SEC. 812. CHINATOWN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.
The Chinatown Residential Neighborhood Commercial District extends along Stockton Street between Sacramento and Broadway and along Powell Street between Washington Street and
Broadway. It is generally west and uphill from Grant Avenue and is close to the relatively intensely developed residential areas of lower Nob and Russian Hills. Stockton Street is a major
transit corridor which serves as “Main Street” for the Chinatown neighborhood. Both Stockton and Powell Streets contain a significant amount of housing as well as major community
institutions supportive to Chinatown and the larger Chinese community. This daytime-oriented district provides local and regional specialty food shopping for fresh vegetables, poultry, fish,
and meat. Weekends are this area’s busiest shopping days.
Because Stockton Street is intended to remain principally in its present character, the Stockton Street controls are designed to preserve neighborhood-serving uses and protect the
residential livability of the area. The controls promote new residential development compatible with existing small-scale mixed-use character of the area. Consistent with the residential
character of the area, commercial development is directed to the ground story. Daytime-oriented use is protected and tourist-related uses and financial services are limited.
Housing development in new and existing buildings is encouraged above the ground floor. Institutional uses are also encouraged. Accessory Dwelling Units are permitted.
Table 812
CHINATOWN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL DISTRICT
ZONING CONTROL TABLE
Table 812
CHINATOWN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL DISTRICT
ZONING CONTROL TABLE
Chinatown Residential Neighborhood Commercial District
Zoning Category
§ References
Controls
BUILDING STANDARDS
Massing and Setbacks
Height and Bulk Limits
§§ 102, 105, 106, 249.19,
250 - 252, 254, 260,
263.4, 270, 271. See also
Height and Bulk District
Maps.
40-X, 50-N, 65-N, 65-85-N, & 110-G. P up to 35 feet; C above 35 feet. See
Height and Bulk Map for more information.
5 Foot Height Bonus for Active Ground Floor Uses
§ 263.20
Not Permitted
Rear Yard
§§ 130, 134, 134.1, 136
No more than 75% of lot coverage at the lowest level occupied by a dwelling.
Location of open space may be modified per § 134.1.
Sun Access Setbacks
§ 132.3
15 ft. at specified heights
Front Setback and Side Yard
§§ 130, 131, 132, 133
Not Required.
Street Frontage and Public Realm
Streetscape and Pedestrian Improvements
§ 138.1
Required
Street Frontage Requirements
§ 145.1
Required
Maximum Street Frontage [per building]
§ 145.3
P up to 50 feet; C required for more than 50 feet
Ground Floor Commercial
§ 145.4
Not Required
Vehicular Access Restrictions
§ 155(r)
All alleyways in the Chinatown Mixed Use Districts; and Columbus Avenue
between Washington and North Point Streets.
Miscellaneous
Lot Size (Per Development)
§ 121.3
P up to 5,000 sq. ft.; C 5,001 sq. ft. & above
Planned Unit Development
§ 304
C
Awning
§ 136.1
P
Canopy, or Marquee
§ 136.1
NP
Signs
§§ 602 - 604, 607.2,
608.1, 608.2
As permitted by § 607.2
General Advertising Signs
§§ 262, 602, 604, 608,
609, 610, 611
NP
Design Guidelines and Standards
General Plan Commerce
and Industry Element
Subject to the Urban Design Guidelines, Citywide Design Standards, and any
other applicable design guidelines that have been approved by the Planning
Commission.
Zoning Category
§ References
Controls
Zoning Category
§ References
Controls
RESIDENTIAL STANDARDS AND USES
Development Standards
Usable Open Space [Per Dwelling Unit]
§§ 135, 136
48 sq. ft.
Off-Street Parking, Residential
§§ 150, 151.1, 153 - 156,
166, 167, 204.5, 303
P up to one car for each two Dwelling Units; C for up to .75 cars for each
Dwelling Unit, subject to the criteria and procedures of Sections 303(u) and
151.1(e), NP above 0.75 cars for each Dwelling Unit (1)
Dwelling Unit Mix
§ 207.6
Not Applicable
Use Characteristics
Intermediate Length Occupancy
§§ 102, 202.10
NP
Single Room Occupancy
§ 102
P
Student Housing
§ 102
P
Residential Uses
Controls by Story
1st
2nd
3rd+
Residential Uses
P
P
P
Accessory Dwelling Unit
§§ 102 , 207.1, 207.2
Accessory Dwelling Units are permitted to be constructed within an existing
building zoned for residential use or within an existing and authorized auxiliary
structure on the same lot, provided that it does not eliminate or reduce a ground-
story retail or commercial space.
Dwelling Unit Density
§ 207
Up to 1 unit per 200 sq. ft. lot area.
Minimum Dwelling Unit Densities, if Applicable
§ 207.9
Varies depending on project location, but generally ranges between 50 and 100
dwelling units per acre.
Maximum Dwelling Unit Size
§§ 207.10, 317
P up to 4,000 square feet of Gross Floor Area or an equivalent Floor Area Ratio
for any individual Dwelling Unit of 1.2:1. C for Dwelling Units that exceed the
greater of those thresholds.
Group Housing Density
§§ 208, 890.88(b)
1 bedroom per 140 sq. ft. lot area
Homeless Shelters 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: Conversion, Demolition, or Merger of Dwelling
Units, including Residential Flats
§ 317
C
Residential Hotel Conversion, Demolition or Merger
Ch. 41 Admin. Code
NP
NP
NP
Zoning Category
§ References
Controls
Zoning Category
§ References
Controls
NON-RESIDENTIAL STANDARDS
Development Standards
Floor Area Ratio
§§ 102, 123, 124 , 207.9
1.0 to 1 2 For Office Uses minimum intensities may apply pursuant to § 207.9.
Use Size
§ 121.4
P up to 2,500 sq. ft.; C 2,501 to 4,000 sq. ft.
Open Space
§ 135.1
1 sq. ft. for every 50 sq. ft. of building over 10,000 sq. ft.
Off-Street Parking, Non-Residential
§§ 145.1, 150, 151.1, 153
- 156, 166, 204.5
No car parking 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 sq. ft.
Commercial Use Characteristics
Drive-up Facility
§ 102
NP
Formula Retail
§§ 102, 303.1
C(2)
Hours of Operation
§ 102
P 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.; C 11 p.m. - 2 a.m.
Maritime Use
§ 102
NP
Open Air Sales
§ 102
P
Outdoor Activity Area
§§ 102, 145.2
P in front, C elsewhere
Walk-up Facility
§ 102
P if recessed 3 ft., C otherwise
Zoning Category
§ References
Controls
Zoning Category
§ References
Controls
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, 202.5
NP
NP
NP
Electric Vehicle Charging Location
§§ 102, 202.2(b), 202.13
C(4)1
C(4)
C(4)
Parking Garage, Private
§ 102
C
C
C
Parking Lot, Private
§ 102
C
C
C
Parking Lot, Public
§ 102
C
NP
NP
Entertainment, Arts and Recreation Use Category
Entertainment and Recreation Uses*
§§ 102, 202.4
NP
NP
NP
Movie Theater
§ 102
C
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
P
P
Hospital
§ 102
C
C
C
Medical Cannabis Dispensary
§ 102
NP
NP
NP
Public Facilities
§ 102
C
C
C
Sales and Service Use Category
Retail Sales and Service Uses*
§§ 102, 202.2(a), 202.3
P
NP
NP
Adult Business
§ 102
NP
NP
NP
Adult Sex Venue
§ 102
NP
NP
NP
Animal Hospital
§ 102
NP
NP
NP
Bar
§ 102
C
NP
NP
Cannabis Retail
§§ 102, 202.2(a)
NP
NP
NP
Flexible Retail
§§ 102, 202.9
P
NP
NP
Gift Store– Tourist Oriented
§ 102
NP
NP
NP
Hotel
§ 102
NP
NP
NP
Jewelry Store
§ 102
C
NP
NP
Kennel
§ 102
NP
NP
NP
Massage Establishment
§§ 102, 204, 803
P
NP(3)
NP(3)
Mortuary
§ 102
C
C
NP
Motel
§§ 102, 202.2(a)
NP
NP
NP
Reproductive Health Clinic
§§ 102, 202.5
P
P
P
Restaurant
§ 102
P(2)
NP
NP
Retail Workspace
§ 102
NP
NP
NP
Services, Financial
§ 102
C
NP
NP
Services, Fringe Financial
§ 102
NP
NP
NP
Services, Limited Financial
§ 102
C
NP
NP
Storage, Self
§ 102
NP
NP
NP
Tobacco Paraphernalia Store
§ 102
C
NP
NP
Trade Shop
§ 102
P
C
NP
Non-Retail Sales and Service*
§ 102
NP
NP
NP
Design Professional
§ 102
P
NP
NP
Trade Office
§ 102
P
NP
NP
Utility and Infrastructure Use Category
Utility and Infrastructure*
§ 102
C
C
C
Power Plant
§ 102
NP
NP
NP
Public Utilities Yard
§ 102
NP
NP
NP
Wireless Telecommunications Services Facility
§ 102
P
P
P
* Not listed below
(1) Installation of a garage in an existing residential building of four or more units requires a mandatory discretionary review by the Planning Commission; Section 311 notice is
required for a building of less than four units. In approving installation of the garage, the Commission shall find that:
(a) the proposed garage opening/addition of off-street parking will not cause the “removal” or “conversion of residential unit,” as those terms are defined in Section 317 of this Code;
(b) the proposed garage opening/addition of off-street parking will not substantially decrease the livability of a dwelling unit without increasing the floor area in a commensurate
amount;
(c) the building has not had two or more “no-fault” evictions, as defined in Section 37.9(a)(7) through (9) and (11) through (12) of the Administrative Code, with each eviction
associated with a separate unit(s) within the past ten years; and
(d) the proposed garage/addition of off-street parking installation is consistent with the Priority Policies of Section 101.1 of this Code.
Prior to the Planning Commission hearing, or prior to issuance of notification under Section 311(c)(2) of this Code, the Planning Department shall require a signed affidavit by the
project sponsor attesting to (a), (b), and (c) above, which the Department shall independently verify. The Department shall also have made a determination that the project complies with
(d) above.
(2) Formula Retail Restaurants and Limited Restaurants are NP in all Chinatown MUDs.
(3) P if accessory to a Hotel, Personal Service or Health Service.
(4)1 P where existing use is any Automotive Use.
(Added by Ord. 131-87, App. 4/24/87; amended by Ord. 115-90, App. 4/6/90; 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. 139-09, File No. 090402, App. 7/2/2009; Ord. 77-10, File No. 091165, App. 4/16/2010; Ord. 66-11, File No. 101537, App. 4/20/2011, Eff. 5/20/2011; Ord. 75-12 , File No. 120084, App. 4/23/2012, Eff.
5/23/2012; Ord. 56-13 , File No. 130062, App. 3/28/2013, Eff. 4/27/2013; Ord. 287-13 , File No. 130041, App. 12/26/2013, Eff. 1/25/2014; Ord. 232-14 , File No. 120881, App. 11/26/2014, Eff. 12/26/2014; Ord. 235-14 , File No. 140844, App.
11/26/2014, Eff. 12/26/2014; Ord. 14-15 , File No. 141210, App. 2/13/2015, Eff. 3/15/2015; Ord. 20-15 , File No. 110548, App. 2/20/2015, Eff. 3/22/2015; Ord. 73-15, File No. 141303, App. 5/28/2015, Eff. 6/27/2015; redesignated and amended
by Ord. 162-15 , File No. 150805, App. 9/18/2015, Eff. 10/18/2015; amended by Ord. 33-16 , File No. 160115, App. 3/11/2016, Eff. 4/10/2016; Ord. 162-16 , File No. 160657, App. 8/4/2016, Eff. 9/3/2016; Ord. 166-16 , File No. 160477, App.
8/11/2016, Eff. 9/10/2016; Ord. 217-16, File No. 160424, App. 11/10/2016, Eff. 12/10/2016; Ord. 99-17, File No. 170206, App. 5/19/2017, Eff. 6/18/2017; Ord. 229-17, File No. 171041, App. 12/6/2017, Eff. 1/5/2018; Ord. 213-18, File No.
180319, App. 9/14/2018, Eff. 10/15/2018; Ord. 277-18, File No. 180914, App. 11/20/2018, Eff. 12/21/2018; Ord. 311-18, File No. 181028, App. 12/21/2018, Eff. 1/21/2019; Ord. 208-19, File No. 190594, App. 9/20/2019, Eff. 10/21/2019; Ord.
63-20, File No. 200077, App. 4/24/2020, Eff. 5/25/2020; Ord. 54-21, File No. 201326, App. 4/23/2021, Eff. 5/24/2021; Ord. 136-21, File No. 210674, App. 8/4/2021, Eff. 9/4/2021; Ord. 233-21, File No. 210381, App. 12/22/2021, Eff.
1/22/2022; Ord. 37-22, File No. 211263, App. 3/14/2022, Eff. 4/14/2022; Ord. 75-22, File No. 220264, App. 5/13/2022, Eff. 6/13/2022; Ord. 190-22, File No. 220036, App. 9/16/2022, Eff. 10/17/2022; Ord. 248-23, File No. 230446, App.
12/14/2023, Eff. 1/14/2024; Ord. 249-23, File No. 230701, App. 12/14/2023, Eff. 1/14/2024; Ord. 256-24, File No. 240727, App. 11/14/2024, Eff. 12/15/2024; 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. 1-26, File No. 250385, App. 1/8/2026, Eff. 2/8/2026)
AMENDMENT HISTORY
Zoning Control Table: .74A and .74B added; Ord. 66-11 , Eff. 5/20/2011. Zoning Control Table: .41, .43, and .44 amended, former category .42 deleted; Ord. 75-12 , Eff. 5/23/2012. Zoning Control Table: .45 and .54 amended; Specific
Provisions: 812.54 added; Ord. 56-13 , Eff. 4/27/2013. Zoning Control Table: .39a and .39b amended; Ord. 287-13 , Eff. 1/25/2014. Specific Provisions: former category 812.71 deleted, Ord. 232-14 , Eff. 12/26/2014. Specific Provisions: 812.54
amended; Ord. 235-14 , Eff. 12/26/2014. Zoning Control Table: .92b added; Ord. 14-15 , Eff. 3/15/2015. Zoning Control Table: .15, .16, and .17 amended; Ord. 20-15 , Eff. 3/22/2015. Zoning Control Table: .54 amended; Specific Provisions:
812.54 amended; Ord. 73-15, Eff. 6/27/2015. Section redesignated (formerly Sec. 812.1); introductory material amended; Zoning Control Table: .91 amended; Specific Provisions: 812.91 added; Ord. 162-15 , Eff. 10/18/2015. Zoning Control
Table: former categories .38a, .38b, .39a, and .39b deleted, .97 and .98 added; Ord. 33-16 , Eff. 4/10/2016. Specific Provisions: 812.91 amended; Ord. 162-16 , Eff. 9/3/2016. Zoning Control Table: .99 added; Ord. 166-16 , Eff. 9/10/2016. Zoning
Control Table: .30 amended; Ord. 217-16, Eff. 12/10/2016. Zoning Control Table: .22 and .94 amended; Ord. 99-17, Eff. 6/18/2017. Zoning Control Table: .75 added; Ord. 229-17, Eff. 1/5/2018. Zoning Control Table: .75 and .83 deleted; Ord.
213-18, Eff. 10/15/2018. Zoning Control Table: .23 and .94 amended; Ord. 277-18, Eff. 12/21/2018. Zoning Control Table: .23 and .94 amended; Ord. 311-18, Eff. 1/21/2019. Introductory material amended; Zoning Control Table replaced; Notes
(1)-(2) added; Specific Provisions table deleted; Ord. 208-19, Eff. 10/21/2019. Zoning Control Table and Notes (1)(c) and (2) amended; Ord. 63-20, Eff. 5/25/2020. First introductory paragraph and Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. 54-21, Eff.
5/24/2021. Note (1) amended; Ord. 136-21, Eff. 9/4/2021. Zoning Control Table amended; Note (3) added; Ord. 233-21, Eff. 1/22/2022. Zoning Control Table and Note (3) amended; Ord. 37-22, Eff. 4/14/2022. Zoning Control Table amended;
Ord. 75-22, Eff. 6/13/2022. Zoning Control Table amended; Note (4)1 added; Ord. 190-22 , Eff. 10/17/2022. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. 248-23 , Eff. 1/14/2024. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. 249-23 , Eff. 1/14/2024. Zoning
Control Table amended; Ord. 256-24 , Eff. 12/15/2024. Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. 297-24 , Eff. 1/19/2025. Undesignated introductory material and Zoning Control Table amended; Ord. 245-25 , Eff. 1/12/2026. Zoning Control Table
amended; Ord. 1-26 , Eff. 2/8/2026.
CODIFICATION NOTES
1. Note “(4)” is referenced as Note “(3)” in Ord. 190-22. The note was redesignated by the codifier because a note designated as “(3)” had previously been added to this section by Ord. 233-21.
2. So in Ord. 245-25.