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Planning Commission reviews draft roof‑deck policy, staff proposes limits on size and access
Summary
Planning staff proposed thresholds for residential roof decks — a maximum of one‑third of roof area, 5‑foot setbacks, and preference for internal access — and solicited extensive public comment about privacy, cumulative impacts and fairness for smaller houses. Commissioners asked for more data and outreach before adoption.
San Francisco Planning Department staff on Thursday presented a draft Residential Roof Decks Policy that would set numerical thresholds and review procedures intended to make permit outcomes more predictable while protecting neighbors’ light, air and privacy.
David Winslow, a staff architect, told the Planning Commission the policy aims to balance ‘‘allowing for the reasonable provision of outdoor open space on the roofs of low‑density residential buildings’’ while ‘‘protecting the quality of life for adjacent neighbours.’’ The department’s recommended standards include a maximum roof‑deck area of one‑third of the roof, a minimum 5‑foot setback from building edges (except rear walls), cumulative area calculations for decks across a building, and a hierarchy of access that favors roof…
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