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Planning Department moves to overhaul discretionary-review process; code amendments initiated
Summary
After extensive public comment and a multi-month staff outreach process, the Planning Commission voted to initiate amendments to Planning Code Sections 3.11 and 3.12 to pilot a two‑year discretionary‑review reform emphasizing stronger pre‑application outreach, an internal Residential Design Team (RDT), defined criteria for “exceptional and extraordinary” cases, and timelines for review.
The San Francisco Planning Commission on April 2 initiated amendments to city planning code sections 3.11 and 3.12 and endorsed a phase‑one experiment to reform the city’s discretionary‑review (DR) process. Planning Department staff framed the changes as a two‑year trial that emphasizes early neighborhood engagement, new internal review checks and clearer criteria for Commission hearings.
The department said its proposal aims to reduce the time and cost of DR cases by strengthening the pre‑application process, requiring standardized neighborhood notices and meeting packets, and routing many cases through a…
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