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Commission approves code change to protect legacy PDR businesses in Mission NCT
Summary
The commission unanimously approved a Planning Code Amendment to allow light manufacturing and wholesale storage in specified 20 Fourth Street parcels that lack 20th Street frontage and were originally built for PDR, intended to keep at-risk PDR businesses compliant during COVID-19.
The Planning Commission voted unanimously on Dec. 3 to approve a Planning Code Amendment to permit light manufacturing and wholesale storage uses in limited parcels of the 20 Fourth Street neighborhood commercial transit district that were originally constructed for production, distribution and repair (PDR) uses and do not front on 20th Street.
Veronica Flores of the planning department said the ordinance applies in two circumstances: the property must not face 20th Street, and the building must have been originally constructed for a PDR use. Amy Beinart, legislative aide to Supervisor Hillary Ronan, said the fix was designed to keep long-standing PDR businesses in operation and cited a case where a Black-owned PDR firm faced code nonconformance.
Public comment supported the measure. Jeremy Paul, working with Retro City Fashions, described a recent anonymous code complaint that compelled a small business to clear out its warehouse and urged a more flexible enforcement approach during the pandemic.
Planning staff said the ordinance would affect very few properties and that the department would verify eligibility by reviewing DBI records, historical aerial imagery and project files. Commissioner Tanner and others asked how "original" PDR use would be verified; staff said they would use available building and DBI records and aerial photos to determine historic use.
The commission approved the ordinance 7-0. Commissioners and commenters framed the change as a narrowly targeted remedy to prevent COVID-era vacancy and to preserve working-class PDR businesses in the Mission area.
