San Francisco Land Use and Transportation Committee Meeting - June 12, 2023
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San Francisco Land Use and Transportation Committee Regular Meeting - June 12, 2023
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors Land Use and Transportation Committee met on June 12, 2023, at 1:45 PM, chaired by Supervisor Mirna Melgar, with Vice Chair Dean Preston and President Aaron Peskin. The committee considered six items, including adaptive reuse ordinances, park code amendments, awning amnesty, small business fee waivers, and a family housing special district. Several items were amended and continued to future meetings due to substantive changes and the upcoming holiday schedule.
Public Comments & Testimony
- On Item 3 (Park Code amendment): David Pilpel requested that the Recreation and Park Department post a list and map of additional properties subject to the park code on their website, and urged greater transparency regarding rules and regulations.
- On Item 4 (Awning amnesty): A caller (name not given) expressed concern about the cumulative economic impact of fee waivers on city departments, suggesting that the committee should include standard economic impact analysis for such legislation.
- On Item 6 (Family Housing Opportunity District): Eileen Bogan spoke in opposition unless amended, arguing that the legislation may be a result of redistricting and criticized the process, stating that the Housing Element and this legislation send a message that "the problem is too much democracy."
Discussion Items
Item 1 – Commercial to Residential Adaptive Reuse (230371)
President Peskin presented amendments. Non-substantive amendments included: (1) in Section 102 definitions, adding "other than hotel use" to commercial-to-residential adaptive reuse; (2) in Section 210.5, mirroring the hotel exclusion; (3) removing the word "non-conforming" from neon sign language on page 39. Substantive amendments (increasing thresholds for large projects in C3O, adding portions of C2 zoning for sign permitting, and off-street loading curb cuts) were deemed substantive. The committee voted to amend the original file with the non-substantive changes, duplicate the file with the substantive amendments, continue the duplicated file to the call of the chair, and forward the original file to the full board with a positive recommendation. All votes were 3-0.
Item 2 – Development Impact Fees for Adaptive Reuse (230372)
Madison Tam from Supervisor Dorsey's office presented an amendment to add a sunset date of December 31, 2028, for the fee waiver. The committee adopted the amendment and continued the item to the call of the chair. Vote: 3-0.
Item 3 – Park Code Authorization (230522)
Tom Paulino from the mayor's office and Stacey Bradley from Rec and Park presented the ordinance to authorize the Recreation and Park Commission to apply the park code to properties they operate and maintain, including DPW-owned community gardens and mini parks. Supervisor Preston and Chair Melgar raised questions about the impact on DPW properties and the need for transparency. The committee continued the item to July 10, 2023, for further discussion. Vote: 3-0.
Item 4 – Existing Awning Amnesty Program (230447)
President Peskin, co-sponsor, presented amendments after discussion with the planning department. Non-substantive amendments adopted: (1) limiting the program to "business signs" (a defined term in Planning Code Article 6); (2) requiring signs to comply with illumination provisions of Article 6; (3) allowing applicants to use plans prepared by a state-licensed contractor, architect, or registered engineer (removing "professionally"); (4) adding "physically existing on or serving a non-residential business on the effective date"; (5) deleting lines about existing size and methodology. The substantive amendment (five-year lookback to the introduction date) was placed in a duplicated file. The committee voted to amend the original file with the non-substantive changes, duplicate the file with the substantive amendment, continue the duplicated file to the call of the chair, and forward the original file to the full board. Votes: 3-0.
Item 5 – Small Business Month Fee Waivers (230559)
Tita Bell from Supervisor Engardio's office proposed amendments to expand the annual May fee waiver program to include business signs for a two-year period (2023–2024). The committee adopted the amendments and continued the item to the call of the chair for further economic impact analysis. Vote: 3-0.
Item 6 – Family Housing Opportunity Special Use District (230026)
Chair Melgar presented the legislation to create a special district allowing up to 4 units on individual lots and 12 units on merged lots in RH1 districts on the west side, along with group housing. She noted ongoing work with stakeholders and planning commission recommendations. The committee continued the item to July 10, 2023. Vote: 3-0.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1 (230371): Original file amended and forwarded to full board; duplicated file continued to call of chair.
- Item 2 (230372): Amended with sunset date and continued to call of chair.
- Item 3 (230522): Continued to July 10, 2023.
- Item 4 (230447): Original file amended and forwarded to full board; duplicated file continued to call of chair.
- Item 5 (230559): Amended and continued to call of chair.
- Item 6 (230026): Continued to July 10, 2023.
All recorded votes were unanimous (3-0). The next committee meeting is scheduled for July 10, 2023, due to Juneteenth and Fourth of July holidays.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, welcome everyone. Good afternoon. This meeting will come to order. Welcome to the June 12, 2023 regular meeting of the land use and transportation committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. I am Supervisor Mirna Melgar, chair of the committee, joined by Vice Chair, Supervisor Dean Presson, and Board of Supervisors, President Aaron Paskin. The committee clerk today is Stephanie Cabrera. Thank you, Stephanie, for helping us out. I would also like to acknowledge G. Michael Balthasar and Haime Chevri at SFGov TV for staffing this meeting. Madam Clerk, do you have any announcements? Yes, thank you. The Board of Supervisors and its committees are now convening hybrid meetings that allow in-person attendance and public comment while still providing remote access and public comment via telephone. Public comment will be taken on each item on this agenda. Those attending in person will be allowed to speak first, then we'll take those who are on the telephone line. When connected, you will hear meeting discussions, but you'll be muted and in listening mode only. When your item of interest comes up and public comment is called, those joining us in person should line up to speak, and those on the telephone should dial star three to also be added to the speaker queue. If you're on your telephone, please remember to turn down your TV and all listening devices you may be using. You may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways. Email them to the land use and transportation clerk at Erica, ERICA dot major, M-A-J-O-R at SFgov.org. You may also send your written comments via U.S. Postal Service to our office in City Hall at 1. Dr. Carlton B. Goodlick Place, room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102. Finally, items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda of June 27th, unless otherwise stated. Thank you. Thank you, uh Madam Clerk. Before we uh dive into the meeting, I just wanted to announce that this is the last uh land use and transportation committee that we're gonna have in a while. Uh next week is Juneteenth. Uh the week after that is the day of public comment on our budget, which uh I predict will be hot and heavy. And then uh the week after that is the 4th of July holiday. So uh our next meeting will be on July 10th. Um and uh just keep that in mind. Um okay, Madam Clerk, call item number one, please. Yes, item number one is an ordinance amending the planning and building codes, commercial to residential, adaptive reuse, and downtown economic revital revitalization. Members of the public who wish to provide public comment, please dial star three to be added to the speaker queue. The system prompt will indicate that you have raised your hand. Please wait until the system indicates that you have been unmuted and you may begin your comments. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Uh President Peskin, uh, thank you so much for uh your work on this item. The floor is yours. Thank you, Chair Melgar and Supervisor Preston. Uh we discussed this last week and made some amendments that re necessitated an additional week and uh additional public comment. In the intervening week, a number of additional amendments have sprung up and relative to what you just said, Chair Melgar, which is that we will not be having another land use committee meeting for some time. What I'd like to do is sort through those amendments. Anything that is not substantive to put into today's uh legislation and send to the full board for hearing tomorrow, and anything that is substantive or even requires re-referral to duplicate and take up in July, or if necessary, after the planning commission has uh taken them up. So let me see if I I'll sort the reason we are waiting for you, Deputy City Attorney Pearson is so that I don't mess this up and make sure the ones that are substantive are dealt with in the duplicate in the amendment to the duplicated file. Uh so we have the following as suggested by the Office of Economic and Workforce Development. We have let me pull them up, and I think you all have them as well.
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