Property Development Standards

San Diego Municipal Code ch. 15, art. 9, app. B

in effect

Appendix B: Property Development Standards MINIMUM YARDS FRONT YARDS Zones 1, 2, 3 and 4 - No requirement. Zones 5 and 6 - A 15-foot minimum front yard is required, measured from the front property line* to the building. [image omitted; see the official PDF] STREET FRONTAGE SETBACK All Zones - A minimum 16-foot street front setback, measured from the curb to the building is required. This is a separate requirement that must be met in addition to the front yard requirement. [image omitted; see the official PDF] STREET CORNER LOT SETBACK Corner lot setback - Zones 1, 2, 3 and 4 require 20 feet or 20 percent whichever is less (Note: 20 percent deviation permitted). Some examples are as follows: [image omitted; see the official PDF] MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT [image omitted; see the official PDF] STREET FACADE ENVELOPE [image omitted; see the official PDF] STREET ENCROACHMENTS No building or portion thereof shall project over the public right-of-way above ground level (see Section 159.0307(e)(3)). [image omitted; see the official PDF] STREET OVERHANGS Within the street facade envelope, no story or floor level or portion thereof, will overhang any floor level below (see Section 159.0307(e)(2)). [image omitted; see the official PDF] LANDSCAPING Landscape area is defined as an area made up of landscape areas such as pedestrian paved areas; man-made sculptural elements such as fountains or sculpture; and vegetated areas containing groundcover, vines, shrubs, trees and/or potted plants. All such areas shall be opened to the sky. OPTION A: Combination (Ground and Above Ground) Levels Zones 1, 2, 3 and 4 - A combination of landscaping at the ground and above ground levels shall be equal to 25 percent of the total lot area. Zone 5 - A combination of landscaping at the ground and above ground levels shall equal 50 percent of the total lot area, provided it is visible from the opposite side of adjacent public rights-of-way (streets). [image omitted; see the official PDF] Zone 6 - All required yards shall be fully landscaped. OPTION B: Ground Floor or Street Level Zones 1, 2, 3 and 4 - At the ground floor or street level the total area landscaping shall equal 15 percent of the total lot area. Zone 5 - At the ground floor or street level the total area of landscaping shall equal 30 percent of the total lot area, provided it is visible from the opposite side of adjacent public rights-of-way (streets) [image omitted; see the official PDF] Alternative: for landscaped areas designed as visual buffers, backdrops or setback areas in Zone 5, 50% of the landscaped area shall be vegetated with a combination of groundcover, vines, shrubs and trees. Alternative: for large paved pedestrian spaces (plazas, courtyards) one 48-inch box tree shall be provided for every 200 square feet of paved area. Alternative: for narrow pedestrian areas (malls) where trees may not be appropriate, 40 percent of the ground plane shall be vegetated with potted plants, groundcover, shrubs, and vines. Alternative: for landscaped areas designed as visual buffers, backdrops or setback areas in Zones 1, 2, 3 and 4, 40 percent of the landscaped area shall be vegetated with a combination of groundcover, vines, shrubs and trees. [image omitted; see the official PDF] TYPES OF LANDSCAPED AREAS PLAZA: Landscaped area readily adjacent to a street. In order to provide amenities within a project, plazas may be provided, particularly where corner lots allow placement of plazas adjacent to the public right-of-way. In order for a plaza to be used when calculating required project landscaping, it must be open to the sky at street level and visually and physically accessible from the public right-of-way. Enclosed plazas or gardens may be provided, but cannot be used in calculating requirement. Plazas should have a focal point such as a grove of trees or a fountain. [image omitted; see the official PDF] TYPES OF LANDSCAPED AREAS PATIO OR COURTYARD: A landscaped area surrounded by a building. In order to provide pedestrian amenities within a project, patios and courtyards may be developed, particularly on mid-block lots. In order for patios and courtyards to be included in calculating required project landscaping, they must be open to the sky and visually and physically accessible from the public right-of-way. [image omitted; see the official PDF] Access corridors must be a minimum 10 feet wide and open to the public from no later than 8:00 a.m. to no earlier than 8:00 p.m., seven days per week. Enclosed patios and courtyards may be provided, but will not be used in calculating required project landscaping. Patios and courtyards should have a focal feature such as a fountain, sculpture, garden, etc. TYPES OF LANDSCAPED AREAS MALL: A narrow pedestrian area (minimum of 8 feet wide) linking a street to an alley and bordered on parallel sides by buildings. In order to provide pedestrian amenities within a project, malls and pedestrian paths may be developed linking a street and an alley or linking two streets. Mid-block lots are particularly suited to this type of amenity. Pedestrian malls and paths can provide additional access to alley parking and service areas, all may be shared by two lots or two projects which are developing simultaneously side by side. [image omitted; see the official PDF] TYPES OF LANDSCAPED MALLS In order for malls and pedestrian paths to be used in calculating required project landscaping, they must be open to the sky and visually and physically accessible from the public right-of-way. Access corridors must be a minimum width of 8 feet and open to the public from no late than 8:00 a.m. to no earlier than 8:00 p.m., seven days per week. Enclosed malls and pedestrian paths may be provided, but may not be used in calculating required project landscaping. [image omitted; see the official PDF] TYPES OF LANDSCAPED AREAS BALCONY: A small above ground landscaped area open to the sky. In order for balconies to be included in calculating required project landscaping, they must be visually accessible from a public right-of-way. Balconies not visible from the public right-of-way may be provided, but will not be used in calculating required landscaping. [image omitted; see the official PDF] TYPES OF LANDSCAPED AREAS TERRACE: A landscaped area on the roof of a building. In order for terraces to be included in calculating required project landscaping, they must be visually accessible from a public right-of-way. Terraces not visible from the public right-of-way may be provided, but will not be used in calculating required landscaping. [image omitted; see the official PDF] OCEAN VIEW - CORRIDORS Lots in Zone 1A, 5A and 6A shall maintain an open view corridor from the street frontage through to the rear of the property. The view corridor shall be a minimum of ten percent of the total lot width. The corridor shall be maintained open to the sky and free from all visual obstructions. [image omitted; see the official PDF] BUILDING MATERIALS/COLORS GLASS Not more than 40 percent of any exterior building elevation above the first story shall consist of glass or any other material that resembles glass (See Section 159.0308(b)). [image omitted; see the official PDF] COLORS Light colors which enhances shadows and break up the building volume shall be used on facades (See Section 159.0308(e)). [image omitted; see the official PDF] OTHER BUILDING DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING Artificial lighting used to illuminate any premises shall be directed away from adjacent properties (See Section 159.0406(a)). [image omitted; see the official PDF] LOADING/REFUSE COLLECTION AREAS Zones 1, 2, 3 and 4 - Every building shall provide an on-site loading area containing a minimum of 600 square feet (See Section 159.0409). A minimum of 32 square feet of on-site refuse collection area shall be provided on each lot or premises and shall not be located in any front or street side yard (See Section 159.0407). [image omitted; see the official PDF] PARKING SMALL LOT AND REHABILITATION PARKING REQUIREMENTS (See Section 159.0404(c)) [image omitted; see the official PDF] Alley parking: 1 space per 10 feet of alley frontage. PARKING LOT DESIGN Broad headed trees shall be utilized in parking areas. [image omitted; see the official PDF] Parking areas adjacent to the street shall be screened. [image omitted; see the official PDF] PARKING PARKING LOT/SIDEWALK VEGETATED STRIP A minimum of a six-foot-wide vegetated strip shall be required between the sidewalk and surface parking areas; such a vegetated strip may serve as wheel stops for the parking area (See Section 159.0404(g)). [image omitted; see the official PDF] PARKING ABOVE GROUND PARKING STRUCTURES (See Section 159.0211(i)). [image omitted; see the official 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/Ch15Art09_AppendixB.pdf#page=1Fetched: 10/28/2026