Committee backs extension of temporary storefront-merger ban in proposed Latino Cultural District

A San Francisco Board of Supervisors committee voted to advance an urgency ordinance that would extend for 12 months interim controls preventing the merger of commercial storefronts larger than roughly 7,799 square feet in the proposed Latino Cultural District.

Diana Ponce de Leon of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development told the committee the controls were adopted following a community process that began in February 2013 and were designed to preserve an estimated 40 small storefronts along the corridor. "The Latino Cultural District is part of the mayor's Invested Neighborhoods initiative," Ponce de Leon said, describing outreach, a retail study of 20th and Fourth streets and plans for a community meeting to discuss a Special Use District.

Supporters said the temporary prohibition buys time for the city and stakeholders to develop longer-term zoning and services for Spanish-speaking businesses and cultural institutions at risk of displacement. A public commenter urged the board to provide empirical data on progress and said Mission District businesses were suffering, noting short-term leases and transit issues.

After public comment the committee accepted a motion to send the ordinance to the full board as a committee report. The matter was later recalled for a revote; the roll call recorded Supervisor Wiener voting no and Supervisors Peskin and Chair Cohen voting aye, after which the committee recorded the motion as passed and forwarded the item to the full board for further consideration.

The committee's action does not by itself change city code; it forwards the extension with a positive committee recommendation to the full Board of Supervisors for final action. No ordinance number or final adoption date was specified at the committee meeting.