Building Inspection Commission recommends clarifying site-permit ordinance, urges AB 32 reference

The San Francisco Building Inspection Commission on Tuesday voted unanimously to recommend that the Board of Supervisors consider specific amendments to proposed site-permit legislation, including referencing Administrative Bulletin 32 to define minimum standards and clarifying that technical reviews occur concurrently with planning review rather than after planning completes its review.

Commissioners heard presentations from staff and from Jeff Buckley, who represented the ordinance sponsor, who said the site permit is meant to be a preliminary, conceptual approval that provides vesting while more detailed drawings are completed during the addendum phase. Buckley also said the Code Advisory Committee (CAC) largely supported retaining site-permit elements in the code to provide certainty for project sponsors.

During public comment, Jerry Dratler said the proposed ordinance was ‘‘ambiguous’’ about the scope and limits of preliminary review and urged that administrative bulletins and minimum standards be referenced in the ordinance so applicants…