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City of San Mateo Municipal Code.

27.38.100 BUILDING LINE AND SETBACK STANDARDS.

In this district, building line and setbacks standards shall be as follows:

(a) New developments shall be built to the property line to a minimum height of 26 feet, up to the maximum height as permitted in the street wall area or to the maximum height permitted for parcels outside the street wall area, except where a setback is required to meet ground floor open space requirements or where a setback buffer is required adjacent to a residential district pursuant to the Building Height and Bulk Plan in the Downtown Plan.

(b) Up to 25% of the building line may be set back from the property line to provide for open space in excess of that required where the building is along a street designated for required retail frontage. An additional 15% may be set back in addition to the 25% if the site is not along a street designated for required retail frontage.

(c) Transfers of these requirements may be permitted among properties by Planning Commission approval of a special permit where the requirements are met for the entire block face. A transfer shall be by an agreement between the property owner and the City and shall be recorded.