Board advances settlement and planning change to allow tourist hotel rooms at 447 Bush Street

The Board of Supervisors on March 18 took related actions on an ordinance implementing a settlement in litigation brought by Hotel Day Arts LLC and a companion Planning Code amendment that would permit tourist hotel rooms at 447 Bush Street.

Clerk materials described the settlement’s material terms: the city will permit conversion of 38 existing residential hotel rooms at 447 Bush Street to tourist hotel rooms in exchange for converting 27 group-housing rooms and associated amenities at 412–422 Hayes and seven group-housing rooms and amenities at 319–321 Ivy Street to residential hotel rooms. The associated Planning Code amendment (filed as a separate item) principally permits up to 51 tourist hotel rooms at 447 Bush Street, exempts the project from a conditional use authorization, waives development impact fees and requirements, and makes related findings.

Both the settlement ordinance and the Planning Code amendment were recommended by the Land Use and Transportation Committee at a March 17 meeting and were passed by the full board on first reading without objection.

Why it matters: The settlement resolves litigation challenging residential hotel conversion and demolition rules and allows a specific exchange of room types and locations; the planning amendment establishes a statutory basis for permitting tourist hotel rooms at the Bush Street site and waives certain requirements.

What happens next: The ordinances passed on first reading; subsequent legislative steps and any implementation actions will follow the normal planning and permitting process, consistent with the settlement terms.