Permitted Uses
San Diego Municipal Code § 157.0110
in effect§157.0110 Permitted Uses
No building or improvement or portion thereof shall be used except as permitted by this Division. Permitted ground-floor uses in the Gaslamp Quarter Planned District are limited to active commercial uses such as restaurants and retail of consumer goods and services. No single user or business shall occupy more than 10,000 square feet on the ground-floor of a building except as provided in Section 157.0111(d).
The uses allowed in the Gaslamp Quarter Planned District are shown in Table 157-0110-A, below. The “Additional Regulations” column references additional regulations applicable to certain uses, which are found in this Article or in the Land Development Code.
Table 157-0110-A: GASLAMP QUARTER PLANNED DISTRICT USE REGULATIONS
LEGEND: P = Permitted by Right; C = Conditional Use Permit Required; -- = Use Not Permitted; L = Limited Use; N = Neighborhood Use Permit Required; S = Site Development Permit Required
Use Categories/ Subcategories | Gaslamp Quarter Planned District | Additional Regulations
Public Park/Plaza/Open Space
Active Recreation | P
Passive Recreation | P
Natural Resources Preservation | --
Park Maintenance Facilities | P
Placemaking | P
Agriculture
Agricultural Processing | --
Aquaculture Facilities | --
Dairies | --
Horticulture Nurseries & Greenhouses | P
Raising & Harvesting of Crops | P
Raising, Maintaining & Keeping of Animals | --
Separately Regulated Agriculture Uses
Agricultural Equipment Repair Shops | --
Commercial Stables | --
Equestrian Show & Exhibition Facilities | --
Open Air Markets for the Sale of Agriculture-Related Products & Flowers | P | §141.0205
Residential
Mobilehome Parks | --
Multiple Dwelling Units | P1
Rooming House | L1 | §131.0112(a)(3)(A)
Shopkeeper Units | P
Single Dwelling Units | --
Separately Regulated Residential Uses
Accessory Dwelling Units | P | §141.0302
Continuing Care Retirement Communities | L1 | §141.0303
Employee Housing | --
Table 157-0110-A: GASLAMP QUARTER PLANNED DISTRICT USE REGULATIONS
LEGEND: P = Permitted by Right; C = Conditional Use Permit Required; -- = Use Not Permitted; L = Limited Use; N = Neighborhood Use Permit Required; S = Site Development Permit Required
Use Categories/ Subcategories | Gaslamp Quarter Planned District | Additional Regulations
Fraternities, Sororities, and Dormitories | N1 | §141.0305(c)-(e)
Garage, Yard, & Estate Sales | --
Guest Quarters | --
Home Occupations | P1 | §141.0308
Interim Ground Floor Residential | N | §141.0309
Junior Accessory Dwelling Units | P | §141.0302
Live/Work Quarters | P1 | §141.0311
Low Barrier Navigation Center | L | §141.0317
Moveable Tiny Houses | --
Permanent Supportive Housing | L | §141.0315
Residential Care Facilities | L | §141.0312
Student Housing | L1 | §141.0319
Transitional Housing | L | §141.0313
Watchkeeper Quarters | --
Separately Regulated Institutional Uses
Airports | --
Battery Energy Storage Facilities | --
Botanical Gardens & Arboretums | P | §141.0402
Cemeteries, Mausoleums, Crematories | --
Correctional Placement Centers | --
Educational Facilities | P | §141.0407
Electric Vehicle Charging Stations | P | §141.0419
Energy Generation and Distribution Stations | --
Exhibit Halls & Convention Facilities | P | §141.0409
Flood Control Facilities | --
Historical Buildings Used for Purposes Not Otherwise Allowed | -- | §141.0411
Homeless Facilities | L1 | §141.0412
Hospitals | --
Intermediate Care Facilities and Nursing Facilities | L1 | §141.0423
Table 157-0110-A: GASLAMP QUARTER PLANNED DISTRICT USE REGULATIONS
LEGEND: P = Permitted by Right; C = Conditional Use Permit Required; -- = Use Not Permitted; L = Limited Use; N = Neighborhood Use Permit Required; S = Site Development Permit Required
Use Categories/ Subcategories | Gaslamp Quarter Planned District | Additional Regulations
Interpretive Centers | P | §141.0414
Museums | P | §141.0415
Major Transmission, Relay, or Communications Switching Stations | -- | §141.0416
Placemaking on Private Property | P
Satellite Antennas | L | §157.0118 §141.0405
Social Service Institutions | L | §141.0417
Solar Energy Systems | P | §141.0418
Wireless Communication Facilities | See §§141.0420 and 157.0118
Retail Sales
Building Supplies & Equipment | P
Food, Beverages, and Groceries | P
Consumer Goods, Furniture, Appliances, Equipment | P
Pets & Pet Supplies | P
Sundries, Pharmaceuticals, & Convenience Sales | P
Wearing Apparel & Accessories | P
Separately Regulated Retail Sales Uses
Agriculture Related Supplies & Equipment | --
Alcoholic Beverage Outlets | C | §157.0111(b)
Cannabis Outlets | C | §141.0504
Farmers’ Markets | P | §141.0503
Off-Site Alcoholic Beverage Sales | C | §157.0111(b)
Plant Nurseries | P | §141.0505
Retail Farms | P | §141.0506
Retail Tasting Stores | P | §141.0508
Swap Meets & Other Large Outdoor Retail Facilities | P | §141.0507
Commercial Services
Animal Grooming & Veterinary Offices | P
Assembly & Entertainment | P | §157.0111(a)(2)
With Live Entertainment | L | §157.0111(c)
Table 157-0110-A: GASLAMP QUARTER PLANNED DISTRICT USE REGULATIONS
LEGEND: P = Permitted by Right; C = Conditional Use Permit Required; -- = Use Not Permitted; L = Limited Use; N = Neighborhood Use Permit Required; S = Site Development Permit Required
Use Categories/ Subcategories | Gaslamp Quarter Planned District | Additional Regulations
With Outdoor Use Area | L | §156.0302 §156.0315(d)
Building Services | P
Business Support | P
Eating & Drinking Establishments | P | §157.0111(a)-(b)
With Live Entertainment | L | §157.0111(c)
With Outdoor Use Area | L | §156.0302 §156.0315(d)
Financial Institutions | P
Funeral & Mortuary Services | P1
Instructional Studios | P
Maintenance & Repair | P1
Off-Site Services | P1
Personal Services | P
Radio & Television Studios | P
Tasting Rooms | P | §157.0111
Visitor Accommodations | P1
Separately Regulated Commercial Service Uses
Adult Day Care Facility | P1
Adult Entertainment Establishments | --
Assembly Uses, including Places of Religious Assembly | P | §141.0602
Bed & Breakfast Establishments | P1
Boarding Kennels/Pet Day Care Facilities | L | §141.0604
Camping Parks | --
Child Care Facilities | P | §141.0606
Eating and Drinking Establishments with a Drive-in or Drive-through Component | --
Fairgrounds | --
Golf Courses, Driving Ranges, and Pitch & Putt Courses | --
Helicopter Landing Facilities | --
Massage Establishments, Specialized Practice | L1 | §141.0613
Table 157-0110-A: GASLAMP QUARTER PLANNED DISTRICT USE REGULATIONS
LEGEND: P = Permitted by Right; C = Conditional Use Permit Required; -- = Use Not Permitted; L = Limited Use; N = Neighborhood Use Permit Required; S = Site Development Permit Required
Use Categories/ Subcategories | Gaslamp Quarter Planned District | Additional Regulations
Mobile Food Trucks | --
Parking Facilities (structure or surface) | --
Private Clubs, Lodges and Fraternal Organizations | P1 | §141.0617
Privately Operated, Outdoor Recreation Facilities over 40,000 Square Feet in Size | --
Pushcarts on Private Property | L | §141.0619
Recycling Facilities | --
Sidewalk Cafés, Streetaries, and Active Sidewalks | L | §141.0621 §157.0115
Sports Arenas & Stadiums | --
SRO Hotels | P1 | §143.0510-§143.0590
Theaters That Are Outdoor or over 5,000 Square Feet in Size | P | §141.0623
Urgent Care Facilities | P | §141.0624
Veterinary Clinics & Animal Hospitals | L | §141.0625
Zoological Parks | --
Offices
Business & Professional | P1
Government | P1
Medical, Dental, & Health Practitioner | P1
Regional & Corporate Headquarters | P1
Separately Regulated Office Uses
Real Estate Sales Offices & Model Homes | --
Sex Offender Treatment & Counseling | --
Vehicle & Vehicular Equipment Sales & Service
Commercial Vehicle Repair & Maintenance | --
Commercial Vehicle Sales & Rentals | --
Personal Vehicle Repair & Maintenance | --
Personal Vehicle Sales & Rentals | --
Vehicle Equipment & Supplies Sales & Rentals | --
Separately Regulated Vehicle & Vehicular Equipment Sales & Service Uses
Table 157-0110-A: GASLAMP QUARTER PLANNED DISTRICT USE REGULATIONS
LEGEND: P = Permitted by Right; C = Conditional Use Permit Required; -- = Use Not Permitted; L = Limited Use; N = Neighborhood Use Permit Required; S = Site Development Permit Required
Use Categories/ Subcategories | Gaslamp Quarter Planned District | Additional Regulations
Automobile Service Stations | --
Outdoor Storage & Display of New, Unregistered Motor Vehicles as a Primary Use | --
Vehicle Storage Facilities as a Primary Use | --
Distribution and Storage
Equipment and Materials Storage Yards | --
Moving and Storage Facilities | --
Distribution Facilities | --
Separately Regulated Distribution and Storage Uses
Impound Storage Yards | --
Junk Yards | --
Temporary Construction Storage Yards Located Off-Site | --
Industrial
Heavy Manufacturing | --
Light Manufacturing | --
Marine Industry | --
Research & Development | P
Testing Labs | --
Trucking & Transportation Terminals | --
Separately Regulated Industrial Uses
Artisan Food and Beverage Producer | L | §141.1001
Cannabis Production Facilities | -- | §141.1004
Hazardous Waste Research Facility | -- | §141.1002
Hazardous Waste Treatment Facility | -- | §141.1003
Marine Related Uses Within the Coastal Overlay Zone | --
Mining and Extractive Industries | -- | §141.1006
Newspaper Publishing Plants | P1 | §141.1007
Processing & Packaging of Plant Products & Animal By- products Grown Off-premises | -- | §141.1008
Very Heavy Industrial Uses | -- | §141.1009
Wrecking & Dismantling of Motor Vehicles | -- | §141.1010
Table 157-0110-A: GASLAMP QUARTER PLANNED DISTRICT USE REGULATIONS
LEGEND: P = Permitted by Right; C = Conditional Use Permit Required; -- = Use Not Permitted; L = Limited Use; N = Neighborhood Use Permit Required; S = Site Development Permit Required
Use Categories/ Subcategories | Gaslamp Quarter Planned District | Additional Regulations
Signs
Allowable Signs | P | §157.0113 §142.1292
Separately Regulated Signs Uses
Community Entry Signs | L | §157.0113 §141.1101
Comprehensive Sign Program | N | §157.0113 §141.1103
Neighborhood Identification Signs | N | §157.0113 §141.1102
Revolving Projecting Signs | -- | §157.0113 §141.1104
Signs with Automatic Changing Copy | -- | §157.0113 §141.1105
Theater Marquees | N | §157.0113 §141.1106
Footnotes for Table 157-0110-A
1 Only permitted above or below the first floor, excluding entrance lobbies.
(a) Prohibited Uses
The following uses shall be prohibited in the entire District as both primary and accessory uses:
(1) Card rooms, defined as any establishment open to the public wherein games of any kind are played with cards for any consideration;
(2) Correctional placement facilities as described in Section 141.0406;
(3) Drive-through businesses; and
(4) Mobile food trucks as described in Section 141.0612.
(b) Special Regulations for Ground-Floor Uses
Uses may not occupy more than 10,000 square feet on the ground-floor of any building unless a Conditional Use Permit has been approved for such a use pursuant to Section 157.0111(d).
Previously conforming ground-floor uses occupying more than 10,000 square feet may continue to exist on the ground-floor as a previously conforming use subject to Chapter 12, Article 7, Division 1 of the Land Development Code. The ground-floor use may expand into a basement or upper floor only if permitted in accordance with this Division.
(c) Specialized Uses in the Public Right-of-Way
(1) Subsurface utility equipment located under the sidewalk shall utilize fill-type lids covered with matching sidewalk materials. As an alternative to fill-type lids, for covers that are less than 31 inches by 49 inches in size, an applicant may propose ductile-iron, traffic-rated, and slip-resistant vault lids that are painted or stained to match the color of the surrounding sidewalk materials, to the satisfaction of the City Engineer.
(2) The programming of multiple Special Events, as defined in Section 22.4003, within a promenade in the Gaslamp Quarter Planned District may be permitted with a single annual Special Events Permit, as defined in Section 22.4003.
(“Permitted Uses” added 7-22-2024 by O-21837 N.S.; effective 10-5-2024.)
[Editors Note: Amendments as adopted by O-21837 N.S. will not apply within the Coastal Overlay Zone until the California Coastal Commission certifies it as a Local Coastal Program Amendment. Click the link to view the Strikeout Ordinance highlighting changes to prior language http://docs.sandiego.gov/municode_strikeout_ord/O-21837-SO.pdf ]
(Amended 6-15-2026 by O-22110 N.S.; effective 7-15-2026.)
[Editors Note: Amendments as adopted by O-22110 N.S. will not apply within the Coastal Overlay Zone until the California Coastal Commission certifies it as a Local Coastal Program Amendment. Click the link to view the Strikeout Ordinance highlighting changes to prior language http://docs.sandiego.gov/municode_strikeout_ord/O-22110-SO.pdf ]
[Editors Note: Amendments as adopted by O-21837 N.S. will not apply within the Coastal Overlay Zone until the California Coastal Commission certifies it as a Local Coastal Program Amendment. Click the link to view the Strikeout Ordinance highlighting changes to prior language http://docs.sandiego.gov/municode_strikeout_ord/O-21837-SO.pdf ]
Source: City of San Diego Office of the City Clerk, San Diego Municipal Code and City Charter (docs.sandiego.gov PDFs)URL: https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter15/Ch15Art07Division01.pdf#page=14Fetched: 10/28/2026