SEC. 4. RELATION TO CITY PLANNING CODE.
(a) Article 10 of the City Planning Code is the basic law governing historic preservation in the City and County of San Francisco. This ordinance, being a specific application of Article
10, is both subject to and in addition to the provisions thereof.
(b) Except as may be specifically provided to the contrary in this ordinance, nothing in this ordinance shall supersede, impair or modify any City Planning Code provisions applicable to
property in the Liberty-Hill Historic District, including but not limited to existing and future regulations controlling uses, height, bulk, lot coverage, floor area ratio, required open space, off
street parking and signs.
(Added Ord. 484-85, App. 10/25/85)
SEC. 5. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE.
The Liberty-Hill Historic District is significant as an intact representation of nineteenth century middle class housing and developmental practices. It is one of the earliest residential
"suburbs" to be developed in San Francisco, with major development starting in the 1860s and continuing until the turn of the century. Since the fire following the 1906 earthquake was
stopped at the Twentieth Street boundary of the District, the District contains examples of all architectural styles prevalent during the developmental period.
The District's houses range in size from the small "workingman's cottages" on Lexington and San Carlos Streets, with their uniform facades and setbacks, to the individually built houses
found, for example, on Liberty and Fair Oaks Streets, with varying architectural facades and setbacks. While there are only a few "grand" houses in the District, a number were designed by
architects well known in the Bay Area, including Albert Pissis, the Newsom brothers, Charles Shaner, William H. Toepke, Charles Havens, and Charles J. Rousseau.
The "suburban" quality of the Liberty-Hill area is retained to this day. It is enhanced by extensive street tree plantings and the very low incidence of commercial establishments in the
residential areas. The great majority of District businesses are on Valencia Street, an historic and unifying commercial corridor, as compared to the typical San Francisco pattern of a
grocery store or saloon on nearly every corner.
The District is significant in its representation of San Francisco development modes of the period. The San Francisco Homestead Union, the earliest such organization in the City