Zoning Administrator Interpretations of the Planning Code

The following page is a summary of recent interpretations, indicated by year.

A complete listing for all interpretations, by Code Section and by Subject, can be found in the interpretations section of the Planning Code.

• Interpretations issued February 28, 2024
• Interpretations issued September 30, 2024

• Interpretations issued in March 28, 2023

• Interpretations issued in March 20, 2021
  Many updates in the attached document are technical and/or minor in nature. However, some of them are more substantive and will have greater impact on the day-to-day implementation of the Planning Code. These include, but are not limited to:
  1. Defining a kitchen per the definition of a Dwelling Unit;
  2. Repealing ZA Bulletin No. 1 - Developing Ground Floor Accessory Rooms in Residential Buildings (aka Rooms Down);
  3. Clarifying permitted dwelling unit exposure for atypical configurations;
  4. Clarifying permitted obstructions within the required rear yard;
  5. Clarifying certain exemptions from neighborhood notification per Planning Code Section 311; and
  6. Interpretations consistent with recent decisions by the Board of Appeals.

• Interpretations issued on September 12, 2018

• Interpretations issued in August 2017 (Type 87 ABC License)
• Interpretations issued in October 2017 (Bedroom and Rear Yard Averaging)
• Interpretations issued on October 26, 2017

No interpretations for 2016

• Interpretations issued in April 2015

• Interpretations issued in January 2014

• Interpretations issued in June 2013

Interpretations by the Zoning Administrator are issued for certain sections of the San Francisco Planning Code and should be applied to specific factual situations. If you have substantial reason to believe that there is an error in the interpretation of the provision of the Planning Code, or abuse of discretion on the part of the Zoning Administrator in a determination listed below, you have fifteen (15) days from the date of the interpretation to appeal the determination to the Board of Appeals.

For information regarding the appeals process, please contact:
Board of Appeals
(628) 652-1150
boardofappeals@sfgov.org