Category: Mixed-Use

San Francisco projects without public notifications

07.21.2022,

Many projects in San Francisco require public notifications which include demolition, new construction, change in use, exterior alteration or building expansions in residential and some commercial zone areas but there are some exceptions as indicated below.

DORMERS:

Dormers can be added to the attic to create additional usable space without public notifications under the following conditions.
(1) The dormer and all other roof features combined area is less than 20% of the roof area.
(2) The maximum plan dimension of the dormer is 8 feet by 8 feet and setback minimum 3 feet from the side property line.
(3) The dormer setback 10 feet from the front building wall.
(4) The dormer cannot be higher than the peak of the roof.

LIGHWELLS INFILL:

When the lightwell at the property line is against your neighbor’s wall and the lightwell is not visible from any offsite location, and the lightwell is not higher than 10 feet above the neighbor’s ground, then the lightwell infill can be approve without public notification. The Planning Department will need a set of reduced drawings signed by the adjacent owner or tenant. If the proposed lightwell infill is visible from any off-site location, then the public notification is required.

ADDITION BELOW:

When you have a floor supported by columns and the open space below does not exceed one story or twelve feet, you can enclose the open space below without public notifications assuming that the floor above is legal.

DECKS:

An open deck can be built without notifications in RH and RM districts under the following conditions:
(1) The deck is less than 3 feet from existing grade.
(2) Some decks higher than 3 feet on a hill with slope over 15% (1 vertical & 6.6 horizontal)
(3) Decks on posts less than 10 feet above grade, within buildable area, no firewall required & setback 3 to 5 feet from property lines.
(4) Cantilevered decks within buildable area, no firewall required & setback 3 to 5 feet from property lines. Cantilevered deck can be more than 10 feet high as long as it is within the height limit.
(5) Deck on existing structure when the deck is within buildable area, no firewall required & setback 3 to 5 feet from property lines.
(6) Roof decks that are setback 5 feet from all building edges & within buildable area.
Please Click Here for more information on Deck

STAIR REPLACEMENT:

Older building may have the Building Code required egress stair located in the required open space. If the replacement stair is within the same footprint and height of the old stair or minimum required by the current Building Code, then the replacement stair can be exempt from notification. The exemption does not apply to new fire wall when the original stair did not have a fire wall, unless the entire firewall is located next to a blank wall of the adjacent neighbor.

The above 5 exceptions summarizes most but not all the rules, for a complete list of rules and regulations please see San Francisco Planning Department Zoning Administrator Bulletin Number 4.

Americans with Disability Act

12.01.2020,

San Francisco now has a mandatory program to make all commercial business entrance accessible for wheelchair.  In 2016, Ordinance No. 51-16 was passed which requires existing buildings with a place of “public accommodation” to have all primary entrances accessible for people with disabilities.  Click here for more information and we can help you to comply with this requirement.

If you want to renovate an existing commercial space, most likely you will be obligated by the “California Building Code” and the “Americans with Disability Act” (ADA) which is a civil rights law to upgrade your accessibility features such as handicapped parking, main entry, the “Path of Travel” from main entry to the “Area of Primary Function” of the space.  As a building owner or tenant, you have been obligated to do so since 1990 when the “Americans with Disabilities Act” has been in effect.  Most commercial and civic buildings are affected by this federal law in some form or another. Continue reading Americans with Disability Act

PLANTS & FENCES

04.11.2013,

The following are general guideline regarding fences and planting in San Francisco properties.

San Francisco regulations on fences are based on the location of the fences on the property and required yards and setbacks.  All San Francisco residential districts have rear yard requirements and some districts have side yard and front setback requirements.  Some San Francisco commercial districts have rear yard requirement and in any commercial, industrial or mixed use district have residential use at the first story.  Continue reading PLANTS & FENCES

Urban Landscape, San Francisco, California

08.29.2011,

Nihonmachi Terrace is a high density Japanese senior housing complex in San Francisco Japan Center. The existing courtyard consisted of a lawn and a few trees that provided open space for the tenants and visitors. Kwan Design Architect (in association with Robert La Rocca Landscape Architect) revitalizes the courtyard in response to Japanese garden design principals, natural features and sustainable design solutions. The new courtyard included rock garden with raked gravel, pathways and wooden bridges over a dry creek, plants indigenous to the mountains, water scriptural feature, community vegetable garden, windbreak elements and gathering opportunities.