Board adopts health-fee change, Visitation Valley plan and series of resolutions; rejects one mayoral appointment

The City and County of San Francisco Board of Supervisors on a 2009 April meeting adopted an ordinance amending how the Health Care Accountability Fee is calculated and approved a package of planning ordinances for the Visitation Valley redevelopment plan, concurred with an Airport Commission emergency declaration after multiple boiler failures, accepted several grants and recognitions, and rejected one mayoral appointment.

The Health Code ordinance amending section 12Q.3 on the health care accountability fee was finally passed after a roll-call vote recorded as nine ayes and one no. The board passed on first reading a set of ordinances making amendments to the San Francisco general plan and zoning map for the Visitation Valley redevelopment project area, establishing the Visitation Valley Schlage Lock Special Use District and adopting the redevelopment plan findings; those ordinances cleared first reading with 10 ayes. The board also adopted a resolution concurring with the Airport Commission’s declaration of emergency in response to multiple boiler failures at the airport.

Other formal actions included retroactive acceptance of a $250,000 grant for the Healthy San Francisco program by the Department of Public Health, authorization for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to accept and expend a California Department of Water Resources grant of $517,500, a resolution recognizing fresh water as a human right, and a resolution urging planning and development of a green sustainable home improvement district for the Bayshore Corridor area in Bayview Hunters Point. The board also approved a package of ceremonial and memorial resolutions and motions on the adoption calendar.

A separate motion rejecting the mayor’s nomination of Ruth Todd to the Historic Preservation Commission (seat 2) was approved on a roll call that produced seven ayes and four noes.

Why it matters: The Health Code amendment affects how the city calculates an accountability fee related to health coverage obligations for certain entities, and the Visitation Valley actions advance a multi-part redevelopment package that will shape zoning and project-level rules in that neighborhood. The airport concurrence clears a procedural step that the airport needed to proceed with emergency work after equipment failures.

Details of key votes

- Item 5 — Ordinance amending Health Code section 12Q.3 (health care accountability fee): finally passed; tally recorded as 9 ayes, 1 no. The transcript records Supervisor Daley (Daley) as the sole no vote; the ordinance was declared finally passed.

- Items 6–9 — Visitation Valley package (general plan amendments, zoning map amendment, Planning Code section adding the Visitation Valley Schlage Lock Special Use District, adoption of redevelopment plan findings): passed on first reading with 10 ayes; item 9 was amended on the floor and the amendment was adopted before the roll call.

- Item 10 — Resolution authorizing purchase of a perpetual nonexclusive easement for communications equipment access in Tuolumne County: adopted.

- Item 11 — Resolution concurring with Airport Commission declaration of emergency (boiler failures at the airport): adopted by roll call; recorded as adopted by the board.

- Item 12 — Resolution authorizing retroactive acceptance of a $250,000 grant for Healthy San Francisco: adopted.

- Item 13 — Resolution authorizing the Public Utilities Commission to accept and expend a $517,500 California Department of Water Resources grant: adopted.

- Item 14 — Resolution recognizing fresh water as a human right and the importance of access to safe drinking water: adopted.

- Item 15 — Resolution urging coordinated planning to establish a green sustainable home improvement district for the Bayshore Corridor (Bayview Hunters Point/Bayshore): adopted after a friendly amendment to emphasize local hiring, job creation and environmental impacts.

- Item 17 — Motion rejecting the mayor’s nomination of Ruth Todd to the Historical Preservation Commission (seat 2): motion approved, 7 ayes, 4 noes.

- Items 20–28 — Adoption without committee reference: a set of resolutions including proclamations (AmeriCorps Week), policy positions (support for state bill regarding pesticide spraying), commendations, and a final map approval; roll call recorded as unanimous adoption for those calendar items.

What the board said: Roll calls and routine "same house, same call" procedures were used for many items; specific debates were recorded on a small number of items (notably the airport emergency resolution, which drew questions about procurement timelines and preventive maintenance).

Next steps: Several items advanced on first reading and will return for additional hearings as required; President Chu announced upcoming introductions on the MTA proposed budget and draft community land trust legislation for future calendaring.