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Supervisors pass ordinance to formalize area-plan coordination in Eastern Neighborhoods after debate over zoning referral
Summary
The board passed an ordinance (first reading) to add a chapter to the administrative code creating procedures for interagency cooperation on community improvement plans for designated Eastern Neighborhoods; a request to postpone for a written city-attorney opinion failed.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed on first reading an ordinance to add Chapter 36 to the administrative code to establish procedures and interagency cooperation for preparing and implementing community improvement plans and programs as part of area plans for several Eastern Neighborhoods including Market/Octavia, South of Market, Lower Potrero and others.
Sponsor Supervisor McGoldrick described the measure as an attempt to fix long-standing problems in coordinating budgets and implementation across city departments when area plans are adopted. "So much of it lacks just simple budgetary inclusion in the annual, budgetary process," McGoldrick said, urging colleagues to support the legislation.
Supervisor Ma raised concerns that the ordinance could affect zoning processes and requested a written city-attorney opinion on whether the measure had been properly referred to the Planning Commission under Charter section 4.105. City Attorney Delventhal told the board there were "no legal problems" with the ordinance and later said the office could provide a written opinion within two weeks. Nonetheless, Supervisor Ma moved to continue the item until that written opinion was delivered; the motion to continue failed on a roll call vote of 2 ayes and 9 noes.
After debate and amendments addressing neighborhood concerns — including additions to the text to reflect requests from Western SoMa community groups — the ordinance was approved on first reading by a roll call vote of 10 ayes and 1 no.
The ordinance assigns primary responsibility to the director of city planning for coordinating interagency work and seeks to align planning and budgeting steps so that approved area plans are more likely to be funded and implemented. The board record shows a mix of support from preservation and neighborhood groups and caution by at least one supervisor who sought formal written legal guidance before proceeding.
The board will consider the ordinance on further reading for final adoption at a later meeting.
