Board approves bridge loan for Transbay, advances tobacco‑sales limits and green finance rollout; affirms planning exemption after neighborhood appeal

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Dec. 9 approved a series of measures that together aim to keep construction of the Transbay Transit Center on schedule, reduce the local density of tobacco retailers over time, expand options for residential clean‑energy financing and explore open‑source voting technology — and it denied an appeal challenging a Planning Department categorical exemption for work at 2853–2857 Broderick Street.

The board voted to permit the Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA) to use a bridge loan while it completes draws on federal financing, passed an ordinance that will phase down new tobacco permits in high‑density neighborhoods, adopted resolutions advancing “Green Finance SF” residential PACE‑style financing and an amended resolution urging study of open‑source voting systems, and affirmed the Planning Department’s categorical exemption after a public hearing on a historic‑district property in Cow Hollow.

Why it matters: the Transbay action preserves the schedule for the long‑running Transbay Transit Center project by providing interim construction cash; the tobacco ordinance reflects a years‑long, youth‑led public‑health push to reduce smoking exposure in low‑income neighborhoods; the Green Finance and open‑source voting steps are policy efforts meant to expand local options for energy upgrades and election transparency; and the Broderick decision resolves a protracted neighborhood dispute about permits and CEQA review.

Transbay bridge loan: board clears documents to let TJPA close interim financing

The board, acting both in its legislative role and in its capacity as successor agency to the former redevelopment authority, approved a package of resolutions and an amendment to option agreements that will allow the TJPA to proceed with a bridge loan from Goldman Sachs for up to $171 million. Supervisor Jane Kim, the item’s sponsor, told colleagues the loan is needed because the federally backed TIFIA loan — the long‑term financing TJPA will use to repay the bridge loan — cannot be drawn until certain conditions are met. Tiffany Bohe, director at the Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure (OCII), told the board the bridge loan is expected to be repaid in about a year and that affordable‑housing requirements tied to the parcels would remain in place even in a worst‑case foreclosure.

Votes: the related resolutions and option‑amendment items were approved by roll call (recorded as adopted unanimously in the meeting transcript); the board also passed companion successor‑agency actions that will go to the State Department of Finance for review.

Tobacco Sales Reduction Act: ordinance on first reading to cap permits and impose 500‑foot buffers

Supervisor Eric Mar led final consideration of a sweeping ordinance intended to reduce the number and concentration of retailers that sell tobacco products. The measure — described by sponsors as the most comprehensive local tobacco license reform in the country — creates a cap (45 tobacco permits per supervisorial district), a 500‑foot minimum distance for any new permit from a school and a 500‑foot spacing requirement from other tobacco retailers, and bars new tobacco sales in restaurants and bars. The policy relies on attrition (no existing retail permit is revoked immediately) and contains narrow exemptions to protect small business owners and certain longstanding cigar bars; supervisors incorporated several technical amendments requested by the Small Business Commission and by stakeholder groups.

The board passed the ordinance on first reading as amended; sponsors said the new rules are expected to reduce tobacco permits by about half over 10–15 years and aim to address public‑health disparities in low‑income neighborhoods. Department of Public Health staff and youth leaders who helped draft the proposal emphasized links between tobacco‑outlet density and higher youth smoking rates.

Green Finance SF and energy financing resolutions

Supervisors approved three resolutions to restart “Green Finance SF,” a residential program to allow owners of single‑family homes and small multifamily buildings to finance energy efficiency and renewable‑energy upgrades through assessments added to property tax bills. Supervisor Mark Farrell highlighted workforce and training provisions and said the program is modeled on similar county programs in Sonoma and Riverside. The board adopted the resolutions without recorded dissent.

Open‑source voting: board amends resolution, endorses study of options

Supervisor Scott Wiener introduced a resolution urging study of open‑source voting systems and removed a named organization from the text after colleagues requested broader, nonpartisan language. Wiener cited recent state legislation (Senate Bill 360) that opened the door for counties to develop, own and operate public voting systems; the amended resolution asks the City to explore how San Francisco could implement public, transparent voting technology and asks relevant agencies to study options.

Planning appeal at 2853–2857 Broderick Street: categorical exemption affirmed

After a multi‑hour hearing that drew appellants, numerous neighbors, Planning Department staff and the project sponsor, the board voted to affirm the Planning Department’s categorical exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for a dwelling‑unit merger and modest exterior changes to the building at 2853–2857 Broderick Street. Appellants argued the project had been handled piecemeal, raised concerns about building‑height measurements, rear‑yard encroachments, drainage and cumulative impacts on historic resources and light and air. Planning staff and the project sponsor said the changes are largely at the rear of the building, within code limits and consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s standards for historic resources; the planning commission had previously voted 7–0 in favor of the discretionary review.

Supervisor John Farrell, who presided over parts of the hearing, said he was frustrated by the long, contentious history but concluded the board’s role on the day was limited to the CEQA record. The board affirmed the department’s categorical exemption and declined to overturn the CEQA determination based on the evidence provided at the hearing.

Other notable votes and business

- The board adopted a series of routine appropriation and administrative ordinances and resolutions (consent calendar items) including an approximately $8.1 million appropriation from reserves to the Department of Building Inspection for a Van Ness office project (item 5) and an authorization for a conditional land disposition and acquisition agreement with Goodwill SF Urban Development for property on Mission Street (item 6). - The board approved airport contract modifications to extend a Transcor ground‑transportation contract and other procurement items (item 22 was adopted; the roll call showed 8 ayes and 2 no votes recorded in the transcript for that item). - Supervisors approved resolutions to accept several state and federal grants (including a $300,000 California Energy Commission award to accelerate alternative fuel vehicles and a roughly $443,000 contract/grant to the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development).

In memoriam and commendations

The board paused for a lengthy in‑memoriam and tributes to Jennifer Matz, former director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, followed by commendations for long‑serving city employees and community members, including Michael Baxter (Department of Public Health) and activists such as Terry Goodwin (Arc of San Francisco) and Ben Schwartz (recognized for intervening after an assault in the Tenderloin).

What’s next

The tobacco ordinance passed first reading and will return for a final vote. The Transbay bridge‑loan documents proceed to required state review and ancillary actions; staff said the loan is expected to close in January and the TJPA expects to repay from a future TIFIA draw. Planning and DBI will continue to process building permits and related appeals for the Broderick Street matter; a separate Board of Appeals process remains active for permit disputes.

Votes at a glance

(Selected passed items and recorded outcomes from the Dec. 9 meeting, as recorded in the transcript.)

- Items 1–4 (consent calendar): adopted (consent). (Transcript: roll call; consent passed.) - Item 5 — Ordinance to appropriate approximately $8,100,000 from reserves to DBI for FY2014–15 (Van Ness site development/conditional loan): adopted (roll‑call recorded as adopted; transcript shows 10 ayes on roll call). - Item 6 — Conditional land disposition/agreement with Goodwill SF Urban Development (1500–1580 Mission Street; $327 million anticipated project): adopted unanimously (per transcript). - Item 7 — Prevailing‑wage provision for MTA security contracts (as amended): passed on first reading as amended (adopted unanimously as amended per transcript). - Item 17 — Resolution to accept $300,000 CEC grant for alternative fuel vehicle adoption: passed on first reading. - Items 19–21 — Resolutions to participate in renewable‑energy financing programs and PACE administration (Green Finance SF‑related): adopted (same house, same call; adopted unanimously per transcript). - Item 22 — Resolution to approve modification No. 1 to airport professional services agreement with Transcor (~$10.6 million): adopted (transcript records 8 ayes, 2 no votes — Supervisors Avalos and Campos dissented). - Item 23 — Easement resolution for 923 Folsom Street: adopted (per transcript). - Item 24 — Resolution to nullify and reexamine certain priority conservation areas for planning study: adopted (per transcript). - Item 32 — Ordinance establishing duties of the Office of Early Care and Education and creating citizen advisory committee: passed on first reading (per transcript). - Item 33 — Ordinance to authorize settlement in the Paul Haines case ($110,000): passed on first reading. - Items 37–40 — Public hearing/appeal on categorical exemption for 2853–2857 Broderick St.; the board affirmed the Planning Department categorical exemption (denied appeal). - Items 41–45 (TJPA/OCII/transbay bridge‑loan consent and subordinate‑interest actions): adopted (roll call recorded; items proceeded and resolutions adopted per transcript). - Item 46 — Ordinance amending health code and business & tax code to limit tobacco permits (Tobacco Sales Reduction Act): adopted on first reading as amended unanimously (per transcript). - Items 49–53 — Adoption of election results and other administrative items: adopted (per transcript).

Speakers (selected, for attribution in this article)

- Katie Tang — President, San Francisco Board of Supervisors (presiding). - Mark Farrell — Supervisor (sponsor/co‑sponsor on Green Finance SF items and appellant mediator in Broderick matter). - Scott Wiener — Supervisor (sponsor: open‑source voting resolution). - Jane Kim — Supervisor (sponsor/co‑sponsor, Transbay bridge loan and Green Finance SF co‑sponsor). - Eric Mar — Supervisor (sponsor: Tobacco Sales Reduction Act). - David Campos — Supervisor (spoke on several items; hosted appellants on Broderick matter). - John Avalos, London Breed, David Chiu, Jeff Cohen, Christina Olague (identified in transcript as “Cohen”), Norman Yee, Malia Cohen, and supervisors present and recorded in roll calls. - John Givner — Deputy City Attorney (explained prevailing‑wage amendment language for item 7). - Tina Tam — Senior preservation planner, Planning Department (presented department case on Broderick CEQA exemption). - Eileen Frela Braun (attorney for the project sponsor at Broderick hearing); Todd Ruffo — Office of Economic and Workforce Development (testimony in memoriam for Jennifer Matz); - Tiffany Bohe — OCII director (comments on Transbay bridge loan); - Multiple community members and youth leaders who testified on tobacco ordinance and other items (Youth Leadership Institute/Turf cohorts noted in record).

Authorities referenced (as cited in the meeting record)

- California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) - Planning Code (San Francisco) - Administrative Code, Chapter 14B (local business/contracting provisions referenced in other items) - Charter section 9.118 (airport procurement reference for item 22) - Transbay Redevelopment Area Plan (affordable‑housing requirements tied to Transbay parcels) - Senate Bill 360 (state law enabling counties to develop/own public voting systems, referenced by Supervisor Wiener) - Secretary of the Interior’s Standards (historic‑resource guidance used by Planning staff) - Proposition C (San Francisco, referenced in discussion of early care and education duties and Green Finance SF context)

Clarifying details (quantitative and other specifics recorded in the meeting)

- Transbay bridge loan: up to $171,000,000 bridge loan (Goldman Sachs) to be repaid when TJPA draws TIFIA funds; bridge loan expected to close in January; OCII and staff said affordable‑housing requirements (up to 35% on certain parcels) remain enforced. - Item 5 appropriation: approximately $8,100,000 from reserves to DBI for FY2014–15 for Van Ness site development / conditional loan. - Item 6 anticipated project cost referenced: $327,000,000 (Goodwill SF Urban Development project at 1500–1580 Mission Street). - Item 22 airport contract modification: approximately $10,600,000 and term extension to 06/30/2016; roll call recorded 8 ayes, 2 no (Avalos, Campos). - Grants/resolutions: $300,000 (California Energy Commission alternative‑fuel grant), approximately $443,000 (IRS/innovation fund research contract via Mayor’s Office of Housing & Community Development). - Tobacco ordinance mechanics: cap of 45 tobacco retail permits per supervisorial district; 500‑foot buffers from schools and between retailers; projected to reduce permits by roughly 50% over 10–15 years (estimate presented by sponsor); narrow exemptions for qualifying cigar bars and certain ownership transfers. - Broderick Street appeal: appellants sought lowering building 12–18 inches to get below 40‑foot threshold, restoration of historic rear porch/deck, engineering review of excavation and drainage, and consolidation of multiple permits into a single plan set for comprehensive review.

Proper names (extracted and normalized)

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