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Land Use Committee advances Central SoMa cleanup ordinance with minor amendments
Summary
The committee voted unanimously to recommend an ordinance amending the Central SoMa planning code corrections and clarifications to the full Board on March 23, after adopting technical and minor substantive amendments focused on off-site open space, POPOS operations and PDR/retail definitions.
The Land Use and Transportation Committee voted unanimously on March 15 to forward to the full Board of Supervisors an ordinance cleaning up the Central SoMa planning code, after adopting amendments that clarify open‑space rules, POPOS operations and PDR provisions.
Planning Department staff, represented by Matt Snyder and Josh Switzky, told the committee the cleanup legislation addresses inadvertent cross‑reference errors, organizes language to reflect policy intent, and contains three substantive changes: where up to half of required open space can be provided off‑site, a retail-for‑PDR exchange at one key site, and tailored residential exposure requirements. Snyder said the Central SoMa implementation documents anticipate about $2,000,000,000 in community benefits and that the amendments align the zoning code with those implementation documents.
Supervisor Aaron Peskin offered two amendments the committee accepted. The first replaces earlier distance language for off‑site open space, striking 'within a half a mile' and replacing it with 'within the Central SoMa plan area or no greater than one quarter mile outside the Central SoMa plan area boundary,' with distance measured by direct line between boundaries. The second amendment revises the POPOS (privately owned public open space) operation provision to require a POPOS operation and maintenance strategy developed by the project sponsor or open‑space provider to be presented to the Planning Commission when a large project authorization under Planning Code section 329 applies and to be finally approved by the director prior to Planning Department approval of a site or building permit.
"I would like to move the aforementioned scribe amendments that are before you," Supervisor Aaron Peskin said when moving the changes. Deputy City Attorney Jensen advised the committee that "those are not substantive and they do not require a referral back." With no callers for public comment, the committee took a roll‑call and voted 3‑0 on the amendments.
After the amendments were adopted, Peskin moved the item as amended to the full Board with a positive recommendation; the committee voted 3‑0. The ordinance, as amended, is expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda on March 23.
Next steps: the committee’s recommendation sends the ordinance, as amended, to the full Board for further consideration and final action.
