The purpose of establishing conventional zoning districts is to protect and promote public health, safety, prosperity, and the general welfare of South San Francisco residents, and more specifically to:
A. 
Provide standards for future growth and development in the City;
B. 
Create a comprehensive and stable pattern of land uses upon which to plan for residential, mixed-use, nonresidential, civic, and recreational uses;
C. 
Ensure compatibility between different types of development and land use; and
D. 
Conserve and protect the City’s open spaces.
(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022)
The City shall be classified into zoning districts or zones, the designation and regulation of which are set forth in this Title as follows:
Table 20.060.002: Conventional Zoning Districts
Chapter
Abbrev.
Zoning District Name
Zoning District Description
Chapter 20.070, Residential Zoning Districts
RL2.2, RL-8
Low Density Residential
The two RL districts provide for detached and attached single-family residential development. They also support residential care facilities, park and recreation facilities, civic and institutional uses. The RL districts implement the General Plan’s San Mateo County Low Density Residential and Low Density Residential land use designations.
RM-22
Medium Density Residential
The RM-22 district provides for attached or detached single-family housing, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhouses, condominiums. It also supports residential care facilities, service-enriched housing, park and recreation facilities, civic and institutional uses. The RM-22 district implements the General Plan’s Medium Density Residential land use designation.
RH-37.5, RH-50, RH-140
High Density Residential
The three RH districts provide areas for a mix of residential development with a variety of multi-family housing choices, including townhouses, condominiums, and apartment buildings. They also support residential care facilities, group residential homes, service-enriched housing, parks and recreation facilities, and civic and institutional uses. The RH district implements the General Plan’s Medium High Density Residential and High Density Residential land use designations.
Chapter 20.080, Downtown Residential Districts
DRL
Downtown Residential – Low
The DRL district provides for attached or detached single-family housing, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhouses, and condominiums, care facilities, family day care, park and recreation facilities, civic and institutional uses in the Downtown. The DRL district implements the General Plan’s Medium Density Residential land use designation.
DRM
Downtown Residential – Medium
The DRM district provides for attached or detached single-family housing, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhouses, condominiums in the Downtown. The DRM district implements the General Plan’s Medium High Density Residential land use designation.
DRH
Downtown Residential – High
The DRH district provides for a mix of residential development with a variety of multi-family housing choices, including townhouses, condominiums, and apartment buildings in the Downtown. The DRH district implements the General Plan’s High Density Residential land use designation.
Chapter 20.090, Downtown / Caltrain Station Area Zoning Districts
DRC
Downtown Residential Core
The DRC district provides for a higher density mix of residential housing types, compatible in scale with adjacent Downtown residential districts. The DRC district implements the General Plan’s Downtown Residential Core land use designation.
LNC
Linden Neighborhood Center
The LNC district provides for mixed use and live-work development, with retail, commercial, and service uses at the ground floor and residential uses above. The LNC district implements the General Plan’s Linden Neighborhood Center land use designation.
GAC
Grand Avenue Core
The GAC district builds on the historic layout of the old Downtown while providing additional capacity for residential and commercial uses and a nearly continuous retail frontage with high density residential above. The GAC district implements the General Plan’s Grand Avenue Core Neighborhood Center land use designation.
DTC
Downtown Transit Core
The DTC district provides sites for mixed-use development and the highest residential densities in the city. It supports active ground floor uses and high intensity development that generates pedestrian traffic and increased transit ridership. The DTC district implements the General Plan’s Downtown Transit Core land use designation.
ETC
East of 101 Transit Core
The ETC is located just east of the Caltrain tracks and is intended to provide a location for the highest intensity office, R&D or residential uses. The ETC district implements the General Plan’s East of 101 Transit Core land use designation.
Chapter 20.100, Nonresidential Districts
CC
Community Commercial
The CC district provides areas for locally oriented retail and service uses, shopping centers, hotels, community-serving offices, restaurants, retail, public, and similar and compatible uses. The CC district implements the General Plan’s Community Commercial designation.
BPO
Business and Professional Office
The BPO district provides areas for development of administrative, financial, business, professional, medical and public offices, and research and development at locations close to transit stations, as well as limited retail development. The BPO district implements the General Plan’s Business and Professional Office designation.
BTP-M
Business Technology Park – Medium
The BTP-M district provides area for campus-like environments for corporate headquarters, research and development facilities, and offices. Typical uses include incubator-research facilities, prototype manufacturing, testing, repairing, packaging, publishing and printing as well as offices and research and development facilities. Limited warehousing, distribution, manufacturing, retail and service uses are allowed. The BTP-M district implements the General Plan’s Business Technology Park land use designation.
BTP-H
Business Technology Park – High
The BTP-H district provides area for campus-like environments for corporate headquarters, research and development facilities, and offices. Typical uses include incubator-research facilities, prototype manufacturing, testing, repairing, packaging, publishing and printing as well as offices and research and development facilities. Warehousing, distribution, manufacturing, retail, personal services, grocery and hotel uses are also allowed. The BTP-H district implements the General Plan’s Business Technology Park High land use designation.
MIM
Mixed Industrial Medium
The MIM district supports a wide range of manufacturing, processing, general service, warehousing, storage and distribution, and service commercial uses. The MIM district implements the General Plan’s Mixed Industrial land use designation.
MIH
Mixed Industrial High
The MIH district supports a wide range of manufacturing, processing, general service, warehousing, storage and distribution, and service commercial uses. The MIH district implements the General Plan’s Mixed Industrial High land use designation.
Chapter 20.110, Civic Districts
PQP
Public
The P district is reserved for government-owned facilities, civic uses, and public utilities. It includes government offices, the library, and the sewer treatment plant. The P district implements the General Plan’s Public land use designation.
S
School
The S district is reserved for school sites and facilities. It implements the General Plan’s School land use designation.
PR
Parks and Recreation
The PR district is reserved for parks and recreation facilities including parks, public golf courses, and greenways. It implements the General Plan’s Parks and Recreation land use designation.
OS
Open Space
The OS district is reserved for the protection of environmentally sensitive areas including site slopes greater than 30 percent, sensitive habitats, wetlands, creeks, areas subject to flooding, and power transmission line corridors. It implements the General Plan’s Open Space land use designation.
(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022)