Planning Commission backs consolidation of demolition, merger and conversion rules, delays nonconforming-unit changes

Supervisor Avalos— office and Planning staff presented proposed amendments to consolidate multiple planning-code sections that govern the loss of dwelling units (demolition, merger and conversion) into Section 3.17; the draft also would revise criteria for evaluating mergers and conversions to place greater emphasis on potential loss of affordable housing and to consolidate review criteria from Market Octavia and other sections.

Staff supported consolidation and recommended some retention of existing zoning/density criteria, advising that the code should preserve considerations that bring buildings into conformance with prescribed zoning and should add explicit criteria to track the loss of rent-controlled or affordable units. The draft also proposed changes to rules for legal nonconforming units (Sections 180 and 181), including allowing some enlargements to improve accessibility and adding conditional-use oversight where bedroom counts would increase.

Commissioners expressed strong interest in retaining public oversight for demolition and merger decisions, worries about unintended consequences for affordability if nonconforming units could be enlarged, and suggested splitting the package: advance the 3.17 consolidation now while deferring the more complex nonconforming-unit changes to a later date to allow more analysis and public outreach. The commission voted 5— 1 to recommend approval of the Section 3.17 changes with staff modifications and to continue Section 181 for further study.