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Planning commission backs department budget and work program for FY 2017–19
Summary
The commission recommended approval of the Planning Department’s FY17–19 budget and work program, endorsing a $52.1 million FY17–18 plan that emphasizes project review, policy initiatives, process improvements and community outreach. Vote was unanimous.
San Francisco — The Planning Commission on Feb. 16 recommended adoption of the Planning Department’s fiscal proposal for FY2017–19 and its three‑year work plan, endorsing the department’s emphasis on project review, housing policy and community outreach.
Director John Ram and Deborah Landis, deputy director of administration, presented a summary of changes since the department’s earlier presentation: the FY17–18 operating plan totals about $52,100,000, up from roughly $51.2 million in the current year; projected fee revenues decline from about $44 million in the current year to about $42.2 million for FY17–18; new or adjusted lines include grants ($18.75 million) and development impact fees at about $4.9 million. Landis said NOAA resiliency grant funding and impact‑fee revenue for transit projects were among technical changes that prompted a small amendment to the draft resolution.
Landis summarized staffing and positions: no new positions were requested by the mayor’s office; the department is repurposing some vacant positions and the FTE count in the resolution reflects 233.28 positions (an adjustment from 232.28 in the draft). The presentation stressed four budget priorities: beefing up project review to address the backlog, focusing on key policy initiatives (housing foremost), process improvements and community outreach.
Commissioners asked for clearer plan‑vs‑actual tracking, more detail on long‑term work plan outcomes and clarity on impact‑fee programming. Commissioner Johnson and others said the supplementary materials answered many prior questions; Commissioner Moore and others urged more accessible quarterly or annual reporting later in the year. On a motion to adopt the recommendation as amended by staff, the commission voted unanimously to approve the department recommendation.
What happens next: The department will submit the recommended budget to the mayor’s office and later to the Board of Supervisors as part of the citywide budget process.
