Commission delays vote as heated debate continues over revisions to historic‑preservation code

The San Francisco Planning Commission on Dec. 6 heard several hours of testimony and debate over proposed revisions to Planning Code Articles 10 and 11 that would change how the city designates and regulates landmarks and local historic districts.

Supervisor Wiener asked the commission to consider a package of amendments that would, among other things, reintroduce owner balloting as an advisory step before initiating a district (a 66% owner threshold), require broader outreach to property owners, create an economic‑hardship pathway for projects in historic districts and allow local interpretations of the Secretary of the Interior Standards. Sophie Hayward, planning department staff, and Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) representatives briefed the commission on where staff and the HPC agree and where Supervisor Wiener’s new language differs from the HPC’s vetted draft.

Supporters of the HPC’s version — including…