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Committee advances Planning Code, administrative-fee increases after public criticism of records access
Summary
The Budget & Finance Committee advanced ordinances to raise planning and environmental review fees (CPI + surcharge), add a conditional-use fee for wireless facilities, and create a $4,427 preliminary project assessment credit; public commenters urged denial, citing delays and Sunshine Law findings against Planning staff.
The Budget & Finance Committee on July 1 voted to advance two ordinances that would raise Planning Department and environmental-review fees and add new processing charges.
The clerk read Item 1, an amendment to the San Francisco Planning Code Article 3.5 that would raise fees by the CPI adjustment of 2.61% plus an additional cost-recovery surcharge (2.04%), add a new conditional-use application fee for wireless telecommunications facilities and increase discretionary review filing fees. Item 2 would amend Chapter 31 of the Administrative Code (Sections 31.22–31.24) to make similar cost-of-living and cost-recovery adjustments, change timing of environmental impact report payments, add a mitigation-and-condition-of-approval monitoring fee, and clarify certain collection and refund policies for the Municipal Transportation Agency and Public Utilities Commission.
Tom DeSanto of the Planning Department summarized the measures, noting counsel earlier amended the package to create a $4,427 preliminary project assessment fee that would be credited at the time of the first application.
During public comment, several speakers urged supervisors to reject the funding increases or to withhold additional resources to planning until longstanding public-records concerns are resolved. One speaker, who identified himself as Allenstown, said the Planning Department had repeatedly delayed or withheld records and forced citizens to file Sunshine complaints; Ray Hartz and other commenters said the Sunshine Commission had issued determinations against planning staff and that document productions had been slow or incomplete in appeals and other proceedings.
Supervisor Ellsberg moved to advance Items 1 and 2 with recommendations; Supervisor Ross Macarimi seconded, and the chair reported no objection. The items will be taken up again as the Board considers conforming amendments and accompanying reports.
The committee action moves the measures forward for Board consideration rather than adopting the ordinances at committee; final adoption will require further readings and any required amendments at the full Board.
