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Supervisors approve first-reading amendment to align 30 Van Ness project with current impact-fee policy
Summary
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Jan. 14 to amend an ordinance creating the 30 Van Ness special use district so the project receives credit for previously paid impact fees and conforms to the city's current TAC impact-fee guidelines; the measure passed first reading as amended.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Jan. 14 voted to amend an ordinance that would create the 30 Van Ness Avenue special use district and adjust inclusionary-housing and impact-fee provisions for the project, advancing the measure on first reading as amended.
Supervisor Dorsey introduced the amendments, saying the changes would help restart a stalled development at Van Ness and Market by aligning its obligations with current city policy. "This, colleagues, would fully align 30 Van Ness with the current impact fee obligations that other projects are subject to and we'll get this project closer to feasibility so that we can get construction underway soon," Supervisor Dorsey said.
The ordinance would modify the planning code and zoning map for the area generally bounded by Fell Street, Market Street and Van Ness Avenue and add language to provide a credit for impact fees the developer already paid. Dorsey told the board his office had worked with the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, Planning Department staff and the developer after construction paused in 2022.
Supervisor Melgar, who seconded the motion to amend, said he opposed an earlier committee-level amendment but supported the new, seconded amendments to keep promises on community benefits while making the project feasible. "...we saw a lot of hurt at that intersection. A lot of our neighbours suffering from addiction and homelessness," Melgar said, describing the site as "the hole in the ground" at the corner of Market and Van Ness.
Deputy City Attorney Brad Russi told the board the amendments were non-substantive for purposes of requiring additional referral to committee. After the board approved the amendment and then the ordinance as amended, the clerk recorded the item as passing on first reading; the roll call on the amendment recorded 11 ayes and the chair announced the motion "passes on first reading as amended." The item will return for a subsequent reading and any required committee review before final adoption.
Why it matters: The amendments grant the project formal credit for fees already paid and apply the board's current Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) guidelines citywide. Supporters said the change aims to unblock construction at a high-profile site in the Civic Center gateway while preserving promised public-realm design elements and community benefits.
Details and other context: Dorsey summarized three amendment categories: technical corrections and numerical adjustments; an explicit credit for impact fees paid beginning on page 8, line 21 of the circulated text; and the striking of a subsection (section 415 language) beginning on page 9, line 6. Dorsey's office circulated the amendments midday; he asked the board to vote on the item as amended with the action recorded as first reading.
Next steps: The ordinance will return for further readings and the usual follow-up materials required for final adoption, including any necessary fiscal-impact reports and committee review where applicable.
