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Planning commission recommends expansion of Maher soil/groundwater rules to citywide zones
Summary
The commission recommended approval of Mayor Lee's ordinance to expand the Maher Ordinance’s soil and groundwater testing procedures beyond eastern Bayfill zones to additional areas with potential contamination, endorsing tighter interdepartmental procedures and public transparency; the recommendation passed unanimously.
Planning Department staff and a mayor's office representative presented an ordinance to update the city's Maher Ordinance, which currently applies to the eastern shoreline bayfill zone. Paul Malcher of Planning summarized the proposal and told commissioners the Maher Ordinance (adopted in 1986) would be updated to extend geographic boundaries to include other high‑risk soils areas (industrial zones, South of Market, Bayview, Marina and freeway corridors) and explicitly recognize when groundwater investigation is needed.
Kelly Prutzer from the mayor’s office said the change would "increase protection for public health and safety" and standardize the city's approach to contaminated soils and groundwater. Staff explained the proposal ties Health Department review to the permit process to identify issues earlier and make mapping and Maher information available through parcel mapping and the permit tracking system. The ordinance would amend the building, health and public works codes and the Planning Commission voted to recommend adoption to the Board of Supervisors. The motion to recommend approval passed unanimously (6–0).
Commissioners asked about serpentine rock and asbestos-related dust control; staff responded that serpentine is addressed through an existing Health Code provision on dust control and the proposed Maher update would include public notice and use state health risk levels in Health Department procedures. Staff advised that the Building Inspection Commission would hold additional hearings and that the Board of Supervisors could act as early as June with adoption in July and effectiveness about a month after adoption.
