San Francisco Rules Committee Regular Meeting – January 27, 2025
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San Francisco Rules Committee Regular Meeting – January 27, 2025
The Rules Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors met on Monday, January 27, 2025, at City Hall. The meeting was chaired by Supervisor Shamann Walton, joined by Vice Chair Supervisor Sherrill and later by President Rafael Mandelman. The committee considered six agenda items, including the creation of a new entertainment zone in Cole Valley, the Sheriff's annual military equipment use report, an exemption for affordable housing repairs, a payroll deduction fund for law enforcement assistance, and two reappointments. The meeting adjourned after approximately one hour.
Consent Calendar
- Item 3 (Midtown Park Apartments Exemption): Unanimously recommended to the full Board of Supervisors with a positive recommendation. No public comment was received.
- Item 4 (Employee Donations to Bay Area Law Enforcement Assistance Fund): Unanimously recommended as a committee report after public comment.
- Item 5 (Reappointment of Supervisor Joel Engardio to Golden Gate Bridge Board): Unanimously recommended as a committee report despite public opposition.
- Item 6 (Reappointment of Supervisor Shamann Walton to Bay Area Air Quality Management District Board): Unanimously recommended as a committee report. Chair Walton recused himself from the vote.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 2 (Sheriff's Military Equipment Use Policy): Leah McGeever (District 6 resident) opposed further militarization, stating the APEC zone fencing made her feel unsafe, and raised concerns about weapon use under the current federal administration. A second speaker questioned why a new chemical agent launcher would be approved given an ongoing investigation into a training incident. An McGee (civilian volunteer and academic expert) supported all of the Sheriff's requests, arguing that training and tools improve public safety.
- Item 1 (Cole Valley Entertainment Zone): Dan Surratt (President, Cole Valley Merchants Association; owner of Finnegan's Wake) expressed strong support, noting community outreach at a December 2024 holiday market and letters from the Cole Valley Improvement Association. Jim Angelis (owner of Cole Valley Tavern and Vice President of the merchants association) supported the zone as a resident and business owner, citing struggling businesses and empty storefronts.
- Item 4 (Bay Area Law Enforcement Assistance Fund): John Ehrlich (Secretary of BayLEAF) clarified that the fund is not requesting city money but only the ability to receive employee payroll deductions. Leah McGeever expressed sadness that widows and families must rely on charitable donations.
- Item 5 (Reappointment of Supervisor Engardio): Eileen Boken (District 4 resident) opposed the reappointment, stating the supervisor's office was closed and dark on multiple occasions, and argued that the district's core functions and the city's $1 billion projected deficit require full attention, not additional board service.
Discussion Items
- Item 1 (Ordinance 241197 – Cole Valley Entertainment Zone): President Mandelman introduced the ordinance to create an entertainment zone on Cole Street (between Frederick and Parnassus) and Carl Street (between Schrader and Clayton). Ben Van Houten (Director of Nightlife Initiatives, OEWD) explained that entertainment zones allow adjacent restaurants and bars to sell open, to-go beverages in outdoor areas during street closures for events like night markets. State law requires beverages in non-metal, non-glass containers and a process to identify patrons over 21. The ordinance included a technical fix to remove a duplicative ABC permit requirement following changes in state law (SB 969). Non-substantive amendments were adopted unanimously.
- Item 2 (Resolution 250017 – Sheriff's Military Equipment Use Policy Annual Report): Sheriff Miyamoto presented the 2024 annual report and requested approval for continued use of existing equipment, replenishment of used items, and one new item: a VKS Pro and PPC breacher (pepper ball launcher) capable of deploying chemical irritant from up to 150 feet with a targeting system. He detailed equipment usage: unmanned drones deployed at APEC; mobile command vehicle used for three events; breaching shotgun used only in training; 21 special response team and 24 patrol rifles deployed but not discharged; chemical agents and flashbangs used only in training. He reported a May 21, 2024 incident where chemical agent training at the San Bruno complex affected an adjacent school when a container's doors were open; the Sheriff's Office halted outdoor training, revised procedures, and is cooperating with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. No formal misconduct complaints were received by the Department of Police Accountability in 2024. Supervisor Sherrill questioned patrol areas (DPH sites, civic center, Operation Safe Streets) and the difference between drones and robots (no recording or delivery capability). The committee voted to continue the item to the February 3, 2025 meeting, citing the ongoing investigation and the desire for a full committee present.
- Item 3 (Ordinance 241207 – Midtown Park Apartments Exemption): Sheila Nicolopoulos (Director of Policy, MOHCD) presented the request to exempt 1415 Scott Street (140-unit affordable housing built 1964, predominantly African-American and senior households) from Administrative Code Chapter 6 contracting requirements. The city acquired the property after a private developer defaulted on a HUD-insured mortgage. Urgent repairs include boilers, plumbing, roof, fire sprinklers, and soft story improvements. 34 vacancies are held for tenant relocation. The exemption allows specialized contractors while requiring prevailing wage, apprenticeships, and SBE contracting. No public comment. Unanimously recommended.
- Item 4 (Ordinance 241068 – Employee Donations to Bay Area Law Enforcement Assistance Fund): Sergeant Art Howard (SFPD Behavioral Science Unit, Executive Director of BayLEAF) requested that BayLEAF be added to city payroll deduction options. The fund provides financial and mental health support to active and retired law enforcement survivors and families across nine Bay Area counties. Since 2000, $2 million has been disbursed. The board covers all administrative costs, so 100% of donations go directly to aid. No questions from committee; after public comment, unanimously recommended.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1: Unanimously recommended to the full board as a committee report (with amendments).
- Item 2: Continued to the February 3, 2025 Rules Committee meeting.
- Item 3: Unanimously recommended to the full board with a positive recommendation.
- Item 4: Unanimously recommended as a committee report.
- Item 5: Unanimously recommended as a committee report.
- Item 6: Unanimously recommended as a committee report (Chair Walton recused).
Meeting Transcript
There we go. Good morning and happy Monday. Welcome to our January 27, 2025 rules committee meeting. I'm Supervisor Walton. I'm joined by Committee Member Supervisor Sherrow. And we are waiting for President Mandelman, who will be here in a little while. Our clerk is Victor Young, and I want to 100% thank James Kawana for making sure that this proceeding is covered by SFGov TV for the public. Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcements? Yes. Public comment will be taken on each item on this agenda when your item of interest comes up and public comment is called. Please line up to speak on your right. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing to either of the following ways. Email them to myself, the rules committee clerk at VICTOR dot Y O U-N-G at SFgov.org. If you submit public comment via email, it will be included as part of the file. You may also send your written comment via US mail to our office at City Hall. One, Dr. Carleton B. Good at place, room 244, San Francisco, California 94102. Please make sure the silence all cell phones and electronic devices. Documents to be included as part of the file should be submitted to the clerk. Items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors' agenda of February 4th, 2025, unless otherwise stated. Thank you so much, Mr. Clerk. And we are going to take a couple of these items out of order. We're waiting for President Mandelman and we are also waiting on Sheriff Miyamoto. So Mr. Clerk, why don't we start with item number three? Item number three, ordinance exempted Midtown Apartment Park Apartments located at 1415 Scott Street from construction contracting requirements in administrative code chapter six, but requiring compliance with the prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements of administrative code section 23.61, affirming the planning departments determination under CEQA and making findings of consistency with the general plan. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. And we have Sheila Nicolapoulos from MOCD for a short virtual verbal presentation. Yes. Sheila, you have the floor. Thank you. Good morning, Chair Walton and Supervisor Sherrill. I'm Sheila Nicolopoulos, Director of Policy at MOCD. I'm here to present a request to exempt the Midtown Apartment Park Apartments from Administrative Code Chapter 6. Chapter 6 requires that property owned by the city comply with contracting procurement rules for public work or other improvement projects. Built in 1964, the Midtown Park Apartments is a hundred and forty unit family housing development that includes six separate buildings, and it's located in the western edition at the corner of Geary and Divisadero. Originally constructed by a private developer, the city acquired Midtown Park after the private developer defaulted on a HUD insured mortgage. Midtown Park is one of the few affordable developments owned by the city. Most affordable buildings are owned by nonprofit developers on land that's owned by the city but under long-term lease. Midtown families are predominantly African-American and senior heads of household. No major repairs have been made to Midtown since the time of construction. For example, the plumbing for the heating system still uses 1964 pipes. And property replace management has to replace boilers every three to five years. Currently, the property has 34 vacancies that are being held to allow for any required on-site relocation of tenants while repairs are being made. So the reasons for this ordinance. So Midtown has critical urgent repairs and capital needs that include replacement of those boilers and the plumbing, installation of a new roof, installation of life safety improvements, including a fire sprinkler system, replacement of windows to address water intrusion, and addressing the city's soft story code improvement requirements.
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