Good afternoon, everyone.

This meeting will come to order.

Welcome to the June 15th, 2026 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 Cheyenne Chen, and Supervisor Bilal Mahmud.

The committee clerk is John Carroll.

And uh I would also like to thank uh Hiche Veget today at SF Cup TV for staffing us.

Mr.

Clerk, would you uh like to make your 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.

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 sign up to speak along that right hand side of this room.

Alternatively, you may submit public comment and writing in either of the following ways.

First, you may email your comments 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 on U.S.

Postal Service to our office in City Hall.

Address your message to one Dr.

Carlton B.

Goodlit, place from 244 San Francisco, California, 94102.

If you submit public comment in writing, it will be forwarded to the members of this committee, and I will also include your comments 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 June 23rd, 2026, unless otherwise stated.

Thank you, Mr.

Clerk.

Please call item number one.

Agenda item number one is a resolution adding the commemorative street name Tony Stephanie Way to Falmouth Street between Folsom and Shipley Streets in recognition of retired San Francisco Fire Department Captain Tony Stephanie.

Thank you.

Welcome, Chief.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Madam Chair, members of the committee.

Tony Stefani has committed his life to keeping firefighters and their families and their friends and their loved ones safe.

We often concentrate on the 400 members that we've lost from this horrible disease over the last 10 years.

But I think we in this context need to talk about the lives that have been saved.

And it's been thousands.

And the members of the Cancer Prevention Foundation, with the leadership of Tony Stefani, have done immeasurable work to keep our members alive and keep them supported during the process of this horrible disease.

And it's really been heartwarming and a big lift to our department.

I think one thing that uh goes unmentioned is Tony's incredible career in the San Francisco Fire Department.

He rose to the level of captain, was actually my training officer when I entered the fire department in 1990.

And even before his retirement, he was focused on the health and safety of our members.

He taught me the value of training, the value of fitness, the value of diet.

In fact, when I went to station one with him, uh a lot of senior members worked there.

A fantastic uh firefighter and an incredible leader, and we're really honored to have this name right next to the third iteration of station one on uh Fowl Month Alley, uh station one being at 935 Folsom Street.

So thank you very much, madam chair and members of the committee.

Thank you, Chief.

Uh Mr.

Gabler.

Good afternoon, supervisors.

Uh thank you for taking the time to hear this uh very important street naming for Tony Stefani.

Uh he has done more to protect and help the lives of firefighters than at least in San Francisco than any single person alive.

Uh after beating cancer himself, a very rare and deadly form of cancer that he was able to overcome.

He decided to help everybody else overcome it.

And uh in the fire service, we talk a lot about integrity, and that definition for people changes over time.

Some people will commonly think of it as doing the right thing when nobody's looking.

You know, they want to make sure that you have high integrity, you're gonna you can be trusted.

But the more that I've seen time go on in these things.

I think that having true integrity is doing the right thing when everybody's looking, and you know it's not going to be easy or popular.

And that's what Tony did.

Tony went against all odds to start this foundation when people told him it would be a waste of time, that he wasn't going to be successful, and he persevered through it.

Not because he wanted to or because he was seeking some fame or fortune.

It was because he was doing the right thing because he had true integrity.

And because of that, he saved thousands of firefighters' lives.

And the work that he's done has sparked a national movement.

I go to events for firefighters all over the country, and every single event talks about cancer in the fire service.

That didn't happen 20 years ago.

Nobody talked about that.

And that all started here.

So to see uh the city of San Francisco honor Tony, uh, San Francisco's a very progressive city, and we think that Tony was literally the linchpin of progress for firefighters across the whole country.

I think it's very fitting, and we're excited to uh see this pass and uh unveil his his new honorary street name.

We couldn't think of a better person for it.

So again, thank you for your consideration and thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Um Supervisor Chen.

Thank you, Chair Malga.

Uh I also want to thank uh Supervisor Dorsey's office for putting forward this resolutions.

Uh, one of my favorite jobs uh and uh one of my favorite things to do in this role as a supervisor is when our city really gets uh have the time and also have the opportunity to honor and to celebrate the achievements of our hometown heroes.

Uh San Franciscans and the firefighters owe a depth of gratitude to firefighter Tony Staffani.

Uh his services did not stop when he puts out fires.

Uh when a cancer epidemic began taking lives off our fellow firefighters, Tony chose to fight back.

And by naming this block, Tony Stefani Way, right next to the station, he called home.

Uh we ensure that every person who walks down the street is reminded of a man who looked out for the people who looked out for San Franciscan.

Thank you.

Supervisor Mahmoud.

I just want to be at it as a co-sponsor to the street renaming as well.

So thank you.

Um, and I would like to be at it as a co-sponsor as well.

Uh with that, uh, let's go to a public comment on this item, please, Mr.

Clerk.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Landy, you're saying transportation will now hear public comment related to agenda item number one, a commemorative street name designation, Tony Stefani Way for Falmouth between Folsom and Shipley.

Please come forward if you have public comment for this item.

Welcome, Commissioner.

Thank you very much, Supervisor.

Thank you so much for your sponsorship with this resolution in terms of a street name designation supervisor, Chen Supervisor Mahmud.

My name is Steve Nikajo.

I'm a resident of San Francisco.

In terms of transparency, I'm a 30-year fire commissioner.

I very much appreciate your comments and this resolution.

I just wanted to share from the perspective of a commissioner that's been there for 30 years, is that the total interpretation of what our members have done and how they have to deal with daily types of work and challenges was really emphasized by the education and outreach and the life experience of Tony Stefani.

I don't know anyone in terms of respected within the department between the old timers and the youngsters and the young members coming up in terms of again the job, but our job in this terms of the San Francisco Fire Department is a life hazardous job that stays with you for the entire career, not only in the fire department, but of your life.

And with this kind of legislation and effort for Tony in terms of the cancer prevention for the fire department, Sam talked about it being a national model, and that's what it is.

And the best thing about naming the street after Tony is that it's a living kind of memorial, and we know that we're still gonna have a lot of work, and they'll be there for us in terms of leadership in terms of this endeavor.

Thank you very much, Supervisors.

I ask for your support in terms of this.

Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner.

Thank you for your comments.

Do we have anyone else who has public comment for agenda item number one?

Chair.

Okay, public comment is now closed.

Commissioner Supervisor Chen.

Thank you, Chair Mauga.

Uh Mr.

Claire, will you also add me as a co-sponsor to this resolution?

And I would also like to make a motion to uh move this uh item out of committee, would passive recommendation.

Thank you.

On the motion offered by the vice chair that this resolution be recommended to the Board of Supervisors, Vice Chair Chen.

Chen I, Member Machmoon.

Machmood I.

Chair Melgar.

Aye.

Melgar I, Madam Chair, there are three eyes.

Okay, that motion passes.

Thank you.

Please call item number two.

Agenda item number two.

Excuse me.

Is an ordinance amending the planning code to exempt post-secondary educational institutions located in a C3 district or the Art and Design Educational Special Use District from the requirements for institutional master plans require post-secondary educational institutions located elsewhere to file institutional master plans with a development application to require updates to such plans only when the institution will increase.

Affirming the secret determination and making findings of consistency with the general plan and the priority policies of planning code section 101.1 and findings of public necessity, convenience, and welfare pursuant to planning code section 302.

Okay.

Thank you, Mr.

Clerk.

Um we have Madison Tam here from Supervisor Dorsey's office, who is a sponsor of this legislation, and we also have Veronica Flores from the planning department.

Welcome, Ms.

Tam.

Thank you, Chair Melgar, and good afternoon, committee members.

Madison Tam here representing Supervisor Dorsey.

Supervisor Dorsey strongly supports expanding opportunities for post-secondary educational institutions in San Francisco.

Universities bring significant public benefits.

Economic activity, foot traffic, workforce development, and partnerships that strengthen our innovation and economic ecosystem.

This legislation advances that goal with modest changes to our institutional master plan requirements.

IMPs function primarily as procedural delays.

They do not grant approvals, they do not bind future commission decisions, and they do not meaningfully enhance enforceable community control over individual projects.

Institutions are still subject to the full suite of planning code protections, including zoning requirements, environmental environmental of view where applicable, and discretionary approvals if triggered.

Importantly, the commission retains full authority at the project level where real impacts are evaluated and where community input is most meaningful.

This is a targeted and balanced change that preserves the core of the IMP requirements in residential neighborhoods, while removing bureaucratic processes in an SUD with an existing university and the C three downtown districts.

For universities elsewhere in the city, the IMP requirement remains, and they they file when applying for an entitlement requiring department or commission approval.

This legislation has guardrails to ensure that our housing stock is not harmed by institutions who will now be exempt.

They are required to declare under the penalty of perjury that they will not demolish or convert housing and that their development will not result in the elimination of any rent controlled units.

This is a pragmatic update that shifts oversight to the most meaningful point in the process, eliminates procedural redundancy, and supports San Francisco's goal of building a vibrant economy with thriving educational institutions.

Supervisor Dorsey respectfully asks for your support, and I'm here for questions.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Tan.

Good afternoon, Supervisors.

Veronica Flores, Planning Department staff.

The Planning Commission heard this item on April 16th and adopted a recommendation of approval with some anticipated amendments during that time.

Um the amendments included amending the definition of school with the proposed post-secondary educational institution amendments related to the WASC or Western Association of school accreditation and making sure that those with equivalent accreditation were considered.

This also extends to institutions that are in the process of applying for such accreditation.

The other anticipated amendments were related to updating the Art and design educational Special East District to properly reflect these other changes.

These modifications were incorporated into the substitute ordinance introduced on June 2nd.

This concludes the commissioner report, and I'm available for any questions.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Flores.

Um I don't see anyone on the roster with clarifications or issues.

So let's put a public comment.

I do have some comments and I will make them after public comment.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair, land use and transportation.

We'll now hear public comment related to agenda item number two.

If you have public comment for this item, please come forward to the lectern at this time.

Hello, Supervisors David Wu with Soma Pilipinas.

We are asking that this legislation remove the exemption for C3 districts and instead just focus on the exemption for the arts and design educational special use district.

The current proposal to exempt uh post-secondary educational institutions from the IMPs in the C3 districts would heavily impact the South the market.

There are several post-secondary institutions in SOMA, and the SOMA deserves comprehensive planning, which IMPs help to provide.

And especially given the rise of AI and the flood of wealth coming into SOMA, we need to be planning comprehensively with communities.

IMPs are a way for the city, its residents, and institutions to have clear and reasonable working relationship that improves transparency, respect, and improves planning.

And they also work to protect the city against bad actors, as is clear with the case of the Academy of Art University, which illegally converted housing in San Francisco and repeatedly ignored city laws.

And the Institutional Master Plan helped San Francisco to win a lawsuit against the Academy and stop the illegal conversions.

Would actually directly reduce oversight of the Academy of Art, which has several locations, including its main office in a C3 district.

With the current legislation, we do support the requirement that any uh institution that receives an exemption declare that it will not demolish or convert any existing housing.

We think this should go further with any institution receiving an exemption also declaring that it will not convert or demolish any neighborhood serving retail uses or legacy businesses.

And we again ask that you remove the C three district exemption, continuing to require institutional master plans in the C3 districts and narrow the exemption only to the art and design educational SUD.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

So the next speaker, please.

Calvin Welch, Housing and Land Use Member of the Board of the Hades Neighborhood Council speaking uh for the neighborhood council.

Uh the institutional master plan came out of our neighborhood, and the experience that we suffered uh from expanding institutions then in the 70s, mainly hospitals.

Uh UCSF, Old Heartness, and St.

Mary's were condemning hundreds of units of housing and converting them to non-residential uses.

We drafted along with the Stanyan uh uh Fulton Neighborhood Association what became the institutional master plan.

Uh we support the amendments made to the April version of this amendment that uh uh requires an institution to certify under uh point of perjury that they are not demolishing or converting existing residential units or any rent controlled units.

We agree with SomCam that this should be applied to neighborhood serving uh uh retail and legacy businesses.

The argument used by the mayor to support this amendment is to create street traffic to use San Francisco small businesses.

What sense does it make to exempt institutions from displacing the small businesses that the mayor says this ordinance is primarily aimed at benefiting?

So we would strongly urge that you add language, exempting uh any institution that does not certify that it will not displace neighborhood serving retail or legacy businesses.

Thank you very much.

Thank you for your comments.

Do we have any further comments for agenda item number two?

Madam Chair.

Okay.

Public comment on this item is now closed.

Um thank you.

Uh Ms.

Tam, I think you've been at this for a while, and I appreciate all of your work and thank you to the planning um department and the planning commission for considering it.

Um I know that it was not a unanimous decision.

Um, I um think that since this was introduced, uh, we have come up with amendments and I appreciate it.

Um I do think that there are some good things in here.

Um the exemption of um student housing from the definition, I think is a really good thing.

I also support the um conditional use uh changes um that also I think is progress.

Um I would however agree with some of the public comment that we should limit it to the arts and design educational special use district, or um and perhaps consider like a time limit uh for this as something that you know I had um raised before that if we want to incentivize these kinds of uses or make it easier for um some institutions to come into certain districts uh as an incentive to you know give them you know a few years of on ramp to see if they are successful in this location before we uh exempt them from the master plans.

Um, and I think, you know, I I was around, I was on the building inspection commission when uh we our city attorney was going through all the litigation with the Academy of Art University.

Um we had rent control, we had demolition controls, we had a bunch of laws that were just completely disregarded.

And so I don't want to go back to a time when people kind of planned on uh exemping themselves from having to plan with the city and with the community.

I think um is educational institutions can be a really important part of a vibrant downtown.

Um, and I think that in order to attract them, we do need to have um, you know, a set of goodies or or you know, incentives.

I I totally agree with that.

Um, but I don't know that it has to be a total exemption in uh the commercial districts.

I think that's a little too broad for me.

Um I think that, you know, again, I I think that we could do some time or um at the very least uh speak with the good folks who wrote this this letter today.

There were several institutions in the neighborhood who I think want to engage in a further conversation.

Um, so with that, um, I think that I'm gonna make a motion that we continue this until our meeting on the 29th, uh, which will be the next time that we're gonna get together, um, and give you a little time to uh talk to the folks uh who had opinions and maybe work out a couple of other fixes.

Um but like I said, I think there's some really good stuff in here.

Um with that, um I don't see anyone else on the roster wanted to make comments.

So I'm gonna make a motion that we continue this item until uh our meeting of the 29th.

Motion offered by the chair that this ordinance be continued to the June 29th meeting of this committee on that motion, Vice Chair Chen.

Chen I.

Member Machmoon, Mark Moodai, Chair Melgar.

Aye.

Madam Chair, there are three ayes.

Okay, that motion passes.

Um, do we have anything else on our agenda, please, Mr.

Clerk?

There's no further business.

We are adjourned.

Um, I don't know.