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Rules Committee advances reappointments for four Planning Commission seats after hours of public support and nominee Q&A
Summary
The Rules Committee on July 25 advanced reappointments and mayoral nominations to the San Francisco Planning Commission — Dennis Richards and Catherine Moore (reappointments), Rodney Fong and Millicent Johnson (mayoral nominees) — after extensive public comment, questioning about process and family housing, and motions to forward the items to the full Board with positive recommendations.
The Rules Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on July 25 forwarded four Planning Commission nominations to the full Board with positive recommendations after public testimony and extended questioning of the nominees.
Dennis Richards and Catherine Moore, both nominated for four‑year terms ending July 1, 2022, addressed the committee and answered supervisors’ questions about neighborhood engagement, bureaucratic delays in processing entitlements and how to encourage family‑friendly housing. Richards told the committee he has ‘‘over 20 years of community service’’ on land‑use matters and asked the committee to support his reappointment: "I seek your reappointment again today." Moore described decades of work as an architect and urban designer and said she was ‘‘honored to serve again on the planning commission, and today I do ask for your support."
Dozens of residents, neighborhood groups and professional organizations urged the committee to reappoint the nominees during public comment, saying the commissioners bring technical expertise and community engagement to land‑use decisions. Speakers cited the nominees’ work on issues ranging from the Market Octavia plan and Mission Bay to tenant protections.
Supervisors pursued detailed exchanges with both nominees about the causes of stalled construction despite many entitled units, how to define ‘‘family housing’’ with children in mind, and policies to curb loss of smaller units. Richards noted city data showing a large entitlement pipeline he said wasn’t translating into construction and called for closer interagency coordination; Moore said she would help define unit design and size standards to better serve families with children.
After discussion the committee’s chair and members accepted a motion by Supervisor Stephanie to approve President Malia Cohen’s nominations for Richards and Moore and to forward the items to the full Board with a positive recommendation. Similar motions to forward the mayor’s nominees Rodney Fong and Millicent Johnson were also made and approved without objection later in the meeting.
What’s next: The four nominations will appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda for confirmation, with the committee’s positive recommendation recorded in the committee report.
