Vote To Increase Residential Density On Divisadero And Fillmore Passes

Vote To Increase Residential Density On Divisadero And Fillmore PassesHouse under construction on McAllister. (Photo: Nuala Sawyer / Hoodline)
Nuala Sawyer
Published on June 29, 2015

In April, we wrote about an upcoming vote to change Divisadero to a Neighborhood Commercial Transit District (NCTD)—a move that could affect population density and future residential construction along the corridor.

Today, the Board of Supervisors Land Use and Transportation Committee (which is made up of Malia Cohen, Scott Wiener and Jane Kim) voted on whether or not to convert 12 blocks of Divisadero and nine blocks of Fillmore Street to NCTDs. According to a post this afternoon on London Breed's Facebook page, the Committee unanimously passed the legislation, a move which will resulting in the re-zoning of both Fillmore and Divisadero streets to remove current residential density limits.

"The Board's Land Use Committee just unanimously passed my two pieces of legislation to create more housing in the Divisadero and Fillmore corridors—without increasing building heights," Breed's post stated. "The laws will help more people be able to live in these amazing D5 neighborhoods."

According to Conor Johnston of London Breed's office, there's still more steps before the decision is finalized. "It goes to the full Board for two full votes," he told us. "Then the Mayor has ten days to sign, veto, or send it back unsigned." (Update: Mayor Lee approved the legislation on July 17th.)

The Examiner laid out some of the details of how residential spaces could be sized following the establishment of an NCTD. The number of units, previously dictated by parcel size, will now be governed by variable such as height and open space. New buildings that contain more than five units must offer 40 percent of the units as two bedrooms, or 30 percent as three bedrooms. 

For preexisting buildings, units can only be divided into two units if they exceed 2,000 square feet, or contain more than three bedrooms. If a single unit is split up, half of it must still contain two bedrooms, and measure a minimum of 1,250 square feet.

As a reminder, there are three large residential developments that may be headed to the Divisadero corridor. Nine one-bedroom units are being planned for an empty lot on Hayes Street, next to Rare Device. Alouis Auto and Radiator's old building will be developed into five stories of condos. Finally, applications are in the works for a six story, 158-unit residential development to replace Touchless Car Wash and the Shell gas station on Divisadero and Oak streets.