Votes at a glance: Board approves housing loans, contracts, and multiple code changes; denies fee waiver for Annunciation Cathedral

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Feb. 14 adopted a broad set of ordinances, resolutions and appointments covering housing finance, parks grants, public‑works contracts, and administrative code changes. Most items were approved on the consent/unanimous calendar after brief introductions; one appealed fee waiver was denied after a focused hearing.

Key adopted actions

- Ordinance amending the planning code for South of Market nighttime entertainment and related districts (Item 2): Adopted unanimously. Roll call recorded 11 ayes.

- Sidewalk/curbside shared spaces and shared‑spaces permit extensions (Items 3 and 4): Ordinances extending and affirming pandemic‑era shared‑space conversions and defining curbside shared spaces on the 500 block of Valencia Street were adopted unanimously.

- Administrative code amendments (Items 5 and 6): Items to amend the business and tax regulations code and to prohibit seeking preemptive resignation letters for appointments were adopted; item 6 passed 9–2 (Supervisors Stephanie and Mandelmann voted no).

- Lease and contracts (Items 7 and 8): The board approved a lease and operating agreement with the Golden Gate Park Golf Development Foundation for operation of the Golden Gate Park Golf clubhouse with an initial 6‑year term (option to extend) and a base annual rent of $275,000 (Item 7). The board also authorized an Office of Contract Administration second amendment with Granite Rock Company to increase the procurement ceiling for petroleum, emulsions and sealants by $14,000,000 to a total not to exceed $23,900,000 and to extend the contract term through 10/31/2026 (Item 8). Both measures passed unanimously.

- Housing finance package (Items 9–14): A multi‑item housing package to support Sunnydale Block 3B and the Kelsey Civic Center moved forward. Highlights include an approximate $48,000,000 loan for Sunnydale Block 3B (Item 9); a $6,500,000 infill infrastructure grant to the city for housing‑related infrastructure (Item 10); an amended loan agreement for Sunnydale not to exceed $31,500,000 (Item 11); and state loan/grant awards for the Kelsey Civic Center totaling tens of millions of dollars (Items 12–14). The board took these items together and adopted them unanimously.

- Grants and program funding (Items 15–16): The board authorized expansion of the SoMa community stabilization fund by $2,000,000 (Item 15) and retroactively authorized the Recreation and Park Department to accept and expend a $25,000,000 grant from the California Department of Parks and Recreation for India Basin Shoreline Park through 06/30/2027 (Item 16). Both passed unanimously.

- Approvals, appointments and reports (Items 17–20): The board received and approved the Greater Union Square BID annual report (Item 17) and approved several routine appointments and excusals (Items 18–20). Motions to excuse supervisors when noted were approved by roll calls.

- Item 21 (DOJ police reform updates): The board continued the item upon request to the March 14 meeting; the motion to continue was approved (10 ayes, Supervisor Safa Yi noted as absent for that roll call).

Appeal hearing — Annunciation Cathedral, Valencia Street (Items 23–25)

The board held a public hearing on an appeal concerning whether to waive the Market Octavia community improvements impact fee for the Greek Orthodox Annunciation Cathedral project at 245–275 Valencia Street. Planning staff advised the fee—the Market Octavia community improvements impact fee for the new 13,000 gross‑square‑foot nonresidential cathedral—was memorialized as a condition of approval by the Planning Commission and was recorded on the deed. Planning staff said the project site had been a surface parking lot for more than 10 years; because the prior legal use at the parcel where the cathedral now stands was a parking lot, the new construction triggered the fee.

Planning calculated the Market Octavia impact fee at roughly $49,712 for the cathedral building; the city also identified a separate transit impact development fee of roughly $176,105, but that fee carries a charitable exemption and was not pursued for this site. After hearing the applicant, a public speaker in support, planning staff’s presentation and questions from supervisors, Supervisor Hillary Ronan moved to deny the appeal. The motion to deny the appeal (Item 23) and to file remaining items passed unanimously; the board therefore required payment of the Market Octavia impact fee.

Adoption without committee (Calendar items 29–40)

The board considered calendar items 29–40. Members severed several items for brief remarks (including Item 30, Item 32 and Item 36) but, after those remarks and brief introductions, adopted the listed calendar items by roll call. Among those calendar resolutions was a resolution urging the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to reduce nutrient loading to San Francisco Bay and the outer coast (Item 35), and a resolution commemorating the city's Black History Month observance (Item 30). A new select committee on homelessness and behavioral health was also created by board rule amendment.

Why this matters: The February 14 consent calendar advanced multiple housing loans and grant agreements that unlock funding for affordable housing and waterfront park work, while also confirming ongoing city contracting and procurement for street‑maintenance materials. The Annunciation Cathedral hearing illustrates that planning‑code conditions can generate fees years after permits are first issued, and that the board will enforce recorded conditions of approval.

What the record shows: Most items were adopted unanimously; a small number of items had recorded dissent (Item 6: 9 ayes, 2 no). The board continued the DOJ police‑reform status update to March 14 by vote.

Votes at a glance (selected items and outcomes)

- Item 2 — Ordinance, amend planning code for South of Market nighttime entertainment uses: Adopted (11–0). - Item 3 — Ordinance, allow two curbside shared food-service spaces on 500 block of Valencia Street: Adopted (11–0). - Item 4 — Ordinance, extend shared‑spaces permit grace period 120 days: Adopted (11–0). - Item 5 — Ordinance, amend business and tax regs code for homelessness oversight commission: Adopted (11–0). - Item 6 — Ordinance, policy against requesting preemptive resignation letters for board/commission applicants: Adopted (9–2; Supervisors Stephanie and Mandelmann voted no). - Item 7 — Resolution, lease/operating agreement with Golden Gate Park Golf Development Foundation (initial 6‑year term; annual base rent $275,000): Adopted (11–0). - Item 8 — Resolution, second amendment to Granite Rock Company contract: increase $14,000,000 to total not to exceed $23,900,000 and extend term to 10/31/2026: Adopted (11–0). - Items 9–11 — Resolutions authorizing housing loans and grants for Sunnydale Block 3B and related agreements (aggregate amounts referenced in staff memo; board adopted): Adopted (11–0). - Items 12–14 — Resolutions authorizing state loans/grants and ground lease for Kelsey Civic Center 100% affordable housing: Adopted (11–0). - Item 15 — Resolution, expand SoMa community stabilization fund by $2,000,000: Adopted (11–0). - Item 16 — Resolution, accept and expend $25,000,000 DPR grant for India Basin Shoreline Park through 06/30/2027: Adopted (11–0). - Item 21 — Public hearing on DOJ recommendations re: police: Continued to 03/14/2023 (10 ayes; noted absence in roll call). - Items 23–25 — Annunciation Cathedral appeal (Market Octavia impact fee): Motion to deny the appeal adopted; fee assessment upheld (motion adopted unanimously). - Item 36 — Resolution honoring FruitGuys on their 25th anniversary: Adopted (unanimous calendar vote).

Full roll calls and staff memos in the official board file provide complete tallies and the text of ordinances and resolutions for each item.

Speakers at vote moments and hearings

President Aaron Peskin presided; supervisors who led moves on items or spoke during the hearing included Hillary Ronan, Mirna Melgar, Matt Dorsey, Connie Chan, Catherine Stefani, Rafael Mandelman, Dean Preston, Shamann Walton and others. Planning staff and Department of Building Inspection staff presented on the Annunciation Cathedral fee appeal.

Documentation and next steps

Copies of adopted ordinances and resolutions, planning memos (including the Market Octavia fee calculation), and contracts or loan documents are available in the board file for Feb. 14, 2023. The continued DOJ item will return to the board on March 14; staff were directed to return with updates and planning staff will maintain the fee assessment process for the Annunciation Cathedral as required by the planning code and deed‑recorded conditions of approval.