Neighborhood Commercial Districts – San Francisco, CA
In 1987, San Francisco created Neighborhood Commercial Districts, establishing a neighborhood-serving zone system tailored to specific areas’ unique characteristics. For instance, in North Beach, non-residential uses that are 2,000 sq. ft. or more are permitted only as a conditional use, subject to approval by the planning commission, in order to maintain appropriately scaled development. A permit may only be issued after the developer proves that the use will serve neighborhood needs and conform to local architectural styles. San Francisco amended the municipal code in 2004 to require a conditional use permit for any single retail use over 50,000 sq. ft., except within downtown commercial districts, which allow up to 90,000 gross sq. ft before a conditional use permit is required.
Additional Case Studies: Boston, MA (Boston’s streamline permitting and processing)
Additional Resources: Institute for Local Self-Reliance’s Store Size Cap Toolkit