San Francisco Planning Commission Hearing (Nov 20, 2025)

The San Francisco Planning Commission met on Thursday, November 20, 2025 (afternoon session) with 6 commissioners present (President Soh, Vice President Moore, Commissioners Braun, Campbell, Imperial, McGarry) and Commissioner Williams absent. The Commission: (1) continued one conditional use item, (2) adopted prior minutes, (3) certified the SFO Recommended Airport Development Plan (RADP) Final EIR, (4) approved a Treasure Island Bay FC training facility major modification, and (5) issued a split recommendation (4–2) on a Family Zoning Plan-related ordinance amending citywide lot-merger rules on historic properties.

Consent Calendar

• Continuance (Item 1): 690 Van Ness Avenue Conditional Use Authorization (Case 2025-007879C)
  • Continued to Dec 11, 2025.
  • Vote: 6–0.
• Adopt Draft Minutes (Item 3): Minutes for Nov 6, 2025.
  • Vote: 6–0.

Department Matters

• Director’s Announcements (Item 5):
  • Reported two recent Fillmore Community Action Plan sessions (one in-person and one virtual).
  • Family Zoning Plan continues at the Board of Supervisors’ Land Use Committee; still targeting December full Board action, with ongoing coordination with State HCD.
• Legislative Affairs Report (Item 6): Summary of recent Board/Land Use actions, including:
  • Central Neighborhoods Large Residence SUD expansion (“monster homes”): continued to Dec 1.
  • Tenant Protection Ordinance (SB 330-related): 32 public commenters, “vast majority” supportive; continued to Dec 1, with some amendments deferred.
  • Family Zoning Plan: approximately 66 public speakers at Land Use; multiple amendments incorporated or rejected; continued to Dec 1.
  • Legacy business replacement CU ordinance (previously recommended disapproval by Planning Commission): failed at Board because it received 6 yes votes, short of the 8 required to override the Commission’s General Plan inconsistency determination.
  • 570 Market Street MND appeal: Board rejected appeal unanimously; project described as a 29-story, 300-foot hotel with ~211 rooms.
• Historic Preservation Commission note: HPC considered several Legacy Business Registry applications and recommended approval to expand boundaries of the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District.

Public Comments & Testimony

• General public comment (non-agenda):
  • Denise Louie (fire prevention advocate) expressed opposition to a proposed 104-foot AT&T antenna at 350 Amber, citing fire hazard concerns and advocating for redundant emergency alert systems and seismic upgrades to fire/police stations. Staff noted the Planning Commission had already approved 350 Amber Street in September.
  • Kathleen Courtney (Russian Hill Community Association) expressed concern about the pace and long-term impacts of the Family Zoning Plan, referencing neighborhood “vitality,” affordability limitations, and historical displacement (e.g., Fillmore, Japantown).
  • Hugh Hines (Mission Bernal Merchants Association; architect/CCA professor) described local corridor impacts from concentrated construction and growth, including ~450 units of 100% affordable housing recently completed/under construction, potentially up to ~1,000 new residents in a 10-block area over ~2 years, merchants reporting a 30% year-over-year revenue drop attributed to construction disruption, and concern that 50%–60% of corridor small businesses could be threatened by displacement under SB 79 without mitigations.

Discussion Items

SFO Recommended Airport Development Plan (RADP) – Final EIR Certification (Item 7)

• Recusal: Commissioner Campbell recused due to employment at Gensler (work at SFO and potential pursuit of future SFO scope). Vote to recuse: 6–0.
• Project/EIR overview (Planning + SFO):
  • RADP described as a long-range landside development plan (triggered by demand over decades) with no runway expansion and no changes to flight paths (FAA jurisdiction).
  • Examples included: new Boarding Area H, a central multimodal hub/garage replacement (existing garage described as seismically deficient), and a potential maintenance hangar for up to two additional wide-body aircraft.
  • SFO stated RADP would be funded by airport revenues (and some federal funding for eligible projects). SFO reported an annual service payment of $58 million to the City from airport revenues in FY 2024–25.
  • CEQA process: Draft EIR published Apr 16, 2025; comment period ended Jun 2, 2025.
    • 33 individuals/agencies/organizations commented.
    • Post-close letters received from concerned Palo Alto residents (Nov 12, 2025) and the City of Palo Alto (Nov 19, 2025) requesting withholding certification/recirculation; staff concluded these raised no new environmental issues beyond what had been addressed.
  • Impact findings: all significant impacts mitigated to less-than-significant, except for significant and unavoidable operational air quality impacts.
  • Alternatives analyzed included No Project, Reduced Development (removing Boarding Area H, Main Hall expansion, and hangar to eliminate the significant/unavoidable air quality impacts), and Boarding Area H-only.
• Public comment on Item 7: none.
• Commission discussion:
  • Commissioners expressed satisfaction that the Final EIR and responses were adequate; asked about monitoring/mitigation implementation, with Planning staff describing the MMRP process and Planning Department review/verification prior to construction and during operations.
• Decision: Certified the Final EIR.
  • Vote: 5–0 (with Commissioner Campbell recused).

Treasure Island Bay FC Practice Facility – Major Modification (Item 8)

• Recusal: Vice President Moore recused due to retirement payment connection to SOM (D4Ds prepared by SOM). Vote to recuse: 5–0.
• Request: Major modification to Treasure Island/Yerba Buena Island Design for Development facade transparency standard.
  • D4D standard: 65% transparency required.
  • Proposed: 13.9% transparency along street-facing facade.
  • Rationale (staff + sponsor): privacy/security needs for professional athletes (National Women’s Soccer League team Bay FC).
• Project description (as presented):
  • One-story athletic training building and three soccer practice fields within Treasure Island Open Space zoning area envisioned as a multi-use sports park.
  • Sponsor stated community commitments including local hiring connections via DevCon and One Treasure Island workforce development, volunteering, youth clinics, and plans for a girls-only soccer league with the Boys & Girls Clubs (via partner Visa).
  • Architect described ~24,000 sq. ft. mass-timber facility, landscape buffer, and materials intended to fit a marine/driftwood aesthetic.
• Public comment:
  • One Treasure Island representative expressed support, citing Bay FC’s engagement and youth programming focus.
  • Staff reported 6 letters of support and 0 letters in opposition.
• Commission discussion:
  • Commissioners expressed support, citing unique facility typology, material quality, landscaping mitigation for reduced transparency, and excitement for Treasure Island activation.
  • Clarified: a portion of the site/diagonal-grid area would be used temporarily (e.g., parking) but intended to be restored later; discussion also touched on future grocery store planning on Treasure Island.
• Decision: Approved the major modification.
  • Vote: 5–0 (with Vice President Moore recused).

Family Zoning Plan – Planning Code Text Amendments (Duplicate Ordinance re: Historic Lot Mergers) (Item 9)

• Context/timeline (staff):
  • Item was a duplicate ordinance (File 251072) referred back to the Commission from the Board of Supervisors process.
  • Upcoming deadlines noted:
    • Dec 19, 2025: Charter deadline—General Plan amendments deemed approved if Board takes no action.
    • Jan 31, 2026: State deadline for full rezoning adoption.
  • Staff emphasized the Commission had already acted on the broader Family Zoning Plan previously; this hearing was focused on the re-referred amendment.
• Proposal (as described):
  • Would amend Planning Code Section 121.7 to prohibit lot mergers citywide on lots containing certain historic resources, unless the project preserves the resource and complies with preservation design standards.
• Planning Department recommendation: Approve with modifications, including:
  1. Replace the ordinance’s expanded historic-resource list with reference to the existing Planning Code definition of “historic buildings” (Section 102) for clarity and to avoid constraining sites without known historic resources.
  2. Clarify that where preservation design standards conflict with Local Program/Housing Choice SF modified standards, the Local Program standards prevail so long as they do not result in demolition (to preserve incentives and avoid legal ambiguity).
  3. Clarify the lot-merger prohibition applies only to “housing development projects” as defined under state law (Housing Accountability Act), to avoid unnecessary constraints for projects already subject to discretionary review/CEQA.
  4. (Not a code change) Continue evaluating preservation design standards after more implementation experience.
• Board President Mandelman’s office (Calvin Ho):
  • Supported Modification #1 (definition change).
  • Not supportive of Modifications #2 and #3 at that time; stated there had not been enough time for the supervisor (who was out of the country) to fully review/discuss the reasoning.
  • “Fine with” the general forward-looking evaluation point.
• Public comment on Item 9:
  • Paul Wormer expressed strong criticism of the broader plan’s affordability outcomes and inclusionary-fee mechanics, arguing the process could be “gamed” and asserting upzoning would encourage expensive units.
  • Additional speakers expressed opposition/concern about the broader Family Zoning Plan, focusing on building heights, sunlight/shadow impacts, and transparency of public communications.
• Commission discussion highlights:
  • Commissioners sought clarity on preservation terminology (e.g., what qualifies as historic/eligible) and how the lot-merger restriction would work for adaptive reuse.
  • Staff and preservation leadership described an accelerated effort to complete SF Survey with an expressed two-year fast-track and triage focus on likely development areas.
  • Commissioners discussed the relationship between the Local Program’s modified standards and preservation design standards, using an example conflict (e.g., a front addition setback standard).
• Decision/Recommendation to Board of Supervisors:
  • Motion: recommend approval of the ordinance with staff modifications #1–#3.
  • Vote: 4–2 (Ayes: Soh, Braun, Campbell, McGarry; Noes: Imperial, Moore).

Key Outcomes

• 690 Van Ness Ave CU (Case 2025-007879C): continued to Dec 11, 2025 (6–0).
• Adopted minutes (Nov 6, 2025): (6–0).
• SFO RADP Final EIR certified: significant and unavoidable operational air quality impact acknowledged; otherwise mitigated to less-than-significant (5–0, with Commissioner Campbell recused).
• Treasure Island Bay FC practice facility major modification approved: facade transparency reduced 65% → 13.9%; staff reported 6 support letters, 0 opposition (5–0, with Vice President Moore recused).
• Family Zoning Plan-related lot merger ordinance (File 251072): recommended approval with staff modifications #1–#3, passing 4–2.
• Meeting adjourned with notice of Thanksgiving break the following week.