San Francisco Planning Commission Meeting – September 12, 2024

The San Francisco Planning Commission held a regular hearing on Thursday, September 12, 2024, beginning at approximately 12:00 PM. Commissioners present: Chair Moore, Braun, Campbell, Imperial, McGarry, So, and Williams. The meeting covered continuances, consent calendar items, commission matters (including a land acknowledgement, minutes approval, and a debate on officer succession), department announcements, general public comment, and two regular calendar items: an informational presentation on a Powell Street housing project under SB 423, and a major action on the Candlestick Point development project (Items 15A and 15B).

Consent Calendar

• Items 6–9 (Conditional Use Authorizations): Approved unanimously (7‑0) without discussion. Items included 1326 Grant Ave, 391 Sutter St, 1657 Powell St, and 1457 Haight St.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Continuance Item 17 (243 Staples Ave): Georgia Schutish urged commissioners to visit the site before the next hearing.
• General Public Comment:
  • Georgia Schutish argued that the demolition calculations for Priority Equity Geographies should be adjusted to better preserve existing housing; she submitted a detailed email.
  • A speaker criticized the commission for ignoring climate change and water usage, and urged attention to the city's canopy and planning failures.
  • A remote caller requested a staff presentation on AB 1114 (state law eliminating many public hearings) to inform the commission and public.
• Candlestick Point (Items 15A/B) – Extensive testimony (over 30 speakers):
  • Support: Union representatives (carpenters, electricians, sprinkler fitters), community leaders (Reverend Dr. Carolyn Ransom‑Scott, Joyce Armstrong, Dr. Veronica Honeycutt, Linda Feddema‑Richardson), local contractors (Hyperlocal Building Trades Collective), business owners, and housing advocates (Housing Action Coalition). They emphasized the project’s 7,200 homes (32% affordable), 12,000 jobs, community benefits agreements ($37.5 M, of which $8 M already advanced), and the urgency to start development at Candlestick after Navy‑related delays at the Shipyard.
  • Concerns/Critique: Brenda Córdoba (Faith in Action) and Gabriela Moreno asked for truly affordable housing (100% low‑income) and prioritized return for displaced families, noting that Bayview’s African American population dropped from 70% to 27%. Another resident expressed frustration over lack of community outreach and distrust due to past corruption.
  • Neutral/Questioning: Community planner Sharon (Chinatown CDC) questioned whether the three affordable units at 50% AMI were sufficient for Chinatown residents, given the area’s very low median rent ($790).
  • Project sponsor (Five Point) and OCI staff presented the amendments, including transferring 2.05 M sq ft of office/R&D from the shipyard to Candlestick, creating an Innovation District, and adding a central promenade with required activation. They noted community benefits already delivered (scholarships, education funds, health center contributions, Alice Griffith housing).

Discussion Items

• Continuances (Items 1–5 & 17): Proposed continuances for various dates; all continued unanimously (7‑0).
• Commission Matters – Succession & Election of Officers:
  • Chair Moore proposed scheduling a full discussion of the commission’s rules on officer succession for the next meeting (September 19). Commissioner Braun moved to hold an election for president and vice president at the next meeting; it was seconded.
  • After public comment (three speakers urged deferral to allow public notice), the vote on the motion was 5‑2 in favor (Campbell, McGarry, So, Braun, Imperial aye; Williams, Moore nay), scheduling the election of officers for the next hearing.
• Regular Calendar – Item 16 (1324‑1326 Powell Street): Informational presentation under SB 423 for a 26‑unit SRO building with ground‑floor commercial. Commissioners noted concerns about affordability (only 3 units at 50% AMI) and the effect on Chinatown’s low‑income residents, but acknowledged that state law limits their control. No vote taken.
• Regular Calendar – Items 15A & 15B (Candlestick Point Development Project):
  • Staff (Matt Snyder, Lila Hussain) presented amendments to the Redevelopment Plan and Design‑for‑Development (D4D) to create an Innovation District, transferring 2.05 M sq ft of office/R&D from the shipyard, increasing maximum height to 180 ft, and adding a central promenade. The project timeline: infrastructure start by Q4 2025 or Q1 2026 for Phase 1 (675 units, 41% affordable); later phases require infrastructure start by 2032.
  • Commissioners discussed timeline, affordable housing mix (0–60% AMI from OCI, 80–120% AMI inclusionary), certificate of preference (COP) program, community benefits, and trust issues. Commissioner Imperial requested annual reporting from OCI to the Planning Commission.
  • The motion to adopt findings of consistency (15A) and approve the D4D amendments (15B), including a condition for annual distribution of OCI’s housing production report to the commission, passed unanimously (7‑0).

Key Outcomes

• Continuances Approved: All proposed continuances were granted: 428 Collingwood St continued to 9/19; 842 California St to 9/26; 5214 Diamond Heights Blvd to 10/17; 1896 Pacific Ave continued indefinitely; 243 Staples Ave to 11/7.
• Consent Calendar Approved: Four conditional use authorizations passed 7‑0.
• Minutes Approved: Draft minutes for July 25 and August 1, 2024 adopted unanimously.
• Election of Officers Scheduled: The commission voted 5‑2 to hold an election for president and vice president at the next hearing (September 19, 2024). Chair Moore opposed, citing need for fuller rule review.
• Candlestick Point Project Approved: Unanimous vote (7‑0) to adopt General Plan consistency findings for the Redevelopment Plan amendments and to approve the Design‑for‑Development amendments, with an added condition that OCI provide its annual housing production report to the Planning Commission.
• Informational Presentation on Powell Street Project: No action taken; project will proceed administratively under SB 423.