Land Use and Transportation Committee Regular Meeting, November 3, 2025
Land Use and Transportation Committee Regular Meeting, November 3, 2025
The Land Use and Transportation Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, chaired by Supervisor Mirna Melgar, met on November 3, 2025, to consider ten agenda items including the San Francisco Gateway Special Use District, adaptive reuse of historic buildings, planning fees, legacy business protections, and the comprehensive Family Zoning Plan. The committee voted on several items and continued the Family Zoning Plan to November 17, 2025.
Consent Calendar
No items were considered on the consent calendar.
Public Comments & Testimony
Public comment was taken on each agenda item. On the Gateway SUD (Items 1-2), speakers included Reverend Carolyn Scott and representatives from labor and community groups who expressed support for the project’s community benefits and job creation. One speaker, Steve Zeltzer, opposed the project citing pollution and lack of environmental review. On the adaptive reuse item (Item 3), several speakers opposed the legislation, arguing it would undermine formula retail bans and harm small businesses. On planning fees (Item 4), a few speakers opposed shifting fee collection to application submission. On legacy businesses (Item 5), numerous speakers supported Supervisor Chan’s amendments, while others expressed concerns about potential vacancies. On the Family Zoning Plan (Items 6-11), over 50 speakers provided comments, with some supporting the plan as necessary for housing supply and others opposing it due to displacement, rent control loss, and inadequate affordability. Speakers included representatives from labor unions, small business groups, neighborhood associations, and residents.
Discussion Items
Gateway Special Use District and Development Agreement (Items 1-2) Supervisor Shimon Walton presented the project, emphasizing community benefits including $8 million in direct community contributions, $11 million in market zone improvements, 795 construction jobs annually, and 1,980 permanent on-site jobs. Susan Ma from OEWD provided an overview of the 17.1-acre site, 1.646 million square feet of PDR space, and the development agreement terms. The project received unanimous support from the Planning Commission. Questions from the committee were minimal.
Adaptive Reuse of Historic Buildings (Item 3) The mayor’s office requested a continuance to allow for further amendments. No substantive discussion occurred; the committee proceeded to public comment and then voted on continuance.
Planning Fees (Item 4) Veronica Flores from the Planning Department presented the ordinance, which shifts fee collection to the time of application submission and modifies environmental review fees. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval. No committee questions were raised.
Legacy Business Protections (Item 5) Supervisor Connie Chan presented her ordinance requiring conditional use authorization before replacing a legacy business. Planning staff reiterated their recommendation of disapproval, citing verification difficulties and potential negative incentives. Supervisor Bilal Mahmoud expressed concerns about unintended consequences and vacancies. Chair Melgar and Vice Chair Chen spoke in support, emphasizing the need to protect legacy businesses amid redevelopment pressures.
Family Zoning Plan (Items 6-11) City Economist Ted Egan presented an economic impact report projecting net new housing of 8,500–14,650 units over 20 years under low- and high-growth scenarios, with 463–1,000+ existing units lost. The report estimated a 2.5–4.2% reduction in rents and $560M–$940M increase in GDP, along with 3,000–5,000 additional jobs. Supervisors questioned the methodology, assumptions about state density bonus, and the omission of SB 79 impacts. Supervisor Sauter proposed an amendment to incentivize two-bedroom units. Supervisor Chan proposed multiple amendments related to density, rent control, historic resources, and SFMTA sites. Chair Melgar outlined a set of amendments to be adopted from the duplicate files, emphasizing that they were neutral or positive for capacity. The committee heard extensive public comment both supporting and opposing the plan.
Key Outcomes
- Items 1-2: Motion to send to full Board of Supervisors with positive recommendation passed unanimously (3-0).
- Item 3: Motion to continue to the call of the chair passed unanimously (3-0).
- Item 4: Motion to send to full board as a committee report with positive recommendation passed unanimously (3-0).
- Item 5: Motion to send to full board with positive recommendation passed 2-1 (Chair Melgar and Vice Chair Chen aye, Member Mahmoud nay).
- Items 6-11 (Family Zoning Plan): Several amendments were adopted:
- For the duplicate planning code file (Item 10): three amendments by Vice Chair Chen (dwelling unit mix for buildings of 4–9 units, right of first refusal for qualified nonprofits on SFMTA sites, and limiting feasibility study requirements for 100% affordable projects) each passed unanimously (3-0).
- For the duplicate zoning map file (Item 8): one amendment adding certain parcels in District 11 to the priority equity geography exemption passed unanimously (3-0).
- For the original planning code file (Item 9): eight amendments offered by Chair Melgar (incorporating language from Supervisors Chan, Sauter, and Melgar) were adopted:
- Purpose language affirming existing law – unanimous.
- Additional purpose language – unanimous.
- Two‑bedroom unit bonus incentive – unanimous.
- Administrative review clarification – unanimous.
- Housing Sustainability District language – unanimous.
- Hotel conversion language (removing “tourist”) – unanimous.
- Residential flat demolition/alteration review under Section 317 – passed 2-1 (Member Mahmoud dissenting).
- Residential demolition section amendments – passed 2-1 (Member Mahmoud dissenting).
- Following the amendments, a motion to continue all items (6 through 11) to the committee meeting on Monday, November 17, 2025, passed unanimously (3-0).
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, everyone. Uh, the meeting will come to order. Welcome to the November 3rd, 2025 regular meeting of the Land Use and Transportation Committee of the San Francisco Board Supervisors. I am Supervisor Mirna Melagar, Chair of the Committee, joined by Vice Chair Supervisor Cheyenne Chen and Supervisor Bilal Mahmoud. The committee clerk is Mr. John Carroll. I would also like to acknowledge Jeanette Engelau from SFGup TV for helping staff this meeting. Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcements? Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. Please ensure that you've silenced your cell phones and other electronic devices you've brought with you into the chamber today. If you have any documents to be included as part of any of today's files, you can submit them directly to me and I'll meet you up front at the rail. Public comment will be taken on each item on today's agenda when your item of interest comes up and public comment is called. Please wait. I'm sorry, please sign up to speak along your right-hand side of this room. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways. First, you may email your written public comment to me at J O H N period C-A-R-R-O-L-L at SFGOV.org. Or you may send your written comments via U.S. Postal Service to our office in City Hall. The address is one Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 244, San Francisco, California 94102. If you submit public comment in writing, it will be forwarded to the members of this committee and also included as part of the official file on which you are commenting. Items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors Agenda of November 18th, 2025, unless otherwise stated. And we also have overflow seating available and viewing available for today's meeting just down the hall in room 263. If you are joining us in the chamber, you do have to remain seated while you are here. If we reach capacity and there's no longer room for you to sit down, we do ask that you go down the hall to 263 so that you can watch the proceedings from there. And Madam Chair, that's all my announcements for now. Thank you so much, Mr. Clerk. Uh, for members of the public who are here today for the family zoning plan items. Uh please bear with us. I estimate it'll be about 20 minutes for items first that will be called and disposed of before we get to that item. So uh with that, Mr. Clerk, please call items one and two together. Agenda item number one is an ordinance amending the planning code and the zoning map to establish the San Francisco Gateway Special Use District, generally bounded by Kirkwood Avenue to the northeast, Rankin Street to the southeast, McKinnon Avenue to the southwest, and Tollin Street to the northwest. Agenda item number two is an ordinance approving a development agreement between the city and county of San Francisco and Prologis LP, a Delaware limited partnership for the development of an approximately 17.1 acre site located at Tollin Street at Kirkwood Avenue with two multi-story production distribution and repair buildings in a core industrial area, including 1,646,000 square feet of production distribution and repair. Space for non-retail sales and service, automotive and retail uses, a rooftop, solar array, ground floor, maker space, and streets built to city standard. The ordinance approves certain development impact fees for the project and waives certain planning code fees and requirements. It also confirms compliance with or waives certain provisions of labor and employment code and administrative code chapters. It ratifies certain actions taken in accordance with the ordinances, and it also makes findings of conformity with the California Environmental Quality Act and the general plan, as well as Planning Code Section 302. Madam Chair. Thank you so much. Uh Mr. Clerk, we are now joined by District 10 Supervisor Shimon Walton. Welcome to the Land Use Transportation Committee, Supervisor Walton. The floor is yours. Thank you so much, Chair Melgar and committee. Today I'm here just to speak briefly on the gateway 749 Tollin Project and Bayview's Market Zone neighborhood, a place that's long powered San Francisco through essential industry and labor, but that has also endured decades of disinvestment. This project is a milestone moment for our district and receive unanimous approval from planning.
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