Rules Committee forwards Rachel Tanner nomination for Board of Appeals

Chair Supervisor Safae opened the Rules Committee and introduced Item 1: President of the Board Malia Cohen’s nomination of Rachel Tanner to Seat 2 on the Board of Appeals for a term ending July 1, 2022. Alia Chissey, speaking on behalf of President Cohen, urged the committee to confirm Tanner, citing Tanner’s planning expertise and the value of increased representation on the Board of Appeals as Tanner would be the board’s second woman and a woman of color.

Tanner addressed the committee, describing a career in planning and public service — community organizing in Michigan, graduate training at MIT, work in Long Beach’s city manager’s office, two years as a senior planner in San Francisco’s Planning Department and her current role as an assistant to the city manager in Palo Alto. She told the committee she had attended at least one Board of Appeals meeting and had reviewed several hearings on video as part of preparing for the role and said she would be able to adjust her work schedule to attend hearings.

Supervisors asked Tanner about her familiarity with typical Board of Appeals matters (land‑use cases such as rear‑yard extensions, decks and stairs and larger housing cases) and about any outreach to supervisors’ offices; Tanner said she had contacted offices and was told no further meeting was needed. After opening and closing public comment on the nomination, Supervisor Yee moved to approve the nomination and send it to the full Board with a positive recommendation. The Chair called for approval and the committee agreed without objection. The nomination will be considered by the full Board of Supervisors.