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Committee hears 17‑part Small Business Recovery Act; opponents urge pause for equity review
Summary
The Mayor’s Small Business Recovery Act would streamline permitting, expand expedited conditional‑use processes (including limited ‘‘small formula retail’’), allow rooftop and other outdoor uses under limits, and expand ADU and accessory use rules. Proponents said the package reduces red tape and helps lifelines for restaurants and entertainment; critics—especially in low‑income and cultural districts—urged dividing the omnibus bill and adding an equity‑first community review.
The committee heard a lengthy presentation from the Mayor’s Office (Laurel Arvantidis, OEWD) on a 17‑part ordinance labeled the Small Business Recovery Act. The package seeks to accelerate and simplify land‑use and permit processes for neighborhood businesses, expand expedited conditional‑use hearings to additional uses (bars, nighttime entertainment, certain formula retail under a small‑store threshold), allow greater flexibility for rooftop and outdoor uses, permit expanded catering and accessory uses, and adjust historic‑resource noticing and other technical rules.
Key provisions described by OEWD: - A citywide 30‑day processing guarantee for principally permitted ground‑floor uses (to reduce weeks of delay). - Expanded expedited conditional‑use timelines (90 days) for specified uses and a new “small formula retail” category (fewer than 20 locations worldwide) eligible for expedited processing. - Permit streamlining including consolidation of several tenant‑use categories to reduce change‑of‑use…
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