San Francisco Land Use and Transportation Committee Meeting - October 30, 2023
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San Francisco Land Use and Transportation Committee Meeting - October 30, 2023
The Land Use and Transportation Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors met on October 30, 2023, at 9:45 AM. The meeting was chaired by Supervisor Mirna Melgar, joined by Board President Aaron Peskin and Supervisor Hillary Ronen (substituting for Vice Chair Dean Preston, who was excused). The committee considered four agenda items: a cultural center special use district, neighborhood amenities permitting, commercial use expansion, and housing production streamlining. Public comment was taken in person, and several items were continued to November 27, 2023, due to outstanding legal reviews and amendments.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 1 (Cultural Center SUD): Multiple speakers, including Eileen Boken and Evan Rosen, opposed the special use district, citing procedural errors with the California Coastal Commission. They argued that the planning department had improperly conditioned a coastal zone permit on a future Local Coastal Program amendment, and urged the committee to table the item.
- Item 2 (Love Our Neighborhoods): Commenters generally supported the ordinance but raised concerns about planter boxes used as hostile architecture. Scott Feeney and Aaron Breet Ward highlighted that such installations can block ADA access, stroller routes, and sidewalk flow. Michael Smith emphasized the need for clear regulations ensuring accessibility and maintenance.
- Item 3 (Commercial Use Expansion): Speakers expressed support for streamlining small business permits but called for better interagency coordination. Eric Brooks (Our City SF) advocated for commercial rent control and public banking. Simon Bertrand (SF New Deal) noted the need for accountability across city departments.
- Item 4 (Housing Production): A large number of commenters opposed the streamlining legislation. David Wu (Soma Pilipinas), Charlie Shamus (Council of Community Housing Organizations), and others argued it prioritizes market-rate housing over affordable housing, threatens rent-controlled units, and weakens community input. Calvin Welch (HOPE) called for rejecting the bill entirely. One speaker, Robert Fruckman (SF YIMBY), urged passage to avoid HCD penalties.
Discussion Items
Item 1: Wawona Street and 45th Avenue Cultural Center Special Use District – Supervisor Joel Engardio (sponsor) presented the ordinance to redevelop the Irish Cultural Center. Planning staff and project sponsor John Kevlin provided an overview. President Peskin noted that a letter from the California Coastal Commission (dated October 30) was received only at 1:01 PM, creating transparency issues. After debate, the committee adopted all amendments except one finding (related to the LCP amendment) and continued the item to November 27, 2023.
Item 2: Public Works Code – Love Our Neighborhoods Projects – Director Carla Short described a three-tier permit system (Tier 1: registration, no fee; Tier 2: $500 fee; Tier 3: $1,000 fee) for community-led amenities like benches, libraries, and murals. Discussion focused on fee structures, interagency coordination, and ensuring that planters do not block public right-of-way. President Peskin suggested a single-point-of-entry approach and noted that Tier 3 fees could be burdensome for community benefit districts. The item was continued to November 27, 2023.
Item 3: Planning Code – Citywide Expansion of Commercial, Restaurant, and Retail Uses – Director Katie Tang (Mayor's Office of Small Business) presented the legislation, which aims to reduce barriers for small businesses by permitting more uses on ground floors, eliminating conditional use requirements for certain changes, and expanding the priority review program. Supervisors Melgar, Peskin, and Ronen voiced strong support but also criticized inconsistent guidance from DBI, Public Works, and other departments. Peskin noted that many permitting problems stem from departmental practices, not legislation. The committee adopted Tang's amendments (including two late additions regarding Folsom Street NCT and limited corner commercial uses) and continued the item to November 27, 2023.
Item 4: Planning Code – Housing Production – Supervisor Melgar explained that the item needed to be continued because the city attorney required time to review guidance from HCD and reconcile the mayor's legislation with her own special use district amendments. Supervisor Mandelman, now a temporary member, proposed amendments to replace conditional use requirements with unit size limits (3,000 sq ft) in the Corona Heights and Central Neighborhoods special use districts to prevent monster homes. The committee agreed to create a duplicate file, amend it with Mandelman's proposals, and continue that duplicate to the call of the chair. The original file was continued to November 27, 2023.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1: Motion to amend (excluding one finding) passed unanimously. Motion to continue as amended to November 27, 2023, passed unanimously.
- Item 2: Motion to continue to November 27, 2023, passed unanimously.
- Item 3: Motion to adopt amendments (including two late additions) passed unanimously. Motion to continue as amended to November 27, 2023, passed unanimously.
- Item 4: Motion to amend the duplicated file (Mandelman's monster home amendments) passed unanimously. Motion to continue the original file to November 27, 2023, passed unanimously. Motion to continue the duplicated amended file to the call of the chair passed unanimously.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, good afternoon, everyone. This meeting will come to order. Welcome to the October 30th, 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 Board of Supervisors President Aaron Paskin, and Supervisor Hillary Ronin, who is substituting for Vice Chair Dean Preston, who is out sick today. The committee clerk today is John Carroll. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. And I would also like to acknowledge Jeanette Englauff at SFCup TV for staffing this meeting. Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcements? Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. During today's meeting, please ensure that you've silenced your cell phones and other electronic devices you may have brought with you into the chamber. Documents that you have to be included as part of any of today's files should be submitted to me. And on October 17th, 2023, the Board of Supervisors approved a motion discontinuing remote public comment and participation at all board and committee meetings. Going forward, all public comment will be taken in person with remote access only being provided for those who require an ADA accommodation by request. Alternatively, if you have public comment, you may submit your public comment in writing. You can send an email to me, the land use and transportation committee clerk. My email address is J-O-H-N, period C A R R O L L at SFGO V dot O R G. Or you may send your written comments via U.S. Postal Service to our office in City Hall. That's the clerk's office, room 244. City Hall's addresses one, Dr. Carlton B. Goodlit Place, San Francisco, California 94102. If you submit public comment in writing, I will forward your comment to each of the members of this committee, and I will also include it as part of the file upon which you are commenting. And finally, Madam Chair, items acted upon today, are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors' agenda of November 7th, 2023, unless otherwise stated. Thank you very much, Mr. Clerk. Before we begin the meeting, I would like to make a motion that we excuse Supervisor Preston. On a motion offered by Chair Melgar that we excuse Supervisor Preston from attendance at today's meeting. Ronan, I, Member Peskin. Peskin, I, uh, Chair Melgar. I melgar aye. Madam Chair, there is no opposition. Okay. That passes, and I hope uh Supervisor Preston feels better soon. Um please call item number one. Agenda item number one is an ordinance amending the planning code to create the Wawona Street and 45th Avenue Cultural Center Special Use District to facilitate the redevelopment of a cultural center, amending the zoning map to show the Wawona Street and 45th Avenue Cultural Center Special Use District and affirming the appropriate findings. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. We have Supervisor Joel Engardio here from District 4, who is the sponsor of this legislation. Good afternoon, Chair Melgar, President Peskin, Supervisor Ronin. I'm pleased to bring forward an item today for a project that needs no introduction. The Irish Cultural Center at 2745 Avenue has served as a storied neighborhood gathering space and culture institution in the sunset since completion in the 1970s. Today we'll get a preview of the reenvisioned and redeveloped Irish Cultural Center that will serve the community for the next 50 plus years. I'm proud of the project sponsor's work today and an unwavering commitment to District 4 to San Francisco and to the Greater Irish community. With that, I'll turn to Gabby Pantoha, senior planner with the planning department, and Josh Kelvin to present on this item. I also have some non-substantive amendments to read into the file. Welcome, Ms. Pantoja.
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