AMENDED IN COMMITTEE
FILE NO. 250887
1/26/2026
ORDINANCE NO. 10-26
[Planning Code - Permitting Parking in Driveways]
Ordinance amending the Planning Code to permit parking of up to two operable
vehicles, not including boats, trailers, recreational vehicles, mobile homes, or buses, in
driveways located in required front setbacks, side yards, or rear yards; affirming the
Planning Department's determination under the California Environmental Quality Act;
making findings of consistency with the General Plan, and the eight priority policies of
Planning Code, Section 101.1; and making findings of public necessity, convenience,
and welfare pursuant to Planning Code, Section 302.
NOTE:
Unchanged Code text and uncodified text are in plain Arial font.
Additions to Codes are in single-underline italics Times New Roman font.
Deletions to Codes are in strilwth,··0ugl1 italics Times ,hi'ew R0numfent.
Board amendment additions are in double-underlined Arial font.
Board amendment deletions are in strikethrough Arial f.ont.
Asterisks (* * * *) indicate the omission of unchanged Code
subsections or parts of tables.
Be it ordained by the People of the City and County of San Francisco:
Section 1. Environmental and Land Use Findings.
(a) The Planning Department has determined that the actions contemplated in this
ordinance comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (California Public Resources
Code Sections 21000 et seq.). Said determination is on file with the Clerk of the Board of
Supervisors in File No. 250887 and is incorporated herein by reference. The Board affirms
this determination.
(b) On October 23, 2025, the Planning Commission, in Resolution No. 21854, adopted
findings that the actions contemplated in this ordinance are consistent, on balance, with the
City's General Plan and eight priority policies of Planning Code Section 101.1. The Board
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adopts these findings as its own. A copy of said Resolution is on file with the Clerk of the
Board of Supervisors in File No. 250887, and is incorporated herein by reference.
(c) Pursuant to Planning Code Section 302, the Board of Supervisors finds that this
ordinance will serve the public necessity, convenience and welfare for the reasons set forth in
Planning Commission Resolution No. 21854.
Section 2. Articles 1.2 and 1.5 of the Planning Code are hereby amended by revising
Sections 132. 136,142,145.1, and 151.1. and adding Section 152.3. to read as follows:
SEC. 132. FRONT SETBACK AREAS IN RTO, RH, AND RM DISTRICTS AND FOR
REQUIRED SETBACKS FOR PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENTS.
* * * *
(g) Landscaping and Permeable Surfaces. The landscaping and Permeable
Surface requirements of this subsection (g) and subsection (h) below shall be met by the
permittee in the case of construction of a new building; the addition of a new Dwelling Unit, a
garage, or additional parking, except for parking in driveways permitted under Section 152.3;
any addition to a structure that would result in an increase of 20% or more of the existing
Gross Floor Area; a Residential Merger, as defined in Section 317; or paving or repaving
more than 200 square feet of the front setback. All front setback areas required by this
Section 132 shall be appropriately landscaped, meet any applicable water use requirements
of Administrative Code Chapter 63, and in every case not less than 20% of the required
setback area shall be and remain unpaved and devoted to plant material, including the use of
climate appropriate plant material as defined in Public Works Code Section 802.1. For the
purposes of this Section 132, permitted obstructions as defined by Section 136(c)(6)
chimneys, Section 136(c)(14) steps, and Section 136(c)(27) garages in steeply sloping front
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setbacks shall be excluded from the front setback area used to calculate the required
landscape and Permeable Surface area. If the required setback area is entirely taken up by
one or more permitted obstructions, the Zoning Administrator may allow the installation of
sidewalk landscaping that is compliant with applicable water use requirements of Chapter 63
of the Administrative Code to satisfy the requirements of this Section 132, subject to permit
approval from the Department of Public Works in accordance with Public Works Code Section
8108.
* * * *
SEC. 136. OBSTRUCTIONS OVER STREETS AND ALLEYS AND IN REQUIRED
SETBACKS, YARDS, AND USABLE OPEN SPACE.
Streets
Set-
Yards
Usable
and
backs
Open
Alleys
Space
*
*
*
*
(c) The permitted obstructions shall be as follows:
*
*
* *
X
X
X
(30) Driveways, for use only to provide
necessary access to required or permitted parking
that is located in the buildable area of the subject
property other than in a required open area, and
where such driveway has only the minimum 1Nidth
needed ror such access, and to provide parking in the
front setback, siee yaFEt, or rear yard for operable
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vehicles, subject to the following limitations: in no case
shall pt:rking be alloll'ed in the seJback; off-street parking
thereon pursuant to Section 152.3:
(A) Boats, trailers, recreational
vehicles, mobile homes, and buses shall not be
parked in the driveway;
(B) No more than two 11ehioles per
lot may be parked in a driveway, regardless of the lot
size or dri',eway length;
(C) Vehicles parked in the driveway
shall not encroach onto the public right of way; and
(D) Except as specified in this
subsection (c)(30), in no case shall parking be
allowed in the setback or yard.
* * * *
SEC. 142. SCREENING AND GREENING OF PARKING AND VEHICULAR USE
AREAS.
Off-street parking and Vehicular Use Areas adjacent to the public right-of-way shall be
screened as provided in this Section 142. Where an existing Automotive Use converts to an
Electric Vehicle Charging Location, the requirements of this Section shall not apply.
(a) Screening of Parking and Vehicular Use Areas less than 25 Linear Feet
Adjacent to a Public Right-of-Way.
(1) Every off-street parking space within a building, where not enclosed by solid
building walls, shall be screened from view from all Streets and Alleys through use of garage
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doors or by some other means.
(2) Along rear yard areas and other interior open spaces, all off-street parking
spaces, driveways and maneuvering areas within buildings shall be screened from view and
confined by solid building walls. , except that driveways used for off street parking as permitted
in Section 136(c)(30) of this Code are not subject to this subsection (a)(2L
(3) Off-street parking spaces in Parking Lots shall meet the requirements of
Section 156 and other applicable provisions of Article 1.5 of this Code. Such parking areas
shall be screened from view as provided in Section 156(c) of this Code.
(4} Off-street parking in driveways as permitted in Section 152.3 is not subject
to the screening requirements of this Section 142.
* * * *
SEC. 145.1. STREET FRONTAGES IN NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL,
RESIDENTIAL-COMMERCIAL, COMMERCIAL, AND MIXED USE DISTRICTS.
* * * *
(b) Definitions.
(1) Development Lot. A "development lot" shall mean:
(A) Any lot containing a proposal for new construction; or
(B) Building alterations that would increase the gross square footage of a
structure by 20 percent or more; or
(C) In a building containing parking, a change of more than 50 percent of the
building's gross floor area to or from residential uses, excluding residential accessory off-
street parking.
* * * *
(c) Controls. The following requirements shall generally apply, except for those
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controls listed in subsections (c)(1) Above Grade Parking Setback and (c)(4) Ground Floor
Ceiling Height, which only apply to a "development lot" as defined above and except as
specified in subsection (d).
* * * *
(1) Above-Grade Parking Setback. Off-street parking at street grade on a
development lot must be set back at least 25 feet on the ground floor and at least 15 feet on
floors above, from any facade facing a street at least 30 feet in width. Parking above the
ground level shall be entirely screened from all public rights-of-way in a manner that
accentuates ground floor uses, minimizes mechanical features and is in keeping with the
overall massing and architectural vocabulary of the building. In C-3 Districts, parking above
the ground level, where permitted, shall also be designed to facilitate conversion to other uses
by maintaining level floors and a clear ceiling height of nine feet or equal to that of the
adjacent street-fronting active uses, whichever is greater. Removable parking ramps and off-
street parking in driveways permitted under Section 152.3 136(c)(30) of this Code are excluded
from this requirement.
* * * *
SEC. 151.1. SCHEDULE OF PERMITTED OFF-STREET PARKING SPACES IN
SPECIFIED DISTRICTS.
* * * *
(b) Controls. Off-street accessory parking shall not be required for any use, and the
quantities of off-street parking specified in Table 151.1 shall serve as the maximum amount of
off-street parking that may be provided as accessory to the uses specified. Variances from
accessory off-street parking limits, as described in this Section 151.1, may not be granted.
Where off-street parking is provided that exceeds the quantities specified in Table 151.1 or as
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explicitly permitted by this Section, such parking shall be classified not as accessory parking
but as either a principally permitted or Conditional Use, depending upon the use provisions
applicable to the district in which the parking is located. O(fs1ree1 parking in driveways permitted
under Section 152.3136(c)(30) of this Code shall not count wward crnv mCLYimum quanlilies specified
in Table 151.1. In considering an application for a Conditional Use for any such parking due to
the amount being provided, the Planning Commission shall consider the criteria set forth in
Sections 303(t) or 303(u) of this Code.
* * * *
SEC.152.3. PERMITTED OFF-STREET ACCESSORY PARKING IN DRIVEWAYS.
(a) Off-street accessory parking for Residential Uses shall be permitted in driveways.
A driveway is defined for purposes of this Section 152.3 to mean a vehicular path that
provides access from the public right-of-way to authorized parking located on the subject
property. where the vehicular path is limited to the minimum width needed for such access.
Operable vehicles may be parked within the confines of such driveways. subject to the
following limitations:
(1 ) Boats. trailers. recreational vehicles. mobile homes. and buses shall not be
parked in the driveway:
(2} No more than two vehicles may be parked in a driveway per Lot. regardless
of the Lot size. number of driveways. or driveway length: and
(3) Vehicles parked in the driveway shall not encroach onto the public right-of-
way.
lb} Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) or Junior ADU (JADU) Conversions. Off-street
parking shall be permitted in any driveway that existed immediately prior to the conversion of
a garage at the property into an ADU or JADU. subject to the limitations set forth in
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subsections (a) and (c).
(c} This Section 152.3 does not authorize the creation of a new curb cut, the
re$loration of prior existing curb cuts, or the expansion of an existing curb cut.
Section 3. Effective Date. This ordinance shall become effective 30 days after
enactment. Enactment occurs when the Mayor signs the ordinance, the Mayor returns the
ordinance unsigned or does not sign the ordinance within ten days of receiving it, or the Board
of Supervisors overrides the Mayor's veto of the ordinance.
Section 4. Scope of Ordinance. In enacting this ordinance, the Board of Supervisors
intends to amend only those words, phrases, paragraphs, subsections, sections, articles,
numbers, punctuation marks, charts, diagrams, or any other constituent parts of the Municipal
Code that are explicitly shown in this ordinance as additions, deletions, Board amendment
additions, and Board amendment deletions in accordance with the "Note" that appears under
the official title of the ordinance.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
DAVID CHIU, City Attorney
By:
/s/ Kathy J. Shin
KATHY J. SHIN
Deputy City Attorney
4899-1407-6546, V. 1
Mayor Lurie; Supervisors Chen, Melgar, Wong, Chan
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City and County of San Francisco
Tails
Ordinance
City Hall
I Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102-4689
File Number:
250887
Date Passed: February 10, 2026
Ordinance amending the Planning Code to permit parking of up to two operable vehicles, not including
boats, trailers, recreational vehicles, mobile homes, or buses, in driveways located in required front
setbacks, side yards, or rear yards; affirming the Planning Department's determination under the
California Environmental Quality Act; making findings of consistency with the General Plan, and the
eight priority policies of Planning Code, Section 101.1; and making findings of public necessity,
convenience, and welfare pursuant to Planning Code, Section 302.
December 15, 2025 Land Use and Transportation Committee - CONTINUED
January 12, 2026 Land Use and Transportation Committee - CONTINUED
January 26, 2026 Land Use and Transportation Committee - AMENDED, AN AMENDMENT
OF THE WHOLE BEARING SAME TITLE
January 26, 2026 Land Use and Transportation Committee - RECOMMENDED AS
AMENDED
February 03, 2026 Board of Supervisors - PASSED ON FIRST READING
Ayes: 10 - Chan, Chen, Dorsey, Fielder, Mahmood, Mandelman, Melgar, Sauter,
Walton and Wong
Excused: 1 - Sherrill
February 10, 2026 Board of Supervisors - Fl NALLY PASSED
City and County of San Francisco
Ayes: 11 - Chan, Chen, Dorsey, Fielder, Mahmood, Mandelman, Melgar, Sauter,
Sherrill, Walton and Wong
Pagel
Printed at 9:04 am on 2/11/26
File No. 250887
~
City and County of San Francisco
Pagel
I hereby certify that the foregoing
Ordinance was FINALLY PASSED on
2/10/2026 by the Board of Supervisors of the
City and County of San Francisco.
J21R:u.~
f Angela Calvillo
Clerk of the Board
2 I r; / 21.
Date Approved
Printed at 9:04 am on 2111/26
