146

SEC. 146. SUNLIGHT ACCESS TO PUBLIC SIDEWALKS IN C-3 DISTRICTS. (a) Requirement of Sunlight Access on Certain Streets. In C-3 Districts, in order to maintain direct sunlight on public sidewalks in certain downtown areas during critical periods of use, new structures and additions to existing structures on parcels which abut on the side of a street identified below shall be required to avoid penetration of a sun access plane defined by an angle sloping away from the street above a stipulated height at the property line abutting the street, as follows:

Table 146 Street From To Side of Street On Which Lots Abut Maximum Street Wall Height Sun Access Angle

Table 146 Street From To Side of Street On Which Lots Abut Maximum Street Wall Height Sun Access Angle Bush Kearny Montgomery South 65' 50° Sutter Powell 100' East of Kearny South 66' 50° Post Mason 200' East of Kearny South 66' 50° Geary Mason Kearny South 65' 50° O'Farrell Cyril Magnin Grant South 66' 50° Ellis Cyril Magnin Stockton South 68' 50° Powell Market Sutter East 151' 70° Powell Market Sutter West 65' 50° Stockton Market Bush East 148' 70° Stockton Market Bush West 65' 50° Grant Market Bush East 170' 70° Grant Market Bush West 74' 50° Kearny Market Washington East 170' 70° Kearny Market Pine West 74' 50° Second Market 300' South of Folsom West 132' 62° New Montgomery Market Howard West 132' 62° Market Tenth Second South 119' 50° Market So. Van Ness Twelfth South 119' 50°

(b) Exception. An exception to the requirements of Subsection (a) may be granted in the manner provided in Section 309 of this Code in cases where (i) the penetration of the plane does not create shadow because of the shadow already cast by other buildings, or (ii) the shadow created by the penetration of the plane is deemed insignificant because of the limited extent or duration of the shadow or because of the limited public use of the shadowed space. (c) Shadows on Other Streets. New buildings and additions to existing buildings shall be shaped, if it can be done without creating an unattractive design and without unduly restricting the development potential of the site in question, so as to reduce substantial shadow impacts on public sidewalks in the C-3 Districts other than those protected by Subsection (a). Determinations made under this Subsection shall be made in accordance with the provisions of Section 309. (Added by Ord. 414-85, App. 9/17/85) SEC. 147. REDUCTION OF SHADOWS ON CERTAIN PUBLIC OR PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE OPEN SPACES IN C-3 AND EASTERN NEIGHBORHOODS MIXED USE DISTRICTS. New buildings and additions to existing buildings in C-3 and Eastern Neighborhoods Mixed Use Districts where the building height exceeds 50 feet shall be shaped, consistent with the dictates of good design and without unduly restricting the development potential of the site in question, to reduce substantial shadow impacts on public plazas and other publicly accessible spaces other than those protected under Section 295. In determining the impact of shadows, the following factors shall be considered: The amount of area shadowed, the duration of the shadow, and the importance of sunlight to the type of open space being shadowed. Determinations under this Section with respect to C-3 Districts shall be made in accordance with the provisions of Section 309 of this Code. Determinations under this Section with respect to Eastern Neighborhoods Mixed Use Districts shall be made in accordance with the provisions of Section 307 of this Code. (Added by Ord. 414-85, App. 9/17/85; amended by Ord. 115-90, App. 4/6/90; Ord. 298-08, File No. 081153, App. 12/19/2008; Ord. 13-26, File No. 251099, App. 2/13/2026, Eff. 3/16/2026) AMENDMENT HISTORY Section header and section amended; Ord. 13-26, Eff. 3/16/2026. SEC. 148. REDUCTION OF GROUND-LEVEL WIND CURRENTS FOR BUILDINGS TALLER THAN 85 FEET IN CERTAIN DISTRICTS. (a) Applicability. In the C-3 Districts, Van Ness Special Use District, Folsom and Main Residential/Commercial Special Use District, Downtown Residential (DTR) Districts, and Central SoMa Special Use District, this Section 148 shall apply to new buildings taller than 85 feet in Height, vertical additions of more than 30 feet resulting in a total building height greater than 85 feet, or vertical additions of more than 30 feet to an existing building that is taller than 85 feet. Building height for the purpose of applicability of this Section shall be calculated pursuant to the provisions of Sections 260 and 263.21. (b) Definitions. “Equivalent Wind Speed” means an hourly average wind speed adjusted to incorporate the effects of gustiness or turbulence on pedestrians, pursuant to the methodology adopted by the Planning Commission, as amended from time to time. “Nine-Hour Hazard Criterion” means a ground-level equivalent wind speed of 26 miles per hour for nine or more hours per year. (c) Controls for Hazardous Winds. Projects shall not result in any net new locations that exceed the Nine-Hour Hazard Criterion. (d) Wind-reducing Features. All wind-reducing features necessary to meet the requirements of this Section 148 shall be identified on the approved project plan set. (e) Maintenance of Wind-reducing Features. All wind-reducing features necessary to meet the requirements of this Section 148 must be maintained for the life of the project. The Zoning Administrator may approve, including after installation, substitution of alternate wind-reducing features that would have an equal or superior effect on reducing ground-level winds at the subject location, provided that such features do not conflict with or increase noncompliance with other provisions of the Planning Code or other adopted Citywide Design Standards. (Added by Ord. 414-85, App. 9/17/85; amended by Ord. 188-15 , File No. 150871, App. 11/4/2015, Eff. 12/4/2015; Ord. 245-25, File No. 250701, App. 12/12/2025, Eff. 1/12/2026, Oper. 1/12/2026) AMENDMENT HISTORY Nonsubstantive changes; Ord. 188-15 , Eff. 12/4/2015. Section header amended; divisions (a)- (c) deleted; new divisions (a)-(e) added; Ord. 245-25, Eff. 1/12/2026. SEC. 149. [REDESIGNATED.]