Entertainment Commission briefed on Planning Code amendment that would expand conditional-use review on Van Ness

The San Francisco Entertainment Commission on Sept. 14 was informed about a Planning Code amendment introduced at the Board of Supervisors that would require conditional use authorization for "other entertainment uses" in the Van Ness Avenue Special Use District, Acting Director Jocelyn Kane said.

Kane said the item was transmitted to the Commission on Sept. 3 for informational purposes only and that "the alleged digest I included doesn't indicate any motivation for this legislation." She warned that conditional-use reviews can be lengthy and costly: "rather than the 90 day goal... the reality right now is it's about a 6 month wait," she said, adding that the process "encourages lots of community involvement" and can make it harder for new entertainment businesses to open.

Commissioners pressed for clarity on referral to the Entertainment Commission and the Small Business Commission. One commissioner said conditional use "is an opportunity for the neighbors of every project to be able to be guaranteed a hearing," while another expressed concern it was discourteous not to refer legislation that affects the Commission's jurisdiction.

The amendment as described would apply to a stretch of Van Ness Avenue roughly between Golden Gate Avenue and Bridge (Bridal in the staff text), affecting parcels that front Van Ness. Staff said the item will likely be scheduled for a Land Use and Economic Development Committee hearing but had not yet been placed on a specific agenda.

Why it matters: requiring conditional-use authorization could introduce months-long review timelines and mandatory neighborhood notification for a set of entertainment uses, potentially changing how new venues on Van Ness are permitted and increasing community input early in the planning process.

Next steps: staff flagged the item for informational follow-up and said they would notify the Commission when the committee schedule is set.