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Board approves ordinance to require review before removing residential units in downtown commercial (C-3) zone
Summary
The Board passed an ordinance on first reading that requires conditional-use authorization for removal, merger or conversion of residential units in the downtown C‑3 commercial district and adds citywide requirements for landscaping and permeable surfaces on significant additions.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Feb. 9 passed on first reading an ordinance that amends the planning code to require conditional‑use authorization before any residential unit is removed in the downtown C‑3 commercial district, and that expands citywide landscaping and permeable surface requirements for projects that increase gross floor area by 20 percent.
Supervisor David Avalos, the legislation’s sponsor, said the measure is aimed at preserving housing in districts subject to commercial redevelopment pressure and follows interim controls that were expiring March 1. The ordinance also exempts from the conditional‑use requirement illegal residential units that previously received planning approval, and includes procedural changes to require notices of violation and a process for legalizing in‑law or other units where feasible under the building code.
Supervisor Jane Kim and others noted the legislation responds to widespread reports of unit loss, conversion and displacement in the downtown commercial area, and emphasized the need to move quickly to extend protections while a broader citywide package is developed. City staff had vetted the measure through the Land Use and Transportation Committee before the full-board vote.
Roll call: The ordinance passed unanimously on first reading, with an 11‑0 vote. The legislation will return to the board for further consideration as required for ordinances.
