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Board approves administrative-code changes for Eastern Neighborhoods planning; critics ask planning commission review
Summary
The Board of Supervisors approved an amendment to the administrative code creating Chapter 36 to govern interagency cooperation and implementation of Eastern Neighborhoods area plans. Some supervisors urged sending the measure back to the Planning Commission for additional public hearings; the measure passed on second reading.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Oct. 17 approved an ordinance adding Chapter 36 to the Administrative Code to establish procedures and interagency cooperation for preparing and implementing community improvement programs and new area plans for Eastern Neighborhoods.
Supervisor Ma, a member of the Board of Supervisors, urged colleagues to send the ordinance back to the Planning Commission so the commission could hold a formal hearing and offer findings after receiving public testimony. "The commissioners did not weigh in, and now they would like an opportunity, having heard from many members of the public, to have a more formal hearing and to weigh in and give us feedback on this piece of legislation," Ma said during debate.
Supporters said the ordinance is intended to create a process to move area plans from study to funded implementation. Supervisor McGoldrick, a member of the Board, said the measure had been heard in Land Use committee and previously in a Planning Commission informational hearing and described it as "landmark legislation" that would coordinate planning and budgeting across agencies.
Board president and other members noted the charter requires a 30-day referral to the Planning Commission for planning-code amendments; they said the Planning Department had provided materials and that the commission had had an informational hearing. Planning staff indicated scheduling availability for a commission hearing in November if needed.
A motion by Supervisor Ma to continue the second reading until Nov. 7 failed for lack of a second. On the roll call the ordinance passed on second reading with 10 ayes and 1 no. The board clerk announced, "The ordinance is finally passed." The transcript records the public hearing and committee work that preceded the vote and several supervisors urging additional hearings before final implementation.
The ordinance as adopted directs interagency coordination and ties planning outcomes to budgeting for specified Eastern Neighborhood plan areas named in the legislation. The Planning Department had sent a letter requesting additional review; that letter and the department's scheduling comments were discussed on the floor.
Implementation steps and specific budget allocations are to follow through interagency work directed by the ordinance. The board's action concludes the second-reading vote; further details on scheduling and the Planning Commission's formal response were discussed but not mandated in the ordinance text.
— Ending: The board approved the administrative-code changes; several supervisors said they expect the Planning Commission and staff to offer additional public review and that follow-on committee oversight will continue.
