requirements shall not be applicable for Commercial to Residential Adaptive Reuse projects. (e) Permitted Obstructions. Only those obstructions specified in Section 136 of this Code shall be permitted in a required rear yard, and no other obstruction shall be constructed, placed, or maintained within any such yard. No motor vehicle, trailer, boat, or other vehicle shall be parked or stored within any such yard, except as specified in Section 136. (f) Second Building on Corner Lots and Through Lots in RH, RTO, RM-1, and RM-2 Districts. Where a lot is a Corner Lot, or is a through lot having both its front and its rear lot line along Streets, Alleys, or a Street and an Alley, the subject lot may have two buildings, each fronting at one end of the lot, provided that all the other requirements of this Code are met. In such cases, the rear yard required by this Section 134 for the subject lot shall be located in the central portion of the lot, between the two buildings on such lot. In no case shall the total minimum rear yard for the subject lot be thus reduced to less than a depth equal to 30% of the total depth of the subject lot or to less than 15 feet, whichever is greater; provided, however, that the Zoning Administrator may reduce the total depth to 20% pursuant to Section 307(l) of this Code if the reduction is for the sole purpose of constructing an Accessory Dwelling Unit under Section 207.1, and provided further that the reduction/waiver is in consideration of the property owner entering into a Regulatory Agreement pursuant to Section 207.1 subjecting the ADU to the San Francisco Rent Stabilization and Arbitration Ordinance. For buildings fronting on a Narrow Street as defined in Section 261.1 of this Code, the additional height limits of Section 261.1 shall apply. Furthermore, in all cases in which this subsection (f) is applied, the requirements of Section 132 of this Code for front setback areas shall be applicable along both Street or Alley frontages of the subject through lot. (g) Reduction of Requirements in C-3 Districts. In C-3 Districts, an exception to the rear yard requirements of this Section 134 may be allowed, in accordance with the provisions of Section 309, provided that the building location and configuration assure adequate light and air to windows within the residential units and to the usable open space provided.

(h) Corner Lots and Lots at Alley Intersections. On a Corner Lot as defined in Section 102 of this Code, or on a lot at the intersection of a Street and an Alley of at least 25 feet in width, the required rear yard may be substituted with an open area equal to the basic rear yard requirement outlined in subsection (c) above at the same levels as the required rear yard in an interior corner of the lot, an open area between two or more buildings on the lot, or an inner court, as defined by this Code, provided that the Zoning Administrator determines that all of the criteria described below in this Section 134 are met. (1) Each horizontal dimension of the open area shall be a minimum of 15 feet. (2) The open area shall be wholly or partially contiguous to the existing midblock open space formed by the rear yards of adjacent properties. (3) The open area will provide for the access to light and air to and views from adjacent properties. (4) The proposed new or expanding structure will provide for access to light and air from any existing or new residential uses on the subject property. The provisions of this subsection (h) shall not restrict the discretion of the Zoning Administrator from imposing such additional conditions as the Zoning Administrator deems necessary to further the purposes of this Section 134. (i) Modification of Requirements in the Eastern Neighborhoods Mixed Use Districts. The rear yard requirement in Eastern Neighborhoods Mixed Use Districts may be modified or waived by the Planning Commission pursuant to Section 329. The rear yard requirement in Eastern Neighborhoods Mixed Use Districts may be modified by the Zoning Administrator pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section 307(h) for other projects, provided that: (1) A comparable, but not necessarily equal amount of square footage as would be created in a code conforming rear yard is provided elsewhere within the development; (2) The proposed new or expanding structure will not significantly impede the access to light and air from adjacent properties or adversely affect the interior block open space formed by the rear yards of adjacent properties; and (3) The modification request is not combined with any other residential open space modification or exposure variance for the project, except exposure modifications in designated landmark buildings under Section 307(h)(1). (j) Reduction of Requirements in the North of Market Residential Special Use District. The rear yard requirement may be substituted with an equivalent amount of open space situated anywhere on the site, provided that the Zoning Administrator determines that all of the following criteria are met: (1) The substituted open space in the proposed new or expanding structure will improve the access of light and air to and views from existing abutting properties; and (2) The proposed new or expanding structure will not adversely affect the interior block open space formed by the rear yards of existing abutting properties. This provision shall be administered pursuant to the notice and hearing procedures which are applicable to variances as set forth in Sections 306.1 through 306.5 and 308.2.

(k) Modification of Requirements in NC Districts. The rear yard requirement in NC Districts may be modified or waived by the Zoning Administrator pursuant to the procedures which are applicable to variances, as set forth in Sections 306.1 through 306.5 and 308.2, if all the following criteria are met:

(1) Residential Uses are included in the new or expanding development and a comparable amount of usable open space is provided elsewhere on the lot or within the development where it is more accessible to the residents of the development; and (2) The proposed new or expanding structure will not adversely affect the interior block open space formed by the rear yards of adjacent properties. (l) Lot Coverage for Large Lots. This subsection (l) shall apply to all districts except C-3 districts. In lieu of rear yard and lot coverage controls described in this Section 134, where a development lot is two acres or greater, the allowed lot coverage for any project containing residential uses shall be limited to 60% of lot area at street grade and above with a corresponding requirement of 40% unbuilt area in Residential Districts other than RTO-C, and in all other districts 65% lot coverage from the second story and above with 35% lot area unbuilt. Obstructions permitted in setbacks and yards per Section 136 are permitted in the unbuilt area. New rights-of-way, pedestrian passageways or any portion of the site provided for publicly-accessible circulation or open space, including but not limited to any such space provided pursuant to Planning Code Sections 270.2, 270.3, or elsewhere in this Code, may count toward the required unbuilt area. (Amended by Ord. 414-85, App. 9/17/85; Ord. 532-85, App. 12/4/85; Ord. 69-87, App. 3/13/87; Ord. 412-88, App. 9/10/88; Ord. 115-90, App. 4/6/90; Ord. 32-91, App. 1/25/91; Ord. 368-94, App. 11/4/94; Ord. 32-96, App. 1/11/96; Ord. 262- 00, File No. 001426, App. 11/17/2000; Ord. 72-08, File No. 071157, App. 4/3/2008; Ord. 298-08, File No. 081153, App. 12/19/2008; Ord. 61-09, File No. 090181, App. 4/17/2009; Ord. 25-11, File No. 101464, App. 2/24/2011; Ord. 140-11, File No. 110482, App. 7/5/2011, Eff. 8/4/2011; Ord. 196-11 , File No. 110786, App. 10/4/2011, Eff. 11/3/2011; Ord. 35-12 , File No. 111305, App. 2/21/2012, Eff. 3/22/2012; Ord. 42-13 , File No. 130002, App. 3/28/2013, Eff. 4/27/2013; Ord. 56-13 , File No. 130062, App. 3/28/2013, Eff. 4/27/2013; Ord. 188-15 , File No. 150871, App. 11/4/2015, Eff. 12/4/2015; Ord. 229-15 , File No. 151126, App. 12/22/2015, Eff. 1/21/2016; Ord. 129-17, File No. 170203, App. 6/30/2017, Eff. 7/30/2017; Ord. 296-18, File No. 180184, App. 12/12/2018, Eff. 1/12/2019; Ord. 206-19, File No. 190048, App. 9/13/2019, Eff. 10/14/2019; Ord. 63-20, File No. 200077, App. 4/24/2020, Eff. 5/25/2020; Ord. 70-23, FIle No. 220340, App. 5/3/2023, Eff. 6/3/2023; Ord. 122-23, File No. 230371, App. 7/5/2023, Eff. 8/5/2023; Ord. 159-23, File No. 230732, App. 7/28/2023, Eff. 8/28/2023; Ord. 248-23, File No. 230446, App. 12/14/2023, Eff. 1/14/2024; Ord. 33-24, File No. 231144, App. 2/21/2024, Eff. 3/23/2024; Ord. 62-24, File No. 230310, App. 3/28/2024, Eff. 4/28/2024; Ord. 297-24, File No. 241055, App. 12/19/2024, Eff. 1/19/2025; Ord. 245-25 , File No. 250701, App. 12/12/2025, Eff. 1/12/2026, Oper. 1/12/2026; Ord. 13-26, File No. 251099, App. 2/13/2026, Eff. 3/16/2026) AMENDMENT HISTORY Division (a)(1)(C) amended; Ord. 140-11, Eff. 8/4/2011. Division (f) amended; Ord. 196-11 , Eff. 11/3/2011. Division (a)(1)(B) amended; Ord. 35-12 , Eff. 3/22/2012. Section header, introductory paragraph, and divisions (a)(1), (a)(1)(B), and (a) (1)(C) amended; division (a)(1)(E) added; divisions (c)(3) and (f) amended; Ord. 42-13 , Eff. 4/27/2013. Divisions (a)(1)(C) and (c)(4) amended; Ord. 56-13 , Eff. 4/27/2013. Introductory paragraph and divisions (a)(1), (a)(1)(C), (a)(2), (c), and (c) (1) amended; Ord. 188-15 , Eff. 12/4/2015. Divisions (a)(1), (a)(1)(A), and (a)(1)(C) amended; Ord. 229-15 , Eff. 1/21/2016. Section header and divisions (a)(1) and (a)(1)(B)-(E) amended; Ord. 129-17, Eff. 7/30/2017. Section header amended; division (a)(1) amended and split into (a)(1) and new (a)(1)(A); new division (a)(1)(B) added; divisions (a)(1)(C) and (c) amended; Ord. 296-18 , Eff. 1/12/2019. New divisions (a)-(a)(4) added; introductory paragraph designated as division (b) and amended; former divisions (a)-(a)(2), (b), and (c) redesignated as (c)-(c)(3), (d), and (e); former division (c)(4)(C) deleted; current divisions (c)(1)-(c)(2)(A), (c)(2)(D), (c)(3), (d), (e), and (e)(2)-(e)(4)(B) amended; new division (f) added; former divisions (d)-(g) redesignated as (g)-(j); current divisions (g)-(h)(1)(A) and (h)(2) amended; Ord. 206-19 , Eff. 10/14/2019. Divisions (c)(2)(A)-(E) redesignated as (c)(2)(A)-(G) to eliminate duplicate designations; current divisions (c)(2)(C)-(E), (c)(2)(G), (e), and (e)(2) amended; Ord. 63-20, Eff. 5/25/2020. Section header and divisions (c)(2)(A) and (e) amended; Ord. 70-23, Eff. 6/3/2023. Section header and divisions (c)(2) and (c)(2)(E) amended; division (c)(2)(H) added; Ord. 122-23, Eff. 8/5/2023, and Ord. 159-23, Eff. 8/28/2023. Divisions (c)(1)-(c)(2)(B), (c)(3), (e)-(e)(4)(B), and related images deleted; new divisions (c)(1)-(2) and (d) added; divisions (c)(2)(C)-(G) redesignated as (d)(1)-(5); former division (d) redesignated as (e); division (f) amended; divisions (h)- (h)(2)(D) and undesignated paragraph deleted; new divisions (h)-(h)(4) and undesignated paragraph added; Ord. 248-23, Eff. 1/14/2024. Division (d)(2) amended; Ord. 33-24, Eff. 3/23/2024. Division (f) amended; Ord. 62-24, Eff. 4/28/2024. Division (b) amended; divisions (k)- (k)(2) added; Ord. 297-24, Eff. 1/19/2025. Section header and divisions (b), (c)(1), (d)(1)-(2), and (f) amended; division (d)(H) redesignated as (d)(6); division (l) added; Ord. 245-25 , Eff. 1/12/2026. Division (d)(3) amended; Ord. 13-26, Eff. 3/16/2026. SEC. 134.1. SITE COVERAGE IN CHINATOWN MIXED USE DISTRICTS. In the Chinatown Community Business District, Chinatown Visitor Retail District and the Chinatown Residential Neighborhood Commercial District at the lowest level occupied for dwelling, the site coverage shall be no more than 75%. The noncovered area requirement may be provided in a location other than the rear yard including balconies and rooftop terraces if the new structure does not significantly impede the access of light and air to adjacent properties, as determined by the Zoning Administrator. Factors to be considered in such determination shall include, but shall not be limited to: preservation of light and air to existing windows and openings in the vicinity; usability of the noncovered space for residential open space purposes; and sun access to the noncovered space and ad-jacent sidewalks. (Added by Ord. 131-87, App. 4/24/87; amended by Ord. 208-19, File No. 190594, App. 9/20/2019, Eff. 10/21/2019) AMENDMENT HISTORY Section header and first undesignated paragraph amended; Ord. 208-19, Eff. 10/21/2019. SEC. 135. USABLE OPEN SPACE FOR DWELLING UNITS AND GROUP HOUSING, R, NC, MIXED USE, C, AND M DISTRICTS. (See Interpretations related to this Section.) Except as provided in Sections 134.1, 172, and 188 of this Code, usable open space shall be provided for each dwelling and each group housing structure in R, NC, C, Mixed Use, and M Districts according to the standards set forth in this Section 135 unless otherwise specified in specific district controls elsewhere in this Code. (a) Character of Space Provided. Usable open space shall generally be composed of an outdoor area or areas designed for outdoor living, recreation or landscaping, including such areas on the ground and on decks, balconies, porches and roofs, which are safe and suitably surfaced and screened, and which conform to the other requirements of this Section. Such area or areas shall be on the same lot as the dwelling units (or bedrooms in group housing) they serve, and shall be designed and oriented in a manner that will make the best practical use of available sun and other climatic advantages. “Private usable open space” shall mean an area or areas private to and designed for use by only one dwelling unit (or bedroom in group housing). “Common usable open space” shall mean an area or areas designed for use jointly by two or more dwelling units (or bedrooms in group housing). “Privately-owned public open space,” only allowed in DTR and Eastern Neighborhood Mixed Use under this Section, shall mean an area of areas designed for use of the general public while owned and maintained by private owners as described in Section 138..2 For senior housing, usable open space requirements are set forth in subsection (d)(3) below. (b) Access. Usable open space shall be as close as is practical to the dwelling unit (or bedroom in group housing) for which it is required, and shall be accessible from such dwelling unit or bedroom as follows: (1) Private usable open space shall be directly and immediately accessible from such dwelling unit or bedroom; and shall be either on the same floor level as such dwelling unit or bedroom, with no more than one story above or below such floor level with convenient private access. (2) Common usable open space shall be easily and independently accessible from such dwelling unit or bedroom, or from another common area of the building or lot. (c) Permitted Obstructions. In the calculation of either private or common usable open space, those obstructions listed in Sections 136 and 136.1 of this Code for usable open space shall be permitted. Additionally, required common useable open space may be partially used for the provision of open space associated with an on-site Child Care Facility as follows: (1) The open space shall meet all state licensing requirements; (2) Not more than 50% of a single common open space may be used by the Child Care Facility; and (3) The hours of use of the common open space by the Child Care Facility are limited to Monday through Friday, 9 am to 6 pm. (d) Amount Required. Usable open space shall be provided for each building in the amounts specified herein and in Tables 135A and B for the district in which the building is located; provided, however, that (i) in the Downtown Residential (DTR) Districts, open space shall be provided in the amounts specified in Section 825, and (ii) in accordance with Section 210.5, usable open space shall not be required for Commercial to Residential Adaptive Reuse projects. In Neighborhood Commercial Districts, the amount of usable open space to be provided shall be the amount required in the nearest Residential District, but the minimum amount of open space required shall be in no case greater than the amount set forth in Table 135A for the district in which the building is located. The distance to each Residential District shall be measured from the midpoint of the front lot line or from a point directly across the street there from, whichever requires less open space. (1) For dwellings other than those specified in Paragraphs (d)(2) through (d)(5) below, the minimum amount of usable open space to be provided for use by each dwelling unit shall be as specified in the second column of Table 135A if such usable open space is all private. Where common usable open space is used to satisfy all or part of the requirement for a dwelling unit, such common usable open space shall be provided in an amount equal to 1.33 square feet for each one square foot of private usable open space specified in the second column of Table 135A. In such cases, the balance of the required usable open space may be provided as private usable open space, with full credit for each square foot of private usable open space so provided. (2) For group housing structures, SRO units, and dwelling units that measure less than 350 square feet plus a bathroom, the minimum amount of usable open space provided for use by each bedroom or SRO unit shall be one-third the amount required for a dwelling unit as specified in Paragraphs (d)(1) above and (d)(4) and (d)(5), below. For purposes of these calculations, the number of bedrooms on a lot shall in no case be considered to be less than one bedroom for each two beds. Where the actual number of beds exceeds an average of two